As this season of Nautilus ends, it's natural to wonder if there will be a second installment. It's getting strong viewership, but no announcements have been made. I'd love for there to be more, but it's doubtful right now. Let's hope they prove me wrong because I've really enjoyed the show.
“Too Big to Fall” recap and thoughts
On the surface, it may not sound feasible for a small group such as the Nautilus crew to take down a huge company like the British East India Company. However, this series opened with a small group rebelling. They are going about it smartly by spreading rumors around London of the company failing. It causes company share prices to fall. They also talk up the original penal colony rebellion to the common folk. Once the news breaks in the papers, the pressure is on.
Next, our Nautilus crew disguises itself to join a company investors' meeting. Humility reaches out to her mother to gain her former fiancé’s stock. They meet with Pitt, but he doesn’t want to marry her any longer. However, a deal is struck, and Humility’s mother asks him to sign a marriage contract. It's pretty obvious Pitt's going to be duped, given Humility's reactions thus far.
Millais confronts Crawley, who doesn’t see Nemo as much of a threat. He believes he can quell the rumors at the investor meeting. Millais storms off, not content to just sit by. He's looking for some vengeance of his own.
Jiacomo and Boniface break into an asylum and overpower guards. They sneak into the office of one of the doctors to steal his company shares. The doctor catches them and recognizes Jiacomo, giving us a hint at the big man’s forgotten past. When they flee, Jiacomo stays behind to battle more guards while Boniface escapes.
Nemo, meanwhile, purchases more company stock with a ruse involving the diamond procured from the Viking village. The rumors are making investors skittish.
The time for the shareholder meeting has arrived. As angry shareholders pour into the company building, Millais finds Nemo’s hideout. He gets a good look at the plans posted on a board.
Crawley faces the investors, shouting at him. He assures them their money is safe. However, Nemo steps forward to present his case. The other Nautilus crew steps up. Each of them adds their stack of company shares to Nemo's. When Humility reveals that Pitt signed his shares over to her, the combined shares mean they have the majority. This gives them the ability to oust the chairman and appoint a new one.
Crawley objects and demands that they be taken out and shot. Youngblood, in keeping with his role as protector of the company, stands up to him. Nemo gives a passionate speech to the soldiers in hopes of winning them over. Then he dissolves the company, sending Crawley into a rage. Shots ring out.
We finally see the expected Humility and Nemo kiss. Then, Crawley is forced to sign discharge papers to free any company prisoners. Nemo and his crew leave for the company vaults, so when Millais shows up, Crawley sends him after.
At the vault, a telegram is sent out company-wide about the discharge, and the crew begins rifling through company papers. They make a pile and set fire to it. Then Nemo orders them all to the Nautilus, except Humility. He tells her she can’t join them. He thinks he’s protecting her by breaking her heart.
Millais shows up and confronts Nemo. The once friends, now enemies, combat with swords amidst the burning building. Swords become fists as Nemo takes out his rage on Millais. It's hard to believe these two were once on good terms.
Humility stumbles through the crowd, which allows Pitt to take her away at gunpoint. Loti, seeing this, runs to save her. Loti pulls a knife from her boot. I've been wondering how many weapons she routinely carries on her person. The two women get away from Pitt but don’t make it to the docks before the Nautilus leaves.
Youngblood decides he will give the dreadnought to the British Navy. I found that odd because he's a sworn company man, and the dreadnought is company property. While Crawly argues with him, the Nautilus is spotted so they turn their armored ship to intercept. Ensuing gunfire causes panic on the docks as the Nautilus tries to slip away before the bridge is blown up. There are a few narrow escapes, and Youngblood is killed.
Cuff, who didn’t return to the Nautilus, finds Crawley. He leaves the man lying on the cobblestones and takes the plans in his hands. These are the schematics for building the Nautilus. Cuff gives them to the British Navy.
This season concludes with Nemo finding another of the energy stones from Atlantis. He decides Benoit may still be alive and sets out to find him. I like that hint that there's more adventure in his future.
We never find out Jiacomo’s fate after surrendering to the asylum guards. That's too bad because I'm very curious to know his backstory. Loti and Humility set off on their own adventures, so there’s plenty of plot room for another season. I wonder if their departure is related to there not being female crew members on the Nautilus in the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea novel.
Now it’s in the hands of AMC to decide whether to renew Nautlius for a second season or not.