- "All those years at the bottom of a well, yes, vengeance drove my thinking. Kept me alive, and gave me a purpose. But when it was dark and I was scared and I have been scared for a long time, Wynonna. I mostly though about love. They say life is short. But it is long. And it is lonely. So if you manage to find a group of souls who will tolerate you, and elevate you, oh, and one... and one who will especially love you. Well, that is all it's about. That is what the fight is really for."
- ― Doc Holliday to Wynonna Earp
Old Souls is the twelfth and final episode of Season 4 and the series finale of Wynonna Earp. It aired on April 9, 2021.
Synopsis[]
Big feelings and bigger decisions are revealed when a new witch makes herself known in Purgatory.
Plot[]
Purgatory, Summer of 1968, a bride leaves a church before decapitating her groom with an ax. She then slits her throat, a heart-shaped blue jewel on the dress. In the present day, Waverly’s dress arrives, and it’s the same that the murder bride wore.
The Earp homestead is decked out for the wedding as Nicole loads the truck bed with flowers. Wynonna is panicking as the buttercream icing isn’t vegan, She needs everything to be perfect today since both of Waverly’s dads died here. Waverly emerges and the swoon happily. Wynonna remarks that the icing isn’t vegan, to which Waverly assures her that she made vegan cupcakes. Inside, Nedly and Rachel are preparing for a fishing trip on his boat. In the barn, Wynonna admires the dress as the jewels glow. She kicks down the barn door and everything she passes that is wedding-related either falls over, burns or explodes. She rushes to Doc’s trailer and reveals the wedding dress asking for his help.
Wynonna explains the situation to Doc so he gives alcohol to help. He is giving a speech which she worries about but he offers to help get her out of the dress. He turns her around in a circle as he tries to find a zipper and offers to cut the dress and sew it back together. He tries to cut the dress but the threads are enchanted. They hear a truck approaching so Wynonna hides in the trailer. Waverly jumps out of the jeep and approaches with a saddle, Wyatt Earp’s, and gives it to Doc. She tells him that he’s a good person who is trying to be better every day which makes him the best man she’s ever known, asking him to be her best man today. He wonders about Wynonna but Waverly notes that she’s standing in with Nicole as they’re best friends. Doc says yes to being her best man while she runs off. Doc asks about the wedding dress, to which she admits it’s a vintage boutique. Wynonna and Doc head to the shop as crows caw. They enter to find hundreds of wedding dresses on mannequins, except for one that comes to life. The woman remarks that Wynonna is the perfect mark but can’t help with the dress as it will do its work regardless. The woman begins to sing that the slaughter will begin at the hand of the bride when the wedding bells sing. She warns that killing her won’t end the coming bloodshed, and they can’t destroy the dress without killing the person wearing it. At the homestead, Jeremy, Nicole, and Waverly wonder about the destruction of the wedding preparations. Jeremy confronts a waiter, Damon, about ruining the wedding. Waverly and Nicole enter the barn where they piece together that the dress is haunted. Jeremy thinks Damon is homophobic but he isn’t as he’s gay. Meanwhile, Doc dives into the river while she finds a letter in his jacket that admits he is leaving. The letter was for Wynonna to say goodbye.
Waverly and Nicole pour over the files as they piece together a string of connections while wearing the dress. It was designed by Brigitte Hogback of Cursey’s Bridal Boutique, who is the same woman from the boutique still. In 1928, a Miss. He was left at the altar so she went crazy and killed everyone. Nicole relates to the feeling. Meanwhile, Doc dries off while Wynonna is angry at him for wanting to leave without her. He knows it’s time to leave as he admits he wasn’t going to leave a letter he was trying to find the right words to say. He wants her to come with him but she remarks it isn’t time for this as they need to get her out of the dress. Jeremy enters the barn and interrupts Nicole and Waverly having sex, to which Jeremy thinks the caterer is a demon. The women reveal Damon is gay and not a demon, as Nicole tosses Waverly a gun to get rid of Brigitte. Wynonna and Doc bring Brigitte the worms she wanted but Brigitte knows that they’re earthworms. Waverly runs in and attacks Brigitte.
They free Wynonna of the dress and restrain Brigitte, who is confused over who is getting married since Wynonna wore the dress. Brigitte reveals that the dress attracts people who are in love and the wearer is only swayed because they’re in love. Waverly apologies to Brigitte for being left at the altar as everyone deserves love. At the homestead, Waverly has decided to wear a modified version of their mother’s wedding dress. Wynonna becomes emotional at the idea of her sister being married and the sister’s hug.
Nicole paces the homestead as Nedley arrives, complimenting her on the suit. He brought a corsage pin for Nicole, who asked for one more favor. She wants him to walk her down the aisle as he’s been walking beside her for most of her life. He states it would be his honor and helps her with the pin. Nedley walks Nicole down the aisle where Jeremy is waiting to officiate. Nedley kisses Nicole's forehead and Doc stands where Waverly will, shaking Nicole's hand before he stands. Waverly and Wynonna walk down the aisle arm-in-arm as Nicole watches in awe. The sisters touch foreheads as Wynonna tells Waverly she is the best of them all. Nedley and Rachel take their seats while Jeremy begins the ceremony. The women hold hands to say vows while Jeremy wraps their hands in a string for a hand-fasting. Nicole says her vows and then Waverly recites hers. As the vows are said, Wynonna and Doc look at one another. As the ceremony takes place, empty chairs where those who have fallen or absent are shown. Jeremy finishes the ceremony and pronounces them married.
A celebration commences of dancing and drinking. Rachel admits she’s never been to a wedding before and didn’t do a lot before she met them. She didn’t know what to get them so she wrote them a song. Billy watches Rachel perform among the other wedding-goers. Waverly throws her bouquet and Jeremy catches it. Wynonna gives her toast while Nedley toasts the wedding toppers. Billy and Rachel approach him and ask if Billy can come on the fishing trip, which Nedley allows but assures them that only one tent will be pitched. Doc hugs goodbye to the brides as Wynonna watches from the porch. He walks away and gets into his car and drives away.
After the reception, Jeremy apologizes to Damon and helps him move the tables as he reveals he’s gay too. Damon forgives Jeremy and they share flirtatious banter as Jeremy’s phone rings. The agent on the other end puts Jeremy in charge of running the entire Ghost River Triangle, starting Tuesday as he has a date first. Wynonna stalks toward Doc’s car as he was serious about leaving. He wants to see the rock-and-roll hall of fame. She doesn’t understand what he wants. He admits that vengeance drove him when he was in the well, but when he was scared in the dark he mostly thought about love. He thinks finding a group of souls who will tolerate him and elevate him and one who will love him is what life is all about. Wynonna can’t leave Waverly, which he understands. She admits they’re the same, to which he compliments that she is the best Earp he’s had the privilege of calling a friend. He kisses her cheek goodbye as she apologizes for hurting him. He drives off in his car as she watches tearfully.
Wynonna sits on the porch while everyone stands in front of her annoyed that she said no to Doc. She doesn’t think she can leave the Ghost River Triangle because she’s the heir, just as Waverly angrily storms out of the house and grabs Wynonna by the ear. She tells everyone off except Nicole for letting Wynonna ruin her life again for them. Waverly pulls Wynonna into the barn and throws things into a grocery bag, asking if Wynonna wants to go. She claims she wants to protect Waverly but Waverly refuses to accept that. She tells her to stop thinking she’s the only one who can handle Peacemaker and has to stop beating herself up. Waverly tells her that Nicole is going to do things differently so everyone regardless of species can coexist, with Jeremy the leader of BBD. Wynonna is reluctant to leave as she and Doc’s history is weird, but with Waverly’s help, realizes she really does love Doc. Waverly convinces her sister to leave Purgatory as her biggest fear is now that she will never leave. She assures Wynonna this is her home and she can come back anytime. They hug emotionally.
Outside, everyone cheers as Wynonna runs past them to leave. Her truck dies as Jeremy states that Doc is almost to the border. She then spots a motorcycle and takes the back roads. She shoots out Doc’s tires to stop him from leaving. They meet in the middle of the road as she asks if he really thought he could leave without her. She confesses that she loves him - his face, his butt, his drawl, his heart, and the way he loves her sister and her. He returns the sentiment to which she agrees to come with him. He takes off his hat and kisses her. They climb onto her motorcycle with her driving and remarking that it’s been a long time since she’s traveled light. Together, they drive down the road and into the sunset.
They stop at a gas station to look at the itinerary. She asks if they can make a pit-stop in Miracles, Montana, revealing that Alice is there. He worries their daughter won’t recognize them but Wynonna is sure she will. She remarks to being all in and they kiss before driving off once more. At the homestead, Nicole joins Waverly on the porch and puts her arm around her. Waverly knows Wynonna will be back, but wonders if Nicole wishes it were them going on an adventure. Nicole admits that she is here she always wanted to be - home, with her wife. Waverly repeats the sentiment and they touch foreheads. The mailbox once again says Earp, but added is “and Haught” “sometimes Holliday” and “everyone welcome”.
With the episode and series officially over, the cast says goodbye to their characters and remarks on how they feel about the series ending.
Cast & Characters[]
Main[]
- Melanie Scrofano as Wynonna Earp
- Tim Rozon as Doc Holliday
- Dominique Provost-Chalkley as Waverly Earp
- Katherine Barrell as Nicole Haught
Recurring & Guest[]
- Varun Saranga as Jeremy Chetri
- Greg Lawson as Randy Nedley
- Martina Ortiz-Luis as Rachel Valdez
- Charlotte Sullivan as Brigitte Hogback
- Billy Bryk as Billy Clanton
- Tenaj Williams as Damon
Co-Starring[]
- Val Duncan as Bride
- Shea Johnston as Groom
Trivia[]
- The title makes reference to the country song, Old Souls by Paul Williams.
- Old Souls was written as a series finale just in case SyFy pulled the series once again. However, certain plots were left open in case of a renewal.
- Showrunner Emily Andras teased the finale saying, "I feel like given all that the show has been through and how hard we had to fight to keep going for a variety of just crazy reasons, and how dedicated the fans have been fighting for the show, I did not have a crystal ball, but I was pretty determined to give them a fairly satisfying ending … There are some things that are unresolved because I like to hedge my bets or come back for a movie in 20 years. Whatever happens, I’m really proud of the finale. I really love it, I think it’s one of my favorite episodes, and I really hope the fans do, too."
- The episode will be 71-minutes long, including commercials, making it the longest episode of the series.
- The episode centers around the wedding of Nicole Haught and Waverly Earp.
- While attempting to film the final scene between Wynonna and Doc when she shoots his tires, Doc's signature car refused to start so the crew had to push it down a hill to get it started. The camera also fell off the dolly, and the wind was blowing so hard that the sound department had difficulty. Melanie Scrofano referred to this as the world saying what Wynonna couldn't.
- When setting up the chairs for the wedding to frame the aisle, Paolo Barzman and art director Trevor Smith recommended hanging name tags for the character who were fallen, missing, or couldn't attend. The PA's grabbed markers and created the name tags before filming the scene.[1]
- Among the nametags were Michelle Gibson, Mercedes Gardner, Julian, Chrissy Nedley, Robin Jett, Patty, Xavier Dolls, and Gus McCready
- Emily Andras cameos in the episode as the voice on the other end of the BBD line that tells Jeremy Chetri he is the new deputy director of BBD.[1]
- When talking about the last scene ever filmed, Emily Andras said: "The the actual last day of shooting was Doc and Wynonna, Melanie and Tim, on the motorbike. It seemed right to put those two together on the last day. They’re very good friends, and it was about them. Again we were kind of in the mountains of Alberta, beautiful day, watching them on the motorbike. I love the image of like Wynonna’s still driving and Doc is secure enough to be on the back. I felt like that was a very iconic, very Earp-y moment where she’s still kind of in charge, but it was very tearful. There were a lot of tears, a lot of hugs, a lot of goodbyes, but a lot of joy. I don’t think anyone wanted to leave that feeling, and of course at the end of the day you’re always hoping that you’ll cross paths again. It was absolutely perfect."[1]