---- WARNING: SPOILERS BELOW ----
Season 4 started with Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) being rushed into surgery after having been shot in the season 3 finale. Richard Castle (Nathan Fillion) had ended that season for us with the three words we had been wanting to hear him say to Beckett forever. He told her he loved her as she lay bleeding on the ground. She later told him she didn't remember anything about being shot and we find out she did indeed know.
Season 4 was full of tension. There were many moments where I, and I'm sure other fans thought that Beckett would reveal her feelings to Castle (4x07: Cops and Robbers) only to be cut off or distracted by something else. But we had to wait, and finally in this finale, we get what we have been waiting for.
This episode had, I think, some of the most brilliant acting I have seen throughout the entire series. Whilst Stana Katic and Nathan Fillion never fail to deliver in any episode, it will be hard to top this most recent one. We have in impassioned declaration by Fillion as Castle openly declares his love for Beckett and begs her not to pursue the current case, a case which has ties back to her own shooting as well as the murder of her mother. His secrets are revealed and she shoots him down. He declares that he is walking away, refusing to watch her let herself be killed. Both had tears in their eyes through this scene, and I must admit so did I.
We also get to see some other brilliant acting from Beckett. The confrontation between herself and the man who shot her (Tamoh Penikett), who we finally have a name and a face for, even if that name- Cole Maddox - is most likely just an alias. That showdown was great, and although his part was just small I'm looking forward to seeing him back in Season 5. The best part of that showdown however, was the end. Beckett hanging by her fingertips from a building and facing her own mortality once again as her shooter gets away. Someone calls her name, she thinks it's Castle coming, turns out it's just Ryan, and some other cops all geared up. Oh, and Captain 'Iron' Gates.
The unsuprising result of this is that Javier Esposito and Kate Beckett get put on administrative leave by the no-nonsense Gates. The suprising thing- Kate resigns.
The episode definitely ends fantastically as well. Alexis is graduating High School and giving her speech at the ceremony, this is intespersed with scenes of Kate as she packs her desk and the chilliness of the bromance gone sour between Esposito and Ryan who were at odds from the moment the case was revealed to be linked to Beckett's shooting.
I think one of my favourite parts of the ending is with Beckett sitting on the swing in the rain. You can just see her processing what has happened and where she wants to be as well as remembering the conversation with Castle in the first episode of the season where she talks about the brick wall she has built up around herself.
But by far my favourite scene and the one we have all been waiting for waiting for was the very final scene between Beckett and Castle. She turns up at his loft, soaked, and with a tear stained face to apologise and tell him she wants him. Fantastic.... and FINALLY!
So what will next season hold? I have no idea!
As things stand at the moment:
- Beckett and Castle are finally together .
- Beckett has resigned.
- Esposito is on administrative leave.
- Ryan is getting the cold shoulder from Esposito for going to Gates.
- The mysterious Mr Smith, one of Montgomery's friends, is facing the end of his blackmail on those who tried to kill Beckett.
- There is most definitely still a hit out on Beckett and she will have to face that again next season.
I do hope we get a bit more on Castle's father next season. This season touched on the fact that he may have been a CIA agent... whether there is truth in this we are yet to see. I also hope to see Beckett's mother's murder finally wrapped up. This finale has shown that while it's definitely still a driving force behind why she does what she does it is no longer the be all and end all for her. I think to drag it on for much longer would be just a little much even if all of the related episodes have been simply brilliant.
So here's to Andrew Marlowe, his brilliant creation and all those who make this show what it is. Let's hope season 5 starts off with a bang!
~~ Random Logic ~~
I liked this finale, and I would hope the new one was better. S4 was a bit too rough around the edges at times as it felt for me, but I think the ending did solve that part, so I guess it remains to be seen how it looks in the future.
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