What is an alien without powers?
Well, we’re about to find out because, by the end of Roswell, New Mexico Season 4 Episode 6, two of the beloved pod squad find themselves no longer able to fling objects across the state of New Mexico.
Oh, what an hour it was.
The ending of this installment will undoubtedly be what’s most talked about, but here’s the thing; does anyone believe that Max will be without his powers forever?
It’s always hard to get invested in a storyline that feels like it has a shelf life because no matter how big it gets, a part of you always knows where it will inevitably go. And it’s tough to imagine that the series will culminate with a Max that can no longer fulfill his duties as the savior.
And let’s lump Michael in there as well because I’m not buying his powers will never come back either.
But that being said, Michael’s illness and Max’s choice are the brighter spots in a very disjointed effort. And that’s a shame when the momentum was right there after Roswell, New Mexico Season 4 Episode 5.
I will admit when I’m wrong, and I was dead wrong about what caused Michael to fall ill. His sickness fell purely on Bonnie’s shoulders, as her ability seems to be the kiss of death, or in this case, the kiss of lost powers (or something actually snarky and funny, I hope you’ll share in the comments.)
That’s an incredibly potent power to possess, and it’s no wonder she was preyed upon by Clyde and Jones. The ability to rid your enemies of the thing they could use to help defeat you is a wild power when you think about it. And poor Bonnie has only used it for evil.
At the time, Bonnie kissing Michael during Roswell, New Mexico Season 4 Episode 4 seemed unnecessary. Though I wondered if there was a deeper reasoning behind it, and I’m glad to be correct. While Bonnie thought she was finally using her abilities for good, she wasn’t taking into account the greater ramifications of her actions.
Without consent, her power takes away someone’s choice, and she knows that and does it anyway. Whether or not it’s for the greater good isn’t a decision she should be making for anyone. Talk to Michael, don’t just decide to strip him of his identity on a whim.
Michael has a right to be furious, especially because of how much he connects with his powers and his identity as an alien.
Michael’s anger was brewing all hour, and during the scene at the jail, it was sad to watch because not only was Michael sick for the first time and physically feeling the effects, but he was mentally coming to terms with his powers being gone forever in real-time.
Bonnie: If Clyde offered to take you home, would you go?
Michael: It’s a complicated question.
Bonnie’s whole ‘I wanted to save you from being me’ schtick just doesn’t work here. And when Tezca, someone who wants Michael dead, confronts them and Michael now doesn’t have the powers to defend himself, it sinks in what a poor plan this was.
Does it even matter if you have abilities when Tezca is much more powerful than everyone? Maybe not, but that’s really not the point.
The Michael and Maria scenes, especially the later one in which Maria confides in him about her forgotten powers, are sweet and a nice callback to their friendship from earlier seasons. Though, I couldn’t help but think how unfortunate it was that Alex was still missing and unable to support Michael through something as huge as this.
At least now we got a mention that no one has been able to get ahold of Alex. And not only acknowledgment but frustration, too. That must mean that we’re right on the precipice of finding Alex, or at the very least, everyone finding out that he’s missing.
(Yeah, I’ve said this before, but I have to be right one of these times!)
Knowing that Michael will be powerless, at least in the interim, and frantically searching for Alex makes me anxious.
We’ve already seen the lengths Michael will go to to protect the people he loves, but he doesn’t stand a chance against someone like Tezca, and you have to wonder what he’ll do to get Alex back and what someone could manipulate him into doing.
There are so many ways this story can go, and adding in Michael’s inability to move objects and create fire into things adds a new layer of potential craziness.
Backing up to Maria, we know that her presence at Alex’s house ultimately serves the purpose of showing both her and us that Mimi is finding a new way to communicate with her, which is an intriguing way to take this story. Even with the visions gone, Mimi is still finding a way to stay connected to and help protect her daughter.
Mimi has literally always been there for Maria in every way, and even in death, her finding a new medium by which to help is such a beautiful sentiment. And it’s nice to have confirmation now that Maria and Dallas’s families connect somehow, as there has been speculation about them being related.
Until proven otherwise, I don’t think their families were related by blood but were close when Theo was on Earth. And that’s why it feels important for Maria and Dallas to work together to figure out what both Mimi and Theo want them to know.
It’s been easy to forget that Michael, Isobel, and Dallas are a triad because Isobel has mostly been off on an island with her relationship drama all season.
So, it was good to see her travel home to help Dallas when he needed her, and one can only hope this is the start of that triad coming together as we enter the back half of the final season.
Speaking of Isobel, we were treated to a Kybel morning after that was painfully awkward. And you know, hooking up with a longtime friend can definitely lead to some confusion and an abundance of mixed feelings. Add in the fact that Isobel was literally only hours post-breakup only made things even more puzzling.
But poor Kyle can not catch a break!
Isobel is operating from a disadvantage because she doesn’t know how Kyle feels about her, and she’s also scared to death of losing the person who has arguably become her best friend. Keeping that friendship is the number one thing on her mind, and Kyle, in all his selfless glory, goes wherever Isobel leads him until he can’t anymore.
Kyle’s been keeping all his feelings locked away deep in his heart, and it’s admirable that he could stay quiet for this long. But keeping those kinds of feelings inside forever will make you sick. And especially after sleeping together, I’m glad he decided to come clean.
The timing is absolutely terrible, and you can’t blame Isobel for her reaction. She’s straight out of a relationship and currently parsing through her feelings. While Kyle has been steadfast in what he feels and only falls deeper every day, this is all new to Isobel, and taking the time to deal with her emotions was the right call.
But even knowing that doesn’t make it any less devastating when Kyle realizes where things stand. Though his conversation with Eduardo was one of hope, and maybe Kyle knows like the rest of us that it’s just a matter of time before Isobel comes around.
There isn’t a doubt that Kyle Valenti is Isobel Evans’ person. And she’ll come to that conclusion when she’s ready.
Isobel’s brother also has a person, and that’s Liz Ortecho.
We’ve seen every iteration of this couple to this point, but we’re reaching an exciting moment in their story, which is typically only about miscommunication, all-consuming emotions, and Max’s perpetual saving. Those are the three cornerstones of Echo’s entire relationship.
So in a season that has seen them being more open and working together, along with being more in love than ever, it makes perfect sense that now is the time Max chooses to stop the cycle and do what he believes will stop Liz from having to save him yet again.
Giving up his powers is a drastic step, but he’d rather be a powerless, small-town sheriff than live in a world without Liz Ortecho.
On the surface, that’s romantic as hell, but it’s also ill-advised at best. Max’s powers appear to be essential to Tezca’s endgame, but does he believe she’ll now pack it in and ‘aw shucks’ her way back to the Oasis?
Tezca is incredibly resourceful, and taking away one puzzle piece doesn’t mean a makeshift piece can’t be put in its place. All he did was take away his ability to fight back while also making a monumental decision without consulting his partner.
Not that Max needs to get permission from Liz in this case, but when you’re making a decision essentially for someone else, it won’t hurt to at least have a conversation.
At the end of the day, it’s Max’s decision, but if he thinks he’s going to come home in the morning and Liz is going to be happy, then he doesn’t know Liz Ortecho as well as he thinks he does.
Tezca will recalibrate and move forward because she’s come way too far to give up now. She’s already got a leg up on the competition because she knows what’s happening, and now she’s up against two aliens with no powers and a scattered friend group without a clue how to stop anything.
Our favorite aliens and human are currently heading into the midseason down bad.
Loose Ends
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We finally got them actively talking about Alex in the context of it being weird he’s not calling anyone back. It feels like we’ve won a battle, but at what cost?
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I love Eduardo. I truly do. But I absolutely do not care about his relationship with a daughter we didn’t even know he had until the last episode. That’s precious screentime that we could have spent on nearly anything else.
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Tezca’s true form reveal was a bit anti-climatic, but for Liz to have the wherewithal to stab her and speed the process up is why Liz is the most intelligent person on this show.
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Shivani using the regenerative protein to find a cure for her daughter was not at all shocking and something Liz should have seen coming from a mile away.
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Rosa back next week? IT’S ABOUT TIME.
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How many times will they allude to the Alighting and then refuse to tell us what it is?
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Bonnie mentioned that no one had ever gotten sick before from her kiss. Could that mean that Michael’s body is trying to fight back? Again, I don’t think there’s any way Michael just won’t have his powers again.
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Even though people are working together, it still feels like everyone is disconnected. Kyle is about to go off with Eduardo, Isobel has only spent time with two like people all season, and Michael has primarily been with Max, Bonnie, and Clyde. Have Michael and Isobel even had a proper conversation yet?
We’re just about halfway through the FINAL season of Roswell, New Mexico, and isn’t that the saddest sentence you have ever read.
This wasn’t my favorite installment by any means, but there’s still a lot to discuss, especially regarding where things go from here.
How will Liz react to Max’s decision?
Do you think Michael and Max will get their powers back?
What does Mimi need to tell Maria?
Will the crew finally realize Alex is in danger?
Drop me a line down below and make sure you watch Roswell, New Mexico online so you can join the conversation!
Whitney Evans is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.
