Orphan Black series finale recap: “To Right the Wrongs of Many”

The last episode of Orphan Black explores life for the Ledas once “there’s no one left to fight.”

Whelp, Clone Club, I was wrong. Very wrong. I thought that “To Right the Wrongs of Many” would be much more violent. Actually, I was correct only in predicting P.T. Westmorland’s death and he left this world in a decidedly non-President Snow way. (I still count it as a partial win because Sarah finished him off so quickly and easily.) Even without the BBC’s promise of major bloodshed, “To Right the Wrongs of Many” proved a touching send off for the Ledas. Turns out you don’t need to kill off characters left and right to make an impactful, satisfying final episode.

Let’s talk more about the Orphan Black series finale.

The final showdown

After five seasons of screwing with the Ledas, the demise of Neolution came not with a bang, but with a whimper. Helena finished the job she started last week and killed Coady whilst in labor—seriously, what a trooper. And Sarah ended the Legend of P.T. Westmorland with an oxygen tank and years’ worth of frustration.

Although I would have liked to see all the Ledas work together to bring down Neolution for good, I can’t deny how compelling it was to see Sarah and Helena take on their biggest respective enemies. For Helena, Coady represents her biggest doubts about herself as a mother and as a decent person. So Coady probably signed her own death warrant when she found a crowning Helena in the boiler room and sneered, “I guess this is more your style: down in the filth and garbage.” For Sarah, Westmorland is the reason for all the disarray and heartbreak in her life. He is the paternalistic puppet master, the misogynist who created the Ledas only to serve himself.

“How fitting, you returned to your cage,” Westmorland taunts Sarah. “All lab rats do in the end.” Maybe. But “To Right the Wrongs of Many” sees Sarah and Helena break out of the cage for good–and free the rest of the Ledas in the process.

The aftermath

Orphan Black wisely wrapped up the Neolution business within the first half of the series finale, which left us plenty of time to catch up with Clone Club after the dust settled. For the most part, the ladies are adjusting well. Helena is raising her twins in Alison and Donnie’s renovated garage. Cosima, Delphine, and Scott are trying to track down all the Ledas and provide them life-saving treatment. Alison and Donnie are finding suburban life much more tolerable with a reformed assassin/new mother living across the yard. And Felix is hosting “drunkenly successful” art openings in New York.

Only Sarah is having trouble. At least when Neolution was in power, she was able to distract herself from Mrs. S’ death and her own aimlessness. But now that Westmorland and Coady are out of the picture, Sarah finally has to face her grief and figure out her life. After a day of packing up the house, going through her childhood belongings, and blowing off her GED exam, Sarah arrives at Helena’s baby shower to listen to The Beach Boys’ “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” with the weight of the world on her shoulders. As Helena tells Art, Sarah “is not mended” yet.

Luckily, to echo Sarah’s own words to Helena, she is not alone. She has three understanding sestras to support her as she grieves and plans her next steps. “There’s no one left to fight and I’m still a sh*t mom,” Sarah confesses. Alison, Cosima, and Helena know exactly how she feels. Alison has had it with her mouthy, pre-teen daughter. Helena is at a loss for why her twins are constantly eating sand, despite there being no sand in Bailey Downs. And Cosima is concerned that, despite her inherent warmth and empathy, she has zero maternal instinct.

“We’re all scared, Sarah,” Cosima assures her. But that’s what Clone Club is there for.

Wouldn’t it be nice?

After the cathartic baby shower, Sarah’s burden seems to be lifted and Orphan Black ends with a a sweet coda following Clone Club as they enjoy their post-Neolution lives. Alison is playing the piano and writing music in the old craft room. A sweatbanded Donnie comes in from a tennis match and proceeds to do an impromptu strip tease. The two flirt and laugh and are a million miles away from the frustrated couple they were in season 1.

Meanwhile, Delphine gives Camilla Torres, a Leda living in Colombia, an inoculation. Camilla flirts and asks her to dinner but Delphine graciously deflects. “You can thank some very determined women,” Delphine says when Camilla thanks her. Once Camilla leaves, Cosima goes to her girlfriend and talks about their next mission: treating the 14 Ledas living in Brazil.

As for Sarah and Helena, they finally get the family time they have wanted for so long. Helena plays with her beloved babies in Alison and Donnie’s backyard, and gives them the names of “real men”: Arthur and Donnie. And Sarah takes Felix, Kira, seven cold beers, and a pork pie to the beach.

Everything is as it should be.

Misc.

The late Mrs. S is very much a presence in “To Right the Wrongs of Many.” The last shot of the series is of her house’s living room, Sarah finds an old birthday card from her, Felix’s portrait of her is on the fireplace mantle, and S appears in Sarah’s memories of her own pregnancy.
Helena’s baby shower is very reminiscent of her fantasy from season 3, right down to the lighting and the “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” needle drop.
Rachel didn’t die, but her ending was still a heartbreaker. She hands over the Dyad records of all the 200+ Ledas (the exact info Cosima needs to find and inoculate them) to Felix, but he won’t let her in the party. I don’t blame Clone Club for rejecting Rachel, but it’s still hard to watch.
Art channels his inner Helena: “You’re a shitty partner,” he says as he knocks out Bad Cop Maddy.
Speaking of which, does anyone else kind of ship Art and Helena now? He really came through for her when she was in labor and we know how she feels about men who can provide for their family…
A couple great Alison lines this episode: “I was a drug dealer for Pete’s sake,” she says as she comforts Sarah. And in response to the name of Helena’s book: “We’re not black!”
Now that Alison has found her passion as a composer, I want to see her star in a Smash-esque spinoff. Seriously, that would be TV gold.
Thanks for reading my recaps these past few weeks, everyone! Hope you enjoyed Orphan Black this season as much as I did.