12 Monkeys: Review: Series 1 Episode 13: Arms of Mine

Everything comes full circle… maybe…

Across its 13 episodes, the Syfy version of 12 Monkeys has had more than a few WTF? moments. Sometimes it’s the audience who’s responded that way to a particularly neat plot twist; other times, it’s the reaction that the characters have to some notable change in their fortunes. But the ultimate WTF? moment comes in the final 2043 scene of this season – the looks on the faces of all around as the impossible happens is brilliantly played and photographed. All bets, as they say, are off.

So many elements are paid off in this episode, that it’s hard to know where to begin: Aaron and Cassie, Aaron and Cole, Cole and Cassie, Cole and Ramse – even Cole, Jennifer and Cassie – all have key scenes that refer back to what we’ve experienced over the past few weeks, usually making sense of past actions, or showing just how far the characters have come during the season. Those who started off as strong believers in their work have been tested, others who have had faith have seen it justified – and while fate has often seemed to catch all the characters in a knot, sometimes all it needs is one person not to act as expected, and it can all unravel…

12 Monkeys is definitely a show that will benefit from a rewatch with the benefit of knowledge – and it’ll be very interesting to see what threads remain to be dealt with in the second year. Jennifer Goines isn’t the only one embarking on an important journey as the season closes…

Verdict: Answering some questions, but setting up even more – 12 Monkeys goes out on a high. 9/10

Paul Simpson