After an intense season of changing loyalties, family drama, and an identity crisis, The Old Man Season 2 ends with a packed finale. The previous episode left us with several cliffhangers.
Dan Chase (Jeff Bridges) was poisoned with no antidote in sight, Harold Harper (John Lithgow) felt relieved about possible divorce options, and Zoe (Amy Brenneman) was safe with Julian Carson (Gbenga Akinnagbe).
The biggest twist was that Emily Chase (Alia Shawkat) — also known as Angela Adams or Parwana Hamzad — was still alive and controlling the Hamzad family’s lithium mine in Meshbahar. Now, how do all these complex storylines conclude in this finale?
The episode starts by revisiting the night Emily was thought to be killed, although this time, events unfold from her perspective.
While she speaks to her father on the phone, the remaining villagers take shelter in a room within the main house as Pavlovich’s (Rade Serbedzija) hired gunmen approach.
Khadija (Jacqueline Antaramian) heads to the door to confront them, firing shots that Chase mistakenly hears as the gunshots that killed Emily.
Tragically, Khadija is quickly killed, and the gunmen interrogate the rest, switching between Dari and Russian as they search for “Hamzad.”
Emily identifies herself as Hamzad but chooses not to reveal her identity in Dari, even though she learned the language during her time there. She agrees to provide information in exchange for the lives of others in the room.
The soldiers hold Emily in one of the houses, demanding she write down everything she knows under threat of death. In the following days, she develops a fragile bond with one of her captors, Pavel, after conversing in limited Russian.
This also explains why she initially didn’t speak Russian when the soldiers arrived. Despite the danger, Emily uses the bond with Pavel to negotiate, even providing directions to the weapons storage to protect her newfound family, though it brings her inner conflict.
Pavel visits her again with a bottle of vodka from the captain as a thank-you for the information.
However, he warns her that the captain now wants a list of potential “troublemakers” in the group. As she writes the names, he asks if she believes her family would still accept her after everything she’s done.
Pavel, grappling with his loyalty, glances at a photo of his wife and daughter back home, hinting at his own inner conflict.
This tension reaches a climax when Emily completes the list, only to smash Pavel’s head with the vodka bottle.
Pavel awakens momentarily on the floor, only to realize that Emily and the village fighters have already killed the other soldiers. His relief is short-lived as he meets the same fate, solidifying Emily’s control over the situation.
Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, Harper is with Marion (Janet McTeer), who confirms that the lithium deposit is no longer under Russian control and that local fighters, led by an American woman, killed the Russians stationed there.
Harper feels relief knowing Emily is alive, but Marion warns him that Pavlovich intends to retaliate with reserves. She shows little desire to stop him.
Harper, willing to make Emily his ally if it means protecting her life, tries to persuade Marion to help him end the threat. In Europe, Zoe and Carson continue their search for Chase, with Zoe questioning Carson’s confidence in Chase’s survival.
She fears Carson might only use her to reach Pavlovich if he thinks Chase is already dead.
Despite Morgan Bote’s (Joel Grey) interference, Carson assures Zoe he will help her find Chase if she helps him eliminate Pavlovich. This aligns with Harper’s own plan, as he contacts Carson to set things in motion.
Harper then appeals to Marion’s pragmatism, suggesting Pavlovich’s actions might lead to more trouble for her down the line.
Their conversation, fueled by unresolved issues from their marriage, reveals the complex dynamics between them. This scene demonstrates the actors’ skill, grounding the vague, poetic dialogue with raw emotions, bringing out the core of the show’s intensity.
Marion’s dialogue ultimately convinces her to join Harper’s plan, allowing him to give Carson the green light to target Pavlovich.
Marion’s contacts arrange for the Chinese delegation’s security to ignore Carson briefly, giving him time to reach Pavlovich’s location undetected.
Zoe offers to help, but Carson insists she stay out of harm’s way, promising to spare one of Pavlovich’s men to find the antidote Chase needs.
Carson’s covert approach lasts only until he fires his gun, alerting additional guards whom Zoe warns him about. Despite this, he manages to eliminate most of Pavlovich’s men and capture one for information.
Before killing Pavlovich, Carson suggests that this act is retribution for Morgan Bote’s death. With Pavlovich gone, Carson clears the way for Zoe to search for Chase.
She finds the GPS in the unlocked car of Pavlovich’s men, which leads her to the abandoned church where Chase was left. There, Zoe finds Chase on the verge of death.
She administers the antidote, giving three doses and performing CPR when his pulse remains weak. The show’s unique staging shines as it cuts between close and distant shots of Zoe’s struggle, allowing viewers to experience Chase’s slipping in and out of consciousness.
Chase ultimately survives, awakening in a safe house with Zoe and his dogs by his side. Zoe explains they have been staying there alone for a few days, with only Carson and her son aware of their location.
She assures him they’re safe, and Chase, finally able to rest, gradually recovers. As the days pass, he and Zoe form a quiet routine, while Zoe remains in touch with her son, maintaining a small link to her old life.
Though this calm life offers comfort, Chase becomes uneasy with the loose ends they left behind. Unanswered questions about the cartel and the fear of someone tracking them start to bother him.
Despite his enjoyment of this new life, he becomes unsettled when a mysterious package arrives containing only a flip phone and a slip of paper with a number. He immediately dials the number.
Emily is now back in the United States and has arranged to meet her father at a local diner. Although Chase is thrilled to see her, Emily remains focused.
She tells Chase that Harper went missing after visiting Marion, who is holding him to leverage control over the Meshbahar lithium mine. Chase assumed the mine was under local control, but Emily reveals that she now runs it along with the rest of the Hamzad family.
Emily tells Chase she plans to rescue Harper with his help, and Chase agrees, ready to do whatever she asks. She reveals she needs to contact Lou Barlow — an alias Chase once used for his darker dealings — to use his connections to get close to Marion.
Chase, uncomfortable with bringing Barlow into this, suggests another approach. However, when Zoe presses him, he confesses that he himself is Lou Barlow, and that under this alias, he did things “uglier than violence.” Emily insists it’s the only way to reach Marion and save Harper.
Their conversation is cut short when large vans arrive to escort Emily and Chase to her plane. She explains that her new role managing the lithium mine gives her enough influence to manipulate FBI resources, allowing her to track Zoe’s son’s phone and secure an international flight.
This moment makes Chase realize that Emily Chase no longer exists; she has become Parwana Hamzad, willing to do whatever it takes to achieve her goals.
Unlike the Season 1 finale, The Old Man doesn’t end with a shocking revelation. But this slower-paced conclusion gives the characters room to breathe, moving them toward new challenges in a possible third season.
The finale creates a strong foundation for future stories, setting up fresh character arcs and power dynamics in a series where loyalty and identity remain ever-shifting.
The Season 2 finale of The Old Man brings powerful moments, tightly woven relationships, and a mix of complex emotions. Emily’s emergence as Parwana Hamzad highlights her evolution from a vulnerable character into a calculated, resourceful leader.
Her handling of the Hamzad family’s lithium mine and her willingness to assert power reflect a newfound sense of independence and authority.
Meanwhile, Chase’s loyalty to Emily drives him to reawaken a darker side of himself as Lou Barlow, hinting at the lengths he will go to protect his family.
This story of family dynamics and sacrifices offers a compelling layer to the show, as we witness a father grappling with his past choices and the person his daughter has become.
The alliances, betrayals, and transformations that emerged throughout this season leave the show in an intriguing position, with characters moving toward greater conflicts and consequences.
With Chase’s past catching up to him, Harper and Marion’s uneasy truces, and Emily’s strengthened control over her identity and legacy, The Old Man could find even more profound themes of loyalty, redemption, and power struggles in a potential third season.
It’s a fitting, if quieter, finale that sets the stage for thrilling new chapters in these characters’ journeys.
