I have no clue of what Sense8 was until last year. After its cancellation, fans were livid and appealing everywhere to get their favorite show back. I was seeing a lot of comments in Youtube on other Netflix shows demanding to have Sense8 Season 3. A lot of people claimed that it was their favorite show of all time. It was not fair to send off a great show without a closure. Netflix did give in to what the fans wanted but not even close to producing another costly season. At least, they still produced a two-and-half-hour Season 2 finale entitled, Amor Vincit Omnia.
It’s common to anger people after a canceled show. However, it’s not so often that a TV show will come back because of the continuous insistent complaints from Netflix subscribers. I got really curious at that point… Is this show really worth fighting for? Last month, I binge-watched the entire Season 1 and 2. Oh boy! This show is unlike anything I’ve seen before and I loved it.
When the Season 2 finale came out, I was pretty pumped up. I expected a lot of action and mind-blowing revelations. Instead, we are treated with a lackluster climax, some rushed revelations, and ambiguous closure to some of the protagonists’ fate. But, the episode managed to stay true to what the show is about: optimism and love.
The Wachowski sisters are no strangers to open-ended endings. We all remembered the disappointment that is The Matrix Revolution. The August 8 characters are so complex and fleshed out that we really wanted to see a proper send off for them. As we saw all throughout the show, they have to fight their own personal battles as well. Like Neo in The Matrix franchise, the creators left us with the gaping question for Lito, Capheus, and Sun: What now?
Sure, they defeated their common enemy. Scratch that, Jonas finally grew balls to fight BPO, the organization he previously worked for. It was amazing how he single-handedly killed the Chairman and blew up the entire building where they conducted lobotomy for the Sensates. My only question: why did he not fucking do that earlier? I was hoping that the August 8 cluster will be the one to do that. But, I guess Jonas had the biggest score to settle with Mr. Whispers and the Chairman. The leader of the most feared organization in Sense8 hides well behind his anonymity because he is so weak.
One of the biggest surprises for me is the polyamory among Kala, Wolfgang, and Rajan. At the beginning of Season 1, Kala admitted that she doesn’t love Rajan. Despite that, he is really a sweet guy and Kala did develop a soft spot for him, especially towards the end of Season 2. Wolfgang and Kala, on the other hand, had a strong attraction for each other from the very start.
Polyamory does exist in the society and I totally respect that. But, I felt that the relationship between the three is underdeveloped and rushed. I really don’t understand Kala’s indecisiveness between the two. Maybe, she is a representation of going against the norm and tradition. Indian women, as we know, are usually destined for family and motherhood. Kala talked about how she hated that her brilliant friend chose that over using her mind to change the world. Moreover, I didn’t see Wolfgang being attracted to another guy. Heck, he was so into having sex with different women. If he would show feelings for the same gender, Felix was the most realistic option for him among the men. He got Wolfie’s back ever since they met in detention. I guess orgies can change a person, bigtime.
Despite all of the inconsistencies and plot holes, I love how Nomi and Armita finally got the happy ending they deserved. Among the August 8 sensates, I think Nomi got the best closure for her character. Her mom was finally okay with her chosen identity and she finally married the woman she loved. Sighs, I really cared for other characters and I was so sad that we didn’t get some closure for them.
Even though I had a lot of issues with Amor Vincit Omnia, I have no regrets that I watched Sense8. Its premise not only explored some cool sci-fi elements but also delivered a strong message of empathy for others. Sense8 proved that we can’t fully understand where the person is coming from until we see the world from his or her eyes.
Optimism is also one of the primary themes in this show. Different societies have different problems. In Mumbai, the people struggled to preserve India’s tradition and culture. In Nairobi, we witnessed the plight of the poor. The USA has also problems like gun violence and discrimination. Sense8 characters showed that no matter how hard our lives are, there will still be hope. If only love conquers all rather than violence and hate, we will be far better off.
The thing that I hated the most was seeing this show end. It’s one hell of a series and I want more from it. Frankly, I think I’m not the only one.