Series 10 - Episode 6 Discussion

[daphne]

.. one more thought-

after more reflection, my take is that Harry himself believed he would step down, walk off into the sunset, so to speak- that reporting back to work surprised HIM as much as it surprised his colleagues (and us).

not only did he say to Ruth, in episode 5, "I'm stepping down after this"; not only did we see the accorded 'hour to get your affairs in order' was spent burning his "secret box in the garden", and the emptied milk bottle--
but we also may have seen Harry giving leaving the Grid a real shot..

when he walks into the house in Suffolk- the words of Ruth's he remembers/hears are specific: "so leave the service.. with me". only then does he walk out, leaving the lovely house on the seashore behind him..

it is only after the HS releases Harry from all obligations- that Harry (maybe) realizes those obligations defined him- that living within their structure, no matter how exacting, can still hold him together.

if he is released by all the people who know who he is, then who will he be?
if he releases himself from the only life he ever knew, then what life will he have?
with Ruth, he may have had the courage to try to redefine himself. leaning on her potential for happiness (proved, in Greece) and on her wondrous trust in him (Harry need no longer be ashamed of his past lies/secrets re Elena-)-
but without Ruth?

hiring Tom to take care of The loose end-
the solemn visit to pay respects to the fallen MI-5ers-
are his steps back to.. his life.

when he picks up the phone, is it just me, or does his voice sound rougher, more choked? almost rusty with the few days'? weeks'? of un-use..

powerful ending.
makes me want to quote Beckett: "I can't go on, I must go on, I'll go on."