The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself Season 1 Episode 8 Finale

The episode begins with a flashback of Marie (Claire Ganaye) trying to convince Mercury (Roisin Murphy) to take young Gabriel (Charles Nicol) Fairborn Witches attacked their Blood Witch clan. Gabriel’s father, Luc (Dimitri Jeannest) suggests he’ll be an alchemist. Mercury admits to having no need for another alchemist but if he knows the ingredients to calm Luc’s pain, he may be exceptional. After Gabriel tells her the ingredients, she says he can live with her. Gabriel protests as his mum says she’ll return for him someday. Mercury assures him that Luc and Marie aren’t his parents before erasing his memory. Young Gabriel is given a book to jot down names from his dreams.

Back to the present – Gabriel (Emilien Vekemans) stares at the names in his book.

Nathan (Jay Lycurgo) is surrounded by Nicky (Emilie Largier) and her clan when a wolf howls in the distance. Nicky says, “His own blood will kill the wolf.” Nathan assures her that the prophecy is “bullocks” before suggesting they fight the Fairborn hunters at Wolfhagen. While they’re turned in the direction of howling, he sneaks away.

After warning Soul O’Brien (Paul Ready) that Marcus Edge (David Gyasi) has arrived, Jessica (Isobel Jesper Jones) suggests he’ll need Annalise’s power. Annalise O’Brien (Nadia Parkes) tells him to ignore her. Jessica assures Soul that he can have everything with her power. Annalise suggests he do the right thing. Raising her voice, Jessica tells him that he needs to take her power. Soul tells her that he’s sorry when a bullet busts a window. Annalise hits Jessica before fleeing. Nicky’s clan moves in on Soul while Jessica goes after Annalise.

Gabriel thinks of Marie, Luc, and kissing Nathan. He says, “Nathan.”

Bernard (David Isiguzo) screams, “Death to the Fairborns.”

Gabriel tries to remember the password to the blood room when a young boy (possibly a younger version of Gabriel) informs him of Mercury changing the password. Approaching the door, the boy says, “I’ll go home to my mother when the journey is done and return to my home as the prodigal son.” The door pops open. Gabriel tells him that the blood is extremely important to him. The boy informs him of a shortcut to the water tower underneath his bed. Gabriel asks why he never used it. The boy admits to being afraid. Gabriel assures him that he’ll return for him before writing his name on the boy’s shirt sleeve.

As Gabriel walks toward the boy’s room, Mercury asks if he’s leaving her. He tells her that he’s going to help a boy kill a wolf before running. She starts chasing him, leaving a black cloud of smoke behind. He slides underneath the bed.

Nicky tells Alice (Severine Howell-Meri) that Wolfhagen is full of death. Kneeling on the ground, Alice utilizes her power to hear the dead. Marcus can be heard in the background asking Soul if he’s an honorable man. Reutger (Franc Ashman) says the peace treaty requires the Blood Witches to follow Fairborn laws.

When Nathan warns her that Soul needs to be stopped. Ceelia says it’s her job to protect him. He suggests they stop him together. She tells him to go find Annalise before walking away.

Soul tells young Ceelia (Orla McDonagh) that he’ll provide her protection when adult Ceelia says she would have done anything for the man who hid with her from Marcus. He admits to having been too afraid to protect the Fairborn Council from being massacred. She assures him that it was an act of honor.

Armed with a knife, Jessica suggests they play a game of removing her heart for Soul to eat. She questions if Annalise has what it takes to voluntarily utilize her power. She looks down to see the hair on her arms raise when Annalise admits to not wanting to harm her. When Jessica charges her, she utilizes her power to hold her back. Jessica falls to her knees as Annalise flees.

Nathan continues to search for Annalise when Gabriel grabs his arm. Gabriel asks why he kissed him. Nathan admits to being unsure if everything would be all right. He suggests waiting until midnight to drink his blood. As they search for Annalise, Gabriel takes a bullet. A frantic Nathan rushes over to him as he stirs awake. Gabriel looks down to see the blood from the vial splattered on his shirt. Nathan assures him that it’ll be all right.

Bernard and Hugo (Joe Akubeze) approach as Soul bites Ceelia’s neck. Soul assures them that Marcus won’t save them.

Nathan and Gabriel assure a frantic Annalise that she’s okay.

Ceelia has a flashback of watching Marcus kill her parents from a confessional. Soul says, “His own blood will kill the wolf” before walking out the door.

Gabriel, Annalise, and Nathan find a severely injured Ceelia. Nathan pleads with her to hang on. Ceelia says, “To the friends at our table, enemies in the dark, and the ones we love who hunt them” before taking their last breath.

Nathan suggests each of them say whatever they feel before dying. Annalise says she’ll think of them every day before she dies. Nathan professes his love for both of them. They encounter Soul in the woods. Nathan asks which of his family member’s blood was utilized to make the Witch’s bottle. Soul tells him that it was his brother, Rowan’s (Tim Plester) blood. Nathan assures him that he’s never forgotten how he killed Esmie (Kerry Fox) and his mum. Soul says he’s going to wipe out his bloodline.

Nathan runs a short distance before collapsing on the ground. Marcus tells him hello. Nathan suggests he kill him and get it over with. Marcus reminds him that he’s dying so there is no need to kill him. Nathan asks why he killed the Fairborn Council. Lying a knife between them, Marcus asks if he wants to avenge their deaths. He admits to killing a Fairborn Witch who knew how his death would occur. Nathan says it was his power before asking if the Fairborn Witch was his mum’s husband. After telling him that his mum was all good, Marcus says they loved each other. Grabbing the knife, Nathan puts it against Marcus’s throat. Marcus admits to knowing how his death will happen but it won’t be today. He reminds him of his Giving Day as he slices his wrist. While Nathan drinks his blood, he says his second gift is what his mum said about not fearing what he would become.

Marcus tells him that Soul needs to die. Nathan warns him that Soul’s too powerful. Marcus says his third gift is an opportunity to see his true self. Grabbing the knife, Nathan searches for Soul.

Soul suggests Marcus abandoned him. Nathan stabs him in the chest. Hearing a commotion, Gabriel suggests it’s Nathan. Gabriel tackles Soul from behind. As Soul prepares to blast Gabriel with a fireball, Annalise directs it into his chest. She breaks his body into tiny pieces before collapsing on the ground. Nathan and Gabriel rush over to comfort her.

Jessica enters a cut to find Mercury sitting on a sofa. She asks if she can fix her power. Mercury assures her that she can avenge those who weakened her power.

Nathan looks at Soul’s heart before looking at Gabriel and Annalise as the episode comes to an end.

 

Half Bad: The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself (Netflix’s new title for the series)

 

The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself Synopsis

Gabriel remembered his mum and father giving him to Mercury. He also remembered how he came to have his book with important names.

Jessica convinced Soul to kill Annalise and claim her power. A distraction gave Annalise an opportunity to get away temporarily.

Gabriel escaped Mercury’s clutches with the help of a young boy, probably a younger version of himself. With a vial of blood from Nathan’s bloodline in hand, he escaped through a cut underneath the boy’s bed.

Alice utilized her power to wake the victims of the Peace Massacre.

Ceelia refused Nathan’s help to force Soul back to the Fairborn Council.

Soul thought he was weak for not trying to stop Marcus kill Ceelia’s parents and several members of the Fairborn Council. Ceelia viewed his actions as “honorable.”

Annalise utilized her power to stop Jessica from killing her.

Soul killed Nicky and her clan.

Nathan’s vial of blood was broken when Gabriel got shot. Nathan was so relieved Gabriel wasn’t injured, he willingly accepted his fate. The trio reunited to search for Ceelia before she did. Soul admitted to utilizing Rowan’s blood for the Witch’s Bottle potion.

Nathan encountered Marcus in the woods. Marcus gave him his blood, the opportunity to see who he really is, and his mother’s final words.

Annalise utilized her power to kill Soul.

Mercury opened a cut for Jessica to visit her. She promised to help her avenge Annalise and possibly Nathan and Gabriel for weakening her power.

 

The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself Finale Review

A very disappointing finale, a nothing-burger of a sort. Marcus was built up to be this monster who was coming to kill all the Fairborn Witches. A showdown between Marcus and Soul would lead to one or both of their deaths. Instead, we get Marcus leaving Nathan to fend for his own. Nathan stabbed Soul and Annalise finished him off.

The final scene just didn’t make sense. Why would Mercury agree to help Jessica avenge her weakened power? Not once did this come up during the entire season. Not one witch experienced weaker power after a confrontation. I’m sure this was an attempt to score a second season, which I could support.

Viewers never got to see the Ceelia and Soul face-off, just him biting her neck.

Everything seemed too easy for Nathan, Annalise, and Gabriel.

The finale deserves a 5.5. Get more The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself recaps here. Support Reel Mockery by clicking the link.