Warrior Nun – Season 2 Episode 8 Recap, Review & Ending Explained

Jeremiah 29:13

Episode 8 of Warrior Nun begins this finale with the beginning of the end. Ava heads into the other realm, hoping to stop the Tarasks as they approach her. However, an ethereal being arrives and stops them. Ava’s inner-monologue returns as she realizes that these beings are actually gatekeepers for Reya, who appears before her.

While Ava is incapacitated, Beatrice is livid and immediately strikes out at Vincent, holding him up by the neck against the wall in his apartment. She wants answers. Vincent points out that the key to defeating Adriel could well be in that realm and he’s helping Ava find it as a way of repenting for his sins in following the false prophet.

What happens with the Crown of Thorns?

In the middle of this tension, Ava suddenly awakens ands removes her Crown of Thorns, pointing out that she saw something (Reya) on the other side and now knows precisely what she needs to do to stop Adriel.

The Crown showed Ava a vision of Adriel, whom we know is a fugitive from the other realm. Having failed in attempting to take power there, he intends to make Earth his Kingdom. They can’t let that happen and the only solution is to gather their forces and stop him. Adriel is going to use this prayer energy to activate the Arc and bring over enough wraith demons to enslave the entire world.

The new mission includes destroying the cross in what looks to be the exact same cathedral as before. This time though, they’ve worked out that this cross seems to be working as some sort of dampener for Ava’s Halo power. It’s their second time with this sort of mission and Ava’s distinct lack of detail-orientated planning sees some of the nuns exhibit concerns, realizing that she’s holding back. Still, it’s their last shot and after some words of wisdom from Superion, she sends her girls on their way, intending to make good on this second plan.

Do Ava and Beatrice admit their true feelings for one another?

Down in the parking lot a big shootout ensues, naturally, as the Nuns make swift work of the grunts that arrive. As they head up to the main atrium, the women find the Arc is not where they assumed it to be. It turns out Jillian lied to them as well… because Ava told her to. This was all part of her plan and she’s intending to sacrifice herself so she can protect Beatrice and the others. When Beatrice finds out, she and Ava acrobatically fight before eventually kissing.

With Miguel/Michael waiting, Ava leaves and heads over to enact their mission. However, Beatrice realizes that the Arc is actually located below them and sets to work to try and intercept.

Vincent decides to distract Kristian while this is going on, realizing he’s among the believers around the cross praying. It seems to work too but as he’s led away from the main area, Kristian turns and notices the girls planting explosives on the cross. Kristian turns and as a result, all the followers begin to attack. Yasmine and Bea end up in a fight of their own, but although the former manages to more than hold her own, the sight of all this death and destruction causes her to take a time-out instead.

What happens in the basement?

Michael heads down to the basement with Ava, intent on attacking Adriel. However, Lilith shows up and immediately hits Michael with a sneak attack, striking him fatally and knocking him down.

Ava is next, and forced down on her knees with a lack of aplomb. Adriel clicks his fingers and the portal opens, showing Reya being surrounded by demons. All hell breaks loose, eventually leading to Ava fighting off both Adriel and Lilith together. Ava explodes Michael, setting off the bomb and knocking Adriel back after channeling her Warrior Nun powers. Ava though is struggling and embedded with parts of the Divinium bomb.

Adriel stands back up, chuckling maniacally, as he heals himself and marches toward Ava. Adriel boasts that he can’t be killed in this realm as we know, and given he’s not wearing the Crown of Thorns either, there seems to be no hope.

Is there any hope?

Just then, Camilla destroys the Cross, which helps recharge the Halo on Ava’s back. Using the power of semantics, she brings forth the Tarasks from the other dimension, which completely destroy Adriel. Before they can turn on Ava, Reya appears in human form and stops the creatures, nodding knowingly to Ava before she leaves.

Ava is in a rough way and the only solution is to hoist her through the other side of this portal in the hopes of her finding salvation – and a possible cure. “Be free” Bea says. “I love you,” Ava says, as Bea pushes her through to the other side and returns her confession in a pretty heartwarming segment.

How does Warrior Nun Season 2 end?

Lilith is still kicking about and she warns Bea that this is not over. There’s a Holy war coming, and she hopes they’re on the same side going forward. And with that, she sprouts her demonic wings and disappears, leaving Beatrice alone before the Arc, contemplating what to do and how long it’ll be before Ava returns.

During a mid-credit sequence, Beatrice decides not to teach the new recruits at the church anymore and leave, walking away. Bea passes a whole bunch of recruits in the courtyard, as well as Vincent and Mother Superion who are both still there. The sword Ava used in her battle with Adriel though is behind a glass cabinet and it glows ominously, as the episode comes to a close.

The Episode Review

It would appear that Ava is still alive at the end and it could well be that she leaves as Ava the Grey and returns as Ava the White, at the turn of the tide. Lord of the Rings joke aside, this ending sets up a third season nicely, with plenty of stakes and a final fight with Adriel, even if it was a bit underwhelming.

The biggest problem here comes from this Crown of Thorns which ultimately amounts to… not very much. Sure it helps Ava embrace her own destiny but given how much emphasis was placed on the Crown stopping Adriel’s abilities and being instrumental to this final fight – not to mention using Michael as a bomb – it’s disappointing to see that thrown aside in favour of “semantics” instead.

However, we do get our Bea and Ava shipping moment as the pair admit they’re in love. Although personally they’ve always seemed like really good friends more than lovers but alas, it’s a nice moment all the same.

Meanwhile, the final fight does manage to at least give all the Nuns something to do and this second season has actually done a decent job building up a good deal of drama and stakes for each of our characters, along with some impressively choreographed fights. Sure the musical montages is a bit cheesy and there’s been some contrived scenarios, but on the whole this has been an enjoyable watch.