I'm giving this series a nine because I think it was such gripping story-telling. It kept us so riveted that we did a binge-fest with it. Contrary to many reviewers, I do not think the last episode wrecked the series. I think it worked, and I did not find it ambiguous at all.
I view the 17 episodes leading up to the finale as a "reality". Granted, it is a fantasy world, but it plays by its own rules, and they are consistent, which is crucial for this kind of story-telling. My impression is that many people think that the 18th episode makes everything preceding it a dream or psychotic episode. I think that interpretation works ONLY if Magne is a witness to all, or at least most of the events shown. But the fact is that he is not present for very many scenes.
How could he imagine or fantasize the episodes in the Giants' house, for example. Can he possibly have dreamed Fjor and Ran's humiliation and slavery of Saxa? Or Wotan busted for drug use? Can he really imagine Ran in the school psychologist's office, telling him that "Magne killed Vidar, and the heart-attack was a ruse for public consumption"? There are so many factors that take place outside of Magne's ken, so I cannot see all of them invalidated as some sort of psychotic episode.
Which takes us to the finale. After many vicissitudes, Peace has been achieved. The Giants and the Gods have laid down their weapons. Saxa takes over the family business. Fjor dates his secretary. The school shrink almost asks Ran for a date, but backs down. Magne passes his final exam and can graduate.
At his graduation party, the ever-dense mom, Turid, gives this interminable speech about how Magne has managed to succeed in spite of all his mental difficulties. And we then see him with all his old Thor comic books. Here is where the writers are playing with us, throwing doubt on everything preceding.
Cut to the graduation ceremony, with Magne looking ever more apprehensive. Hod looses the arrow that kills Jens, thereby setting off the Final War, Ragnarök. Huge bloody battle ensues, everybody dies, including Thor who has his last encounter with the serpent Jörmungandr.
Then. Cut back to graduation. No arrow, no war, no killing. Magne gets his degree, makes up with Signy, and has a drink with his friends. And all us viewers freak out.
Well, FWIW, this is my theory. When the Gods and Giants made peace, this for Magne/Thor is an anti-climax. His story, with all that momentum, is not complete, and so he has to work it out in his own mind, hence the Final Battle absolutely must take place. It is by no means a psychotic break, for such would leave him incapacitated and most likely hospitalized. But that does not happen: he has his vision in which everybody dies and the serpent kills him. However, it negates nothing that has gone before. In fact, he remains sane, as shown in the sort-of epilogue.
I loved it, was perfectly comfortable with the last mind-game, and highly recommend it as compelling story-telling and a wonderful modern-day depiction of the Old Norse Saga.
I view the 17 episodes leading up to the finale as a "reality". Granted, it is a fantasy world, but it plays by its own rules, and they are consistent, which is crucial for this kind of story-telling. My impression is that many people think that the 18th episode makes everything preceding it a dream or psychotic episode. I think that interpretation works ONLY if Magne is a witness to all, or at least most of the events shown. But the fact is that he is not present for very many scenes.
How could he imagine or fantasize the episodes in the Giants' house, for example. Can he possibly have dreamed Fjor and Ran's humiliation and slavery of Saxa? Or Wotan busted for drug use? Can he really imagine Ran in the school psychologist's office, telling him that "Magne killed Vidar, and the heart-attack was a ruse for public consumption"? There are so many factors that take place outside of Magne's ken, so I cannot see all of them invalidated as some sort of psychotic episode.
Which takes us to the finale. After many vicissitudes, Peace has been achieved. The Giants and the Gods have laid down their weapons. Saxa takes over the family business. Fjor dates his secretary. The school shrink almost asks Ran for a date, but backs down. Magne passes his final exam and can graduate.
At his graduation party, the ever-dense mom, Turid, gives this interminable speech about how Magne has managed to succeed in spite of all his mental difficulties. And we then see him with all his old Thor comic books. Here is where the writers are playing with us, throwing doubt on everything preceding.
Cut to the graduation ceremony, with Magne looking ever more apprehensive. Hod looses the arrow that kills Jens, thereby setting off the Final War, Ragnarök. Huge bloody battle ensues, everybody dies, including Thor who has his last encounter with the serpent Jörmungandr.
Then. Cut back to graduation. No arrow, no war, no killing. Magne gets his degree, makes up with Signy, and has a drink with his friends. And all us viewers freak out.
Well, FWIW, this is my theory. When the Gods and Giants made peace, this for Magne/Thor is an anti-climax. His story, with all that momentum, is not complete, and so he has to work it out in his own mind, hence the Final Battle absolutely must take place. It is by no means a psychotic break, for such would leave him incapacitated and most likely hospitalized. But that does not happen: he has his vision in which everybody dies and the serpent kills him. However, it negates nothing that has gone before. In fact, he remains sane, as shown in the sort-of epilogue.
I loved it, was perfectly comfortable with the last mind-game, and highly recommend it as compelling story-telling and a wonderful modern-day depiction of the Old Norse Saga.
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