DISCLAIMER: This recap of Doom Patrol Season 4 Episode 12, “Done Patrol,” contains spoilers. Proceed at your peril.
Doomies, it all ends here. Doom Patrol‘s series finale is as bittersweet as they come. While my heart is full knowing everyone got their happy ending (even though some died), I didn’t like seeing the band break up. That said, it needed to happen. Rita was right — our gang was impeding their own development. They had to get out of their own way to truly flourish. Change is usually uncomfortable, and everyone steps outside their comfort zone for the better in “Done Patrol.” Even Rita finds the love of her life on the other side after dying.
Kay/Jane undergoes significant growth in “Done Patrol” as she continues to heal from her childhood trauma. It’s stunning. Her also finding love with Casey made me grin from ear to ear. Laura discovers her bliss in burning down the establishment. Vic embraces his future as a teacher. Larry reunites with his love, Rama, and becomes a sun. I don’t think Larry’s dead in the literal sense, but I also don’t believe the others will see him again. Cliff spends his final days with his family—my heart.
Sure, the Immortus/Were-butt dilemma is solved rather quickly, but this show was never wall-to-wall action, even in its most action-heavy episode. It’s a deeply character-driven series. On a separate note, I would’ve loved another appearance from Dorothy. She kinda vanished.
This show, man. I’ll probably compose a separate farewell piece for it because I have so much to say. For now, I’ll add I will miss the hell out of Doom Patrol. It’s darkly hilarious, thought-provoking, poignant, compelling and downright strange. What other show has a group of misfit heroes battling werewolf butts? I’ll wait.
Ready to delve into “Done Patrol”? Let’s get to it.
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We open with Immortus (Charity Cervantes) levitating in the Cloverton Theater. The massive portal swirls before her. Suddenly, Jane (Diane Guerrero), Vic (Joivan Wade), Cliff (Brendan Fraser/Riley Shanahan), Laura (Michelle Gomez) and Larry (Matt Bomer/Matthew Zuk) return to the surface after their trip through the time stream. Immortus looms before them, and the ravenous Were-butts are on the other side of the theater’s doors. Terrified, Laura transforms into a bird and flies away. Uh-oh. Our heroes battle it out against Immortus, who’s, well, a god, so it doesn’t go well.
However, Vic has a fancy new flaming sword, so that’s fun. Jane now possesses all the abilities of Kay’s other alters. For example, she boasts super speed and can shoot fire out of her hands. But my favorite is the return of Silver Tongue’s unique powers: Jane says, “F*ck you,” and the words turn into sharp blades. Jane sends them flying in Immortus’ direction while flipping the bird. Unfortunately, Immortus deflects the attack, redirecting the “F*ck you” to the doors. The doors burst open from the impact as the Were-butts flood the theater.
Meanwhile, Laura returns to Rita’s (April Bowlby) bedside. Rita looks more aged than before. She’s also considerably weaker. Laura confesses she’s afraid of bailing on her friends again. She’s falling into old habits. Rita reassures her she’s not leaving the Doom Patrol high and dry. Why? Because Laura knows Rita will hold her accountable. Laura helps Rita into her wheelchair as they head toward the Cloverton Theater.
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Next, Dr. Margaret (Keiko Agena) and Nicholas barge into the theater while singing “Shipoopi.” If you recall, the Were-butts performed this number in the Season 4 premiere. Sure enough, the other Were-butts catch on and sing together. Immortus isn’t a fan, though. She demands to be the center of attention. So, she bursts into song on her own, belting out one of the tunes from the musical based on the Doom Patrol. The Were-butts and Dr. Margaret join Immortus. Even Cliff sings along.
Seizing the opportunity that Immortus’ distraction provides, our gang discreetly leaves the theater during the impromptu show. Suddenly, Immortus releases a burst of rainbow color, engulfing the theater. The gang watches outside as the theater simply vanishes. Laura and Rita arrive right as Immortus’ disappearing act takes effect. Hey, this is Doom Patrol. I’ve learned nothing makes sense, and, truth be told, I love it.
Then, our heroes have breakfast together. Even Rita is present. Vic shows the crew his new metal tattoos on his updated Cyborg armor. One of them is dedicated to the Doom Patrol. Aw. Jane reveals that all the alters are one person now. In fact, it’s not just Jane on the surface. The whole Underground is topside. Jane realizes she doesn’t want to be called Jane anymore. The word that comes to mind is “Kaleidoscope,” but she settles on “Kay.” We know that name…
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Larry, being our favorite wet blanket, wonders why it was so easy to defeat a god and a pack of werewolf butts. Everyone else encourages him not to overthink it. When life hands you a pass, you take it. Rita decides to leave for her room to try on her superhero outfit. She wants to see if it still fits. Laura offers to assist her; however, Rita insists she’s still nimble enough to dress herself. She wheels herself away from the table.
Next, Immortus knocks on their door. She’s a bona fide star, having performed in shows for thousands of years alongside her Were-butt companions. They’ve been a great asset to her. Sure, she was only gone maybe an hour in the real world, but time runs differently in the time stream. As a token of her gratitude re: the Were-butts, Immortus offers our heroes something they’ve needed: longevity. She orders them to consume her toenails. Yes, you read that correctly. This will restore their youth.
Kay, Cliff and Larry eat Immortus’ toenails. Of course, Kay looks significantly younger. They save a toenail for Rita. Before Immortus departs, she gives Cliff a crystal necklace, claiming it’ll come in handy later. Suddenly, they hear Laura scream. Unfortunately, Rita has passed away. Larry is the most distraught. This moment tore me in half. Everyone decides unanimously to crash the afterlife and save Rita. Larry heads downstairs to find a tether for Rita. Naturally, he flocks to the alcoholic beverage cart.
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Then, Rita’s ghost appears to Larry. She states that, although she loves her Doom family, she doesn’t want them saving her. She’s made peace with passing on. Larry doesn’t like this answer. Emotional, he reveals that she was the only person who truly loved him and stuck by him. Oof. This scene made me weep harder than the others. Rita and Larry’s friendship is so precious. It aptly epitomizes the heart of this show. So, Ghost Rita hosts one more team meeting with the Doom Patrol. She repeats what she told Larry — she doesn’t need the crew to retrieve her.
Instead, Rita insists she served her purpose. She was meant to lead the others into the next chapters of their lives. Rita also points out that virtually all of their issues were self-inflicted; they were the source of their problems. Perhaps it’s time to move on. She believes it’s time to disband the squad. But first, she requests that they burn her body. Cliff vehemently protests. However, Vic is ready to honor her final wish, as are the others. I’m not okay.
So, that night, the gang holds a funeral for Rita. Cliff places a compact near Rita’s corpse, claiming it represents her penchant for primping. Everyone else follows suit with bottles of liquor and accessories. Even Laura provides Rita’s favorite drink — a dry martini. Larry sets Rita’s body on fire. Kay begins singing a beautiful version of “Ave Maria.” In true Doom Patrol fashion, it gets weird. Her corpse transforms into a giant blob one last time before Laura deflates her. Rita reassures her friends that all is well before vanishing. Oh, I’m not okay.
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After the funeral, our crew watches Rita’s film, Secret Rendezvous. Hey, remember in episode three when Rita woke up in her own movie? By the flick’s end, Larry suggests they watch it again. When the morning rolls around, Kay notices Cliff is no longer on the couch with them. She finds Cliff packing his bags for Florida. He planned to drive away without saying goodbye. Cliff asks Kay what she intends to do with this next chapter of her life. She claims she might sublet and spend her days painting. Cliff thinks that sounds effing boring.
Cliff hopes to spend as much time with his daughter and grandson as possible. This isn’t a forever farewell — just a “see ya later.” Our fave BFFs hug it out before Cliff speeds away. They flip each other the bird. My heart. I also adore this friendship.
Later, Larry returns to his bedroom. He asks Keeg what they should do. The thought of searching for Rama dances on the edges of Larry’s mind. Is it possible? Then, we see that the furniture in Doom Manor is covered in white sheets. Boxes are scattered about. Vic prepares to depart. Suddenly, Laura emerges from underneath a sheet on a sofa. This bit cracked me up. Vic glimpsed his future in the time stream, so he’s excited to return to Detroit. Laura, however, can’t shake the feeling that regardless of what transpires, she’ll always chicken out.
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Vic offers her some advice regarding the thin line between good and evil. Laura wonders aloud if she’ll ever accidentally cross that line. What if she can’t tell the difference? Vic vows to help her out in that department when she needs it. Aw. I also love these two together — a surprisingly fun pairing. While packing his belongings upstairs, Larry grabs the red handkerchief from John Bowers. We see a collection of memories from Larry and John’s (Kyle Clements) romance. Larry wonders if he and Keeg could search for Rama if they had something of his.
Meanwhile, Kay searches on her busted laptop (Seriously, how can she see anything on that screen?) for a sublet. Unfortunately, she comes up short. When she spots Larry, she asks him if he wants to watch a movie. However, he’s heading out into the great unknown. He doesn’t know what he’ll find. Kay remarks that this move is uncharacteristic of him, but she supports it.
Next, Kay hears the alarm blaring. She shouts out that the Doom Patrol has disbanded. She discovers Casey (Madeline Zima) in the basement. Casey notes that Dorothy told her the manor would be empty. She also tells Kay of her plans to head into space in the unused spaceship sitting a few feet away. Kay repeats what she said to Cliff about her future plans. However, they sound unappealing now. She asks Casey if she’d like a friend in space. Aw, I’m glad Kay will get a happy ending.
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Later, in Florida, Cliff celebrates Rory’s birthday with Clara (Bethany Anne Lind) and her wife Mel (Walnette Santiago). Cliff holds Rory while walking outside, telling his grandson about his fixer-upper car. He wants Rory to have it eventually. Cliff freezes in place, so Clara steps in and grabs Rory. Sure, he has his longevity again, but he’s still dying of Parkinson’s. He returned to Florida to spend as much time with his family as possible.
Meanwhile, a yellow bird lands on Rita’s shoulder in the afterlife. She recognizes it. Then, she spots another familiar presence: Malcolm (Micah Joe Parker). Her love! They reunite and embrace. I’m not crying; you are. Speaking of reunions, Larry and Keeg rescue Rama from the bottom of the ocean. They fly him into space. Larry releases Rama (Sendhil Ramamurthy) from a chest. Suddenly, a glowing light envelops them as Larry’s bandages unravel. Larry insists it’s okay. They kiss as the light consumes them. They become a sun, presumably, as 1996 Larry foretold.
Then, Vic stands next to Deric (Elijah R. Reed) in a Detroit classroom as the latter introduces our Cyborg as his assistant. They’ll teach the robotics class together. Vic sports his trademark red tracksuit. Elsewhere, in space, Kay paints artwork of her and Cliff standing outside Doom Manor while Casey cradles an adorable black kitten. Kay kisses Casey. The latter grins as our lovebirds go in for round two, floating in space in their little ship with their kitty. It’s so cute I could puke.
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A rock version of the theme song plays as Laura returns to The Ant Farm. She’s armed with a weapon. She fires on the organization and its employees, hoping to burn that place to the ground. It’s haunted her for her entire life. Finally, we revisit Cliff, who’s sitting in his car with baby Rory while Clara tinkers under the hood. He notices a strange reflection in the crystal Immortus gave him. He sees an adolescent Rory driving his car as Clara sits in the passenger seat.
Then, Rory attends prom in the same vehicle. He follows it up with taking his partner to the hospital as she goes into labor. After that, we see an adult Rory drive Clara to the hospital for cancer treatments. (Matthew Zuk makes an appearance outside of the Negative Man getup. Riley Shanahan also cameoed in “Nostalgia Patrol” earlier this season.)
Next, Rory drives Cliff’s car to attend Clara’s funeral. Finally, Rory, now a grandfather, meets his grandson for the first time in that same vehicle. Cliff also flashes back to when he first held Clara as a baby. Uh-oh. After the visions from the Immortus crystal end, Clara asks Cliff if he’s okay. He reassures her. “It’s okay. I’m okay. I made it home,” he says before dying. He got to see his grandson’s life (and how Clara dies) thanks to Immortus’ surprisingly sweet gift. Oh, it’s time to ugly cry.
Cliff is the first Doom Patrol member we meet. It makes sense that it all ends with him.
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Thank you, Doom Patrol, for the laughs, the tears and the gasps over the years. What a special series. It’s lightning in a bottle. It’s so f*cking weird and wonderfully heartwarming all at once. I hope it’s ready to join my perpetual rewatch rotation.
Doom Patrol Seasons 1 through 4 are now streaming on Max.
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What I do: I'm GGA's Managing Editor, a Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events.
Who I am: Before moving to Los Angeles after studying theater in college, I was born and raised in Amish country, Ohio. No, I am not Amish, even if I sometimes sport a modest bonnet.
Bylines in: Tell-Tale TV, Culturess, Sideshow Collectibles, and inkMend on Medium.
Critic: Rotten Tomatoes, CherryPicks, and the Hollywood Creative Alliance.
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