12 Monkeys Episode 13 Review: He Made His Choice (Season Finale)

"12 Monkeys" has quickly become the best new sci fi show on television. The season finale did not disappoint and added considerably to the time traveling mythology. I'm not professing to have any idea what's really going on at time point. But I am enjoying the ride. All this splintering may make my brain explode (but in a good way). I included a brief overview of the episode below and then on to the larger philosophical questions (there are so many).

"Arms of Mine" opens with Cole and Cassie in bed. We dont get to see any sexy times but they obviously have feelings for each other. Cole's voice over says "Where are you now? ...Next to someone you love? Now what if all of that was gone and the only thing you could do was survive? ...You'd do things, horrible things. Until the only thing you had left was yourself. But what if you could take it all back-- a reset switch? You'd hit it right? Because sometimes the choice isnt even yours-- it's fate". It's the same voice over we heard from Cole at the beginning of the season. Next we see Cole beating the crap out of Aaron. Cassie enters. Aaron says he was trying to save Cassie but she shows him no mercy. Aaron says he told Olivia their location. She plans to wait out the plague in Colorado. There's a fight and Aaron appears to burn to death. Cole doesnt try to help saying "he's made his choice". I wouldnt count Aaron down for the count though. Everyone comes back on this show.

Are These Vampire Ninjas To Be Trusted?

Next cut on over to 2043. Lots of red plants (is it ivy?) are showing up in Jones' time machine. The siege on the facility by Deacon and the pale dudes is still underway. Henceforth I'm calling them the "Hooded Pasty Faces" (or HPFs for short). They spend some time talking outside. In a cool visual they send a flock of birds into the building's exhaust system (causing the core to overheat). The HPFs seem to be from the future (meaning after 2043). Inside Jones has some explosives and will blow up the time machine before it falls into enemy hands.

Maybe Jennifer Should Hire A Speech Writer Next Time...Just Saying

Back to Cole and Cassie. They learn that Jennifer is the new CEO of the Markridge Group. They attend the shareholders meeting. It begins with a touching montage to how great a man Leland was (which is of course all a lie). Too funny! Then Jennifer starts to speak. At first they love her but she digresses into giving the planet back to the animals. Everyone begins to leave. "This year the dodo, next year the unicorn". I just love Jennifer! Cassie, Cole and Jennifer later speak. She feigns ignorance but after they leave, she calls someone (I assume Olivia) saying "It's done, he knows".

If You Mess With Jones, You'll Be Sorry

In the future, Deacon and crew enter the facility. Jones holds the detonator to the explosives. She will give them the machine if they release Whitley and the rest of the workers. Isnt this an about face for her? She previously would do anything to protect the machine.

Is Our Future Preordained Or Do We Have A Choice?

While their standoff is occurring, Cole and Cassie find Ramse at the earlier version of the splinter machine. Cole pulls a gun and Ramse's security guard pulls a gun. Cassie shows up and pulls a gun. Cassie is yelling for Cole to shoot Ramse saying "he made his choice". Cole refuses to shoot at his old friend. Cassie shoots Ramse. Cassie is then shot by the guard. Ramse suggests Cole use the time machine and send Cassie to Jones. Why would he do this if it doesnt help keep his son alive? An injured Cassie shows up right in the middle of the Jones vs the Hooded Pasty Faces conflict.

In the past, cases of what appear to be the virus are being loaded onto Jennifer's. Did Jennifer unleash the plague after all...cause that's what its looking like currently. I hope not. I want Jennifer to be a good guy.

I'm Anxiously Awaiting Olivia's Back Story

Across town Olivia is told the "12 are ready". I am surprised to learn that the 12 are actually babies. The final scene ends with a voice over (just as the introduction did). This time it's Olivia saying Ramse (known by his alias of Ethan Seckie) will be found dead at the Raritan National Laboratory next to the time machine. Cole will fade away into obscurity. What she doesnt realize is that after leaving the facility, Cole turns around, picks up Ramse and says "There has to be another way". Uh oh, what does it all mean?

Now onto the philosophical questions:

Fate- The main theme of this episode appears to be "fate". Is it possible to do anything that we are not already preordained to do? Last week when an injured Cole asked Cassie why she brought Jones to him, she says "Jones is here because she's always come here. Its fate."
The Witness- I, like many of you, thought Ramse was "The Witness". This week he emphatically denies it. So if it's not Rame, who is it? Could it be Cassie or Cole or one of Jones previous time travelers or someone we havent even met yet?
Dr Mr Jones- What's really up with Katarina's hubby? His time machine can only send things forward in time. Why is he sending plants? And why are they materializing in Jones' time machine? It is the same machine or a different one?
Olivia- I still have no idea what her game is. She seems to have the ability to hypnotize/control other people. She has mentioned her father several times. Any guesses on who he is? And who is she? Could she be Cole's mother? Could she be Katarina's daughter? I dont think she's Jennifer's mother since Jennifer did not react when they met.
Hooded Pasty Faces (HPFs)- Are they really from the future-future? Or are they the 12 that Olivia saw as babies. The show seems to be leaning towards the 12. If so, why do they look like vampire ninjas? Is it because they grew up in an underground bunker in Colorado without any sunlight? I personally hope they were from the distant future. And the head of group did say to Jones "We represent the future madam. We do not wish to be relegated to the past".
Cassie- Is Cassie under the influence of the Red Forest (or whatever you call those whacky red visions she has) when she shot Ramse? She did seem kinda out of it. Also is Cassie the real Witness?
Aging- We have wondered for several episodes why Ramse does not age. Cassie may have it on the head when she said "Maybe its Jones' injetions. You said that they make it so time moves around you". Sounds good to me.
Red Ivy- I never understood what was up with all the red leaves. Dr Mr Jones discusses it with a lab tech. "Distortion of of time and space and its effects on plants is considerable. Green to red. Organic matter in states of flux."

Favorite Quotes:

"Where are you now? ...Next to someone you love? Now what if all of that was gone and the only thing you could do was survive? ...You'd do things, horrible things. Until the only thing you had left was yourself. But what if you could take it all back-- a reset switch? You'd hit it right? Because sometimes the choice isnt even yours-- it's fate."- Cole in episodes 1 and 13.
"I dont have time for your crazy bullshit. There's too much at stake and my patience is gone."- Cassie to Jennifer after she smacks her.
"This year the dodo, next year the unicorn"- Jennifer to Cassie about her future plans.
"Its done, he knows"- Jennifer on the phone to Olivia (I assume).
"He made his choice"- Cole (about Aaron) and later Cassie (about Ramse).
"It took time travel to create time travel"- Ramse to Cole.
"We represent the future madam. We do not wish to be relegated to the past- Head of the Hooded Pasty Faces (HPFs) to Jones.
Jennifer: "I have other plans for my company" Cassie: "So you're not cloning a dodo" Jennifer: "Of course I am, Im not a liar".

Grade: 5 Monsters (out of 5). Perfection! This show, with its mind blowing time travel mythology, continues to knock it out of the park. Do we have a choice in life or is everything preordained (no matter how hard we fight against it)?