Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for The Stolen Girl episode 5.

I went into Andor) that she was the one driving the car.

Episode 5 shows the details of the accident and leads up to the long-awaited confrontation between Elisa and Nina. I wasn't bored watching all the pieces fall into place and was even surprised by how well many of them fit together. Regardless, we were still left with open questions that felt like a cop-out rather than a creative choice. The loose ends aren't substantial enough to warrant a second season, so all they do is leave me somewhat dissatisfied.

Elisa And Nina Come Face To Face In A Strong Performance

Nina's Pain Can Be Felt By Both Elisa And Viewers

When Elisa locates the house in , she races around the property searching for Lucia. She doesn't find her daughter, but instead, comes face to face with Nina for the first time since the pilot episode. Holliday Grainger gives a powerful performance that can be felt through the screen, initially making me angry with Elisa for everything she put Nina through.

This is the first time I've felt something stronger than indifference towards the character, and it's thanks to the range of emotions Grainger is able to capture.

Regardless, Elisa's crime doesn't justify Nina's actions, but it does explain them. Not only was Elisa driving the car, but she fled the scene and allowed Marcus to take the fall for her. Viewers learned that Elisa was steering so recklessly because of an altercation with her father, which led to him falling down the stairs and dying. He had abused Elisa during her childhood, and she was trying to keep Lucia from the same fate.

After everything that Nina went through, I wasn't upset that she managed to escape. I was largely disappointed that, along with the police, viewers also don't know where the character lands. Elisa reunites with Lucia and decides she needs to own up to what she did that day on the road. She is sentenced to six years in prison, but Marcus, as well as Elisa's current feelings for him, remain unanswered questions.

The Stolen Girl Finale Shortchanges Its Most Compelling Pair

Selma And Elisa's Dynamic Is Underdeveloped And Inconsistent

I was initially over the moon about Selma (Ambika Mod, Netflix's One Day) and Elisa's team-up in The Stolen Girl episode 5, but it was another aspect of the finale that fell flat. While the two do go to together, and Selma does help pin down Nina's location, Elisa abandons her after a disagreement. They're not in the same place again until the trial, which Selma has chosen to attend out of . The sentiment is nice, but due to the inconsistencies of their dynamic, I don't believe it's earned.

A great deal of weight is often placed on the show's final shot, and I'm not exactly sure what I was hoping it would be. All I know is that seeing Fred with the children at the entertainment center didn't have the intended impact. The switch to Elisa in prison is quite harrowing, but not enough to make me the show for years to come. I do have mixed feelings about The Stolen Girl episode 5, as a handful of plotlines were given a decent amount of thought. Yet, at the end of the day, the finale is fine, but forgettable.

The Stolen Girl is available to stream on Disney+ worldwide.