To think, this whole time it wasn’t a djinn. It was actually a hallucino-djinn. The big supernatural twist is that it’s not a supernatural twist. The City of Brass fell because there were drugs in the water.
And the British want to use those drugs to do it to other civilizations. There’s no way we’re going to let them.
Jokes aside, I don’t actually take issue with the idea that there’s no big supernatural twist and that this mystery has a mundane explanation behind it. I’m not sure why Marlowe and her order need this specific hallucinogen when they already have no trouble whatsoever with brainwashing people, but it does hit solidly into their MO. It’s one of those things that’s not an inconsistency, just a gap in our understanding of the plot that could be better served filled in. But we don’t have much time left in the game, and this script likely already had some major rework it went through on account of Cutter’s actor having to leave the production.
This probably explains how strange the ending scene feels. I don’t understand the thematic purpose of Nathan going back to try to save Marlowe. His spoken words that he’s “got nothin’ to prove” imply that he won’t give in to her provocations, but then his next action is to immediately try to save her. Sully is right to point out that he can, and probably should, just walk away and let her perish.
If he did, I would understand Talbot coming after us for one final boss fight, consumed with righteous fury that we stood there and did nothing. But Nathan tried, which makes this last-ditch assault look petty and ridiculous at best. I’ve never believed either the Hermetic Order or Marlowe/Talbot were credible threats. For all their bluster, they are routinely thwarted time and time again without fail, never taking even a single decisive victory. But if I did have any illusions to the contrary, this pathetic tantrum would’ve easily quashed them.
At least the trio of Nate, Elena, and Sully get a strong scene to finish out the trilogy. Next time, we’ll have a short post-game discussion and plan for our next project.
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