‘The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey’ Recap: ‘Nina’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Five of ‘The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
​
We are taught from a very early age… that the clock is ticking when it comes to our lives, and since the minutes are slipping away, once we are adults… we need to get moving and accomplish wonders. So that we lead full and fulfilling lives and rack up accolades and accomplishments and make an impact before the end arrives… and there is some healthy merit to this line of thinking. Because we simply don’t know how much time we have on planet Earth and having a sense of urgency in everything we do can ensure we depart this plane without a concern or regret. But while that definitely pushes us like never before, there is an unfortunate side effect that accompanies that line of thinking.
​
In that, it leads to worry, that our goals and our dreams and the things we need to accomplish, have an expiration date and if we don’t get them done by a certain age, we have failed, and our lives are a waste. An unfortunate belief that relates to the fact that we cherish youth over old age and because we don’t understand how to properly utilize our time on this particular plane of existence. But the fact of the matter is, it is never too late to work toward our goals or accomplish them, provided we buckle down and apply ourselves and that is hard to learn in a world that fast paced and eager to chalk up accomplishments at a brisk pace. But it can be done, even until our final moments linger before us, as evidenced by the next episode of The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey on Apple TV+.

For when we catch up with Ptolemy and Robyn in ‘Nina’, Ptolemy has had enough time now to really reflect upon his life and the fact that his memory is about to slip and fade and knowing that the end is finally nigh, motivated him to go hard into granting the one wish that was bestowed upon him years ago by Coydog. Which is why he set up a vast trust fund for his family, one that went above and beyond the first one he set up, and he wanted Robyn to be in charge of it. So that everyone would be taken care of by a responsible party and could instead focus on improving their lives instead of constantly hustling to get by, and well… in order to really ensure security for the family, Ptolemy revealed quite the powerhouse secret.

In that, he was in possession of a doubloon worth millions of dollars, which could be cashed in and used to further inflate the trust and well, that’s a powerful way to atone for a sin of sorts and the wonder of Ptolemy’s push to take care of the community like he was asked, doesn’t end there. Because everywhere that Ptolemy went in this story, he was quick to try and inspire others to be more and do more and that was beautiful to see. Because sometimes that is what saves a person or a community, the mere thought that they can accomplish a wonder and watching Ptolemy do all this at his advanced age, was inspiring for certain and it was further enhanced by some more intimate decisions on his part as well. 

---

Because Ptolemy also assembled the family and Doctor Rubin back at Niece’s for a proper memorial for Reggie. A move that was designed to accomplish two key goals. The first, involved making peace with the checkered past that Ptolemy believed hung heavy over him. Which is why he spoke to his mistakes at the wake and revealed that he once had a daughter with another woman, one that he spurned because of how closed off he was emotionally back then. An admission that provided Ptolemy with absolution and peace over a grand mistake and the other reason he wanted to assemble the family, including Reggie’s wife, Nina… was to finally smoke out the real killer of the good man that gave him so much. 
​
For this memorial allowed for Ptolemy to get a little one on one time with Nina and come to learn that her trashy and unsavory ex… was likely the one responsible for the end of Reggie because he saw Nina as property and potential and well, when faced with that reality, Ptolemy did something quite bold. In that, he confronted this man and more or less received the confirmation he needed that this unsavory fellow, was the one responsible for the death of sweet and innocent Reggie and that perhaps the time had come for them to sit down and chat. A move that could harm Ptolemy since this dude isn’t exactly someone that can be trusted in the slightest… but PityPapa has made it clear, he wants to handle this matter himself and in his own way, and well… his push to make this happen couldn’t have come at a better moment.

For the integrity of his memory and mind was in question here. In fact, he had a loose moment with his mind while at the wake for Reggie and now he knows he is racing against the clock to handle the last item on his bucket list. But what’s amazing, is that he is so close to leaving the world with no regrets and accomplishments in hand. Because he accomplished so much in this tale in such a brief amount of time and there is a powerful lesson to be found in that. One that goes beyond the core message we discussed earlier. Since that revelation informs us, that a lot of what seems insurmountable to us, is likely easier to accomplish than we give it credit, and the sooner we get it done, the more peace we will find, as evidenced by how calm and how focused Ptolemy was at the end of this tale. 

If anything, this was just another amazing chapter in this flawless and powerful journey. Because not only did it teach us yet another powerful lesson about life and how perceptions and beliefs regarding it aren’t always correct… it also moved the plot forward in an incredibly dynamic manner. Because just like that, a powerful showdown is about to take place. One that should bring Ptolemy peace at last and justice for Reggie, provided he can outwit this monster of a man... and that might be a difficult task. Since his neurons are beginning to fade and fumble again and well, that potential for a messy confrontation in every sense of the phrase… is going to make the wait for next week’s series finale, unbearable. Since we want nothing more than to see Ptolemy Grey complete his end-of-life checklist… right on time. Until next time.

---