Twisted Metal is a series that ran on Peacock recently starring Anthony Mackie and Stephanie Beatriz that takes inspiration from the famous video game. If you’re a gaming fan, you surely have heard of Twisted Metal and have probably followed this series, which tells us the story of John Doe, a dude that must drive a delivery for a final time to get inside a now-walled San Francisco.
In his journey, John Doe gets to meet quite a few cast of rather sordid characters; some make things easier for him, while others just want to see him and his cargo vanish from the face of the Earth.
Now, as to the series conclusion, some viewers are confused, and given that mixup, I’ve decided to write my interpretation of Twisted Metal. If you haven’t seen this show, I suggest you watch it first, then come here because there are some spoilers and plot stories that need to be explained if you want to understand the series finale. After that, I will proceed to give you my honest opinion on this series.
Twisted Metal Plot
In a post-apocalyptic world, San Francisco, a once bustling and thriving city, is now a walled-off metropolis in which people have to go through all sorts of pain to get in or out of there. It’s here where we meet our hero, John Doe, a delivery dude who must do one final run.
There are a few things with John; firstly, he has amnesia, so he can’t remember a thing of what’s happened in the past two decades. So, his work as a delivery dude between cities is rather menial, but it’s dangerous out there because between one town and another, there’s a bunch of people that are out there to cause trouble, and I mean a lot of trouble.
One day, John gets offered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make a final pickup for the CEO of New San Francisco with the promise of living in the city if he makes it. The crucial part here is that “if.”
Because throughout the series, John meets a quite sordid cast of characters. Beginning with Quiet, with whom he gets romantically involved. Then there’s Sweet Tooth, a rather maniacal character, and the main antagonist, called Agent Stone, a dude with more power and hunger than a rebellious teenager playing Civilization 6 on easy mode with all the DLC and mods.
Quiet’s Story
In any case, Quiet’s story pops into the scheme as it is one of overcoming big adversities and seeking payback against Agent Stone, who uses his power to bring extraordinary havoc outside the city walls. Quiet’s desire for revenge is fueled because her brother died, and as we see, she finds that there’s more to revenge after she connects with John.
Sweet Tooth’s Story
Then, there’s Sweet Wooth, a once-child actor that went by the name of Marcus, who becomes a menacing, chaotic, and maniacal individual who is off the rails but goes even darker after being sent to the loony bin. He has an artistic side, and that’s scary.
Also Read: Top 45 TV Shows You Should Watch If You Liked the Series ‘See’
Twisted Metal Ending Explained
In the end, John manages to convince Quiet to join him in the delivery, but his car gets taken by the Holy Men. Then, at the point of the series culmination, there’s a massive battle between John and Quiet against Agent Stone and his cronies. When John and Quiet race towards New San Francisco to complete the delivery, they find out that Agent Stone set up a bunch of roadblocks along the way.
Aiding John and Quite, Watts and Amber take command of the Granny Convoy and guide them through a shortcut. But it’s a trap, a plot concocted by Agent Stone to ambush John and Quiet. What follows is a mass demolition derby between those two sides.
Sweet Tooth Pops Up
A key subplot involves the surprise appearance of Sweet Tooth, the iconic villain from the video game franchise. Enraged after Agent Stone murdered his fan club, Sweet Tooth joins the vehicular battle to exact revenge.
The epic scale of the fight scene seems to transition the show’s tone closer to the exaggerated, over-the-top combat from the source material games. The demolition derby represents the biggest set-piece action sequence of the season, realized through impressive stuntwork and visual effects.
Mass Plot Holes Indicate Possible Second Season
Ultimately, John and Quiet are victorious, succeeding in their delivery mission after defeating Agent Stone’s forces. However, the climax contains several twists that set up plotlines for the next season. Quiet decides to remain behind to end Agent Stone’s tyranny for good, while John heads to New San Francisco alone.
The mysterious Raven refuses Quiet entry into the city. Raven then blackmails John into participating in the tournament run by Calypso, the mastermind behind the games. The finale reveals John’s tragic backstory involving amnesia and the loss of his family.
In the closing moments, Quiet crosses paths with Dollface, an iconic villainess searching for her brother, who may be John. This twist connects the show’s new characters, like John, to existing franchise lore.
The post-credits scene confirms Sweet Tooth’s survival, implying his role as an antagonist in the future. Overall, the finale resolves the initial season’s plotlines while transitioning the tone and story to align closer with the games.
Twisted Metal Review
Overall, the finale resolves the initial season’s plotlines while transitioning the tone and story to align closer with the games. The high-stakes demolition derby scene demonstrates the series’ potential for exhilarating action. The revelations and new character introductions effectively set the stage for more outrageous, game-faithful storylines in the next season.
Anthony Mackie’s work is good, as well as Beatriz’s role as Quiet, whose chemistry and initially-troubled relationship blossoms into further character story arc development in a future series.
On the upside, Twisted Metal’s debut season is in essence, loyal to the game’s story, it sacrifices a little in staying faithful to a demolition derby game to give way to alternate storylines, but that was evidently done to pave the way for a possible sophomore season. If you played the game, I suggest you at least watch a couple of episodes to see if they pique your interest. In any case, Twisted Metal is no “The Last Of Us”, nor you could expect it to be.
Rating: ⭐4/5
Also Read: The Last Of Us Filming Locations: Where Was The HBO Series Filmed?
