‘Tracker’ Season 2, Episode 16 Ending Feels Incredibly Abrupt and Unsatisfying

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It appears that the action-packed series “Tracker” is becoming increasingly gloomy, sparking curiosity among viewers about how the storyline will unfold as it progresses. Currently in its second season and already confirmed for a third, this show revolves around Colter Shaw (played by Justin Hartley), a proficient survivalist who tackles missing person cases, earning rewards with the support of his team.

In the 16th episode of Season 2, titled “The Mercy Seat,” I found myself venturing into the eerie unknown alongside an old acquaintance, on a quest to find two women who had mysteriously vanished in the wilderness. The journey led me to some chilling discoveries, tainted with violence that left me reeling. However, the episode concludes on a puzzling note, leaving viewers like myself with a sense of bewilderment and unresolved curiosity.

What Happens in ‘Tracker’ Season 2, Episode 16

In the gripping Season 2 of Tracker, I found myself trekking through the unforgiving snowscapes of Montana, on a mission to locate two missing snowboarders. Accompanied by the seasoned search and rescue worker, Roger – famously known from The Blacklist as Diego Klattenhoff – we delved deeper into the icy wilderness.

Colter discovers a suitable location where he establishes a temporary campsite for Shelly (Lexi Simonsen), who is experiencing hypothermia and a severe head injury, and Brianna (Madison Lawlor), as they await a means to contact help since their SAT phone isn’t functioning and traveling with the women isn’t an option until Shelly recovers.

On my wood-gathering expedition, I stumbled upon an isolated cabin where I chanced upon three sisters – Amelia (Ariana Guerra), Dash (Sean Depner), and Rufus (Jedidiah Goodacre) – engaged in a dance outside. They welcomed me warmly, and after some interaction, they agreed to let me bring them inside for shelter and sustenance until it would be safe for them to venture out again. However, my mind couldn’t help but worry about Roger, my friend who had gone off to find cell service and hasn’t returned yet.

In my exploration, I stumble upon Roger, who’s hurt. Suddenly, gunfire erupts around us. Upon our return to the cabin, the girls and our three companions have vanished. As I delve deeper, it strikes me that all is not right. Probing further, I uncover a chilling truth: the wires on the snowmobile were severed – the very snowmobile the brothers claimed was faulty. It’s then, as I venture to the tool shed at the back, that I make a horrifying discovery: a pair of deceased elderly individuals, revealing this cabin wasn’t their off-the-grid retreat as they had led us to believe.

In the course of his inquiry, Colter stumbles upon a nearby lodge where he encounters Amelia. Her behavior seems peculiar, as if she thinks he might harm her. Eventually, it becomes clear that she too has been kidnapped and held captive by these men, led by Father Eamon (Sean Bridgers), for years. He assures her he will assist her, but first requires a brief diversion from them. She’s hesitant to trust him, but Colter is the reliable type, and his intense gaze conveys his honorable intentions.

In the secluded lodge, it becomes clear that Father Eamon, far from being a holy figure, is a ruthless psychopath who abducts, torments, and slaughters innocent individuals. His devoted male disciples succumb to his influence, having been utterly brainwashed by him and his small cult. The two young females are petrified, particularly when Father Eamon retrieves the Mercy Seat. Brianna is compelled to take her seat in this imposing chair, where Father Eamon mercilessly strangles her with his scarf, cackling insanely as he watches her struggle for breath.

In the last moment, Ariana hurries to deliver coffee, but Father Eamon has his suspicions about her odd behavior. As Colter covertly enters the lodge with a firearm, Ariana is suspended from the ceiling by a scarf, gasping for air as her feet sway above the ground. Colter catches Brianna’s gaze and she subtly indicates the positions of the other men in the room. Upon approaching, a gunfight erupts. Remarkably, Colter disarms all three assailants just in time to save Ariana before it’s too late. Everything seems to be on the mend now.

The Ending of ‘Tracker’ Season 2, Episode 16 Is Abrupt

Afterward, Colter heads outside accompanied by the three women, who view him as their rescuer. He’s already reached out to Randy (Chris Lee) and Bobby (Eric Graise), who has returned, through an SOS message sent via a ham radio handle using an APR system at the lodge. Randy managed to pinpoint the signal to a location near where Colter had ventured, but emergency services wouldn’t dispatch a helicopter until they had more details. In turn, Randy asks Reenie (Fiona Rene) for assistance.

In a turn of events, Reenie is conferring with a wealthy client, Leo Scarf (Pej Vahdat), who seems to think she hasn’t been adequately compensated for her exceptional services. A creative solution pops into her mind: since he owns a helicopter, she suggests he could lend it to them. Suddenly, paramedics show up in Leo’s helicopter to evacuate everyone to safety. Colter informs one of the paramedics that there’s another rescue worker who’s hurt in a nearby cabin and requires help too.

However, the episode concludes with Colter choosing not to join them in the helicopter. Instead, he remains with Ariana. He gazes at her and instructs her it’s time for them to return home. One might wonder how he managed to get back and what happened afterwards. Did he perhaps retrace his steps on the snowmobile to the cabin, meeting up with Roger and the paramedics? Or did he wait for the police to arrive at the chilling scene involving three deceased serial killers, providing them with a report?

In the story, it appears Amelia is one of several women who were abducted by this group. Earlier in the episode, Randy informs Reenie that he investigated the location where Colter went, which has a history of disappearances, such as a missing photographer from a year ago. However, Amelia doesn’t seem to be that photographer, as she doesn’t resemble the photo and claimed to have been held captive for eight or nine years. Unfortunately, viewers don’t get to learn more about her background or witness a heartwarming reunion with her loved ones. Additionally, the storylines of Shelly and Brianna, who were investigating these mysterious disappearances, remain untouched, which could have provided valuable context and connection between the stories.

In each episode, it’s typically customary to see an exchange of thanks or a check presentation at the end. However, this is absent here, and we are left uninformed about Father Eamon, his relationship with the two young men, how he came to be in that situation, how long they spent in the wilderness, if they were responsible for the disappearances, and why they managed to stay hidden in such a large, remote lodge without being discovered.

So Many Questions Remain in ‘Tracker’

The episode also introduces additional narratives that remain unresolved, one being whether Brianna truly encountered a man with antlers while lost and hurt in the wilderness, or if she was experiencing a hallucination. Given that Colter discovers piles of deer antlers in the lodge, it suggests either Dash or Rufus could have been the mysterious figure. The significance of this scenario, along with the meaning behind the Mercy Seat, is also intriguing.

Who exactly was firing at Colter and Roger? Colter suspected that Dash and Rufus couldn’t have caught up with him so swiftly to be the shooters, but they might have used the other snowmobile they claimed was damaged, then cut the wire afterwards. Yet, wouldn’t Colter have heard them approaching so closely? If they followed to attack, how did they accomplish this and manage to take Amelia and the two abducted girls to the lodge and secure them in such a short period of time?

Reddit discussions have exploded over the episode’s incomplete resolution, with many viewers expressing that it seemed to be missing a concluding scene. MaddysinLeigh comments that the ending was “far too quick” and “I need more information about what those men were up to.

Redblackrider raises queries and highlights discrepancies. They state, “I understand they were part of some small group, but it’s confusing when you bring up ‘mercy seat’ without clarifying its meaning… Also, why destroy the old couple’s cabin for a new one if they already owned a lodge?” They mention that the episode was reminiscent of struggling to conclude an essay in grade school due to lack of clarity. SierraMountainMom finds the whole incident strange because there were “so many unexplained aspects” throughout it.

The general consensus among fans is that the episode seemed to be a setup for future episodes rather than a self-contained story, which could suggest that it was not well-crafted. However, there’s hope that incomplete stories like this one, such as Season 2, Episode 13 titled “Neptune,” might be revisited and woven into a larger narrative down the line. Yet, this could just be optimism on our part.

The main storyline unveiled so far primarily revolves around the enigma surrounding Colter’s father’s death, Ashton (Lee Tergesen), which appears to be linked to government secrets and concealment. If these episodes that seem misplaced or incomplete are intentionally used to eventually connect all pieces, the series could prove genius when everything falls into place. However, it seems the quality of writing might be lacking, leaving room for improvement. Fingers crossed for a turnaround as Season 2 concludes. Catch up on Stream Tracker on Paramount+.

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2025-04-17 03:02