We are slowly approaching the finale of the mini series Good Omens, based on the book of the same name by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. If you haven’t caught up with our recaps or the series itself, this is your final warning: there will be spoilers ahead!
The episode begins how I like TV episodes to begin: with David Tennant angrily driving a vehicle to the music of Queen.
When last we saw our favourite demon Crowley and his angelic partner in crime, they were both running from their respective superiors in order to stop the apocalypse and find the displaced Antichrist before either of their sides do. On top of that, Aziraphale’s bookshop went up in flames in the previous episode and Crowley can only witness the flames without being reunited with his angel. Hearing “Somebody killed my best friend!” yelled by a desperate Crowley tugs on your heartstrings, especially since the series did such a good job at creating the relationship between the two odd “friends.” (Yes, you saw those quotation marks correctly.)
And hearing Queen’s “Somebody To Love” play while Crowley walks out of a building up in flames, looking for revenge for the apparent death of Aziraphale, really makes me want to replace “friends” with a different noun altogether.
This is the part of the apocalypse in which many paths will cross and many decisions will have to be made. Mr. Shadwell (played by Michael McKean) thinks he has come into enormous power in the tip of his finger, and like many white men with apparent power, he plans to use this in the events of Armageddon. He will be of more use than he is currently, but for now he is definitely overestimating of which he is truly capable.
One of my favourite parts of the episode is the scene in heaven with Aziraphale getting yelled at by Quartermaster (played by Jonathan Aris, famous for his role as Anderson in Sherlock), mainly because I love Jonathan Aris and I enjoy when he desperately yells at people who will never listen to him anyway. Meanwhile, our favourite (and only) misplaced Antichrist, Adam Young, is showing the full ability of his powers, showing the audience that the last day has well and truly come.
The scene between Crowley and Aziraphale (or better, his apparition) goes from heartbreaking to hopeful, because Crowley has indeed managed to save Agnes’ prophecies, and the plan to find the Antichrist before heaven or hell do is back on track again. That is, if Aziraphale finds himself a body, because he currently is rather without one. And while Crowley may be willing (I promise I’ll stop soon), he is not compatible. The angel finds a willing helping hand – and the rest of the body – from a different source. But he will have to be quick, because the horsemen are well on their way to find Adam in order to fulfill their task in Armageddon.
Another great scene is the séance held by Madame Tracy (played by Miranda Richardson). The entire cast in this scene is absolutely hilarious and does an amazing job, portraying the slight craziness, or let’s go with absolute madness. I love everything about this scene, but especially Richardson and Jenny Galloway, who plays Brenda. This was one of the scenes where the humour and hilarity from the book translated so perfectly to the screen that I want to watch it over and over again.
At the same time, Crowley is stuck in a nightmare created by him to torture humans – the M25 with a traffic jam, this time caused by a literal ring of fire, while the horsemen are getting closer and closer to their goal. (They probably had better GPS that took them around the traffic jam.) However, what they don’t have is a book of prophecies that will help them get out of any sticky or fiery situations, but Crowley does.
And we are finally blessed with the scene of Crowley driving Bentley through the fire, his demonic eyes reflecting the flames while “I’m In Love With My Car” plays over the speakers. It doesn’t get more epic than this, I’m afraid.
Adam, meanwhile, is starting to doubt his plans to take over and divide the world with his unwilling friends. We are starting to see that the Antichrist might not be evil incarnate, but actually more human than we – or he – would like to admit. While this will only truly start playing out in the next episode, we can already see the groundwork and character development in this scene. Adam decides here and now that he needs to stop whatever is giving him his powers in order to protect his friends and the earth. And like Adam and his friends, Newt and Anathema also discover that the final showdown will take place at Tadfield airbase.
There are now several groups headed to the latter, mainly the horsemen who have now made it to Tadfield. But neither Adam, nor Crowley or Aziraphale are far behind. I have to hand it to the horsemen: they definitely get second place as far as “cool entrances” go, but Crowley definitely takes the title, arriving in Bentley up in flames and remaining demoniacally unbothered.
The four riders of the apocalypse are well into their plan, using the airbase as the source for the actual end of the world, which will be caused by pollution and war, ending in famine and death. The final countdown has begun and it will take a miracle (or a pair of an angel and demon, and possibly an 11-year-old boy) to stop it before it’s too late. With 17 minutes to spare, Crowley finally arrives on the scene, with his trusted Queen tape blasting from the speakers, which have miraculously not melted yet.
It is now under an hour until the end of the world and all parties involved have actually made it to their designated location. The question now is, which place will Adam take in Armageddon? And how will they stop the horsemen from fulfilling their destiny?
Find out in our recap of the final episode of Good Omens, posting soon here, so watch this space!