Orphan Black 5×10 Review: “To Right the Wrongs of Many”

I’m not ready to say these words, but I must: Orphan Black is over. After five seasons of fighting Neolution and being one of many, the LEDA clones are heading into the sunset in relatively peaceful fashion. “To Right The Wrongs Of Many” closed the chapter on the looming stories that kept us hooked all season. There were deaths, goodbyes, relapses and births to close off the night. However, it was simply living a normal real life that posed the true enemy in the final hour. Was Orphan Black’s final episode a worthwhile ending or was it an experiment gone wrong?

Suffice it to say, in the battle of LEDA vs. Neolution, the LEDAs came out on top, and so did the episode. Sarah, Art and Helena foiled the plans of P.T. and Coady before they were able to take the babies. I’m happy that the clones defeated the bad guys – who in their right mind would want P.T. to win it in the end?! Half of the hour was spent on Helena’s labor/escape and I believe we needed this amount of time to end off the story. This moment was the culmination of their five year-long battle with their captors and killers; it shouldn’t be easy to simply get away while within enemy territory.

P.T.’s and Coady’s deaths got zero remorse from me. They’re both monsters and deserve to be defeated by the good guys. I think I may be running high on emotions after the heartbreaking death of Mark in the ninth episode; she purposely killed her last living son for the cause. P.T., on the other hand, is a megalomaniac. He would do another to get the cure to live forever. That is a dangerous man and it felt satisfying to see Sarah be the one to bring him down.

Kudos to the writers for not creating an overly elaborate death scene for these two. In the end, P.T. and Coady were just humans. Once Helena had the metal rod in her hand, it was expected that she would use it to kill Coady. P.T.’s death was more terrifying between the two. There’s something about hanging plastic and not being able to see your enemy that is reminiscent of a horror movie. He was going to pop out and grab her. We knew it. You knew it. Everyone expected it. Still, it made me jump. But watching Sarah smash a fire extinguisher to his face delivered an explosive send-off.

Watching Helena give birth left me shook. I didn’t expect to see the head come out of her. This was something that you needed to be prepared to see – I wasn’t prepared. Though, having the editors and cameraperson include this moment showed the real seriousness of their situation. Helena is forcibly giving birth in the basement of DYAD. It’s dirty, grimy and dangerous; she is forced there against her will, but she’s bringing the next stage of LEDA generation to life. Helena’s labor scene was a good mix of beauty and tension, especially with the comparison flashbacks of Sarah giving birth with Mrs. S nearby. The emotions were strong!

Is this truly the end of Neolution? That was a looming question hanging after Orphan Black fast-forwarded. Sure, P.T. and Coady are dead but there were people who still believed in the cause and didn’t die (Enger, for one). Were they arrested? Did people give up and move on? People know about the clones, their genetic makeup and the benefits of their children’s DNA for extending life. The ending seemed seamless that no one would be after them or concerned about 274 clones around the world. And is that 274 still alive or 274 were created overall? This posed too many questions that need to be answered in a movie or graphic novel series.

I’m still on the fence about Sarah relapsing to her old mindset. It’s understandable that she would regress after the death of Mrs. S and being overwhelmed with her new responsibilities. However, she’s changed so much since the beginning of Orphan Black that it felt out of place for her to give up quickly. Kira needed her and she walked away from the GED testing like it didn’t matter. It’s great to see her overcome this in the end and be the mother Kira needs.

Helena naming her babies Arthur and Donnie broke my heart. In fact, this moment is one that nearly brought on the tears. “Orange” and “Purple” are funny names – it’s such a Helena thing to do, especially with putting the babies in hanging sacks. It’s great to see her taking on the role of motherhood and proving Coady wrong; Helena is a gentle person and will give these kids a great life with a loving mother. But, the best part of her happy ending is that she’s living with Alison and Donnie. The three of them make a cute family, and Alison must be so excited to bring out the maternal instinct again.

Rachel not reuniting with the other LEDA clones is the best direction for her character. Many terrible things have happened to the LEDAs (which she caused), and while she found redemption in the final season with them, none of them are in a great place to ever forget what has happened. Rachel has continually ostracized herself from the others. She had every intention of harvesting Kira’s eggs when she was on P.T.’s side and things like that won’t ever change in Sarah’s eyes. Though, it was a good move by her to give Felix the names and locations of every LEDA clone. It’s a big impact that will save many lives.

Cosima and Delphine traveling around the world to cure the clones NEEDS to be a spinoff series. Whether it’s a standalone graphic novel series or part of a movie’s plot, there is a lot of potential to keep the story going. We would get to meet clones we’ve never been introduced to before and learn about the story of their lives. It’s a very selfless thing of Cosima and Delphine to do for every clone. Krystal, Tony and Camilla must be thrilled to be cured.

Orphan Black Season 5 was imbalanced at times. The show spent a lot of time on Revival and explored the mini adventures of the clones, as well as the minor secondary characters (like Mud and the first experiment), before finally ramping up to its dramatic conclusion. However, looking at the season as a whole, these interconnected plots were emphasizing the importance of family. The clones didn’t spend a lot of time together, but when they reunited with each other and the non-clone allies, the show found its strength to overcome the villains. And that is something I’ll miss about Orphan Black the series.

Orphan Black is a show about strong, empowered women; each with their own deep histories and characteristics. It’s a show about allies who band together to stand up for what’s right. And it’s a show about family, not just the one you’re born with but the one you create. It’s sad to lose Orphan Black – it’s truly an incredible series like no other. But just like the tone of the last half of “To Right The Wrongs Of Many”, the show has brought us together. As fans, and as a family. #CloneClub always.