Predictions for the Grimm S2 finale (Here be spoilers and speculation, mad and otherwise.)
For the better portion of S2, I was tremendously disappointed with the choices this show made. But over the last few weeks, I've gone from bitter to dazzled, and never more so than in last week's ep. And with no more introduction than that, I shall move on to the spoilers, and what I think tonight will make of them.
The spoiler: There will be two deaths in tonight's episode, and at least one is confirmed to be a major character. They have been described as a death, and a "death" and disappearance, with the latter leaving someone in a "very scary" position (according to Bree Turner).
My hunch: I think the "death" is a no-brainer. It's gonna be Nick. The title alone should be a dead (haha) giveaway, but even without that factor, I think all signs point to him. My guess is that Samedi, under Eric's orders, poisons Nick during the big fight tonight, and spirits him away to be hand-delivered to Eric, most likely for a little Q-and-torture session about the key. I think this will be Grimm's treatment of Snow White (which I've long maintained would feature Nick in the starring role.) We have a toxin that induces a state of living death, and an evil royal who has tried and failed several times to kill a black-haired, fair-skinned, good-hearted hero.
The wildcard: The huntsman never actually did bring back Snow White's heart to the queen. I see a couple of ways this doesn't end in Nick handed over to Eric. One is if Samedi has his own agenda, and makes with the poisoning and abducting, but not the delivering. The Renards seem to share a family weakness of hubris, and Baron Samedi seems the sort who serves others for exactly as long as it amuses him to do so. I could easily believe he would have his own uses for both Nick and the key. The second wildcard in the deck on this one sprang up when I watched the snippet of tonight's ep in which Rosalee reveals that the trance state has multiple stages, including one after the initial paralysis of the victim, but prior to the death-state settling in, in which the victim can move a little, as if drugged. I could see a scenario playing out in which Nick is poisoned and taken, but rouses enough to escape en route, and is God knows where when he actually slips into the living death stage of the trance. S3 could kick off with the Scooby Gang and the bad guys racing each other to find him.
As for that second death, I'm going to lay money down on it being a bad guy. I think we could see either Eric dying at Samedi's hands, or Stefania dying at Adalind's. This death has been described as having great impact on the coming story, but *not* being an example of someone beloved dying just for shock value. I think we're looking at a death that will bring about an important power shift, as opposed to one with any real emotional punch.
Also possible, but I think less probably, is that the death will matter not because of who dies, but because of who does the killing. This one limits itself to Juliette, as far as I can see, and I don't think they'll blood her this early.
The spoiler:Nick and Juliette are looking good as a couple in this one. According to Bitsie Tulloch, their story tonight is "lovely," and she thinks the fans will be very, very happy, while according to David Guintoli, there will be "burning love."
My hunch: well...duh. I think these two are going to reconnect on every level implicit in that word, and I think it's not a moment too soon, because if spoiler hunch one is correct, there's more hell to come. Whether you call it Grimm's version of the "moment of happiness" curse, or the reforging of a bond that they'll both need desperately to get them through what's coming, I think that Nick and Juliette are going to be all about love of every kind tonight.
The wildcard: I wonder if Juliette will end up wearing Nick's ring on her finger, his key around her neck, or both before the hour's up tonight.