Amazon Studios has concluded one of its best fantasy drama series on a high note. Throughout Carnival Row, we see humans and fae struggling to live amongst each other. The main characters, the half-fae detective Philo and faerie Vignette struggle to create peace among the races, but the humans aren’t interested in change.
Carnival Row is a series filled with themes on love, politics, friendship, family, free will, and hope. So how did the series end? Here’s a recap on the Carnival Row series finale and the ending explained.
Warning: This article contains major spoilers of the Carnival Row series finale. Read at your own risk!
The New Dawn Strikes Against The Burgue
In the finale, we learn that Leonora had been scheming to incite an angry mob led by Constable Thatch into attacking the Row, with the ultimate objective of leading them to a mass murder. We also learn that the Sparas, the creature who has been murdering faes and humans throughout the season, has been working with the New Dawn.
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The Sparas’ Identity Revealed
We learn that the Sparas’ real identity is Major Mikulas Vir of the Pact army, a character who made a weapons deal between The Burgue and The Pact with Millworthy. We found out its identity through Tourmaline, who used her magical abilities in doing so.
Realizing the Burguish Parliament is in danger, Philo heads for the Parliament to warn Millworthy. At the Parliament, Imogen was getting ready to give a speech the New Dawn made for her. However, she notices that Kastor was suspiciously exchanging looks with Major Vir. Imogen pretends to faint in order to warn Millworthy about Major Vir possibly working with the New Dawn. Millworthy confronts Major Vir, to which he admits working with the New Dawn.
After Philo arrives, he informs Millworthy of the Sparas’ real identity, with Major Vir overhearing the conversation. Moments later, he transforms into the Sparas. Philo faces off with the creature, but the Sparas suddenly gets hit by the wall. This is because Tourmaline uses her magical abilities to attack the creature remotely. It angers the Sparas, and the creature heads to Tourmaline.
The End of the Battle
Kaine and Vignette were to offer themselves as bait as part of Leonora’s plan to ambush the angry mob. But when Vignette sees the Sparas heading towards Tourmaline, she ditches the New Dawn’s plan and help Tourmaline instead. Kaine tries to stop her from abandoning the Raven again, but he ends up protecting Vignette from a gunshot.
The Sparas arrives and Tourmaline, Darius, and Vignette try to beat it, but Darius gets badly injured. Philo arrives and is nearly killed by the Sparas, but he successfully puts an end to its life. Moments later, Darius dies, with Tourmaline kissing his hand and Philo reminding his friend that they are soldiers of the Burgue.
After Philo kills the Sparas, he announces that the battle is over and that the Parliament’s safe. Initially, Leonora admits defeat and instructs her followers to hide for a while because they may have “lost the battle, but not the war”.
However, she is intercepted by Agreus, who pointed a gun towards her and tells her that she lost. Leonora instead stabs herself in the neck, but not before reminding Agreus that the seeds of revolution have been sown.
Later on, Philo assesses the aftermath of the battle when he's suddenly shot by Thatch, with Dombey immediately stepping in and shooting the Constable.
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“Many Moons Later”
There’s a time-jump after the battle, where everyone has moved on with their lives. We see Millworthy no longer in the Parliament, but starting a street theater. Imogen and Agreus have reunited and together, they start an electric company. They share a kiss, disregarding the public’s opinion about their relationship. But what about the show’s two lead characters, Philo and Vignette?
Philo Rejects Position as the Burgue’s New Chancellor
Philo managed to survive the shooting, but now walks with a cane. He was also offered the position of Chancellor.
In a speech to the Parliament, he mentions being the son of the late Chancellor Absalom Breakspear and his fae heritage. He emphasizes how he would not be given the opportunity to speak to Parliament if he still had his Pix wings as they would always see him as a human man.
He talks about hiding who he really was and enjoying the privileges of a human man while others like him are persecuted. He emphasized that faefolk have as much right to sit in Parliament as any of the humans.
Refusing to be the human’s excuse not to change, Philo turns down the position as Chancellor, saying that “the next chancellor should have horns or wings, but it won’t be me.”
Vignette and Tourmaline Get Married
In the end of the battle, Philo and Vignette share one final embrace. Vignette tells Philo that she's always loved Tourmaline, and he tells her that he's always loved her.
After the battle, Tourmaline and Vignette leave the Burgue and happily get married on Tirnanoc, their home.
To add more pain to those shipping for Philo and Vignette, Philo actually calls Vignette the love of his life in his speech to Parliament and shares how he would not have lost her if he had changed sooner.
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Is the War Between the Fae and the Humans Really Over?
As mentioned earlier, prior to Leonora’s death, she told Agreus that the seeds of revolution have already been planted. Additionally, in Philo and Vignette’s last conversation, she asks Philo “it will never be over, will it?” to which Philo responds “not for me”. She then embraces Philo and begs him not to die trying to stop the war. Further, in Philo’s speech to the Parliament, he mentioned that humans have no intention of changing because they have far too much invested in keeping things exactly the way they are.
All these scenes kind of hint that the war isn’t really over, and that another battle is likely to occur. But we’re probably never gonna know because Amazon Studios did not give this series a Season 3. So we’re all left hanging. But to quote Philo's last line on the series, “I suppose we’ll have to find out.”
Carnival Row is available to stream on Prime Video.
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