The journey to a Sense8 finale wasn't easy. Earlier this year the cast was still negotiating contract renewals for a third season. Then, nearly a month after the season 2 premiere in May, Netflix had decided to cancel the fan-favorite show.
Finally, after countless online fan petitions, co-creator Lana Wachowski announced that Sense8 was returning with a two-hour finale that will debut sometime in 2018 and then "after that... you never know," exclaimed Wachowski in a statement on the official Sense8 Twitter account.
The rebirth of the show was due in part to the show's dedicated fanbase, who latched on to the diverse show. Sense8 features well-rounded (mostly) LGBTQ-identifying characters, includes a culturally diverse main and supporting cast, and explores what seems like every aspect of humanity.
It's no wonder that fans were shocked at the initial cancellation. Now that they've got what their petitions asked for-- albeit a much smaller order than the 12 episode first and second seasons-- fans can only hope that their favorite characters and story-lines are featured in the finale.
This list is only speculative, as nothing is known about which story-lines will be kept and which ones will be scrapped. Some of these are almost guaranteed to happen, or at the very least be mentioned, while others might not get any screen time.
Here are the 15 Things That Need To Happen In The Sense8 Finale.
15. THE SENSATES SAVE WOLFGANG
Season 2 left off with a big cliffhanger: Whispers (Terrence Mann) being captured by the cluster and Wolfgang (Max Riemelt) being held against his will. Even though the people who tortured Wolfgang wore Biologic Preservation Organization (BPO) uniforms, it’s not exactly known where he is being held.
When the sensates kidnapped Whispers and Jonas (Naveen Andrews) they were in London, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that’s also where Wolfgang is. BPO is a multi-national and multi-government organization so Wolfgang could be anywhere, though the Icelandic facility is the only other BPO facility seen on screen.
The season 2 finale saw the sensates drive away from BPO in London once Whispers and Jonas were captured, so this may be a clue about where Wolfgang is. This is speculative, of course, but they found Jonas in his apartment, even though no screen time was spent visiting him telepathically to get an idea of where he was located, unlike Whispers.
14. THE SENSATES TAKE DOWN WHISPERS
After visiting Will and almost capturing him, Whispers found an easier prey: Wolfgang. While Wolfgang’s fate is still up in the air, Whispers is currently in a body bag – not dead, just incapacitated.
Before his beat-down at the hands of Will, the sensates learned as much as they could about the white-haired villain hunting them. They found out that he’s not as high on the BPO food-chain and that Angelica (Daryl Hannah)-- the sensates “mother”-- used to work with him.
They also discovered that Whispers isn't the only member of BPO who is seeking out other sensates but, in fact, the entirely of BPO wants to catch them. “He doesn’t hate his own kind,” said Sense8 co-creator J. Michael Straczynski via Twitter. He continued, “his hunting comes from long-term self-preservation, not hatred.”
Throughout the second season, the sensates met other sensates with similar views and learned a little about Whispers outside of BPO. They found a crack in his armor and were able to become the hunters.
Whisper will probably be taken down for good in the finale. There’s no way that he can escape the sensates, visit another sensate, or utilize a lobotomized sensate while being incapacitated.
13. NOMI AND AMANITA GET MARRIED
Not all the plots of Sense8 are depressing. When one of the most beloved couples of the show-- Nomi (Jamie Clayton) and Amanita (Freeman Agyeman)-- proposed to each other among the chaos of the second season finale, it wasn’t a huge shock given how close they are.
Hacktavist Nomi revealed to Amanita that she is a sensate pretty early on in season one, and the pair have been assisting the other members of Nomi’s cluster ever since.
Nomi’s story partly revolved around her gender and sexual identity as a transgender person, which gave way to some of the series’ best monologues about acceptance and pride. Another part of Nomi’s story was her relationship with Amanita, who was unequivocally her support system.
While Nomi’s speech at her sister’s wedding during the second season proved to be somewhat self-serving, it gave a glimpse as to what she and Amanita’s potential union would look like. Amanita and Nomi have given fans something uplifting to look forward to during the impending series finale.
A sensate wedding would be interesting to see and would surely feature the rest of the cluster if not telepathically, then perhaps, hopefully, physically.
12. SENSATES CONNECT
One of the most talked about parts of season one was the orgy scene. It was one of the first instances in which a good portion of the sensates were all interacting with one another at once. In the lead up to season two, there was another orgy that included all eight sensates and their partners. However, these kinds of connection scenes aren’t the only scenarios in which the cluster connected.
The second season saw the cluster interacting on a lot of different occasions – to help Sun out of jail, to sneak out of the art museum in Amsterdam, and to go after Sun’s brother.
Scenes like these have become the benchmark of the show, where each sensate can showcase their individual strengths. The end of season two will hopefully also witness the sensates physically together for the very first time.
While this will probably be fun to see, the series finale will most likely feature the sensates telepathically together as well – perhaps, as mentioned previously, celebrating Nomi and Amanita’s wedding.
11. WOLFGANG AND KALA GO TO PARIS
Wolfgang (Max Riemelt) and Kala (Tina Desai) turned out to be the true will-they-or-won’t-they couple of the sensate cluster.
Wolfgang, the street-smart criminal from Berlin, and Kala, the book-smart pharmacist from Mumbai, finally – albeit mentally -- consummated their love during season two, which resulted in one of the comedic highlights of the season.
The morning after their metaphysical rendezvous Kala’s husband, Rajan (Purab Kohli) kisses Kala/Wolfgang and Wolfgang cracks the cheekiest grin while Kala awakens mortified. Comedy aside, Kala was faced this season with many familial issues, while she stayed with both her husband and Wolfgang, who was being pursued by the ever-present Whispers and another sensate cluster.
After learning of her husband’s company and its corrupt dealings, Rajan arranged for Kala to stay in Paris for a while. Kala and Wolfgang were planning to meet up in person when Wolfgang was violently captured by Whispers and his BPO minions.
This may or may not turn out to be a spoiler but J. Michael Straczynski, when asked about Kala and Wolfgang’s fate, had this to say: "they have a happy ending, and Rajan has consequences from his business dealings.” So here’s hoping.
10. RILEY OUTSIDE OF HER CLUSTER
Along with the others in the cluster, Riley’s (Tuppence Middleton) life before she became a sensate is revealed throughout much of the first season. Before the Icelander became a DJ involved in the drug trade in London, she lost her husband and newborn daughter in a car crash in the middle of winter. It was later revealed in the first season that another Icelander, who is also a sensate, drew Riley out of Iceland in order to protect her from BPO.
Riley and her connection with this sensate prove to be a catalyst for the sensates, specifically Will, as they learn about BPO’s nefarious dealings. By the start of season two, Riley has spent months protecting Will from Whispers.
Her only family is her father. However, er meeting in Amsterdam with her father early on in season two was far too brief. While she is the Empath of the sensates, her arc throughout most of season two was mostly about protecting Will and helping to create diversions to escape Whispers.
Hopefully in the finale, Riley doesn’t spend most of it serving the others and, instead, more screen time is spent with her away from the sensates.
9. CAPHEUS' POLITICAL CAREER
Capheus (Toby Onwumere) is the sensate with unquestionably the happiest personality, and arc in season one was a bit of a whirlwind. He drove his Van Damme to support his ill mother and crossed paths with a local gang and crime lord.
Season one also saw Capheus, with the help of Sun, encounter a lot of action, but season two provided Capheus with a surprising arc as a politician.
Capheus intervened in a protest about affordable access to clean water, and somehow a political career followed. This may seem like the most illogical of the sensate storylines, but Capheus' arc was clearly a commentary on social justice.
When he appeared on a morning news show Capheus said “we expect leaders to take us where we want to go… the problem begins when they don’t.” A political campaign formed around him, but this was cut short when violent demonstrators made their presence known at his campaign speech.
As unlikely as Capheus’ story might seem, it was fun to see him in a different light. His political campaign was sidelined thanks to the overarching plot of the series, but it’d be interesting to see Capheus continue with his political career.
8. LILA'S CLUSTER
Not much is known about Lila’s (Valeria Bilello) cluster-- in fact not much is known about Lila aside from her mysterious dealings. She was introduced to Wolfgang by way of club owner Sebastian. Lauded simply as Sebastian’s “right hand,” Lila seemed like a mystery until she revealed to Wolfgang that she was also a sensate.
After this meeting he learned that sensates could manipulate their telepathic astral travel abilities-- like when Lila was seated next to Sebastian but also on Wolfgang’s lap. Wolfgang was intrigued but quickly found out that Lila made a deal with BPO to keep them at bay, though she wouldn’t divulge any further details.
They eventually met for dinner where Lila proposed transforming Berlin into a haven for other sensates. Lila then confirmed that the others in her cluster are aware of her plan. After Wolfgang vehemently denied Lila’s proposal, one man in her cluster said that the dinner was a waste of time (and then an awesome battle between the clusters followed).
It’d be interesting to get more details about Lila’s cluster and their ties to BPO, if there are any. Hopefully they pop up again in the finale.
7. SUN AND DETECTIVE MUN REUNITE
Detective Mun (Sukko Sun) was another new character this past season. Mun arrived when he received a report about some of runaways, one of which was Sun (Doona Bae). Sun was eventually caught by Mun.
They engaged in a rooftop fight after Sun thwarted Mun’s attempt to handcuff her. During this fight Mun remembered that Sun beat him in a martial arts tournament when they were kids. Upon their second meeting, Mun revealed to Sun that he knew of her brother Joong Ki's (Ki-Chan Lee) corrupt relations, but didn't have enough proof to pin him down.
An attraction formed between Sun and Mun during their second meeting. However, just as Sun was about to take out her brother, Mun intervened and was shot by her brother. Later, when Sun was in hiding, a TV report revealed that Mun would survive his injury.
The fleeting moments with Mun showed that there was a possibility that Sun could be happy if and when she confronted her brother.
Fingers crossed for an exciting Mun and Sun reunion in the series finale.
6. THE SENSATES TAKE DOWN BPO
As mentioned already, BPO is a multi-national and multi-governmant organization, but, due to Whispers’ connection with BPO, viewers were led to believe that the organization had always been evil.
In season two, the sensates found out that Whispers was in hot water with his superior Richard Wilson Croome (Clive Wood). Will then met with Croome at Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, and Croome explained that not everyone at BPO thinks like Whispers, and went on to talk about the beginnings of the organization.
BPO was intended to foster a balance between homo sapiens and homo sensoriums, or sensates. Croome then explained that, because of 9/11 and the War on Terror, the organization, it’s research, and focus became about hunting down sensates because they were then seen as a threat to secrecy.
Croome also mentioned that there’s a strong group within BPO working to change the present direction, but, after sharing this information, Whispers stabbed and killed him.
The driving force for the finale, aside from saving Wolfgang and dealing with Whispers, will most likely involve the dismantling of BPO – or, at the very least, changing the direction.
5. ANOTHER GLOBAL EVENT
The cluster had telepathically been to public events before, but São Paulo's LGBTQ Pride Parade was the biggest feat accomplished by Sense8. This is saying something, considering how it's already filmed on location in 16 different cities and 13 countries.
Lito (Miguel Angel Silvestre) was the grand marshal of the world-wide event with Hernando (Alfonso Herrera) and Daniela (Eréndira Ibarra) by his side. Seeing the cluster interact with a sea of thousands of people was one of the most epic moments of the show, and something on this scale would be expected during a third season.
Since a season's worth of episodes won’t be happening, it might be harder to include another global event in a two-hour episode. As only two things about the finale are most likely certain-- Wolfgang being found and Whispers being taken down-- these could only limit the location shooting of the show.
There could, however, be a big event in London where most of the cluster is currently located.
4. SUN CONFRONTS HER BROTHER
After spending about a season’s worth of episodes in jail, Sun finally escaped the confines of her jail cell and Joong-Ki's attempts to kill her by way of crooked prison guards.
For the better part of season two, Sun was on the run, toiling between vengeance and honoring her deceased mother’s wishes to protect her younger brother. The season finale saw Sun and her fellow sensates pursuing Joong-Ki in an elaborate car chase that only the Wachowskis' could craft. Sun then escaped capture by the authorities and her brother got away.
A third season would’ve hopefully had Sun truly confronting her brother and sending him to jail where he rightfully belongs. However, seeing as this won't happen, many fans are hopeful that Sun will get some kind of closure with her brother.
3. SENSATES' FRIENDS FIND OUT THE TRUTH
During season two Nomi told fellow hacker Bug (Michael X. Sommers) and Will told his police partner, Diego (Ness Bautista) by way of Riley. These supporting characters were told of the senates' abilities because of their close proximity to the sensates main objective of finding BPO.
However, some fans believe that during the season finale friends and family of the other sensates may be told the secret. This is assumed only because of what happened to Wolfgang.
It’s safe to assume that Lito’s boyfriend, Hernando and their friend Daniela already know something, considering the fact that Lito was found on the bathroom floor bleeding and was later seen in London with his cluster.
Same goes for Capheus and his mother (Chichi Seii) and his friend Jela (Paul Ogola). Capheus' mother witnessed him having a pseudo-seizure (again because of BPO’s attack on Wolfgang), and Capheus, like Lito, said he’d explain himself.
Kala’s husband Rajan will probably be none the wiser, but Wolfgang's frind Felix (Maximilian Mauff) may suspect something.
2. ANGELICA, JONAS, AND BPO
Angelica and Jonas had a deep connection and complicated relationship with BPO. They were both a part of the same cluster and, like some of the sensates of Angelica’s second cluster, fell in love.
They had a tumultuous relationship thanks to many different factors. Angelica, an ecologist, wanted to research brain activity and how it related to sensates. After birthing her first cluster, the group became suspicious of her connection with BPO, and Raoul (Erik Hayser), one of the members, went missing.
Jonas warned Angelica that searching for Raoul was a bad idea because of the risk involved with BPO. Angelica then partnered up with Whipsers, though it’s still not clear if he enticed her or she went of her own free will.
Jump to season two and Jonas' ties to BPO started to become clear, even though he was seemingly against them before. He entered a, presumably, fatal surgery that was supposed to turn him into a zombie puppet. It turned out that Jonas made a deal with the devil and had his life spared.
Now that Jonas has been knocked out and captured by the sensates, hopefully in the finale his allegiance-- and Angelica’s story-- will become clear.
1. A SENSATE BIRTHS A NEW CLUSTER
It would be interesting to see the series end with one of the sensates of the August 8th cluster (as the main sensates are known) birth a new cluster. Through one of their meetings Jonas informed Will and his cluster that men and women sensates can birth another cluster, and a sensate can birth more than one cluster over their lifetime.
The birth of a new cluster can be painful-- as was Angelica’s-- or it can be peaceful like her and Jonas’ “father’s.” If any of the sensates of the August 8th cluster were to give birth to a new cluster it would be Riley.
Though it’s not entirely clear how, when, or why a sensate births a new cluster, Riley seems like the obvious choice. She has had the strongest connections with other sensates outside of her cluster, and sensates could immediately connected with her cluster.
This seems more like it would be a great fit for a true series finale.
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What would you like to see in the Sense8 series finale? Let us know in the comments!