‘Slasher: Ripper’ Recap – ‘Divine Secrets’ & ‘Vengeance’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the Season Five Finale of ‘Slasher’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
​
When we reach the end of a slasher story, a certain formula comes into play. Wherein we learn all the secrets about the killer, and their weaknesses, before those left standing from the killer’s bloodlust take a stand and emerge… victorious. For slasher stories tend to feature a happy ending. The kind that reminds us that good triumphs over evil and that the world always makes things right again. But while that is fun and satisfying, let’s be honest… it’s not realistic, and yes, while horror is an escape avenue, one that makes us feel safe while scaring us… contemporary horror is eager to explore the reality of the world and how not everyone gets a happy ending and how sometimes… people come out of dark situations worse than they started.
​
Which is why the Shudder series, Slasher: Ripper, is of note. Because this is that horror/slasher story that has been eager from day one… to provide us with a more realistic and thoughtful slasher tale. Which it definitely has accomplished by plunging us into a world that mirrors our own, where the rich are stupid rich and get away with everything because of their standing and their funds… and where everyone else… is along for the ride and well… it is safe to say that fans of this series were wondering, if it would stick the landing. If ‘Divine Secrets’ and ‘Vengeance’ would find a way to stay true to what this story was exploring and provide us with an ending that fit, over one that was happy and conclusive, and the good news is… the show did indeed offer up a trope-busting ending that was worthy of the commentary present in this tale.

But of course… not before giving us more carnage and mayhem. The kind that saw a strange darkness sweep over the town. As though the Widow had begun to inspire everyone to take charge of their life in a dark manner, and that is something that Verdi took part in here. Mainly because she was full of hate for her sisters, and rightfully so, for the way they treated her, and she thought she could use her standing as Basil’s bride to be to finally make them pay for being cruel. So… she helped to set up a mistake in Georges’ act to kill Venetia, so then she could easily set up Vivana to take the fall. And she most certainly did, and by distracting everyone with this act… the Widow was able to finally bring Georges to justice, but not before we learned about his role in Margaret’s death and Basil’s exact role as well.

---

However, once that was out of the way, the story could then get into the final showdown if you will. For with Basil left standing, the killer simply had to strike him, and this would be over, and that of course put the pressure on Rijkers to make an arrest and this is where the story surprised us through and through. Since Rijkers figured out along the way that Regina was the Widow, for she was Margaret’s daughter and was cast out after her mother died, giving her understandable reason to do all of this and rather than arrest her… he gave into his heart and gave her a chance to run, and that’s when… the rich flexed their muscle. Since Basil was basically done dealing in fear and had his own lackeys arrest the good detective, who figured out how to escape the prison and upon doing so… is when this story took another fascinating turn.
​
Because once he was free, Rijkers was able to realize… that he was trapped in an impossible situation. For he was being asked to betray the badge and serve a piece of human garbage. One that had committed countless crimes and would commit countless more, and he’d already manipulated Kenneth and others into doing his bidding because that’s what a rich guy like Basil does. So, when the opportunity arose to stand with Regina and everyone that Basil wronged… he did. Which led to vigilante justice and an ending that fits with the zeitgeist of our time. But more importantly… it shook up the usual finale for the genre. For there was no happy ending here, just corruption of the soul and motivation for more people to take part in revenge all because… these poor everyday folks had enough of the system and the folks that manipulated it, and they reacted accordingly. 

All of which made… for the right ending. One that will undoubtedly create conflict in the viewer and motivate discussions of what they saw. Because we do indeed expect happy endings from slashers, not ones firmly planted in the grey. But that also makes this ending, brilliant. Since it speaks to the mood of the era and how helpless we all feel right now with corporations funding agendas in Washington and with rich idiots making stupid decisions for others because of how out of touch they are and that makes this season of storytelling, incredible when all is said and done. Since it reinvented the slasher for the 21st Century and provided us with so much to chew upon and now that this chapter has come to a close, it will be fascinating to see what season six has in store for us from a plot and commentary standpoint. Until next time.

---