Sense8 Episodes 10-12 Reviews: You Are No Longer Just You (Season Finale)

It took me a while but I finally made it to the end of "Sense8". Overall, I have to say I really liked it. The premise is very interesting. Eight people in different locations all born on the same day. After being "birthed" as a cluster by Angel (a dying sensate), they are able to communicate telepathically and tap into each other's skill sets. This comes in handy when several face life threatening situations. Not to mention, the evil Mr Whispers and the BPO (including Yrsa) want to kill them all.

Jonas And The Evil Mr Whispers

I'm a bit fuzzy on the specifics of how sensates came into existence. Jonas explains it to Will via a data dump but I didnt catch it all. Something about limbic resonance, psychellium and evolution. Not that this affected my ability to enjoy the story.

Shooting "Sense8" was a MAJOR endeavor given it's filmed in nine different locations-- San Francisco, Chicago, Seoul, Mumbai, Nairobi, Mexico City, Berlin, London and Reykjavik (which is absolutely beautiful). No small feat. The dramatic arc of the story might have benefits from a few less stories though. Eight is just too many to care about (and keep track of) all at once. The last two episodes almost entirely dealt with the sensates trying to save Riley from Mr Whispers which provided a reason for everyone to band together.

My Vote For Favorite Couple Of 2015

I also appreciate how everyone's sexuality is dealt with. People are just who they are. The others dont treat Nomi any differently because she is transgendered. She's in fact one of the heroes of the story (devising plans and hacking into various companies as needed). And her relationship with Amanita is my absolute favorite part of the show. I wish someone loved me as much as those two love each other. Likewise Lito continually professes his love for Hernando. He worries about his career options if outed but we never doubt his feelings are genuine.

That brings me to another point. There was some warning earlier in the season that sensates should not pair up because their feelings are too overwhelming given their psychic connection. This holds true of our two inter-sensate couples. Will and Riley fall deeply in love. Will moves heaven and earth to save her (even to the point of sacrificing himself). Kala and Wolfgang also fall deeply in love even though they are from vastly different backgrounds. More on that later.

Here's where we leave the eight at the end of the season:

Don't You Know Van Damme Never Loses?

Capheus is supposed to turn over a little girl to the Superpower gang (so boss Githu can retailate against her father for killing his sister). In the best fight sequence of the season, Capeus (with the help of Sun) goes full "Van Damme" and kills most of his attackers. This is followed by a great highway chase sequence.
Sun is due to be released from prison thanks to help from her father. Instead, she is visited by her brother who says their father killed himself. We all know it's a lie. Joong-Ki killed Kang-Dae before he could send his son to jail. But have no fear. Sun will have her revenge. I love Sun! She is a serious bad ass.
Kala can not go through with her prearranged marriage to Rajan. She instead loves Wolfgang. We already knew Wolfgang was tough but we didnt know he killed his father while a teenager. He also does not shy away from putting lead into others (including his uncle and cousin). Kala looks completely shocked. Will she be frightened away?
Lito decides he's not afraid of being outed as gay anymore. He goes to Joaquin's house, beats him up and leaves with Daniela. Lito then goes to his estranged boyfriend Hernando's apartment and says he's made a BIG mistake. They get back together. Yeah!
After escaping from the hospital earlier in the season, Nomi remains on the lamb and is assisted by girlfriend Amanita. I've said it before but N & A are my favorite couple. There are always there for each other (no matter what).
Season 2 ends on a cliffhanger with the sensates on a boat riding off into the sunset. Of course they're not all physically on the boat. The only ones actually there are Riley, Will and Lito (I think). Riley has Will sedated since he previously made eye contact with Mr Whispers (which means Whispers can find their location by tapping into Will's thoughts). How they can get around this in season 2 without giving Will a brain transplant? I have no idea. Also kudos to the actors portraying Riley and Will. Great emotional scenes! I could really feel their desperation and pain.

And They Rode Off Into The Sunset

Favorite Quotes:

"I cant leave her."- Will about Riley.
"You are no longer just you."- Jonas.
"Do I know you?"- Will. "Yes, we had sex"- Lito, referring to the sensate orgy scene.
"Shit, four guards."- Will. "Is that all?"- Sun before she opens a can of kick ass some guards.
"Sometimes you make a mistake. You've got two choices: you live with it or you fix it."- Wolfgang
"Men cannot stand to see a beautiful car in trouble. Its a primal instinct."- Nomi to Will about how to sneak into the facility where they're holding Riley.
"I have this feeling. I'm going to have a really good day today."- Cephaus.
"The real violence, the violence I realized was unforgivable, is the violence we do to ourselves when we're too afraid to be who we really are."- Nomi.
"They'll be hunted, born and unborn."- Jonas.
"In the end we'll all be judged by the courage in our hearts."- Hernando.
"I take everything that I'm feeling, everything that matters and I push it all of it into my fist and I fight for it."- Sun.
"At a certain point I realized there's a huge difference between what we work for and what we live for."- Nomi.
"In this country sometimes the only place you can find a brave and honest woman is in prison."- prisoner to Sun.
"The bed keeps you in the slum. The flat screen (TV) takes you out."- Cephaus.
"Call me bitch one more time and I will kill you."- Sun as Cephaus.
"May Jean Claude protect you."- Nix to Cephaus.
"In my book, safety has always been highly overrated."- Amanita.
"Impossibility is a kiss away from reality."- Nomi.
"What is human? An ability to image, to love or grieve? If so, we are more human than any human ever will be."- Jonas.
"This is what life is: fear, rage, desire, love. To stop feeling emotions, to stop wanting to feel them is to feel death."- Sun.

Grade: 4 Monsters (out of 5). Kudos to "Sense8" for such a creative globe trotting project. It really shows that no matter how different we seem on the surface, we all want the same basic things in life. I especially appreciate the Wachowski's depiction of transgendered people and same sex couples.

NetFlix has green lighted "Sense8" for a season 2. Where will we find the sensates and Mr Whispers next? I'll definitely tune in-- if for no other reason than to watch Sun kick ass.