Smoke Season 1 Ending Michelle Twist Defined By Jurnee Smollett

Warning: SPOILERS forward for Smoke season 1, episode 9!Smoke star Jurnee Smollett particulars the season 1 finale’s main Michelle twist, explaining the way it connects to the present’s riveting conclusion. The ending of Smoke sees Michelle lastly carry Dave to justice after his string of arson assaults. Nonetheless, considered one of her greatest items of proof concerned framing him for a fireplace at Steven’s home after she by accident killed him.

Talking with Deadline, Smollett defined how Michelle justified Steven’s dying in Smoke as essential to catching Dave, even when it makes her a monster too. The actor analyzed the ultimate scene with Michelle and Dave within the interrogation room, explaining how each of them are being dishonest about themselves, even to one another. Try what Smollett stated under:

Do the ends justify the means? Oftentimes, to her, they do, and but I nonetheless assume sure circumstances contribute to her discovering herself in a state of affairs she by no means thought she’d be in. I believe Michelle feels it’s justice, as a result of he’s killed little youngsters. He’s killed harmless ladies and kids and brought mother and father from their youngsters. To her, he has dedicated unforgivable sins. I believe in her thoughts, she has justified what has occurred with Burke as one thing that’s an unlucky [necessity]. They’re so conscious of how they’re gazing one another [in the interrogation], however they’re actually gazing components of themselves. They’re each mendacity to themselves, saying that they’re one factor that they don’t seem to be, they usually current this masks to the world that’s in stark contradiction to who they really are inside. I believe that is likely one of the most important issues they acknowledge in one another is the lie that they’re making an attempt to desperately promote.

What Jurnee Smollett’s Assertion Says About Michelle’s Ending In Smoke

A core theme of the Apple TV+ drama is how the characters in Smoke all have some skeletons of their closets. From Harvey skimming cash from his job to purchase a trip residence to Ezra’s shady grownup movie enterprise, everybody within the present has one thing to cover. For Michelle, that is her relationship with Steven, and, subsequently, his dying.

Based mostly on Smollett’s response, it appears Michelle is keen to justify the unintended dying due to what it means for Dave getting caught. If she hadn’t killed Steven, then she would not have as a lot bodily proof tying Dave to his arson assaults, even when she needed to stage one. For her, it is sufficient justification as a result of he was delivered to justice.

Michelle’s twisted morality was first hinted at in episode 2, when she shot Scotty and made up a narrative about why she broke into his home.

On the identical time, although, her justification is simply as twisted as Dave’s, who additionally harmed quite a few folks along with his fires however did not care. Identical to him, there’s additionally proof floating round that she was the true perpetrator of Steven’s home hearth: her brother, Benji, saved footage of her from that night time on a flash drive, cementing her sins.

Our Take On Michelle’s Smoke Ending

Jurnee Smollett as Michelle looking up at a suspect board pondering in Smoke episode 2 — Jurnee Smollett as Michelle trying up at a suspect board pondering in Smoke episode 2

Whereas Smoke is impressed by a real story, Michelle’s storyline and her battle with Dave are fictional, permitting the narrative to bolster numerous themes surrounding each characters. On this occasion, it looks like, whereas the arsonist has accomplished far more harm than his captor, her actions have nonetheless resulted in folks getting harm. Nonetheless, it appears she will not be caught.

Due to how a lot Smoke dabbles in ethical grey areas with its characters, it is smart for Michelle to get away along with her actions whereas nonetheless not justifying what she’s accomplished. For her, Steven’s dying was a part of the journey to catching Dave. It emphasizes her willingness to do no matter it takes within the pursuit of perceived justice.