There is the family you’re born into and the family you choose. It’s those choices that often create the most meaningful and long-lasting connections, for the good and for the bad. It’s that choice that Nicholas (David Morse) is grappling with in the penultimate episode of The Last Thing He Told Me season 2.
In the episode, “Isia Moriendo Renascor,” the focus is on Nicholas and his long-time friendship with Frank Campano (John Noble).
A reflection on the past
We pick up with Nicholas and Bailey (Angourie Rice) making their way to Paris. After the revelations she uncovered last week, Nicholas has been grappling with his role in all that’s happened to his family. He’s been considering his relationship with Frank and reflecting on what it has meant to his family. That takes him back to the past.
Through a series of flashbacks, we see how Nicholas met Frank. We see how the relationship started and how it deepened. It was a business arrangement, yes, but it was also a friendship. It was the family they both chose, for good and for ill. Nicholas reflects on the series of choices that he made that led him to do business with Frank.
All of it is set against the backdrop of the danger to Bailey, Hannah (Jennifer Garner), and Owen (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau). Nicholas wants to believe the man he’s known for years wouldn’t harm his family. He wants to believe their relationship has been honest. But he’s starting to doubt his loyalty and his decisions. As they arrive in Paris, it’s all coming to a head.
Sibling squabbles
Meanwhile, Quinn (Judy Greer) and Teddy (Luke Kirby) have their own issues. Teddy is desperate to set his business arrangements right. He’s afraid to come clean to Frank, and afraid of what it might mean. He again turns to Quinn—who on the surface is in Paris for a business deal of her own—to help get him out. Quinn is resistant to just bailing her brother out, though their interactions leave some question as to how involved she’s been in the past.
She eventually approaches their father. She makes it clear that Teddy is out-of-his-depth. And Frank makes it clear he’d rather have Quinn in charge. She seems resistant, but is it really out of the question for her? She heads off to keep her brother out of trouble and discovers that he’s being manipulated by Hannah and Owen.
Spotting Hannah in a café, she sends her brother away and approaches Hannah. Quinn wants to talk to Hannah and sort things out. Hannah talks a tough game, but it might actually be Quinn that’s the real player in their game. Either way, there is something more to Quinn’s involvement—and her knowledge of the business—than she’s been admitting.
Old friends
Nicholas lets Hannah and Owen launch their plan to get to Quinn and Teddy, but he won’t rest until he’s seen his old friend. They meet again, and he reminds him of his promises in the past. He’s sure Frank didn’t kill his daughter, but he’s not sure Teddy didn’t. He pushes Frank to take over again. He promises to help and to help him find a worthy successor. He reminds him of an old phrase, “In death I’m reborn,” which happens to be the title of the episode.
Soon, Bailey shows up in the lobby at the same time as Teddy. Nicholas heads down, revealing he’s alive, much to Teddy’s dismay. Frank tells his son he’s taking over. He presses Teddy about whether he tried to have Nicholas killed and whether he had Bailey’s mother killed. He said he didn’t kill Kate, but it’s hard to know for sure.
Soon, everyone arrives. Hannah, Owen, and Quinn join the party. Frank is, again, asserting his control. It seems like a new era. Then a gunwoman enters, calls out to Teddy and hits Frank as he steps in the way. As we leave, Frank is down—likely dead—and there are more questions than answers.
The penultimate episode of The Last Thing He Told Me season 2 is the time when things get worse for our heroes, and that happens in a lot of shows. It certainly held true with this episode.
Just about the time it seemed a new understanding was reached, Frank was gunned down. That leaves Teddy and Quinn as something of wild cards for the finale. But is it possible that the Campanos didn’t take out Kate? Is there another player, maybe a common enemy for everyone? That’s one of a number of possibilities on the table as we enter the season finale next Friday.
The Last Thing He Told Me streams Fridays on Apple TV. Check back next week as we recap the action of every season 2 episode.