If you loved Netflix's Black Doves and want to have discussions about the ending, look no further. We also look into the possibility of season 2 of the epic thriller.
Viewers can't get enough of Netflix thriller Black Doves, finding it so bingeable most raced through the six episodes in record time. If you've yet to find out what Black Doves is based on, you'll be even more enthralled by the series when you find out the shocking real inspiration behind the story, because being a professional spy and marrying and having children with somebody just to pass on their secrets is the stuff of pure fiction, surely? Well, actually not, although Helen's story isn't based on a particular person, but rather true events - but it's still one heck of a read.
Now we've watched Helen and Sam find out who killed Jason and why - all against a Christmassy backdrop of snowy London, it's time to break down that ending. If you're a fan of having a deep dive into the endings of popular TV shows, you might want to take a look at The Listeners ending explained, and Moonflower Murders ending explained. In the meantime, here's everything that went down in the finale of Black Doves.
Black Doves ending explained
The Black Doves finale approaches it's shocking conclusion with the leading characters descending on the warehouse where Sam, Kai-Ming and Eleanor are being held captive under orders from terrifying crime boss, Alex Clark. Following a heated exchange, it's agreed by those present that everyone can walk away and have a fresh start. For Helen however, this is not enough.
Helen wants vengeance for the murder of Jason, and demands to answers about the circumstances surrounding his death. Alex reveals she knows nothing about the killing, and this is actually the truth. It transpires it was actually Alex's son, Brent, who masterminded Jason's death. He also saw to the demise of MI5 mole Maggie and Phillip the journalist, because they could've given him up for his part in the accidental death of a Chinese diplomat.
Brent had mistakenly killed girlfriend Kai-Ming's father, after arguing with him over supplying her heroin. Unbeknown to Brent, Maggie had bugged Kai-Ming's apartment to sell details of her friend's life to the tabloids and to British intelligence. She later shares the recording from the night of Kai-Ming's father's death with Phillip, who in turn involved government official Stephen Yarrick, when he began investigating it.
Yarrick had turned to the Clark family for help stopping a crisis escalating, and they'd started tracking Phillip and discovered his association with Maggie and Jason. It came out that Jason is also an MI5 agent, and Helen has absolutely no idea about this. Brent had ordered the murders without Alex's knowledge, from a need to sort out his own mess and not need his family to intervene.
All of this comes to light in the warehouse, and sees Helen point her gun at Brent when she finds out the truth. Alex unexpectedly tries to defend her useless son, pleading with Helen to spare him. While this is happening, US and Chinese intelligence have met with the hope of getting hold of the recording of the killing, which could threaten international relations.
Back to the warehouse, Alex tries to disarm Helen, but Sam promptly shoots both her and Brent before Helen comes to any harm. A shocked Helen had wanted to pull the trigger on their deaths themselves, but will likely be relieved when a mysterious phone call reveals a dreadful fate could be around the corner for anyone who harmed the Clark family, a call that sounds like it came from family allies.
Reed is later responsible for telling Helen Jason was an MI5 agent given the task of finding out whether she was leaking government information. Helen of course believes everything between herself and Jason was a lie, but despite knowing she was a spy Jason had written a report exonerating her from any form of leaking secrets, and she's relieved to fid this means he must've loved her after all.
Christmas Day arrives and Sam spends the day with Helen and her family, telling Wallace that he works in insurance, an answer which satisfies Helen's husband who asks nothing more. With Prime Minister Eaves' part in covering up the murder of the Chinese ambassador, he is to resign in the new year, leaving Wallace as a potential replacement. This would make Helen's position even stronger, with even more powerful intel to pass to the Black Doves should her husband be PM.
Sam unexpectedly takes a job with Hector Newman as one of his enforcers, which could place Michael in danger again. While there's more of that story to be told, the series ends with Sam telling Helen, "People like you and me, darling, we don't get to ride off into the sunset – but we get to stay around and watch the stars come out... and that's not nothing, I suppose."
Will there be a Black Doves season 2?
Yes, in an unusual move from the cancel-happy Netflix, they'd already renewed the show for a second season before the first had even aired - they must've been supremely confident in its success. At the moment, a second season being greenlit is pretty much all that's known about the next outing of the show - there are no current details relating to when it could be released, the plot or potential cast.
Speaking to Deadline about his tentative plans for season 2, creator Joe Barton said, "It's a different kind of pressure now. When you do a show you are always wanting it to do well to get a second season but now they've already let us come back the pressure is about hoping it does well to reward that faith."
Discussing Williams, Eleanor and Kai-Ming spending Christmas together, Barton said, "You could definitely see them forming a little group. Kai-Ming would have to stop being a heroin addict party girl, probably," he added, concluding, "Maybe they could start their own little assassin agency working out of their canal boat. I'd like to see that."
