This article contains spoilers.
Part five of “Money Heist” dropped Sept. 5 on Netflix, providing fans with five episodes of pure drama and leaving them waiting in agony until it returns for the final few episodes on Dec. 3. The highly anticipated return of the Spanish series has received mixed reviews from fans, myself included.
If you are a new viewer of the series, my advice would be to expect the unexpected and not get attached to any characters. As the show is no stranger to plot twists and major character deaths, some say the latest season should not have come as a surprise. Others claim that the show has come dangerously close to exhausting the plot and “jumping the shark.”
If you are a seasoned binge-watcher, you know nothing is worse than when your favorite show takes it too far, damaging the essence of why you loved it in the first place.
Still reeling from the death of the main character, Nairobi (Alba Flores), some viewers claim that the final season is ruining the “Money Heist” we know and love. What has worked for the series in the past, now has some fans angrily closing their laptops and rolling their eyes.
The series so far has perfectly crafted a camaraderie amongst the bank robbers, leaving viewers questioning their own morals as they all root for the band of criminals. The deaths of Helsinki (Darko Perić), Moscow (Paco Tous), and fan favorite Berlin (Pedro Alonso), have all tugged at the audience’s heartstrings. However, these deaths have proved essential for the bond between the criminals that fans have grown to love.
While killing off major characters is always a risky move, “Money Heist” has managed to do it in a way that builds the audience’s attachment to the show. They are left wondering how the characters will react, how the deaths affect the plans and how the emotions the robbers were told to ignore hinder the seamless heists of El Profesor (Álvaro Morte).
It wasn’t until Nairobi was murdered at the hands of the antagonist, Gandía (José Manuel Poga), that fans started to question just how far the writers will go. While her death at the end of season four left viewers shocked, it didn’t hinder their anticipation for the latest season.
Instead, it proved vital for the show’s continuation as it gave the remaining robbers something to fight for, a clear motive, to continue with their heists.
Despite saying goodbye to certain characters, the show has done a great job of introducing new members to the team. Mónica, also known as Stockholm (Esther Acebo), has gone from a hostage to the lover of Denver (Jaime Lorente) and is now a member of the dysfunctional group of robbers.
Raquel Murillo (Itziar Ituño) has also made a dramatic change. She began as the lead investigator on the original heist and soon became the lover of El Profesor, leading her to become a member of the team. These character changes have explored the aspect of romance and the “good girl gone bad” trope fans crave. The show also provides more characters to root for in wake of the deaths of others.
Unfortunately, the latest season left many fans upset when it ended with the death of the main character, Tokyo (Úrsula Corberó).
Being the narrator of the show and one of the few remaining original cast members, Tokyo’s death has some viewers arguing that the series has gone too far and is now trying to end with an over-the-top final death. Some say that the show has gone on for too long, leaving little to shock the audience other than yet another death of a main character.
Others claim that her death is necessary for the end of the series. It’s not “jumping the shark,” it’s proving that despite how perfectly laid out the plans were, it was doomed from the start. Tokyo’s death by suicide bombing portrays a sad conclusion to a character we have grown to love, but also portrays her character development.
A character who began as selfish and impulsive concluded her story with the ultimate sacrifice. The series leaves little room for emotional attachment to its characters, so killing off a protagonist like Tokyo leaves fans, like myself, anticipating what twists this death will bring in the final part of the series.
Part five of “Money Heist” is currently streaming on Netflix.