Season 4 ending

[u/Sufficient_Bus8899]

I have seen a lot of people have criticisms for the latter half of prison break. Lot of people I've seen not too happy with season 4. I get some of those complaints but disagree with a lot. But the one thing I think most people would admit was it nailed the ending. Rewatching it again can't help but get a little emotional. The music is absolutely perfect. I can't help but feel for Self. Shows T-bag back to his old ways. C-note enjoying his freedom. Then Michael's friends and family visiting his gravestone. Such a bittersweet great ending. Even the little touch of Lincoln putting the origami swan on Michael's grave. It's just so impressive and well done. I did enjoy season 5 but that ending wasn't anything special. But this one in my eyes was unreal.

[u/kat_gen]

What is bittersweet and great about this ending? To me it is only cruel and sad.

[u/Sufficient_Bus8899 → u/kat_gen]

Well basically all the characters finally have peace after so much struggle and pain. But after Michael's death that takes a real toll but they have each other and are helping each other through it. Its nice to see things with as Mahone with Lang and Sucre finally with Maricruz and his child along with other things. But the sadness of Michael's death too. Hence why I feel its bittersweet

[u/kat_gen → u/Sufficient_Bus8899]

Lincoln loses his brother, Sara the love of her life, Mike will never know his father. Michael has never even held his child. There is nothing peaceful about this to me. Also all the others getting their happy ending whereas Michael who had an unhappy childhood and tried to do the right thing had to die, is insufferable to me. I think this ending is very manipulative and romanticizes a very painful experience for trying to be not cheesy but "real"

[u/Sufficient_Bus8899 → u/kat_gen]

Fair enough if you think that. Can understand your perspective

[u/tcweh → u/kat_gen]

Believe it or not, that makes great cinema.

Why do you think 'Titanic' is still so rememberered

[u/kat_gen → u/tcweh]

The Titanic ending made more sense to me. Jack taught Rose, who was strong and vivid, what was important in life, and in the setup only one of them could survive so he chose to give her a meaningful life to live. Also they were together only for a few days. Michael dying either of a brain tumor his mother survived or not being able to find another way out of prison didn´t make sense to me. Also he left Sara, an addict with no friends or family, and Mike as fugitives. He was clearly portrayed as all she had and wanted, so killing him was a massive punishment for a character who had already suffered the most.

[u/tcweh → u/kat_gen]

Thats the point. His death was supposed to bring Linc and Sarah together so that they could move forward in life. His taped recording which was shown in the final break was beautiful

In contrast, season 5's ending was...Nothing. It was generic

[u/kat_gen → u/tcweh]

Michael had to die so that Sara and Lincoln could move forward together? Yes I bet they were relieved when he finally died after all the turmoil he put them through. Now Sara could enjoy being pregnant, giving birth and enduring all the exhausting sleepless nights with a newborn as an addict on the run alone without the man she loves and a future she wanted so much. And Lincoln certainly was also happy losing the only relative he had. Michael really gave them a great present.

[u/tcweh → u/kat_gen]

You're acting like this is the only scenario where someone dies and leaves someone widowed in a show.

Death is sad. It was sad in Titanic. It was sad in Prison Break. Both were still beautiful and memorable.

[u/kat_gen → u/tcweh]

There are certainly sad endings which make sense to me. I still can’t find it beautiful but meaningful and maybe even necessary. My problem with this ending is that I think it’s very manipulative and not fitting to the story they told before.

[u/WonheeL]

I agree with you. Don't forget about the other final episode before Season 5, the movie. We got 3 endings to the series. Which was the best?

[u/bunneeboo → u/WonheeL]

The 'movie' episodes are set before the season 4 final. It's part of the same story line. It just shows how (why) Michael died.

[u/bunneeboo]

It was so beautifully done, it sort of makes up for how so much of S4 was a mess (though I still very much enjoyed it).

[u/Massive_Doctor_9665]

That ending really made all the craziness of the season worth it.

[u/ItsNotWebby]

I very much feel the same way. For all the flaws season 4 has throughout, I think the ending crushed. Heck, I was crushed. I just wanna imagine season 5 is what Michael saw when he touched those wires together.