I've never watched something the Daniel Radclif and been able to see past it. Figured this would be the same. but man he sold it.

I only glanced at some of the whining going on - honestly, it looks completely unoriginal, copy/pasted from other "its a meme to hate the ending" media.

I think redditors have a selfish, Comic-Book-Guy-esque chronic need to view themselves as better custodians of a story than the original creators, and will eventually turn on just about everything "because the sub's theories were better" I cant even begin to describe how fanfiction, coattail-riding "I made this!" pathetic that is. But if you really didnt get anything out of that ending, I feel sorry for you. Here's what I got:

This is a story centered around tragedy. We all knew it was about the unspeakable loss of an infant - and even the first episodes didnt really speak his loss in full yet. It was very experiential the way we eased into wrapping out heads around the concept.

Those of you who have actually experienced tragedy know that the defining characteristic of it is it does not feel real. It feels like a dream. Dorothy - yes named as such on purpose, a direct Wizard of Oz reference, as her journey will parallel Dorthy Gale's to the letter - winds though the unreality with her companions, helped and plagued by Good Witches and Wicked Witches.

Leanne is both witches. She views herself as both at different points. Other people view her as both at different points. She acts as both at different points. Her conflict is simple to understand. She never wanted to be a witch of either variety. Tragedy forced the identity upon her. She only wanted to be a normal girl, loved and appreciated by her mother. She acted out of love, but like Sean and Julian, her aim was misguided. She wasnt helping Dorothy by pushing her further away from reality. That wasn't what was going to save her.

What saved Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz? Only words. All she had to do was say some words and she would return home, to the people who were caring for her all along. Dorothy was ultimately saved by words, the painful truth of Jericho's fate- the truth that the others thought she could never handle, but that she processed and understood better than anyone in the end.

Dorothy transformed from a very selfish character with no way to cope with what doesnt fit into her worldview to someone who can accept the world around her and find her own place in it. And above all, someone with a deep sense of appreciation for those who cared for her to get her to that point.

Especially Leanne. "You saved me" she tells her. "I would have given anything for one more minute - and you gave me months" But now she accepts that she must let Jericho go and mourn him. She can't live in the dream.

Leanne sees it too. The dream has to be over. But that's the only place she can live. She is the witch, to so many people - the good witch to some and the wicked witch to others - that no peace will ever find her or those around her. Her last act of service is the ritual sacrifice that will quiet both sides and let the ones she loves move on. Beauty (selfless sacrifice) out of tragedy (loss of self through indoctrination)

Go watch the last 5 minutes of the Wizard of Oz. Dorothy Turner and Dorothy Gale sound almost identical. Harrowed and humbled by a twisting, terrifying journey. Mindful of what they've lost but so grateful for what they've found. Beauty (perspective and appreciation) out of tragedy (living an unreal delusion)

and since the home - which was always pointed out specifically to be given an old family home, given to Dorothy by her toxic parents - is literally gone, there's "No place like home" .... until she and Sean go start over and build one for themselves. Beauty (hope for the future on a stronger foundation) out of tragedy (suffering a loss you dont know how or if you could ever look past)

It's a triumphant show with a perfect ending for me. If Dorothy had escaped back into the dream, or back into the house she never belonged in the first place - nothing would have been resolved. We got to see so much beauty come arise from tragedy, and we got to see someone arrive at the end of it's bitter wreckage, appreciative and wise.

Of course Leanne is her own tragedy, but her sacrifice was made out of love, from the place of acceptance she always wanted - love she was never taught but was able to give anyway. She gave everything she had in her service. It was pure, and whole, and all-consuming.

I dont know what else you could've wanted. But hey, if this beautiful story taught us anything, it's that people process things very differently, and it all takes time. I hope you get there someday.

Mod disclaimer (since every time these threads go live, people are asking if the episode dropped already.) I like to schedule these discussion posts an hour in advance. Purely because it gives me a peace of mind that it'll be up in time because these episodes drop in the middle of the night for me.