‘Babylon Berlin’ Recap: ‘Season 4, Episodes 11 & 12’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Liv Lisa Fries and Volker Bruch as Charlotte Ritter and Inspector Gereon Rath in Season 4 of ‘Babylon Berlin’. (Photo Courtesy of MHz Choice.)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the Season Four Finale of ‘Babylon Berlin’. To revisit the previous two episodes, click here.
​
When we last settled in to discuss the phenomenal MHz Choice series, Babylon Berlin, we talked at length about how the show’s previous two episodes, took the time to either put a bevy of plot points on the precipice of conclusion or moved them along in a manner that would allow for them for be resolved post haste. Out of the belief that the season four finale had designs on handling something quite big for the characters, and well… that turned out to be the case. For season four wrapped up in an epic and ominous manner, shortly after the story took the time to resolve just about every other plotline that has been introduced this season. 

For instance, the Goldstein Diamond plot wrapped up in a supremely unique manner. Simply because Mr. Goldstein came face to face with Wegener and came to learn that he was responsible for the theft of the diamond and for suffering in the Goldstein family and that… was what Goldstein wanted all along. The truth, and a chance to face the man that caused his family pain, to force him to understand the damage he had done, and with that in hand… Goldstein was able to leave the diamond behind for his European family and return home with some peace in his heart. And the resolution of that, allowed for Nyssen to ponder upon his next moves in life. For without a body, he was to receive no inheritance in the slightest, so he needed some kind of income and well, his presentation of the predecessor to the V-2 rocket, and a discussion of a dinner with the tiny mustached tyrant, implied his future may involve developing weapons for the Nazi War Machine. 

Plus, the whole matter involving Wendt and Marie-Luise was also wrapped up in a fascinating fashion. Because Wendt knew that Marie-Luise was compromised. Which prompted him to demand her to reveal her associates, which she… kind of did. A move that Wendt thought gave him the upper hand at last. But dear Kulanin played the spy game well, and got the Americans involved in protecting his precious cargo, making it appear as though the USA would know more of the rockets in question. But Marie-Luise had other plans and made sure to get the information to her Russian friends before escaping to America. Bringing this matter to its end as well… and there was one more plot thread that needed resolution so the show could dive into more epic matters.

In that, we needed to know what the fallout was going to be regarding the Armenian’s wholesale slaughter of the criminal underworld at Police HQ, and well… it turned out the police were viewed as heroes. As though they knew ‘scum’ would handle ‘scum’, so there were no penalties or fallout at all and that allowed for us to bear witness to a historical moment, one that wrapped up another critical plotline while setting the stage for a dark future. For this episode featured the Stennes Revolt, where Stennes seized Nazi Party Headquarters in an effort to overthrow the mustache man. A plan that the police wanted to work since it would have devastated the party. But alas, the little man had a lot of allies, and Wendt was one of them and stepped in and stopped the revolt, and Rath was powerless to do anything since he was discovered as the mole and was occupied in a fight for his life during this mess, because of it.

Ergo, history was on track and darkness would fall. But thankfully, there are still some salad days ahead for the good people in this town, and the episode explored that as well. Since Charlotte was able to get her badge back for her work in bringing down the White Glove Club, and she even met her half-brother and caught up with him and continued to fall deeper and deeper in love with Rath. Who also found himself at a unique crossroads since he revealed he no longer wanted to kill his brother, a move that the good doctor believed would motivate Rath to lead an army of the broken. Which could perhaps serve as the last great test for Rath before series end, and we will have to wait to see what he chooses since we faded to black.

But what matters most in this moment, is that we were privy to a powerful season finale. One that truly did wrap up so much and cleared the slate so that the fifth and final season of the show can indeed focus on the darkest hour in Germany’s sordid history. Wherein the Nazi Party seized power. But while we wait to see how Gereon and Charlotte handle the end of life in Berlin as they know it, and the dark days ahead for the world because of one man’s pathetic quest for power and glory, we can celebrate another stellar season of storytelling. One that was grand and sweeping and once again plunged us into a time that we know little of and it was nice to enjoy that one last time… before a two-word cry that sends chills down our spines… brings forth paradise lost. Until next season.   

---

Watch ‘Babylon Berlin’

Powered by JustWatch