The Night Manager season 2 finale is a truly brutal watch that will change Jonathan Pine (Tom Hiddleston) forever.
When he left behind his quiet life in London, Pine was blissfully unaware that fallen nemesis Richard Roper (Hugh Laurie) was still at large. But now, the worst man in the world has restored his position in the cruellest fashion imaginable.
"You can call it arrogance, ambition, brilliance, but it is his flaw – and it can cause scorched earth. And it's happened again here."
The dynamic duo behind Pine's comeback delve into the key moments from the harrowing finale, including those jaw-dropping deaths, a surprising love story and a few hints at what's to come in The Night Manager season 3.
The Night Manager season 2 ending explained: David Farr and Georgi Banks-Davies speak out
Teddy's death will break hearts – but there's an upside
Despite all his wrongdoing, including some grisly murders, there remained a starkly visible soul to Teddy that desperately yearned to be rescued – and for a moment, it seemed that Pine might just manage it (more on that below).
In one final showdown in a Colombian forest, Roper somewhat sombrely announced that Teddy had committed a cardinal sin by plotting against him, and proceeded to put a bullet in his brain.
"Unfortunately, for the big architecture of the piece, he has to suffer that terrible fate," lamented Farr. "For the satisfying nature of what's going to happen next, it was essential. And it was the one thing, weirdly, that I knew from very early on."
If there's a silver lining to the horrid turn of events, it would be that Teddy goes on a "journey" that neither Pine nor Roxana (Camila Morrone) are able to complete, according to Banks-Davies.
Farr added: "He's lived a lie around this father figure, and to be freed of that lie – painful though it is – is the liberating thing. He dies for that, but he dies a freer person than he was when he was alive."
It's a comforting thought (kind of), but I'll still be wearing black for the foreseeable future.
Were Teddy and Pine really in love?
From early in the season, Pine had shared intense interactions with Teddy that went beyond his usual tricks, from being cradled in a pool of water (while whispering "make me clean") to a steamy dance where Roxana swiftly became a third wheel.
The screenwriter made clear that he aimed to convey a "deep, deep attraction" between Pine and Teddy, which was destined to never be acted upon due to the perilous situation in which they find themselves.
"The story necessitates a shift," explained Farr, addressing the point of no return when Pine's 'Matthew Ellis' persona is dropped. "Suddenly, what Pine needs from him is very operational and also very emotional.
Banks-Davies concurred: "There is no doubt that they love each other. And what we were trying to do, in terms of the performance as well, is create this feeling that neither expects it.
Getting out ahead of my questioning, she clarified: "There could be the question: 'Is he acting?' Is it a bit The Day of the Jackal in that he's pretending to be queer to seduce this man? No, he isn't, actually – he falls for him, and I really strongly believe that.
"And I think that, in the performance, Tom and Diego believe that."
Who killed Angela Burr? And more importantly, why?
Moments before the killing, she is frantically recording a voice message for somebody (see above), presumably consisting of everything she knows about the Roper conspiracy.
"Who literally pulled the trigger, I think, is irrelevant," he said. "We're in a world of hired killers here. Nobody goes and does the job themselves, let's be completely clear about that. That's not interesting.
Of course, in the decade since the first season, Colman has become a global superstar, with an Academy Award win (and two further nominations) to her name. Could that real-world context have had something to do with Angela's death?
"Burr's smaller role in season 2 was compromised by her very problematic decision to lie [about Roper's 'death'], and then a redemptive arc for her, which [Colman] really enjoyed playing."
"I didn't want to try to persuade her to play a jolly, enjoyable supporting role in season 3, being the head of a nice support team. It's much better to give her a seismic moment, which reads really meaningful from a narrative point of view."
Farr added: "Her legacy will continue, in terms of what she's been up to in those final days, so it just felt much richer... In the end, I think everyone understands that those bold moments are what make this show special."
Why does Roper send a rose?
The devious counter, which sees him revive his 'watch the cups' taunt from season 1, dooms Angela, Teddy and very nearly Jonathan too, plus hundreds of innocent civilians in the resulting coup.
"It relates back, I suppose, to the rose that Teddy leaves at the grave of his mother," said Farr. "At that point, of course, Roper knows the truth. He realises the betrayal. I think he's done it instinctively, which is kind of how I did it, to be really honest."
Banks-Davies added: "A rose is so contradictory, because it's actually saying, 'I love you all – well done, touché, that was a good game of chess. I'll shake your hand'."
David Farr on those startling real-life parallels
As Pine and his allies fought to prevent regime change in Colombia, we saw that very situation play out in the fellow South American nation of Venezuela, with the United States as the instigating party.
It hasn't gone unnoticed that Venezuela boasts vast oil reserves that US companies now stand to gain from. In the words of Adam Holywell (Kerr Logan) to Basil (Paul Chahidi) in episode 4, it could represent a "golden goose" to some private entities.
"I spent quite a long time in Colombia researching and talking to a lot of Colombians, and it did become clear that they are constantly expecting this sort of thing," he stated.
Despite the USA controversially taking this latest action, and the UK's global influence often perceived as waning, Farr is "absolutely certain" that Roper would remain British if The Night Manager novel were written today.
"Roper is not, of course, a representative of the British government. Roper plays global. He plays with people fast and loose. He'll use the British, but he can easily use someone else. He's not someone who's partisan, necessarily, to Britain," continued Farr.
"I think he sees himself as patriotic at one level, but he's also utterly ruthless, so he's a distinct creature. But even in terms of the British government and its role... they're trying to make sure Britain gets to play at the top table."
What is Mayra's deal?
But for a figure with such enormous impact, Mayra remains something of a mystery to viewers.
"We've kept her a little in reserve," admits Farr. "The show was absolutely packed [but] there's more to come. And I think you will, in season 3, discover what really drives her.
"I think you've got some indications – ambition and patriotism, I think, are both clearly present in what she's about. But I think there's much more to come from her."
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"I think we see the potential there for something that's really interesting between those two characters," the writer teased.
She said: "There's this archetypal baddie [where] we don't really need to know their motivation. They're just serving a purpose. And what's great about Indira and the character of Mayra is you lean in and you want to know more.
"There's a fully rounded human there. There's a fully rounded woman who's clearly got a very specific thought process and very specific sense of who she is and her morals, and you just want to know them... I think that's really exciting."
Will Roxana return in The Night Manager season 3?
"I absolutely love her final scene with [Roper], where he realises that he's sort of met his match; that she is as tough and as ruthless in her view of the world as he is, and he sort of lets her go," shared Farr.
Roxana does, however, have an influential fan in Banks-Davies, who said: "As a character in this genre, I think she's fascinating and brilliant because she's self-serving and only looks after number one.
"I think we're so conditioned to seeing the female sidekick or the love interest or the 'save me' [archetype] – and she's just none of those. She's actually like, 'I can manipulate you into thinking you're saving me, but I'm saving myself,' which is badass."
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