Who is the imposter among them? Retrospective: Haven, S3 "Last Goodbyes"

Retrospective: Haven, S3, Ep. 31 – “Last Goodbyes”

Air Date: Friday, December 7, 2012, 10/9c on Syfy

Rating: ★★★★★

“Let me fill you in—naptime is not a superpower.” – Will Brady

“Last Goodbyes” throws you for a contemplative loop. Of all the hometown suspects, any one of them could be the elusive “Bolt Gun Killer,” a.k.a. “the Skinwalker.” I was trying desperately to uncover small clues or missteps in each of the characters but it’s not easy when the story keeps flashing back to the day before everyone in town, including Nathan (Lucas Bryant), mysteriously falls into a coma.

Observations:

Who is the imposter among them? Retrospective: Haven, S3 "Last Goodbyes" 1

Audrey discovers where Will’s other shoe is – inside the ambulance. The question – why was Will in the ambulance in the first place?

Even though Audrey (Emily Rose) is immune to “the troubles,” she still feels the effects. Everyone in town has fallen into a deep sleep and she is the only one awake. How alone do you think she felt in that moment? I did find it curious that we only see Nathan succumb to this peculiar predicament. I didn’t see Duke (Eric Balfour), Dave (Richard Donat), Vince (John Dunsworth), or Claire (Bree Williamson) among the comatose victims. Interesting, don’t you think?

***

Who is the imposter among them? Retrospective: Haven, S3 "Last Goodbyes" 2

The interrogation techniques strains credulity.

I found Audrey and Claire’s interrogation techniques flawed, like sifting sand in your hands. They’re letting too many variables slip through rather than being more rigorous in their inquiries. The Skinwalker can take on his victims’ voices but not their memories or inherent afflictions. The alleged suspects must prove they are not the Skinwalker by providing something unique to them. Duke mentions the infamous kiss he and Audrey shared in Denver, and Nathan also mentions a kiss from Audrey. This doesn’t really prove they are who they are especially if this cunning killer has been among them for a while. Testing their troubles would have been more conclusive. Speaking of, what is Claire’s trouble?

***

Who is the imposter among them? Retrospective: Haven, S3 "Last Goodbyes" 3

Will Brady is the only other person awake in Haven…could he be the Skinwalker?

Will Brady (Nolan North) is the only other person awake in town and naturally Audrey thinks he could be the Skinwalker. As they try to retrace Will’s steps to piece together the mystery, Audrey discovers two things: Will is “troubled” and he may possibly be the killer at large. Again, she isn’t being very cautious, leading the way into buildings rather than letting Will go first. If I suspected anyone of being a killer, my gun would be drawn at all times as I walk behind the person. A strategic shot in the leg won’t kill but would seriously injure someone enough to give Audrey a leg up (pun intended). North does an excellent job of playing someone with amnesia. I really enjoyed his sarcastic humor and thought his character brought out an element of Audrey that she’s been trying so desperately to keep under wraps for everyone’s good. Sometimes, a stranger can see things in us that we can’t; they can also bring out things we’ve been trying to hide.

***

Sarcastically funny lines:

Will Brady: “Right, ‘cause only the most hardcore criminals roll in one shoe.”

***

Audrey: “Was everyone around you unconscious, too?”

Will Brady: “Yes, Officer Skeptic.”

***

Will Brady: “Gaudy animal jewelry is my thing; I don’t know.”

***

What truly made me sit on the edge of my seat throughout “Last Goodbyes” is the not knowing. With every flashback to the interrogation of someone new, you try to figure out who the imposter is. When Audrey and Will go to his house, it becomes palpable as Will desperately tries to convince an agitated Audrey that he isn’t the Skinwalker. After Audrey figures out that Will was being transported in the ambulance from the hospital and not to the hospital, it leads them to cure the town’s coma problem.

By the way, do Audrey and Nathan actually think the townsfolk believe this was another “gas leak” that caused them to take a long nap in the middle of the street, sidewalk, or on their steering wheels? They need to come up with something better for next time. Just saying.

While there were some elements in this episode that annoyed me, overall it was engaging. The only downfall is that it didn’t really progress the story until the very end (cue dramatic music) when we find out who the imposter is.

There is only one more episode before the season three finale on December 21. I really want things to come to a head and leave me with a pulse-pounding cliffhanger for season four!

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Tune in to Haven, Fridays at 10/9c, only on Syfy.

For more on Haven, go to http://www.syfy.com/haven.

Follow the show on Twitter @Syfy using hashtag #Haven, as well as cast members @EmilyroseLA, @EricBalfour, @davehaven, and @vincehaven. For Eric Balfour fans – follow @EricBalfourfans.

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Judy Manning

Dream chaser extraordinaire! Judy tends to be a tad sarcastic and kind of goofy! She is an avid admirer of all things supernatural, paranormal, celestial and mystical. She loves to read, write, and watches way too much TV. She enjoys many genres of film and music (and let's be honest, most music from the 80s). She also has a wicked sweet tooth. Cupcakes beware.