After the events on last week’s episode, Gabe opted to turn back the clock and try his luck at being a beast once more – because clearly that turned out so well for him last time around. I seem to remember last season ending with him pumped full of bullets, laying lifeless on a roof. In all his grief, he must have forgotten that unfortunate incident. Without much to lose (except his life), Gabe effectively turned off his humanity switch, to take a page straight out of The Vampire Diaries, and in turn had eyes only for Vincent.
Gabe’s maniacal plan to expose and destroy Vincent took a ruthless turn when he started coming after allies of the power couple that is VinCat. In hindsight, he may agree that his biggest mistake was slashing up JT (Austin Basis). The point of no return in his downward spiral, and frankly, the moment fans will look back on and agree was the instant he sealed his fate, was when Cat and Vincent found JT hanging unconscious and severely bleeding from the ceiling. Poor, JT!
For the most part, the drama that surrounds Vincent is centered on him and Cat. If there’s a hostage situation, Cat is the obvious choice. However, this is not the same set of rules that Gabe is playing by. He went after someone who actually used to be his friend, and also happens to be Vincent’s best friend. The visceral reaction he was looking for from Vincent came and went, but as always, Cat was able to be the voice of reason.
A weight has been lifted off of Cat and Vincent’s shoulders, it’s only unfortunate that it had to come at so high a cost. Gabe had a second chance at being a regular Joe Schmo, something that he spent most of his adult life trying to make happen, only to fail in the most horrible way. There was truly a brief period where Gabe had transcended his former lifestyle and become one of the good guys, which only made his relapse have more of an effect on fans. Although his character has run his course on the show, there’s something bittersweet about his ending. As much as it seemed like an inevitability, part of me still has this lingering thought that it could have ended differently somehow.
Without leaving fans tormented by a shocking cliffhanger, Beauty and the Beast ends its second season with a small piece of happily ever after. And that’s just fine by me.