'The Old Man' Season 2 Ending Explained & Season 3 Theories: Will Emily Rescue Harper? (2024)

The exciting events presented during The Old Man season 2’s ending, make it absolutely certain that a 3rd season will be required to continue the story, with no concrete resolution on the horizon just yet. Although FX is yet to confirm whether it intends to continue with The Old Man as of now, the makers most definitely have plans to take it further. Season 2’s ending places Emily Chase, brilliantly played by Alia Shawkat, in total control of the situation, even displaying her strength against the character of the veteran Jeff Bridges, Dan Chase. It is seemingly possible that Emily will take center stage in the season that follows, so in this brief article, we’ll discuss the possible fates of the characters we have grown so close to.

Spoiler Alert

How Will Season 3 Put Dan Chase In Much More Discomfort?

The very introduction of Dan Chase in season 1 had confirmed the tough and violent-if-necessary nature of the protagonist within just a few minutes of the pilot episode. Despite his physically evident old age, Dan easily brought down an intruder at his home and then continued to shine through moments of intense action throughout the season, and even in season 2, comfortably defeating enemies who are half his age. There had been multiple mentions of his exploits during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, when he became a deadly soldier lurking in the shadows and brought down Soviet units all by himself. Doing the bidding for the CIA in Afghanistan at the time, Dan had become the feared and revered Baba Ghor-Ghori, the legendary killer who helped the local militia fight and survive against the invaders.

If we look at the major events in Dan’s life even after that, it is quite evident that the man has always remained confident in the face of danger and has never given up in any situation whatsoever. From fleeing Afghanistan with Hamzad’s wife and daughter to settling into a secret life and then having to come out of retirement for the sake of his adopted daughter, Dan has experienced almost every possible dangerous scenario that can be thought of. However, all these situations have caused him difficulties in a strictly physical and operational manner, while the scenario that the ending of The Old Man season 2 leaves him in is starkly different from the ones before.

Dan seemingly experiences emotional turmoil for the first time, in the sense that he has to deal with his emotions while on an operation, for he has experienced a betrayal, of sorts, from one of his closest relations. The man did not ever imagine that Emily, whom he had raised as his own daughter, would order him around and put him in danger someday just to execute the plans she had made for herself. Dan would have perhaps felt more comfortable had Emily consulted with him regarding the matter or discussed it as a possibility that they could explore, but her decision to make him a part of the plan, even against his will, must surely break him emotionally. Therefore, when Dan will go around the world in the next season, possibly still taking down enemies with expert skill and technique, he will surely be disturbed by the fact that his relationship with Emily is no longer as simple and loving as it once used to be.

Why Does Dan Fear Lou Barlow So Much?

The first mention of the name Lou Barlow came in season 2, episode 6, when Dan spoke of him to Zoe at a restaurant in London, claiming that he was a dangerous man who was to be avoided at all costs. Both because of the sudden mention of a new character and Dan’s insistence that the name should not be spoken out loud ever again, it was clear that Lou Barlow was going to be an integral character in the next season of the series. But in a totally unexpected twist at the end of season 2, it is revealed that Lou Barlow is actually one of the many aliases that Dan had used in his career. Despite himself being the man, or the character, that he does not want to talk about, Dan is indeed very scared and hesitant to even think of Barlow, let alone become the character once again. Emily mentions that her adoptive father had done some seriously messed up things as Barlow, although nothing specific is revealed just yet.

Therefore, we can only speculate about what Barlow had done during the short time that he was active, but it is surely something serious enough to make even someone as hardened as Dan Chase tremble with fear. It is possible that Dan had performed assassinations or had killed people despite knowing that they did not deserve such a fate, only for the sake of his career in intelligence. Maybe he had kidnapped and tortured innocent people as well in order to fish out some crucial information from them. However, it is also to be remembered that we have seen Dan kill and torture people throughout both seasons, and although his victims were not innocent per se, the protagonist never even flinched at such acts. In that case, his acts as Barlow were probably even more horrific and scary, although there must be some limit to which The Old Man will degrade its protagonist.

Either way, this is one more reason why Dan’s adventures next season are going to be more emotional and will feature more internal battles. Along with having to remember how his dynamics with Emily have changed, Dan will also constantly have to remember the sins of his own past and tackle the guilt buried deep in his subconscious. After all, simply stowing away memories from a particular time period in one’s life and never thinking about them does not really take away the fact that they were once committed by the individual. The exact extent of Lou Barlow’s evil nature can be known only when The Old Man season 3 arrives, maybe even through some flashback sequences like back in season 1, and it will be interesting to watch how Dan tackles his inner demons for a change.

Will Emily completely take charge in the future?

The character development of Emily Chase has been so integral to the plot of The Old Man that there is a very real possibility that she will take complete charge of the series in the future, if it stretches beyond season 3, that is. Emily started off as someone who had been told a lie and placed in the FBI only for the convenience of Dan Chase. Eventually, she was abducted by whom she believed to be an evil Afghan warlord, only to realize the real truth about her identity—that she is the biological daughter of this very warlord, Faraz Hamzad. This experience of being taken back to Afghanistan and having to spend a couple of weeks with her real biological family changed Emily’s nature to a great extent.

If considered seriously, it is perhaps still a bit difficult to figure out exactly what brought about the change in Emily’s character, and it is treated as almost an inexplicable matter. Her bravado is almost like something she inherited from her two, or rather three, father figures, as Dan Chase, Harold Harper, and Faraz Hamzad are all exceptionally brave figures in their own respects. Therefore, Emily’s gutsy nature is almost something to be expected, but she also shows more of an affinity towards Hamzad than Dan in one particular aspect, despite having been raised by the latter. Emily has received her training from the FBI and must have met a number of CIA agents throughout her life, but she is not really interested in using the indirect methods of US intelligence services when her relatives in the Afghan village are in danger. She realizes that the death of her biological father is going to attract all sorts of dangers and unwanted situations to the village, and quite rightly so.

Therefore, within a relatively short span, Emily emerges as a confident and bold leader who knows how to get things done and does not hesitate to make use of her skills from the FBI when needed. Her skills as a masterful manipulator are on full display in season 2, episode 8, when she manages to trick the Russian guard and even the captains as per her plan. When she returns to the USA and technically takes Dan and Zoe hostage in the last scene of the episode, it is this changed, confident, and fearless Emily who takes control, making it very clear that she will be much more involved in the decision-making than in the previous two seasons.

Watching Emily as one of the central characters in the truest sense of the phrase and not just as a character in distress existing only for the plot to develop will be very interesting. There is also the important matter of her being the new owner of the Meshbahar lithium deposit, and she clearly has no intention of siding with the Chinese or letting the rare minerals cartel benefit from it. In this aspect, Emily’s perspective and sensibilities remain true to the American cause (because, one might argue, The Old Man is an American show, after all), and just like Morgan Bote, she believes that it must not fall into the wrong hands. Despite having learned of the difficulties in the lives of the common people of Afghanistan because of the American sanctions and politics, Emily still seems to choose the USA as her only ally in defending the lithium deposit, which is probably suggested through her decision to contact the FBI for help at the end of season 2.

What To Expect From Other Characters In Season 3?

Based on the development of the plot in season 2, there seems to be a soft push towards making the female characters much more powerful and in more control of the narrative than earlier. While Emily directly takes on the role of the protector and savior, at least to the villagers in Afghanistan, Marion’s character will step up to play the role of an antagonist with more direct determination in the next season. Harold Harper’s ex-wife takes him hostage only to use him as a bargaining chip against Emily, knowing very well how the young woman has a soft corner for him. While Marion is already associated with the Chinese representatives at the minerals cartel in season 2, she still does not come off as an outright negative character because she eventually helps Harold, Dan, and Emily.

However, in season 3, she will be directly playing the role of the opposition, and it would be exciting to see how the menacingly intelligent and manipulative woman uses her powers to stop Emily and Dan. We will surely get to see enough of Harold as well, as he, too, might try to find an escape from his situation. Julian Carson, who played an integral part in season 2 after being just an assassin in season 1, might also return in the next iteration, as it is possible that he might continue to help Dan and Harold. But it is also possible that Carson will finally make a quiet return to retirement, as his allegiance might have been only towards Morgan Bote, whose death he has already avenged. Returning to the increasing significance of the women characters, Zoe McDonald will surely be more integral to season 3 after returning from a comparatively lengthy absence in season 2. What is even more interesting is the fact that Zoe has a complicated past, which we have still not been made aware of. In a sense, there is a lot that we do not know of her, some of which has been hinted at through flashbacks in season 2. Zoe’s contrasting relationship with her ex-father-in-law and her ex-husband has already been mentioned, as some actions of her ex-husband had led to their marriage failing, despite the welcoming nature of his parents. We can hope that The Old Man season 3 will reveal more about Zoe’s past, and we might even get to meet her son since his conversation with Zoe over the phone is what enables Emily to find Dan’s location. What more do you think might happen when the popular series returns to screens? Leave us your theories and expectations in the comments below.

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'The Old Man' Season 2 Ending Explained & Season 3 Theories: Will Emily Rescue Harper? (2024)

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