Carnival Row: Season 1, Episode 8 “The Gloaming” [Season Finale] – Recap, Review (with Spoilers)

In the season finale, the controller of the Darkasher is revealed, as well as who the real mastermind behind the events of season 1.

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Recap

A Love Like This Does Not Come Every day: Imogen, Agreus, Ezra

So, Ezra knows Imogen and Agreus are bumping uglies, and he comes to the point of wanting to kill Agreus – if not at least threaten him. However, Imogen decides she is done living with and supporting her brother, so she helps Agreus escape, and they leave the continent.

Many Secrets Revealed: Piety, Absalom, Jonah, Sophie, Philo, Haruspex

Get this, Piety and the man she killed, Ritter, they had a kid, and that kid is Jonah. The person who has regularly been having sex with Sophie, his half-sister. Also, she knew, through rumors, there was the possibility Jonah was her brother, and she just didn’t care. Yeah, that is how little of a f*** Sophie gives. But, all things considered, why should she give a damn about incest when so many of the high born families already have that as part of their histories?

But, with that said, taking note Jonah’s reaction, she still proposes them joining forces or else becoming enemies. Which, considering Jonah confronted his mom about kidnapping him, makes him lean more towards joining forces with her than continuing to live out this dream Piety has. One that she feels is increasingly threatened for with the discovery that Philo is Absalom’s bastard, that complicates things immensely. Especially since Absalom helped Philo get out of custody and with him on the loose, he is a major liability. Not just to Piety and the Chancellor, but also Jonah.

So, in a fit of madness, she kills Absalom, as well as Haruspex, and uses Absalom’s liver, as she has used many others, to activate her Darkshire.

The Prophecy Holds True: Jonah, Vignette, Philo, Sophie, Piety

The prophecy always was that Jonah would rise up to be something great. This is made possible since Piety kills Absalom and Jonah, as chancellor, joins forces with Sophie to create a coalition. One which subjugates the fae population and sequesters them all into Carnival Row. All of which may have been Sophie’s plan for, get this, the whole drama of the series, at least starting with Aisling’s death, was due to a letter Sophie wrote to Absalom that Piety intercepted. Thus leading her to make a Darkasher, tracking down Philo, and killing anyone who knew about him, and trying to kill him herself.

However, when Piety kidnaps Vignette to help her find out where Philo is, she escapes. Vignette escapes just as Philo is about to be killed by Piety’s Darkasher with a blade going from the back and out of her mouth. Thus ending Piety’s tyranny but it not ending Philo and Vignette’s problems. For, with the sequester, it seems they will be separated again but with him firmly claiming, in front of his former peers, he is fae, he joins her behind the lines and thus season 1 of Carnival Row ends.

Noteworthy Information

1. A member of the faun who praises the hidden God tried to assassinate Absalom, but he survived. But, with being bedridden, and gravely wounded, that is how Piety was so easily able to smother him.

Review

Question(s) Left Unanswered

1. Considering all the trouble Vignette caused, shouldn’t someone have cut her wings off?

Highlights

Sophie Behind It All

That’s some big evil, I want to watch the world burn, type of stuff right there, isn’t it? She is responsible for the death of at least six or seven people. Yet, despite that, she is still living her best life. Her brother/lover she plans to burn the world with, she is likely pursuing a civil war, and while not bat s*** crazy, she definitely has screws loose. Yet, she is what this show needs and I hope will be seen of more. For this is the kind of villain you love to hate.

Imogen and Agreus

The fact they ended up together, in the end, is the main reason this is a highlight. We’ve watched them fight, bicker, her do a 180 turn, and while that turn was drastic, in the long run it felt real. She was lonely, always trying to impress people and here comes this main, with some airs and graces about him, but generally didn’t give a damn. He wanted respect but wasn’t about bending over backwards to get it. Making him not just a good potential partner but also an example.

With that said, I can only hope their venture, which has not got intertwined with Philo’s story, stays separate in the future. Especially since they are likely going to a different continent and might expose us to the rest of the world.

Low Point

Where Are The Dark Ravens?

Excuse me if I sound like a broken record but while I get The Pact couldn’t have crossed an ocean and tried to take on humanity, considering what Vignette knew of the Dark Ravens, I doubt she could spend a week or two and leave. You know, have a casual attitude about it and say, “You know, this is just not for me.” That organization comes off very much like, “You leave in a casket and if you screw us over  you won’t have your wings.” So for them to just go poof, it makes no sense. Particularly when you factor in how corrupt parliament is and this vibe Dahlia should have had an in to continue her presence/ story.

On The Fence

Hoping Vignette & Philo Would Have Had A More Romantic Moment

While you can appreciate the two of them being long game, and are still rebuilding trust in their relationship, it’s hard to not want a bit of wish fulfillment. We got it with Imogen and Agreus, so for Vignette and Philo to not match them, maybe surpass them, seemed strange. But, perhaps it is just because Vignette hasn’t been much beyond a love interest so her ending up with the man she loves seems like it should have been part of the ending.

Not to downplay him choosing her, and their people, for that goes beyond them kissing or having sex again, but there is just this vibe their moment should have ended things with a bang. Rather than a moment that seems like it could be written in mid-season or a few episodes before the finale.

Carnival Row Directory

Creator	Travis Beacham, René Echevarria
Character Guide	Created
Collected Quotes	Not Created
Current Status	Active
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Season Reviews
Season 1 (Storylines & Major Arcs)
Check Out The TV Series & Specials Page

Season/ Episode	Synopsis	Episode Information	Topics & Focused Characters
Season 1, Episode 4 "The Joining of Unlike Things"	As a name is given to the beast which haunts the shadows, Agreus makes a deal with Imogen and Vignette is put in a life or death situation.	Director(s) Thor Freudenthal, Anna Foerster Writer(s) Travis Beacham, Marc Guggenheim, Peter Cameron Air Date 8/30/2019 Introduced This Episode Ritter Longerbane Ronan Vibert Sophie Caroline Ford Hamlyn Dejan Bucin Mima Sawsaan Mina Andala	A Life For A Life: Mima Sawsaan, Haruspex, Philo It’s Politics: Piety, Jonah, Ritter, Sophie, Absalom, Imogen, Ezra, Agreus For The Love Of You: Ms. Fyfe, Philo, Vignette, Tourmaline, Dahlia, Hamlyn
Season 1, Episode 3 "Kingdoms of the Moon"	We come to learn how Vignette and Philo met, a grave secret he and Darius hold, and see the final days of the war.	Director(s) Anna Foerster Writer(s) Travis Beacham Air Date 8/30/2019 Introduced This Episode Darius Ariyon Bakare Mima Roosan Badria Timimi	The Young Woman Who Watches Over The Books: Mima Roosan, Vignette, Philo The Secrets A Man Holds: Philo, Vignette, Darius Was It The End Or A Long Pause?: Vignette, Philo, Tourmaline, Mima Roosan
Season 1, Episode 2 "Aisling"	As a formerly famous pixie is found brutally murdered, Philo finds himself a new case as Vignette decides the Spurnrose household isn’t for her.	Director(s) Thor Freudenthal Writer(s) René Echevarria Air Date 8/30/2019 Introduced This Episode Aisling Erika Starkova Afissa Tracey Wilkinson Absalom Jared Harris Jonah Arty Froushan Piety Indira Varma Haruspex Alice Krige Sylvanus Wil Johnson Tourmaline Karla Crome Dahlia Chlie Pirrie	A Missing Son: Absalom, Jonah, Piety, Haruspex A Dead Pix: Aisling, Philo, Sylvanus It’s Hard To Move Forward When You Keep Looking Back: Philo, Vignette, Ezra, Imogen, Tourmaline, Agreus, Dahlia
Season 1, Episode 1 "Some Dark God Wakes" [Series Premiere]	Carnival Row may begin with a gorgeous, complex world with varied creatures, but the beauty fades when anything is put under a microscope.	Director(s) Thor Freudenthal Writer(s) Travis Beacham, René Echevarria Air Date 8/30/2019 Genre(s) Fantasy Good If You Like Shows With Large Worlds & Large Casts Victorian Era Shows, With A Slight Steampunk Vibe A Dash Of Romance, But It Not Likely Being The Selling Feature Possibly Episodic Stories Introduced This Episode Rycroft Philostrate Orlando Bloom Vignette Cara Delevingne Portia Fyfe Maeve Dermody Imogen Tamzin Merchant Ezra Andrew Gower Agreus David Gyasi Unseelie Jack Matthew Gravelle
Season 1, Episode 5 "Grieve No More"	The truth behind Philo’s parentage is revealed as things begin to come to a boil in Imogen and Absalom’s life.	Director(s) Andy Goddard Writer(s) Ian Deitchman, Kristin Robinson Air Date 8/30/2019 Introduced This Episode Dr. Mornage Gregory Gudgeon Runyan Simon McBurney Young Philo Ilian Gergisak Young Aisling Veronika Mackova	How Low Our Family Has Fallen: Ezra, Imogen, Agreus Never Underestimate A Longerbane: Sophie, Jonah, Piety, Absalom A Mother’s Lullaby: Young Aisling, Young Philo, Philo, Runyan, Dr. Mornage
Season 1, Episode 6 "Unaccompanied Fae"	Philo reveals a secret which will cause many, including him, trouble. Which coincides with Sophie revealing her secret, and Imogen coming to a realization.	Director(s) Andy Goddard Writer(s) Stephanie K. Smith Air Date 8/30/2019 Introduced This Episode Quill Scott Reid Cabal Theo Barklem-Biggs Sargent Dombey Jamie Harris	Pity Those Who Underestimate Us: Sophie, Absalom, Jonah A World Of Treasures & A Shocking Realization: Vignette, Imogen, Agreus Be Wary Of Who You Trust: Ms. Fyfe, Philo, Runyan, Afissa, Sargent Dombey
Season 1, Episode 7 "The World To Come"	Philo’s father has been revealed, just as it seems he faces death, and Imogen seems to have picked up her father’s habits in sympathy for fae.	Director(s) Jon Amiel Writer(s) Peter Cameron Air Date 8/30/2019 Introduced This Episode Constable Berwick Waj Ali Magistrate Flute Mark Lewis Jones	Watch The World Burn & Be Part Of Its Rebuild: Runyan, Sophie, Jonah Beauty & The Beast: Imogen, Agreus, Ezra Does The Truth Ever Set A Person Free – Outside Of Their Mind?: Philo, Vignette, Ms. Fyfe, Sargent Dombley, Constable Berwick, Magistrate Flute
Season 1, Episode 8 "The Gloaming" [Season Finale]	In the season finale, the controller of the Darkasher is revealed, as well as who the real mastermind behind the events of season 1.	Director(s) Jon Amiel Writer(s) Travis Beacham Air Date 8/30/2019	A Love Like This Does Not Come Every day: Imogen, Agreus, Ezra Many Secrets Revealed: Piety, Absalom, Jonah, Sophie, Philo, Haruspex The Prophecy Holds True: Jonah, Vignette, Philo, Sophie, Piety