Did ‘12 Monkeys’ arrive back at the beginning like it always said? Did Cole survive? Let’s find out!
‘12 Monkeys’ is a Syfy series that is based on the 1995 movie of the same name that stars Bruce Willis, Madeline Stowe, Brad Pitt, and Christopher Plummer. The movie was an adaptation of the French novel “La Jetee” by Chris Marker. The sci-fi drama series revolves around a time traveller, James Cole (Aaron Stanford), who is from 2043. He is recruited by a team of scientists known as Project Splinter. He is sent back to 2015 to stop the evil Army of the ‘12 Monkeys’, who are planning to destroy the human population by releasing a deadly virus.
HIGHLIGHTS —
- Season 4 ending of the ‘12 Monkeys’ explained
- Is Cole alive?
- Why did Bruce Willis eat a spider in ‘12 Monkeys?
‘12 Monkeys’ is a Syfy series based on a 1995 movie of the same name that stars Bruce Willis, Madeline Stowe, Brad Pitt, and Christopher Plummer. The movie was an adaptation of the French novel “La Jetee” by Chris Marker.
Season 4 ending of the ‘12 Monkeys’ explained
In season 4, the time-travelling Syfy series was full of mystery and time travelling. After getting to know that Olivia is the Witness (leader of the Army of the ‘12 Monkeys’), Cassie is sent to 1971 to kill teenager Olivia but fails. It was also soon found out that the timeline was dependent on the prevention of the existence of Cole. So, to change the future, Cole had to be wiped off.
In the two-part finale of ‘12 Monkeys’, Team Splinter figured out that their computers aren’t enough to calculate a code to erase Cole from the timeline. However, the Titan’s computers are perfectly capable of releasing the code. They launch an attack on Titan. After a fight, Cassie finally ended up killing Olivia. However, she hesitated when she had to release the code to wipe off Cole from the timeline. In the end, Cole convinced her and ended up being wiped off forever.
The plaque was stopped, billions of people were saved, and all the characters end up in the right timelines with better futures.
There was a surprise for fans at the end of the ’12 Monkeys’. Cole managed to survive after being erased from all timelines. He gets to know from Jennifer that Jones programmed the machine to erase Cole from every timeline, but left one.
Is Cole alive?
There was a surprise for fans at the end of ‘12 Monkeys‘. Cole managed to survive after being erased from all timelines. He gets to know from Jennifer that Jones programmed the machine to erase Cole from every timeline, but left one. When Cole asked Jennifer about how this could work since it was just another attempt at manipulating time. She told Cole “time knows“. Jennifer further explained that “time” owes this to Cole because he did everything possible to save the future. In the end scene of ’12 Monkeys’, Cole was able to reunite with Cassie. Hence, just like every character on the show, they also got a happy ending.
In an interview with “TV Line”, Terry Matalas spoke about Cassie and Cole’s happy ending on ’12 Monkeys’.
Back in season 1, he remembered telling people, how it’s going to end. People would think that Cole has been erased forever, but he will find his way back to her in the very, very last moment of the series. He added how it’s a show that totally could have had a bittersweet ending, and they would really make you think it’s going to be that until the coda. But since he loved a happy ending, and it also felt earned that everybody could live happily ever after, they decided to go with that.
Matalas also added how there’s another way of looking at it.
“You can certainly look at the last image of the show, that red leaf, and ask yourself, ‘Did Cassie really turn off that machine in Titan? Is something else going on here?’ The right ending is the one you choose.”
Why did Bruce Willis eat a spider in ‘12 Monkeys’?
In the 1995 movie, Cole was played by the popular actor Bruce Willis. Aaron Stanford’s role in the series was very different from that of Willis. For starters, Bruce Willis as Cole was found eating a spider in ’12 Monkeys’. Why? Willis was given a mission in which he had to gather information and specimens from the past. Hence, eating the spider was the only way he could collect it.
In the movie, there was always a question of whether Cole was a time traveller or not. However, in the series, Cole and his time-travels and the viral pandemic were the main focus.
What did you think about the ending of the ‘12 Monkeys? Tell us in the comment section below!
