Killing Eve Season 4 ending explained: Everything we know about Villanelle and her ultimate fate

Disclaimer: Huge Killing Eve Season 4 spoilers ahead!

The Killing Eve finale took fans by surprise! "Hello, Losers" wrapped up Villanelle and Eve's relationship with a twist no one saw coming. The show ended on April 10th, 2022, and had us all on the edge of our seats.

Poor Villanelle meets her end, and Eve is left to pick up the pieces. It's all about love and chaos, with a sprinkle of "What did I just watch?" thrown in. The episode gets you thinking about how the show played with our expectations and left us scratching our heads.

Let's talk about why they did what they did with Villanelle's exit and the mind-blowing moves Carolyn pulled off. We'll also explore the storytelling choices that led to such a split opinion about Killing Eve's finale.

Villanelle’s redemption and death on Killing Eve Season 4

During Killing Eve Season 4, we see a fundamental change in Villanelle's journey. She tries to break free from her life of killing and even puts herself in danger to keep Eve safe. It's like her human side is finally coming out.

The big moment comes when she saves Eve by pushing her out of the way before getting shot. According to showrunner Sally Woodward Gentle, this shows how much she's grown:

“She loved Eve and she loved her properly.”

Carolyn cleverly maneuvers both Eve and Villanelle into taking down the Twelve, all the while keeping her own hands clean. When Villanelle dies, Carolyn's cold "Jolly good" shows how pragmatic she is. Her betrayal out of spite makes her one of the toughest characters in Killing Eve.

Even though she gets what she wants, her actions leave Eve feeling completely lost, which adds to the sadness that runs through the series.

Carolyn’s calculated betrayal and power play

The enigmatic Carolyn Martens is pivotal in the Killing Eve finale, orchestrating Villanelle’s death to regain favor with MI6. As revealed in flashbacks, Carolyn’s history with the Twelve and her relentless pursuit of power drive her actions.

Gentle admitted to Entertainment Weekly, likening Carolyn’s cunning to devilish precision:

“She’s a monster.”

By manipulating Eve and Villanelle into dismantling the Twelve, Carolyn achieves her goals without getting her hands dirty.

Carolyn’s betrayal—a mix of personal vendetta and career ambition—cements her as one of the series’ most formidable characters. However, her actions also leave Eve adrift, amplifying the series’ overarching tragedy.

The Killing Eve Season 4 finale divided fans

Some critics, like Angelica Jade Bastién from Vulture, weren't too happy with the finale.

They said the show lost track of what made it special, which was the interesting relationship between the two main characters, Eve and Villanelle.

“Gone is the tense cat-and-mouse game,” Bastien wrote.

This points out how the spy-filled storyline pushed the emotional heart to the side. The choice of killing off Villanelle divided the audience. Some fans loved the poetic yet heartbreaking ending, while others felt it was a letdown for the show's LGBTQ+ characters.

Sally Woodward Gentle recognized those reactions and mentioned that the writers had intended to create an ending that came across as:

“Poetically, romantically true.”

Moreover, many Killing Eve viewers felt let down by the unresolved ending of Eve’s story. Although she makes it out alive, her future is still up in the air. Her desperate scream at the end drives home how much she’s suffered, implying that the show didn’t wrap things up neatly for her.

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