DC’s Swamp Thing
Episode 10: “Loose Ends”
Directed by Deran Sarafian
Written by Erin Maher & Kay Reindl

* For a recap & review of the penultimate episode, “The Anatomy Lesson” – click here
* Will we see a Swampy film again one day? Let’s hope!
Swamp Thing (Derek Mears) sees himself as “a thing” born from the death of Alec Holland (Andy Bean), but Dr. Abby Arcane (Crystal Reed) tells him he is a real person, his memories are what make him. He refuses to believe it, wishing he could be “human again.” She sees past the swampy exterior. They’re interrupted when there are men coming to seek revenge. Swampy refuses to be taken to a lab again this time.

Dr. Jason Woodrue (Kevin Durand) is playing house with his all but brain dead Caroline (Selena Anduze). She’s taped in a chair. He’s so obsessed with finding a cure for her Alzheimer’s he has gone delusional. That isn’t good for anybody. He’s got Swamp Thing’s organs, planning to try more experiments. Uh oh.

Abby talks to Liz Tremayne (Maria Sten). The doc blames herself for what’s happening to Holland, believing she’s “lost him.” She’s determined to protect him. Liz knows there’s something bigger at play than Avery Sunderland (Will Patton). Perhaps this has to do with the Conclave? Of course it does! They’re in Marais with Nathan Ellery (Michael Beach), led by a man called Shaw (Jake Busey), and they’re out of Avery’s control.
Daniel Cassidy (Ian Ziering) is having problems with the Blue Devil whispering in his ear. Liz goes to see him. He’s always wanted to get out of town and right now there’s a “bigger destiny” calling him elsewhere. He gives Liz the keys to his shop, saying goodbye before he leaves Marais for good. He drives for the town limits and finally speeds past it without feeling those licks from the blue flame.

Maria Sunderland (Virginia Madsen) is stuck in a padded room. She can’t get free of the voices in her head. Like George A. Romero’s Day of the Dead dream sequence, Maria feels hands emerging from the wall, grabbing at her. Madame Xanadu (Jeryl Prescott) appears to tell her of “a dark power” she tapped into while trying to find her daughter. She can help Mrs. Sunderland escape the pain. Dr. Arcane shows up only after Maria’s in a near catatonic state. She’s lost in her mind with Shawna (Given Sharp).

Jason cooks up some Swampy heart for his wife. He eats it himself first, not wanting to feed Caroline something that hasn’t been properly tested. He swallows a slice down and, seconds later, goes into convulsions. When he stands, he feels the power in his veins.
The Conclave head through the swamp led by Shaw. One of them fast finds out about the brutal force that is Swamp Thing. The others locate his corpse strung up from the trees, and a few soldiers start to believe they’re the ones being hunted, not the other way around. And hoo, boy, are they ever correct.
The Green and Swampy come together to terrifying the soldiers— then kill them.

Dr. Arcane wanders into the Woodrue house looking for Avery. She sees the strange scene, unaware of what Jason is slowly becoming. She’s in his clutches. Holland was a sensitive and good man, whereas Dr. Woodrue is an unethical, creepy, and semi-psychotic man, which doesn’t bode well for his transformation. He keeps cooking bits of Swampy. A few cops turn up to subdue him after Abby managed to dial 911.

At the hospital, Avery goes to see Matt Cable (Henderson Wade) after his accident. Sheriff Lucilia Cable (Jennifer Beals) is at their son’s bedside. She isn’t totally shocked he survived. He thinks they can have a “fresh start,” imagining he and Maria will divorce. But Lucilia won’t forget their recent history, not to mention their entire past.
When Lucilia leaves she doesn’t know Avery is waiting in her backseat. He stabs her through the back and into her stomach. He runs the car into the swamp with her in the trunk, though she isn’t quite dead. A horrifying end. Things are super fucked up for Avery. He’s coughing up swamp plants.
That’s swamp karma, bitch.
Swamp Thing finds Ellery. The man tries to tell him he could “do so much for humanity” with those regenerative abilities. Swampy wants to be left alone, unbothered by nasty humans. After Ellery runs from the swamp, Swamp Thing sees a vision of Holland. They talk about what’s next for “a monster” like them. Alec doesn’t think leaving Abby would be a good thing.

Dr. Arcane goes to the overgrown lab, needing to know Swampy’s fine. She cares for him, and wants to see more of the Green, the world to which Swamp Thing is connected intricately. He knows there’s a darkness “raging” and fighting to break through into the world. Abby hopes they’ll face whatever it is as one.

“The question is,
who do you want to be?”

In a mid-credits scene, Matt can’t find his mother.
He searches the station finding vegetation everywhere. He follows vines and leaves into the building further, where a dead cop lies bloody on the floor, spiky plants protruding from his back. He looks around the cells and stumbles onto Woodrue, now transformed into a hideous creature— a violent one.
So sad to see the series go! It was absolutely incredible, in every respect. There was no better way to end this one, and it’s excellent to leave it so open-ended because there’s always a chance that they’ll do a film with the Swamp Thing + Abby Arcane characters. Slim chance DC will farm this out to another network, seeing as how they’re desperately trying to make their streaming service work. One can hope.