‘Shantaram’ Recap: ‘All the Way From There Just to Get to Here’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the season finale of ‘Shantaram’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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One thing that we can all agree upon, is that the Apple TV+ series, Shantaram, has taught us some fine lessons regarding the nature of change and how difficult it can be to embrace it. Not to mention, it’s shown us how we cannot escape the past no matter how hard we try, nor we can resolve said past through mere good deeds. No, in order to finally find peace and welcome change, we must make the decision to embrace it and confront that which haunts us and well, the series has yet to fully explore… what motivates a person that is desperate to do none of that, to finally open their heart to such matters, and there was good reason to keep that in shadows. Simply so Lin Ford could finally demonstrate how that comes to fruition in the season finale of the show. For ‘All the Way From There Just to Get to Here’ is a story that finally saw Lin Ford embrace change and begin to resolve his past and all it took to get that going, was to put everything he could ever want at risk… via all-out war in Bombay.
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For Kavita’s article made the front page and once it arrived on newsstands everywhere in the city, Walid and Khader Khan went to war. A battle that was complete with collateral damage since Kavita was forced to watch Nishant die, out of the decision to put his name on the article to try and protect her. Of course, eventually Khader Khan gained the upper hand in this war since he was far better connected and had the smarter henchman. But the fallout of that conflict and the chaos in the streets that followed, alongside discovering what Maurizio had done at Karla’s, seemingly flipped on a light switch for Lin. Because he realized that Maurizio and Madame Zhou could cause Karla great harm or even kill her. Especially since Maurizio was willing to kill Sebastian over money, and almost succeeded in doing so, had it not been for Lin and Abdullah and Prabhu. Which helped Lin to realize, that if he just ran or stayed the angry course, he indulged in, in the prior episode… he could lose the one person that mattered most to him. 

Which in turn, pushed him and Prabhu into action. Wherein they regrouped with Didier and secured his apartment as a safe house as needed. For on this day, Lin was going to bring Karla home, and he gathered there would undoubtedly be wounds and wanted criminals to come forth from that rescue mission and well… he was right. Because his arrival at the brothel was tense and terrifying, in large part because the citizens of Bombay were ready to storm Zhou’s beloved business, but also because… Maurizio was ready to inflict great harm to get his money. And that led to one intense battle, where Karla and Lisa jumped into the fray after escaping their basement prison on their own. Which led to a grand moment for Lisa, where she plugged a bullet into Maurizio to make him finally pay for his transgressions and in the midst of that firefight and through the angry mob that breached the gates… everyone was able to escape. 

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That brought them back to Didier’s for a moment to breathe and appreciate their safety, and once everyone came to realize how lucky they were on this day, they all parted ways to prepare for what was to come next. For Lisa that involved finding her love, who left the hospital post haste. For Prabhu that meant greeting his bride to be with the great news that he was getting a cut of that bag of money and for Karla and Lin… that finally meant being together and expressing their love and it also meant… the time had come for Lin to realize, he had finally embraced change. Because for the first time in his life, he was no longer focused on himself or his own agency and anger. He was selfless and giving and that provided him with the peace, he’s craved and the happiness he’s always wanted, and once he began to understand the power of change, the time came to face his past, in a harrowing manner, no less.
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Because despite finally connecting with Karla and making plans to escape Bombay post haste, with her, to keep Nightingale at bay, things went south quickly. For Kavita turned Lin into the police in the midst of her grief and that brought Nightingale and Lin face to face after all this time, despite Lisa’s efforts to stave off that encounter, and that brought forth a positive moment for certain. Since Lin stood tall in the face of his enemy and didn’t let fear or guilt take control. Because in that moment, he reconciled the past and looked toward a future with Karla. Which unfortunately did not come to fruition. For Karla’s rescue of Lin’s passport and her actions in the name of Lin, was more than Khader Khan could bear. Since he saw Lin’s love for her as the cause of all of his problems and that led to a disturbing ending where Lin was kidnapped and badly beaten and tortured by the police once again, but this time around… what Lin learned in this tale seemed to help him greatly in those closing dark moments. 

For he had something to focus upon now, a future with the woman that sent his heart soaring, and there were no regrets in his heart and little fear as well. Because at long last, Lin Ford understood the lessons the universe was working to teach him and that will give him strength as we all wait for the next chapter in this story to get underway. But while we wait to hear good news from Apple TV+ regarding a season two order, which has not been announced as of press time, we can celebrate one powerful and magnificent tale. One that really allowed for everyone in this story to grow in some capacity and brought this wonderful journey of self-discovery home and truly… we hope that season two will indeed come to fruition. Simply because by no means is this story complete and it genuinely deserves a chance to come to a proper close, so we can learn what becomes of the magnificent people that Lin bonded with over the course of this season and to see the man he becomes… now that he has finally embraced the power and the wonder of change.  

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