Warning: There are spoilers ahead for the season finale of Watchmen!
Watchmen fans know that Dr. Manhattan has a penchant for cheating death. But during last Sunday’s season finale, it certainly looked like the big blue superhuman finally met his demise at the hands of Lady Trieu in a vain attempt to absorb his powers. Trieu didn’t succeed, but the episode’s final scene hinted that Manhattan arranged for the love of his life, Angela Abar, to inherit his abilities instead. Viewers may never learn if the transfer worked, or why Angela would even want his powers in the first place. But according to Regina King (via Vulture), there’s more than one answer to this question.
“I did not realize that was the intention of the writers, that she only wanted to inherit his powers,” said King. “For me, it was the ultimate love story. She was just heartbroken at the result of their relationship. Even though she already knew what the future was, and was told what the future was, she [believed she] could change it all the way to the very, very end. I looked at it not just as her inheriting his powers, but it was one more moment to feel him. That was my interpretation of it — until I was told that it wasn’t. [Laughs.] I think it all worked out both ways. Both interpretations work.”
Watchmen’s revelation that Angela’s “husband,” Calvin, was Dr. Manhattan all along definitely blindsided viewers in the season’s seventh episode. Fortunately, it turned out to be one of the series’ brightest moments. Many critics subsequently praised the effectiveness of the characters’ love story. With this, it makes sense that Manhattan’s apparent death was the hardest scene that King had to film.
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“Every time I read that scene, it was heartbreaking,” King said. “I didn’t want to overtalk it, but I knew I had to be in the right space. I had to distance myself from Yahya [Abdul-Mateen II] throughout shooting that last episode, which was tough because we were so close throughout. Yahya may not even realize it because I don’t think I ever told him I was purposely distancing myself from him. He probably just thought, Why is she so weird now? We were so close! [Laughs.]”
As for a possible second chapter in Angela’s story, King is definitely game to return to the show. But of course, she has a few conditions.
“I know that Damon doesn’t even kinda have an idea of an entry point and an ending for a second season,” added King. “And I know he wouldn’t come onboard for a second season unless he did. I don’t want there to be a second season if it’s not going to at least be comparable to this first season, which is going to be really hard to do.”
What did you think of Regina King’s performance throughout Watchmen’s first season? Let us know in the comment section below!
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