Revenge 1×22 ‘Reckoning’ review: Oh. Ems. Gee.

It’s been quite the season on Revenge. What started out as a perfect (summer) guilty pleasure slowly, and then somewhat forcefully, transitioned into a stark drama. All of the elements were there from the beginning — murder, plotting, revenge, conspiracy (though, to argue, a lot of those elements can equal up to “scandalous”) — but only recently has it become a series where the stakes are exceptionally heightened. Coupled with the worst villain name in show history, The White Haired Man, who entered in the last few episodes, and now the fact that Amanda’s mother may have something to do with this entire hullabaloo, it appears the s— is just about to hit the fan.

Quite honestly, by the half hour mark, I was mostly underwhelmed with this season finale. Easily, Revenge is this season’s best new show, but all the storylines it set up sort of ended with a whimper. Amanda realized she’s not completely dark and decides to not killed The White Haired Man. Of course, this greatly redeems her character. I mean, Amanda is a real badass but having her murder someone may have stopped much support for her character from the audience. That’s just dark — even for her, or the latter half of this season. (Though, I’ll concede I kind of wanted for her to go through with it.) Elsewhere, Charlotte decides petty high school revenge is her motto; Daniel and “Emily” call off the wedding; and it appears Amanda is ready to just spill out the truth to Jack, as if it’s just no big deal. But I should have known better, which I did but it didn’t deter me. That’s just the calm before the storm.

We leave the season with Charlotte, Victoria, and Lydia’s fates undetermined; Amanda and Jack’s love story will have to wait for another day because fake-Amanda is back — and she’s pregnant, presumably carrying his child; Daniel and Ashley team up, it seems; and Conrad could still go down for the entire thing. Oh, and apparently the conspiracy theory is just about to blow up, because Amanda’s matriarchal unit is still alive. Of course, not as shocking as if her father were alive, but much more believable and a lot less jump-the-shark-ish. Truth be told, the entire hour summed up to be one of the best finales this season. Besides, I just love when Amanda finds out new information and is even more driven to continue plotting her revenge.

I can’t tell if Daniel and “Emily” are done for good now — will this new evidence mean that Amanda will have to snuggle up to Daniel again or that she could cut ties with them, in that sense? I loved the reason Amanda cited, that she isn’t the person he fell in love with and that he isn’t the same person either. Obviously, Daniel has been showing his true colors after all, morphing into Conrad Lite, but Amanda had just come back from almost killing a man. This was someone who was also in love with Daniel, as she was with Jack, and had he not been tempted by his family name’s dark side, she perhaps would have continued with the marriage for noble reasons…rather than just getting closer to the Grayson family (for whatever reason). She somewhat stated that tonight, that she wanted to be with him despite the name.

But getting back to avenging her father’s death, why is Amanda so determined to figure out the truth if it still means that The White Haired Man, who killed her father, gets off scot-free (he was taking a flight out, after all)? I won’t get into it too much, because then I’ll just be blamed for over-thinking.

Instead, I’ll say that this season (and this finale) of Revenge has been one helluva ride. And I’m glad I’ve been on it. Cannot wait until the fall.

10:02 | I bet Daniel doesn’t know gullible is in the dictionary.

10:03 | Jack, she’s, like, engaged and stuff.

10:04 | Hey, I just kissed you.

And this is craaaaazy.

But you’re engaged and plotting revenge to avenge your father’s death and I’m in the crosshairs and peeps gon’ die tonight, it’s crazy y’all!

So call me back maybe.

10:10 | Hahahah! “You stupid, stupid woman!” That’s just…great, really.

10:07 | My number one wish tonight is that they stop referring to this guy as “The White-Haired Man.” It’s insanely cheesy. Like, bad 40s films cheesy. Like, Ed Wood probably directed a movie where a villain was called “The White Haired Man.”

The White Haired Man
Directed by Ed Wood

10:10 | The Grey-Vanned Man.

10:11 | Amanda: “Hey, I have a whole bunch of evidence against you! The only way to get rid of it is by killing me! So don’t kill me, buddy!” Like…

10:17 | “I’m not worthy.” —Nolan. No one is, Nolan. No one.