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‘Ash Vs Evil Dead’ Series Finale Review

Well that ended quickly. It seems like just last week that I was welcoming you to the first Fan Fest review of Ash vs Evil Dead (and well…I was).  After the announcement of the cancellation of Ash Vs Evil Dead 2 weeks ago, fans were wondering just how the show would end.  Now, the final episode (Titled “The Mettle of Men”) is here and oh my goodness, they leave us with that?

'Ash Vs Evil Dead' Series Finale Review
Credit:Starz

Last week, AVED did a great job of wrapping up 95% of the story lines that were currently still ongoing. At the time, I wasn’t sure if that was a smart move or not, but having seen the episode I can conclude it was the best decision after all. It allowed the bulk of this episode to focus on the crazy battle between Ash and company VS Kandar the Destroyer/deadites. No expenses were spared as AVED delivers some special effects that honestly puts some of the movies currently in theaters to shame.

There are tanks, explosions, bodies ripped apart, and tons of broomstick slinging involved as the show goes down swinging. With the original team of Pablo, Ash and Kelly finally reunited (and alive) along with his daughter Brandy, every character has their chance to shine in this episode: Brandy has a touching conversation with Ash about what being a William’s means (big Kudos to Campbell too for his monologue in this scene); Pablo goes back into the rift to bring back Kelly; Kelly kicks a bunch of undead ass and even saves someone. Ash really outdoes himself in this one as he takes on his biggest foe (literally) in Kandar the Destoyer, and in typical Ash fashion,sends him back to Hell with a one liner and a middle finger (and a Kandarian dagger, naturally).

'Ash Vs Evil Dead' Series Finale Review
Credit:Starz

This of course brings us to the ending, where everything is wrapped up-but yet it isn’t.  You see that after beating Kandar, Ash passes out. When he wakes up, boy, are things different.  He finds out he now has a very lifelike hand (as opposed to a mechanical one) and that Elks Grove was nuked and is now a post apocalyptic Wasteland. He gets ready to head out into the unknown (with a new sidekick) to kick some ass and take names.  Then, the show ends. While I don’t have a problem with the ending per se, there is one glaring omission. There’s no follow up on the reunion of Ash/Pablo/Kelly/Brandy.

'Ash Vs Evil Dead' Series Finale Review
Credit:Starz

While he sends them away before his battle with Kandar, it seems odd that he would not try to contact/figure out where they were following the events of the episode. But yet here we are, building up to adventures that will never happen..and I just feel that it would have brought a little more closure had it played out the same way, except Brandy/Kelly/Pablo being in the bunker with Ash before the end. Then again, hindsight is 20/20 so I’m sure the writers would have tied the story up even tighter if they would have had advance knowledge of the impending cancellation. Overall though, this was one hell of a way to go out and is hands down one of the top episodes out of the entire series. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna go daydream about what misadventures awaited us had there been a season 4.