Written by Joe Fazzio
Directed by John Terlesky
Emily: "I consider myself lucky. Most morality tales don't have a happy ending. For some reason, karma saw fit to spare me, but not without leaving deeply edged wounds."
And that's it folks. I think we all knew in advance when the fourth season started up that a fifth season was going to be an unlikelihood and after 89 episodes, things came to a very satisfying conclusion here as Emily/Amanda's four year battle with Victoria came to quite a conclusion.
It wasn't quite as big or as lengthy as I expected it to be but the last confrontation between the two ladies was satisfying nonetheless. There was no way that Victoria was going to make it out of the series alive and the possibility that Emily wouldn't either was always there. In fact, the show teased ever so slightly the idea of our anti-heroine dying along with her arch enemy but instead the second grave fell to another person.
I liked that David was the one who shot Victoria and also found it apt that as the life was slipping from her that Victoria would try and take Emily with her. Of course she failed but the title of this episode still came to pass when David succumbed to his illness months later after saving his daughter's soul one last time.
Emily and Victoria's rivalry has been the grounds for this whole show and I felt this episode wrapped it up brilliantly. In the end, Emily came through as the victor but not without being slightly damaged herself. Sure, she got her happy ending by marrying Jack and sailing off with him at the end. I was never the biggest of Emily/Jack shippers but a part of me was pretty happy to see them together at the end than I was for most of the series to be honest.
As for the rest of the characters - Nolan got a mission at the end. The idea that he might be helping someone else exonerate their parent might reek of spin-off consideration but at the same time, it's a perfect fit for him. Emily gave him purpose for four years and even with her revenge story over, she was still able to keep doing that. The one thing I am going to miss massively with this show is Emily and Nolan's friendship and this episode gave so many great moments of reminding me of how wonderful it was to watch on screen.
Of course, other characters stories came to a natural conclusion here as well. Margaux finally realised that she had gone too far with abetting Victoria's antics and teamed up with Nolan to take out White Gold (who nearly killed Jack) and even turned herself in for her part in Ben's death. Much as I found Margaux in the second half of this season, I am glad that in the end she chose to the right thing. Similarly so did Louise by turning on Victoria and setting Emily on her.
As for Charlotte - she only had a handful of scenes but most of them were just her being supportive to Emily at David and Victoria's gravesides as well as attending Emily and Jack's wedding as well. It's amazing how likeable Charlotte was in the last two episodes than she was for a good portion of her time on the series but at least her and Emily were on good terms.
As for Emily's life now, post revenge - I guess we can assume that both her and Jack enjoyed sailing the world and domestic bliss. I know it seemed cheesy to give Emily a happy ending (something even the episode made a point of commenting on) but I'm glad nonetheless that she got one. Considering that she has had to pay prices for her pursuit of revenge, I think she was entitled to some happiness at the very end. More to the point, so were we as viewers.
Also in "Two Graves"
Despite being dead, Ben did manage to briefly appear in flashback and as images on Margaux's laptop in this episode.
Victoria (to Margaux): "The corpse I passed off was my mother."
Victoria using her mother's dead body to fake her death was fitting in a weird way. I did feel the final reveal about Victoria's parentage was a little tacked on though. Oh and Patrick got a mention.
Victoria: "You're a cruel, loathsome bitch who deserves to burn in hell."
Marian: "Well then we'll continue this conversation there."
White Gold: "Either you tell me where Amanda is and you die or either you don't tell me and you die slower."
Jack: "Go to hell."
White Gold: "Bad call."
Nolan giving both Emily and Jack a brand new puppy at their wedding was sweet. In fact, the various callbacks to the pilot really made this episode even more special.
Emily: "I'm not putting Victoria in prison. I'm gonna put her in the ground and don't you dare try to stop me."
Nolan: "I won't. Do it."
Margaux (to Nolan): "I started this to get justice for Daniel. He once told me not to abandon my soul like he had. He redeemed himself by saving a life. I need to honour him and do the same."
The ambiguity as to whether or not Emily now has Victoria's heart is a delightfully twisted thing. I don't think we'll ever know the answer to that. I'm not sure I really want to know either. David dying during a snowy winter as well felt oddly right too.
Emily: "For you, death is my only true revenge."
Victoria: "I died long before you were born. This is just a formality. Are you ready now?"
Emily: "More than you ever know. Goodbye, Victoria."
Emily: "Upon embarking on a path of revenge, Conficius warns dig two graves. Conficius was right. The second of the two graves was meant for me. I was only saved by my father's infinite love."
Standout music: Has to be Angus & Julia Stone's "For You". It was fantastic when it was used back in the "Pilot" and it was perfect here as well for Emily/Jack's wedding.
Emily: "When everything you love has been stolen from you, consider my story as you embark on your own journey of revenge and always remember, what goes around comes around."
Nolan: "Well played, Ams, well played."
Chronology: 2014 or was it 2015 by the time we got to Emily and Jack's wedding?
That was absolutely perfect. It might have been something of a rocky road with Revenge in it's later years but with "Two Graves", I honestly do believe we got one of the most satisfying and wonderful character journey ends that we've had in a while. I'm going to miss seeing Emily and Nolan on my screens but after four seasons and 89 episodes, this was the best way of ending the series and their respective journeys. Goodbye show - you will be missed.
Rating: 10 out of 10
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