Ripper Street Season 4 Finale Recap

When the finale begins, we see that Bennet Drake (Jerome Flynn) has decided to spend the night with an old friend, Sgt. Donald Artherton (David Wilmot). Next, Mathilda (Anna Burnett) walks down the street with her new friend, Drummond (Matthew Lewis). Mathilda tells Drum she wishes him to stop trying to please her so much and simply be himself. After a kiss, we jump back to Drake, who sees a newspaper article regarding the wolf murders. He angrily rushes to the newspaper office and discover Edmund Reid (Matthew Macfadyen) with Rachel Castello (Anna Koval). The pair spar back and forth, with Reid insisting they need to do the right thing, even if it hurts their own good names. Castello pulls out her research and explains about the Jewish trek from Russia to London. She begins telling about Ratovski’s plight, which was very similar to that of Isaac Bloom’s.

Castello reveals she was able to acquire photographs and diaries, during her trip to Paris. Reid admits he hasn’t read them yet, since they’re in Ukrainian. The group pays a visit to Deborah Goren (Lucy Cohu), who has translated some of the pages. Reid reads the diaries aloud and reveals that the Rabbi’s group was set upon by a wolf pack, which picked off one victim each night. As the story continues, the wolves capture a Christian woman named Galuba. Her young boys managed to prevent the wolves from escaping with the corpse. The youngest clutched onto the woman’s cold body. Reid concluded that Ratovski must’ve abandoned the boys and sent them ahead later in the trip. Deborah and Castello confirm that the children began reporting sights of wolves on the rooftops several years before the Rabbi was killed.

They admit the boys referred to the creature as the Whitechapel Golem. Reid is quickly convinced that one of the boys from the Rabbi’s caravan is trying to return the horror he experienced to the community of Whitechapel. Castello insists Ratovski was brought in by one brother to try and heal the other. Moments later, Drake has a breakthrough and reveals Goluba was the world used for a dove. He insists Augustus Dove (Killian Scott) changed his last name and reinvented himself. Drake tasks Castello with following Augustus. At the pier, we see Nathaniel (Jonas Armstrong) find a dog. Next, Augustus and Rose (Charlene McKenna) stroll down the street. Augustus attempts to convince Rose to tell him about the evil deed committed by Reid and Drake. Rose spills the beans. Castello watches the couple from afar. Next, Jackson (Adam Rothenberg), Susan (MyAnna Buring), and Abel Croker (David Threlfall) examine their loot.

Croker tells Jackson to take his vase and trade it for money, before it is too late. Before Jackson leaves, he speaks with Croker in private and tells him to keep an eye on Nathaniel. He threatens him, if any harm comes to Susan. When Jackson departs, Croker gives a young boy a note and tells him to take it to the police station. Reid and Drake return to the station and learn about the burglary. Drake assigns the case to Frank Thatcher (Benjamin O’Mahony), before Drum steps in and insists there is something the pair needs to see. In the dead room, Drum reveals that the dead guards were killed in the same manner as Gower. Reid insists the wound is the sign of necessity, while the bite marks are those of pleasure. Drum and Thatcher are forced out, before Drake question Reid about Dove’s motives.

Back in the lobby, Croker’s boy delivers the note to Thatcher. The note squeals on the thief, who is getting ready to cash in on his efforts. Thatcher convinces Drum to tag along and capture the thief. They corner Jackson at the shop and take him into custody surprisingly easy. Jackson wakes up in the dead room, where he is hit a few times by Drake. Reid eventually gets a shot in as well. Despite Drake and Reid’s efforts, Jackson refuses to provide them with any helpful information. Reid attempts to convince Jackson to help them gain evidence against Dove. Jackson admits he only wishes he could. Drum enters seconds later and tells Drake that Castello is asked about her. Reid inspects Jackson’s cigarettes and quickly picks up on something. He tells Drum to inquire about the cigarettes and find out who is bringing them in.

Drake learns about Rose and Augustus. Reid comforts him and attempts to calm him down. He insists they need to bring Dove down, before telling Drake to head home. Drum tells Reid he has been able to find 3 potential shippers. He also admits the prison doctor inquired about the same several weeks ago. Reid pays a visit to Jackson and attempts to ask him about the cigarettes. Reid learns precisely where the cigarettes came from and what he’ll find when he heads there. As he departs, Jackson tells him to be careful, since there are all kinds of troubles there. Susan scours through the crates and is unable to find the rest of the vases, before Reid arrives and confronts her. She quickly comes to the realization that they were betrayed by Abel. During their conversation, Susan admits she was prepared to die, until she was allowed to get close to her son, Connor.

Before Reid can take Susan into custody, he is attacked by Nathaniel. Nathaniel prepares to kill Reid, but Reid slows him down, by talking about his childhood, his brother and his mother’s death. Susan also convinces Nathaniel to leave Reid alone. Reid attempts to persuade Nathaniel to say his brother’s name, but he rushes off. Drake confronts Rose and Dove, when they arrive home. Rose insists they didn’t do anything, but Drake bashes Dove a few times anyway. He also tells Dove that they’re coming for him. Reid transports Susan back to Leman Street, while the city’s residents throw food and waste in her direction. Drake walks down the road distraught, before seeing Susan. Susan is forced to give up her real name, Caitlin Swift, as she is booked into the jail by Drum.

Thatcher enters and tells Drake about the 50 policemen from A-Division, who have assembled at the Westminster Manor. In a carriage, Dove looks over the past justifiable homicides in Reid and Drake’s careers. He also reads a newspaper article about Theodore Swift (Ian McElhinney). He arrives at the manor and busts open the floor. Beneath, he discovers a corpse and a message written on the wall. It says, “Edmund Reid did this”. Reid and Drake learn that Dove has put out warrants for their arrest. Reid convinces Drake to fight and admits they’re going to need Susan and Jackson’s help. The pair release Jackson and collect Susan, before Reid collect the evidence from the dead room. The police begin to arrive outside. Thatcher and Drum agree to left the group go. They take a punch a piece and Jackson leads everyone outside with his gun.

Rose confronts the group outside. She argues with Susan, before giving her a slap in the face. She also threatens to kill Susan, if she ever sees her again. Drake speaks with Rose and asks her what happened to her, before the group makes their escape. Next, the group heads to the newspaper office. Reid speaks with Mathilda and tells her that she may hear things about him that he might not initially believe. He also insists he might have to go away for a while. She pleads with Reid to stay and he tells her to remain close to Drum, because he loves her. Castello is tasked with watching over Mathilda, before the group departs. Meanwhile, Drum speaks with Dove. He delivers him a note, which was provided by a young boy. Dove analyzes the note and rushes out. Croker guides Dove through the sewers to a location where Nathaniel is chained to a wall.

Abel tells Dove that Nathaniel needs to be put out of his misery. Initially, Dove is hesitant, but he eventually agrees. When Croker attempts to do the deed, Dove intervenes and stabs the old man. He soon releases his brother. During this time, Drake finds the wolf cloak, which has been worn by Nathaniel. Susan also agrees to show the men where they could potentially be hiding. She leads them down into the tunnels. Meanwhile, Augustus tells his brother to flee the city. Croker jumps into the conversation and insists Nathaniel is the teeth of the hurricane, the kraken waking. Dove admits he is, but he is also his brother. The pair rush off, before Drake and crew can arrive. They discover Abel, before separating. Drake makes his way to a dark corridor, where he is attacked by an unseen individual. He prompts the person to come out and fight.

Drake insists he is unafraid and has killed more men. Eventually, Nathaniel emerges and the pair fight. During the fight, Bennet stops and seems to give up hope. He insists there is no worse cruelty than the killing of love, before he prompts Nathaniel to feast on him. Nathaniel sinks his teeth into Drake’s neck and drops him to the ground, before making his escape. Reid and the others arrive to find Drake in a pool of blood. Reid attempts to stop the bleed and screams, as the episode concludes.

 

Ripper Street Finale Review

Wow! The Ripper Street Season 4 finale was undoubtedly spectacular. The unveiling of the evidence and the linking of Dove to Nathaniel were excellent. The episode, as the season’s previous, did a great job of resurrecting past seasons. Drake and Reid’s past deeds definitely came back to haunt them. The finale few scenes were intense, but unfortunately didn’t answer all questions.

The previous finales of Ripper Street were brave and different than anything else on television, because they wrapped everything up. This season’s finale took an American slant and left a cliffhanger. Although it was undoubtedly effective, I sincerely hope this isn’t a sign of things to come. Ripper Street needs to remain Ripper Street and not transform into something with mid-season finales and cheesy cliffhangers just to snag the viewer. Ripper Street isn’t The Walking Dead and doesn’t need such gimmicks.

Still, the ending was very effective and makes me want to watch the next episode as soon as it is released! All in all, a 9.5 out of 10 is deserved. Catch up with previous recaps of Ripper Street right now.