Last night’s penultimate episode of Preacher‘s first season, “Finish the Song,” took a dark and unexpected turn as the storylines finally caught up to the comics. Readers of Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon’s source material now have a rough idea of what to expect in the season finale, but there will most definitely be some surprises. This episode hinted at as much. There are, however, a number of questions that need to be answered before we get to the moment that comics fans have been waiting for all season long:
The series is poised to become what we’d always hoped it would be: A road trip drama. Before we get there, however, some questions need to be answered.
Is the Saint of Killers coming to Earth?
Yes, he is. Fiore and DeBlanc took a trip to Hell, and it turns out the pick-up point is a Breaking Bad callback. Before Fiore and DeBlanc arranged their visit through a travel agent, we found out in a painstaking, seven-minute sequence exactly what it’s like to live in the underworld. It’s repeating one’s worst day over and over and over again. Now that the Saint of Killers has been freed from that interminable cycle, how much havoc will he be able to create in the finale? He will almost certainly be responsible for the death of at least one significant character.
Will Arseface come back?
On that score, it’s much less certain. We know that Fiore and DeBlanc can go to Hell, but how likely is it that they will return to fetch Eugene, who is probably reliving the injury of Tracy Loach over and over and over? The season finale trailer did have a glimpse of Arseface, but that means nothing. He may have found his way back, or it could be another of Preacher’s visions, especially if Eugene is set to replace John Wayne as Jesse’s spiritual guide throughout the series.
Are Fiore and DeBlanc the parents of Genesis? Is DeBlanc dead?
The theory going around right now is that Fiore and DeBlanc are the angel and demon that gave birth to Genesis. (The identity of Genesis’ mother is never explained in the comics.) I remain skeptical, but there are suggestions that it’s possible. DeBlanc, after all, told Fiore that he didn’t want to go to Hell because, “You have no idea what Hell is like. Believe me.” Fiore, meanwhile, is from Heaven. Seth Rogen and co. also suggested a departure from the comics when DeBlanc told Fiore to leave his comics behind. “It’s alright, my dear. Leave them behind.” Is that departure making Genesis the love child of Fiore and DeBlanc?
DeBlanc also may actually be dead dead. The bullets of the Saint of Killers/Angel of Death may have more power than a regular bullet, which may have put down DeBlanc for good. Fiore’s reaction to the shooting of Fiore was not as casual as it should have been if DeBlanc was going to regenerate. He looked heartbroken.
R.I.P. DeBlanc?
What will become of Emily?
Emily is a series-created character, and unless the series plans to make her the Daryl Dixon of Preacher, I’m not sure what next season has in store for her, if anything. However, this episode illustrated that Emily has come into her own and that she has her own dark side. She fed Miles to Cassidy. Jesse’s been a bad influence. Why would she kill her boyfriend? Because — as the Psycho clip hinted — she felt trapped by her relationship with Miles. Killing Miles freed her of his constant impositions. What it means for her future, however, is completely up in the air. Will she make a play for Jesse again? Or is she done with the whole lot of them? Or will she be in the church when it goes kaboom?
What the hell was happening at Odin’s staff meeting?
The first rule of Odin’s staff meetings is that we don’t talk about Odin’s staff meetings.
Will Tulip kill Carlos?
A betting man would say yes, Tulip will kill Carlos. She has him dead to rights: Tied up in a chair in front of her. What would stop her?
However, there’s a lot to Carlos — and how he fills in Jesse and Tulip’s past — that we don’t know yet. Jesse’s voice message to Tulip may convince her to leave Carlos be for the time being to give Jesse a chance to join her in killing Carlos. It was the reason Tulip came to Annville in the first place. Also, selfishly, it would be nice to see the actor who plays Carlos, Desmin Borges (You’re the Worst), stick around for a few episodes next season, because he’s great.
What’s going to happen at Jesse’s Sunday service?
Essentially, this is what it all comes down to: Jesse’s last sermon. Will he be able to command God to visit him using the telephone to heaven and the hand of an angel? Will the other Angel that Sheriff Root killed and resurrected pay Jesse a visit during the church sermon? Will the Saint of Killers arrive? Will Odin die? Will the pressure that’s been building up in the pipes all season long result in the destruction of the church and everyone inside of it?
Will the episode end with this shot?
We’ll have to tune in next Sunday to find out.
