Abhiroop Das
Co-developed by Ed Whitmore and Tracey Malone, Fox’s ‘Memory of a Killer’ traces Angelo Flannery’s double life as Angelo Doyle, a master assassin who is disconnected from all social connections. However, when he is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s, that armor is breached by doubt, paranoia, and a looming sense of loneliness. Enter Nicky, a single mom who ends up in a brief but powerful relationship with Angelo, navigating both of his skins and reaching where no one has before. However, as the psychological thriller unfolds, it becomes clear to Angelo that Nicky isn’t necessarily who she claims to be. That confrontation reaches its climax in the season finale, where she becomes an unwilling pawn in Angelo and Linda’s chess match. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Nicky Loses Her Life Amidst Angelo and Linda’s Clash
Nicky’s death marks the most tragic moment in the ‘Memory of a Killer’ season finale, especially because of how close she was to escaping the system. After she tells Angelo that she is running away, we are led to believe that Nicky will be stepping away from the spotlight, but that doesn’t remain the case for long. Instead, she responds to Angelo’s call later in the finale, and the two come clean about their respective secrets. As a final favor, Angelo asks her to meet Linda and track her movements, something she originally did with him, but that is where they make a fatal error. Unlike Angelo, Linda wields significant power over Nicky, which makes her visibly anxious during their meetings. As a seasoned FBI agent, Linda doesn’t take long to catch on to the plan and unleashes a counterattack of her own.
While it is possible that Linda had plans to get Nicky killed from the very start, this final act of betrayal solidifies the deal. Without a hint of hesitation, she watches as one of her hitmen stabs Nicky in the stomach. By the time Angelo arrives and kills the man, it is already too late, as we see Nicky look up in silent horror and then breathe her last. There is a palpable sense of irony in her death, as it comes from Linda, someone who is also a bereaved mother. Nicky has been doing all of this solely for the sake of her daughter, but all of that is rendered naught at the end. By the end of the episode, Angelo kills Linda and returns to the birth of his grandson, but for Nicky, the story ends on the most heartbreaking of notes.
Michaela McManus is Most Likely Bidding Goodbye to the Show
Though Michaela McManus steals the spotlight in the first season as Nicky, she is unlikely to reprise her role in the second season, given how things turn out. That said, ‘Memory of a Killer’ is no stranger to extended flashback sequences, which means that there is still a possibility of McManus making a cameo appearance going forward. This is especially relevant as her death opens up an unresolved thread in the finale, concerning the fate of her daughter. While Angelo has yet to meet Nicky’s child himself, it is possible that he might shoulder her responsibility in the future. As such, there are enough opportunities for the character’s return on some level, and it depends on the creators and McManus herself to decide if it fits the larger narrative.
In a conversation with TV Insider, co-showrunner Aaron Zelman revealed that they had several potential endings for Nicky in mind when penning the show. At one point, they wanted to kill Nicky by episode 8, but changed their mind because of how much they liked her character, as well as McManus’ portrayal. The creators also had another reason to frame Nicky’s death in light of the ending, as it also comments on Angelo’s ability to build emotional bonds. “He (Angelo) certainly didn’t bargain for her death, and that affects him,” Zelman stated in the interview, adding, “So we were interested in carrying that line all the way through to the last episode.” While McManus’s time with the show might have come to an end, the impact of her performance is likely to shape much of how the story progresses in the sequel.
Read More: Is Fox’s Memory of a Killer Based on a True Story?
