The Clues For The Order’s Controversial Finale Were Always There

The ending of The Order season 1’s penultimate episode, “Finals, Part One,” has all the makings of a season finale. Its leading man, Jake Morton (Jack Manley), seems to die. Jake’s grandpa Pete (Matt Frewer) definitely dies. All of the other heroes also seem to die. The visual of Jake, Alyssa Drake (Sarah Grey), Randall Carpio (Adam DiMarco), and Hamish Duke (Thomas Elms) being flung into the great unknown — seemingly headed for the same bloody death Big Bad Edward Coventry (Max Martini) inflicted upon Grandpa Pete — is a perfect tease.

Then, Netflix’s countdown box appears and the true finale, “Finals, Part Two,” begins. That episode fixes all of the tension of “Part One” in just over a half hour. This speedy resolution forces The Order to create a new obstacle for a prospective season 2. The solution: A mass amnesia plot. In the last seconds of season 1, various members of the Order Of The Blue Rose dose each of Belgrave University’s resident werewolves with memory loss powder.

As fans in the Refinery29 comments section and on Twitter have shown, the narrative swerve is controversial at best. However, the signs of such a frustrating double cross were there all along.

From the very beginning,The Order goes to great lengths to prove its titular secret society is a seriously cutthroat institution. Remember, when Amir (Ajay Friese) is murdered in Blue Rose-related scheming, there is no public apology or attempt to kill fewer teenagers. Instead, the society uses blood magic to alter reality and the world’s memories around Amir’s death. All of a sudden, the freshman wasn’t killed by a golem — he died in a fatal bike accident. The Order will do anything to ensure self preservation, and that’s before werewolves, their sworn enemies, got involved.

So, when “Finals, Part Two” begins chipping away at that cloak of protection, it’s so obvious the Order will retaliate. In the middle of the episode, the Knights are forced to team up with Vera Stone (Katharine Isabelle), witch and leader of Belgrave’s Blue Rose chapter. The Knights allow Vera into their secret clubhouse — the exact location other members of the Blue Rose torture Lilith Bathory (Devery Jacobs) to learn. Now, the most powerful witch at Belgrave knows all of the Knight’s top werewolf-y secrets, including the fact the they possess Vera’s very own monkey paw. Vera’s complaint about the theft comes off as a joke, but it’s far more serious in reality.

What reason does she have to allow this armed and heavily-theethed rival faction to continue thriving? It’s a threat no smart leader would ever abide.

That is why Vera’s final words to Jack after they defeat Coventry are so telling. During their debrief, Vera suggests her acolyte choose between the Order and the Knights. Jack, a self-styled maverick, declines, convinced his cheeky charm will allow him to coast between both opposing worlds. As a goodbye, Vera tells him, “The choice you refuse to make? It’s the one that will be made for you.” Jake perceives Vera’s words as toothless advice when they're actually a threat.

The next time we see Jack, he’s meeting love interest Alyssa at his late family members’ graves. He thinks this is the start of their relationship. Alyssa knows she’s there to finally hit Jack with memory loss power, reversing her premiere episode decision. So, she tearfully does. When Jack comes to, he doesn’t know Alyssa or his own name, let alone why his grandpa is dead. This begins the montage of the Order’s revenge against the Knights. Randall, Lilith, and Hamish are all hit with the same powder as Jack in broad daylight. At the same time, their clubhouse is raided. Vera’s monkey paw — along with every other werewolf-owned relic — is confiscated.

With all the Knights suffering from amnesia and their home completely ransacked, it’s difficult to imagine the Order’s good guys will ever come back together. But, then you remember four students on a single college campus were afflicted with amnesia at the exact same time. That’s worth an intense investigation. It’s impossible something won’t end up bringing these wolves back together, memories or no memories.