The Last Ship season 5 episode 9 review: Another life lost

The Last Ship season 5

We knew entering The Last Ship series finale that there would be some major loss of life. That came tonight in the form of a beloved character leading up to the final showdown between Chandler’s team and Gustavo’s.

So, who did we lose? Spoilers within…

In the midst of the buildup for the final battle, we ended up losing one of our favorites in Jocko Sims’ character of Burk. He dies a hero, but he also dies before getting to be there for the last stand. This was heartbreaking, especially how it happened in the midst of the night and with not everyone even aware of it the moment that it happened.

We’re upset about this — not going to lie. We do agree with Chandler’s assessment that “war is a beast,” but this beast was especially cruel since there was no time for a proper military funeral just yet. Those around Burk on the ground now have to prepare for what is the most important day of their lives, with heavy hearts and still in mourning. Burk was so critical to all of their lives and was such a valuable friend and support system.

In general, though, we’d describe this episode more as one of buildup rather than one of conclusions. While there was CLEARLY some conflict within Gustavo’s own camp (including some death), all of this feels more like setting the stage for what is to come more than tying together any loose ends. We did appreciate, though, the show transposing some of the buildup behind the scenes with the military training videos that were helping some of the young men and women get ready for battle. Meanwhile, Chandler did his best to document his thoughts leading up to the big day, understanding the significance and what could come next.

CarterMatt Verdict

If there’s one thing that we wish we had from The Last Ship going into the finale, it’s more face-to-face time between the heroes and the bad guys. Beyond that, we certainly wish that Burk made it through here alive. We knew that we’d probably lose someone before the end of the journey, but why Jocko’s character? Why? Why lose someone we love so much now? We’d probably be more okay with it if this was the finale…

As buildup, tonight’s The Last Ship was successful in being compelling; yet, it does create some challenges moving forward given that there is a lot of story to tie up in a relatively short amount of overall time.

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What did you think about The Last Ship season 5 episode 9, and do you think that the stage is now set for an epic series finale? Be sure to share right now in the attached comments. (Photo: TNT.)

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