Van Helsing Review – The Voices Make Novissima Solis Superb Series Finale!

Van Helsing season five series banner 2021

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Van Helsing season five poster 2021
Images and videos courtesy SYFY, Nomadic Pictures and Dynamic Television

Episodes twelve and thirteen of season five, “The Voices” and “Novissima Solis” were written by Jackie May and Jonathan Walker and directed by Alexandra La Roche and Michael Nankin respectively. These entertainment industry veterans produced a superb series finale that all Van Helsing series fans should be applauding!

These two episodes wrapped the Van Helsing series story arc in a beautiful fashion with the fans of the series getting a real treat. Virtually all the characters survived with the exception of Bathory The Oracle (Jesse Stanley), The Dark One (Tricia Helfer) and Vanessa (Kelly Overton) who survived but sacrificed herself when the enchanted amulet was destroyed by The Dark One just prior to trapping Dracula inside of it.

Van Helsing S1x01 Vanessa unconscious in the hospital
Vanessa unconscious in the hospital in the pilot episode. Image courtesy SYFY

Vanessa, knowing that she cannot live with the darkness inside herself, at the end, places herself in a deep comatose sleep much like in the 2016 pilot episode in order to contain the evil of Dracula from escaping again.

The Tricia Helfer character of sweet Olivia was restored to her human form, but will be living in the present time subsequent to our heroes defeating The Dark One.

Vanessa, although not killed in the series finale, bids farewell to her daughters and lives in a realm she has created where she is happy and fulfilled with what she has accomplished over the preceding five seasons.

Van Helsing S5x07 Julius sacrifices himself to save the Van Helsings
Julius sacrifices himself to save the Van Helsings. Image courtesy SYFY

Coming well after the death of the beloved Julius character, portrayed by Aleks Paunovic in “Graveyard Smash”, “The Voices” and “Novissima Solis” episodes were the perfect way to please viewers of the Van Helsing series

By taking our heroes Axel (Jonathan Scarfe), Jack (Nicole Muñoz), Violet (Keeya King) and Ivory (Jennifer Cheon Garcia) out of an extremely dangerous situation that could have led to the death or enslavement of all the characters in the series finale, and sending them on new paths into the future.

Van Helsing S5x12 Vanessa and Axel ready for the final battle with Dracula
Vanessa and Axel ready themselves for final battle. Image by Daniel Power Nomadic Pictures, courtesy SYFY

Special thanks are due for all the directors and writers of Van Helsing series such as Matt Venables and Jeremy Smith, and executive story editor Gorman Lee. Extra special thanks to Chad Oakes, Mike Frislev from Dynamic Television, series creator Neil LaBute, as well as all multi season producers and co-executive producers including Show Runner Jonathan Walker, Todd Giroux, Morris Chapdelaine, Jonathan Scarfe, and Kelly Overton. It goes without saying, that extraordinary thanks belong to all the crews that worked behind the scenes, all the supporting actors, AND to SYFY for bringing joy to the lives of the Van Helsing series lovers over the past five seasons!

As we stated on Twitter, the series finale episode was superb! In this way, the Van Helsing series story arc has been brought to a satisfying conclusion. Importantly, as Show Runner Jonathan Walker shared in his interview with Team WHR, “left hooks” that could spawn a spin off or mini-series in the future.

We hope that this will occur, however as we shared on Twitter the night of the series finale:

“Don’t cry because it is over, smile because Van Helsing happened in our lives for the past five years!”

 

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The Voices:

Van Helsing S5x11 Vanessa shape shifted in the body of Nina
Vanessa shape shifted in the body of Nina (Ali Liebert). Image by Daniel Power. Nomadic Pictures, courtesy SYFY

The episode opens after a fight sequence between Vanessa as Nina and Bathory as seen in episode eleven “Undercover Mother” shown above.

In “The Voices”, Bathory has been saved while The Dark One and Vanessa in the shape shifted body of Ali Liebert fight each other in the Oval Office in the White House. Afterwards, Vanessa bites Dracula to weaken her. Vanessa shape shifts back to her true form taunting The Dark One by saying “Knowing that you let a Van Helsing get close enough to bite you!”.

Vanessa uses powers she obtained in the Dark Realm to blast Dracula, resulting in shock and dismay in The Dark One as the suppressed sweet Olivia comes to the surface, causing true panic in Dracula as she realizes she made a huge mistake in the past by not killing the Olivia host who is coexisting inside The Dark One.

Vanessa stabs Dracula and makes good an escape to consider what she has learned.

Van Helsing S5x12 Our heroes prepare for the final battle
Keeya King as Violet, Kelly Overton as Vanessa Van Helsing, Jonathan Scarfe as Axel Miller, Jennifer Cheon Garcia as Ivory. Image by: Daniel Power, Nomadic Pictures, courtesy SYFY

We segue to a warehouse with our heroes to a makeshift headquarters in Washington DC, not far from the White House.

Bathory is on a gurney suffering from Dracula’s invasion of her mind. Sergeant Weathers (Luvia Petersen) gave Bathory a sedative to ease the pain in her mind.

Vanessa fresh from her escape arrives in the warehouse, providing comfort to Bathory so that she can be utilized to read the enchanted scrolls when the time is right.

Meanwhile at the Oval Office, Dracula is recovering, summoning all her strength to brainwash Bathory again, forcing her to slit her own wrists so that she cannot be used to read the incantations from the enchanted scrolls.

Van Helsing S5x12 Axel outside the White House
Axel outside the White House. Image by Daniel Power Nomadic Pictures, courtesy SYFY

Vanessa is successful in overcoming Dracula’s hold on Bathory who wakes up no longer plagued with blindness or having The Dark One in control of her mind… For the time being.

Axel is witnessed chatting with a General Lannister (Reese Alexander) to rescue the Vice President Eli Newton (Peter Bryant) in order to get the thought to be dead President Davis Park (Stephen Lobo) in a position to assume power when the fight with Dracula is complete as we learned in episode ten “E Pluribus Unum”.

Vice President Eli Newton at first believe does not what our heroes have shared with him about The Dark One shape shifting into the President. Violet suspects he could be a pawn of The Dark One, so Violet bites him to ensure that he is not a vampire in disguise.

 

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Van Helsing S5x12 Jack prepares to meet with Bathory
Jack prepares to meet with Bathory. Image by Daniel Power Nomadic Pictures, courtesy SYFY

We move to Jack who is going over the strategy to read from the enchanted ancient scrolls, while Jack bites Dracula to extract her power and trap The Dark One back inside in the amulet which has been returned to Bathory as part of the plan. Dracula seems to take control of Bathory again forcing her to stab Jack as Bathory is apparently called back to serve Dracula.

What our heroes do not know is that Bathory is fighting The Dark One and plans to kill herself so she cannot be used by Dracula ever again. Bathory is found on the roof with the amulet just as Dracula takes control of Bathory once again forcing her to open the amulet allowing the trapped power return to The Dark One returning Dracula to full strength!

Realizing what her life will be like, no matter how hard she tries, that she will forever be a slave to the will of Dracula. Bathory decides to jump off the roof. We were saddened at the death of Bathory The Oracle, hoping that she would become part of the final battle against The Dark One.

The episode ends with our heroes coming to a shocking conclusion; that their plan has been bankrupted by Dracula who is still in control at the White House at full evil strength!

Novissima Solis:

Van Helsing S5x13 Our heroes mourn the death of Bathory
Our heroes mourn the death of Bathory. Image courtesy SYFY

The episodes open with The Dark One still in control at the White House. We see our heroes mourning Bathory in the parking lot after she jumped to her death of free herself from the power of The Dark One. Rest In Peace Bathory!

Examining Bathory’s corpse, Vanessa discovers how The Dark One has been able to control Bathory since the middle ages in the past. On the back of Bathory’s neck, Vanessa locates an evil pentagram burned into Bathory’s skin. In a somewhat gross scene, Vanessa cuts out the evil pentagram and transplants it into her own arm.

Vanessa’s strategy? To use the evil pentagram as a reverse communication device when the time is right to try and control Dracula’s mind and bring sweet Olivia to the surface once and for all. Vanessa surreptitiously enters Dracula’s mind and has a mental conference call with Olivia. Dracula catches on and ejects Vanessa, but not before the plan has been shared with sweet Olivia! Next Vanessa reaches out to Violet prior to the final battle with The Dark One.

 

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Van Helsing S5x13 Dracula throws a bolt of dark energy before she is confronted by our heroes
Dracula throws a bolt of dark energy before she is confronted. Image by Daniel Power Nomadic Pictures, courtesy SYFY

Vanessa reveals another powerful weapon at their disposal. When helping Bathory before her death, Vanessa, during the mind meld has transferred the power Bathory had to activate the enchanted scrolls.

We move to our heroes now in league with Sergeant Weathers as head of security for President Davis Park.

Now at full power again, Dracula throws a curve ball at Axel, Vanessa, Jack, Violet, and Ivory who have made it through White House security.

The Dark One transmits an evil burst of energy that turns everyone who has not been turned human by the Van Helsings in to vampires.

Van Helsing S5x11 Luvia Petersen as Sgt Weathers
Luvia Petersen as Sgt Weathers. Image by Daniel Power Nomadic Pictures Inc, courtesy SYFY

This includes Sergeant Weathers, and President Davis Park’s security detail. Fortunately, President Davis Park is able to convince Sergeant Weathers that the Van Helsing’s can save her.

Weathers loyal to the President, agrees, and saves the first family, sacrificing herself in the process to a rabid gang of vampires. It was nice to see Luvia Petersen again and be a good gal character too!

Our heroes arrive at the Oval Office for the final confrontation with evil. Vanessa starts to read the incantations on the enchanted scrolls weakening The DarkOne.

In a turn-about attack, Dracula uses the last of her powers to throw Jack and Violet back, shatter the amulet, and squelch Vanessa’s voice her voice while calling in a old marker from season three; that Vanessa promised to kill Jack and Violet!

Van Helsing S5x13 Jack in the final moments to defeat Dracula
SS5x13 Jack in the final moments to defeat Dracula. Image by Daniel Power Nomadic Pictures, courtesy SYFY

Vanessa, using special powers she obtained and honed to perfection in the Dark Realm, is able to thwart Dracula and reaches out to sweet Olivia to execute the final part of her plan to defeat The Dark One.

Dracula may be powerful, but with Bathory The Oracle dead, The Dark One is unable to control every detail in the final battle.

Vanessa returns to reading the incantations from the enchanted scrolls. The Dark One’s power is suspended like she was afflicted in the middle ages. Jack completes the process by biting Dracula, puncturing her skin, causing the evilness to leave The Dark One’s body.

Without the enchanted amulet, Vanessa makes the final move, sucking the cloud of evil unto her own body. and Jack are able to pounce on her and sink their teeth into her neck placing Vanessa into a coma much like we were introduced to her in the very first episode of the Van Helsing series.

Van Helsing S5x13 Jack Violet and Ivory in series finale victory
Jack, Violet and Ivory in series finale victory. Image by Daniel Power Nomadic Pictures, courtesy SYFY

Thank goodness that our Van Helsing series heroes have obtained the victory over The Dark One that we all hoped would become manifest in the final episode!

Now that The Dark One is defeated, all the people who had been enslaved as vampires are returned to human form. Sweet Olivia takes control of her body and will live out a pleasant life in our time.

President Davis Park is returned to office at the White House and presents Axel, seen in full dress uniform, with the highest honors possible. Subsequent to the ceremony, Axel makes a personal decision to devote his life to take care of the comatose Vanessa just like he did in the 2016 pilot episode.

We witness Violet taking Olivia on a happy go lucky tour in Washington DC after their victory the present. Violet shares details about what year it is and what a wonderful place it is without The Dark One enslaving humanity and ruining everyone’s lives.

Van Helsing S5x13 Ivory and Jack finally share a tender moment together
Ivory and Jack finally share a tender moment together. Image by Daniel Power Nomadic Pictures, courtesy SYFY

Ivory, our beloved leader of the Sisterhood, after kissing her lover Jack, makes a decision. Inviting Jack to join her in the future because Ivory must complete her own mission; to find all the Sisterhood survivors wherever they may be on planet Earth.

Jack, although sad that she will be missing Ivory in the short term, knows that she will be reunited with Ivory in the future. Jack let’s go for the time being and will enjoy the present, free of evil, with Violet and sweet Olivia.

The final sequences take us inside Vanessa’s mind now living in an enchanted realm free of evil. Vanessa is reunited with Susan (Hilary Jardine), Ivory reunites with Callie (Macie Juiles), and returns to her apartment before The Rising to find her daughter Dylan (Hannah Cheramy) who has grown into a beautiful young woman!

Everyone on the series finale night was very happy to witness this touching final scene!

The End As A Beginning:

Van Helsing S6x01 In an Alternate Universe Image by Getty Images North America from SDCC 2019
Van Helsing S6x01 In an Alternate Universe Image courtesy Getty Images from SDCC 2019

As the series finale concludes, leaving us quite content, let all believe that Vanessa is not living in a dream world in her mind, but is working on a way in a realm of goodness to reset history.

We would like to see Vanessa travel back in time once again to work with Abraham (Michael Eklund) like she did with Jack, or perhaps having pizza like she did at San Diego Comic-Con in 2019! This image use in our final analysis of the Van Helsing series was inspired by Mona Per (Click here to visit and follow Mona on Twitter). Thanks Mona!

Perhaps such is a suitable vehicle would be a made for television movie or mini-series on SYFY to bring a Back To The Future aspect to the Van Helsing series so that all the characters who were killed so that they can live happy lives in new reality free of evil darkness?

Fingers crossed Helsingers!

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Kenn of TeamWHR

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