Childhood’s End - The Children
Previously on Childhood’s End, ‘The Deceivers’
The finale of Childhood’s End managed to be both incredibly beautiful and sad.
As we thought, the children were the key, taken away to become a part of The Overmind, an all-knowing being that oversees all of creation. And Jennifer ushered humanity to its end, harvesting all the energy on Earth until it exploded.
So, that’s the sad part. But the finale also displayed moving human moments in the form of Ricky’s refusal to spend his final days in a fake construct with the woman he once loved. Instead, he chooses to live and die in the present, in his truth, with the woman he loves now, Ellie.
After their children are lifted away, the Greggson’s meet their end in New Athens, taking some solace in having experienced love and family, together.
Ever the curious scientist, Milo sneaks aboard one of the ships used to transport animals to The Overlords’ home planet and spends 40 years in a vacuumed sealed bag in order to learn the truth. He spends time with another Overlord, who explains their purpose in helping planets and their inhabitants meet their inevitable ends.
He declines their offer to remain with them, and insists upon traveling back to Earth to watch it die, and then generously offers to report back to Karellen the planet’s final moments (this was the scene that opened the series).
Karellen grants Milo’s request to preserve some part of mankind, something to leave behind to show they existed, and he saves a bit of music that was special to Milo as a boy. It plays and remains in Earth’s pocket of the universe for anyone who passes through.
This wasn’t a perfect miniseries. Some of the most interesting aspects: the decline of religion and scientific inquiry, the freedom movement led by Wainwright, and the creation of New Athens were mentioned and then glossed over. Also, it would have been better to meet the Greggsons the first night, and maybe we’d care a bit more for this family that played an important (yet unexplainable) role in Earth’s end.
But despite all of that, Childhood’s End was highly entertaining, thought provoking, and even scary as hell. Charles Dance was amazing as Karellen, and displayed so many emotions through just his eyes and voice.
What did you think of the finale? Premium members, leave your thoughts below and we’ll read them on tonight’s podcast.
Probaly too late but heres what i thought
This show is kinda frustrating because it’s hard not to make comparisons to the Leftovers witch isn’t fair since they had two season to tell a story where this only had three nights.
This mini series loves to gloss over allot of things that could be interesting with time jumps. Like what happened Milos boss after his encounter with the space Quija board.? Did He just stop “sciencing” after that. There was a radio broadcast were the host accuse the leader of new Athens of making a military but nothing really came of that. The overlords stopped all space travel..so how did Milos girlfriend get onto that Orbital station?
So this big secret is evolution ….ok I just don’t really care enough for these people to have it matter to me that they’re losing their children ? I get that loosing children is devastating but what about the people in new Athens who don’t have kids and are in it just for the fucking. The leader and that couple made a selfish decision to blow it all up cause they feel crappy about it .
And I know that he did say he would rather see it burn to the ground , but they never established that the couple new he had a bomb to begin with unless I missed something .
Milo also made a selfish choice you travel 40 years , leave your loved ones behind only to immediately want to go back? Stay a week ….check out the sights makes some friends
The one part I really liked is that in the end We realize that Kruellen really did care for Ricky ultimately, He spared them the future pain of loosing children by making him sterile earlier .
He even offered to put him in his own personal heaven . Ellie kinda felt a little bit like Nora walking around being petty and ok while everyone else was losing their kids.
In the end it was ok but I think it should of just ended after the first episode . And leave you to think what the implications of a devil saying here’s here to help you.