The Leftovers opens with as many questions as any mystery box show, but the ending succeeds in a way that most others don’t. HBO’s series ran from 2014 to 2017, kicking off with an Earth-shattering incident: two percent of the population vanishing into thin air. Naturally, this shakes the very foundation of humanity, from those who lose loved ones to those who watch it happen. It’s little surprise that the world is thrown into chaos on the heels of this event, and the fallout is evident everywhere, from Mapleton, New York to Miracle, Texas.
And the Sudden Departure is far from the only mystery presented in The Leftovers, with many of them never fully being solved. Kevin’s resurrections are a prime example of this, as viewers don’t get a thorough explanation of how or why he’s brought back. In fact, while we see him go to the afterlife, it’s possible to interpret the entire storyline as happening in his mind. This is a running theme with The Leftovers: leaving most of its answers ambiguous or unaddressed. Oddly, it works to the show’s benefit, even though other series are hurt by the same approach.
The Leftovers Has A Great Ending Despite Its Answers Being Ambiguous
Nora’s Story In The Series Finale Raises More Questions Than It Answers
The Leftovers series finale, “The Book of Nora,” is an emotional and highly-rated hour of television, but it doesn’t give definitive answers about the HBO series’ biggest mysteries. Even the explanation for the Sudden Departure remains ambiguous, despite Nora offering her own take on what happened to the two percent of the population that disappeared. When Kevin finds Nora, she tells him about her trip to another dimension using the LADR machine — but this isn’t a journey viewers accompany her on.
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Although Nora claims the two percent are living in another version of their world — one in which the 98% are gone — it’s unclear if this is the truth or simply what Nora chooses to believe. The Leftovers is all about perception and faith, and the series drives home the concept of telling a lie that’s “a nicer story” earlier in its finale. There’s also the fact that Nora’s narrative raises more questions, even as it strives to answer one. For example, her reasons for not remaining with her family feel flimsy at best, suggesting she moves on mentally instead.
Of course, it’s still possible that Nora is telling the truth. But by keeping viewers out of the loop, The Leftovers forces them to come to their own conclusions about the ending. And The Leftovers‘ ending doesn’t give proper explanations for many of the series’ other mysteries, either. From the larger ones — like Kevin’s ability to cheat death — to the more minute ones, they’re mostly left open.
Leaving Questions Unanswered Hurt Other Mystery Shows, But It Worked For The Leftovers
It Pulled Off What Many Other Series Couldn’t
The Leftovers isn’t the only show to utilize the mystery box trope and leave questions ambiguous or unanswered. However, other series often get flak for doing so. This is part of the reason that Lost‘s series finale is so divisive, and it’s a harsh truth about Manifest as well. But while these series are criticized for their lack of explanations, The Leftovers remains impressive, even years later. The difference is that The Leftovers focuses more on the characters and their psychology than its mystery elements, and it makes that clear from the beginning.
All of these things make The Leftovers‘ ending less disappointing, allowing it to pull off what other series couldn’t.
This is why it doesn’t really matter whether Kevin’s or Nora’s experiences are “real,” as viewers are meant to care more about their beliefs and responses. And these viewers are primed not to get definitive answers. The Leftovers resolves very few of its mysteries from the jump, and its creators were vocal about their priorities. Season 2’s opening credits even use Iris DeMent’s “Let The Mystery Be,” further driving home that the mysteries don’t need to be solved. All of these things make The Leftovers‘ ending less disappointing, allowing it to pull off what other series couldn’t.
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
