‘Under the Dome’ 1.13 Recap: “She’s Your Monarch”

That’s it? After a dozen episodes where believability and logic were stretched to their limits (all for the sake of entertainment), this is all we get from the season finale of ‘Under the Dome’? It’s almost as if the writers got together and decided that they didn’t want any significant events to occur, but wanted to make it appear as if significant events were occurring. For all its so-called revelations, the end of the season finale leaves our dome residents in almost exactly the same spot they were when the episode begins.

The butterfly inside the mini-dome is finally coming out of its cocoon. When it does, it starts flying around and hitting the mini-dome’s barrier, causing black spots to appear where it touches. The same thing happens to the larger dome outside, until the dome turns completely black and Chester’s Mill is covered in darkness. Am I the only one who immediately thought of ‘Highlander 2‘ when this happened?

Joe and the other kids decide it’s a good time to move the mini-dome to a more secure place, but the world’s smartest detective – that would be Linda, the town sheriff – decides that she’s taking control of the situation and touches the mini-dome with her hand, causing her to be shot across the room and knocked out. Well, that’s one less problem for the town now. (Don’t worry, she’s fine… just a burn on her hand.)

Dale Barbara, who defied Big Jim Rennie last week by refusing to confess in front of the town, is rescued at the jail by Julia and Angie. They can’t find a key to release Barbie from his handcuffs, so Dale has a couple of fights in this episode where his hands are literally behind his back. One of the writers probably decided that perhaps they hadn’t yet established how badass Barbie really is.

With Joe, Angie, Norrie and Junior back together (along with Barbie and Julia), the four kids touch the mini-dome again to see what will happen next. This time, it disintegrates completely, leaving only the butterfly and the egg behind. The butterfly starts to circle around Barbie, leading everyone to believe that he’s the “Monarch” that the dome’s messages referred to. But then the egg starts to glow white and Julia decides to pick it up. The butterfly immediately flies over to her, and everyone realizes that Julia is actually the Monarch.

Back in town, Rennie notices that most of the townsfolk have gathered at the church, fearing the end of the world. Going inside and seeing yet another opportunity for control, Big Jim suddenly becomes “Reverend Jim,” preaching to the town about how they won’t let the dome determine their destiny and how Chester’s Mill will see a new dawn. Unbelievably, just a few scenes later, Rennie decides that they should build a gallows in town square to hang Barbie in public. No one seems to have a problem with this, despite having spent all that time praying to God just a few minutes earlier.

Rennie also learns about the “Pink stars are falling in lines” message from the dome, and realizes that his deceased wife knew that the dome was coming. Instead of taking this as a warning, Big Jim instead decides that it must be destiny that he take over and lead Chester’s Mill.

Junior has managed to recapture Dale (remember folks, he’s been handcuffed all this time), leaving Angie, Joe, Norrie and Julia to go deep into the woods hoping to get more answers from the black egg. When Norrie takes it in her hands and asks for it to help them, a vision of her dead mother appears and tells the group that the dome isn’t there to trap them, but to protect them. Insert ominous music here.

Big Jim uses the police radio to get a message to Julia: Bring the egg back to him, or Barbie will die. While Barbie is prepared for his public hanging, Julia instead takes the egg out to the middle of the lake and drops it in. Suddenly, the dome lights up with pink stars streaking toward the top. Eventually, the dome turns from completely black to completely white. Seeing this as a sign of approval for his actions (even though he might also secretly suspect that the Dome is coming to an end), Big Jim tells Junior to pull the lever that will drop Barbie through the gallows’ trap door and hang him.

Thus, the first season of ‘Under the Dome’ ends with no one in danger whatsoever (unless you really think Barbie will get killed off). Join us again next season when the dome will turn into more colors, including blue, green and an attractive mauve!

8 comments

  1. This was an AWFUL episode. Just thoroughly awful on every level. It makes me regret ever wasting my time with this stupid show.

    I would forgive the season for ending without any closure if I felt that the journey was worthwhile or the episodes otherwise had merit, or I thought that it was building toward something in the next season. But this just has nothing. It’s been a steep plummet downhill ever since the moderately-interesting premiere.

    Linda has got to be the dumbest character on television. I feel bad for that actress, stuck playing a total dimwit who has to wear the same ridiculously unflattering uniform every week.

  2. John M.

    “Linda has got to be the dumbest character on television. I feel bad for that actress, stuck playing a total dimwit who has to wear the same ridiculously unflattering uniform every week.”

    This this this .. i dont get it. I want so bad to love this show. This is my kind of show. But Linda and add in Phil as dumb too. No one asks any questions they just blindly follow. .it just ugh

    • The actor who plays Phil Bushey must feel VERY frustrated – that was a major character in the novel, but he does nothing on the TV show but kind of stand around with a dimwitted look on his face. Even with his fisticuffs with Barbie the last couple of weeks, and getting shot a while back, I think he’s had maybe 10 lines of dialogue all season long.

  3. Bryan

    I really like this show (as a guilty pleasure) but even I was annoyed with this finale. The writers can’t seem to nail down the identity of this town at all. First they’re all panicking in the streets – then they’ve all gone “Fight Club” down in the cement factory – then they’re all God-fearing Church-goers – then (5 minutes after they’ve all left Church) they’re building a gallows in the town square. (Really???? Really??? Nobody thought that was a little extreme???) That – and they were actually able to construct a (pretty professional looking) working version of it (off a picture in a book!) in less than an hour?????
    As much as I thought it was ridiculous, I know I’ll be back next summer. I’m a sucker for a serialized story – once I get into it, I have to know how it ends. Doesn’t mean I have to like it though … 🙂

  4. I should also mention that looking back, I hardly liked anything whatsoever about this show.

    “I think the dome is trying to tell us…” and running with it was just so, so dumb and cheesy. Then, when they finally made contact with whatever, it says, “You’ll find out later.” Okay, thanks for finally cementing my decision to not proceed with watching the show next year.

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