'Money Heist' Ending With Season 5: Why Tokyo Needs To Go Early

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At long last, “Money Heist” (“La Casa de Papel”) has gotten renewed for Season 5 with one major caveat. It will be the series’ last. If there is justice, it will not take spend many of its final episodes with Tokyo. It is the main way to bolster what remains of a compelling drama that has mostly satisfied during its run. Now, it stands on the verge of a new precipice, and it is time for a bold step.

When you consider how many shows have unanimously decided to “end” on Netflix, Season 5 becoming the last of the crime thriller is not entirely surprising. Unlike some of its peers, the announcement comes after a rocky outing for “Money Heist.” To say that its last season was a minefield would be fair. Who is to blame for stifling its less than enthusiastically received moments by yours truly? Tokyo. This is my case for her going early in Season 5.

It Is Time For A Shocker

She is a character that has overwhelmingly undermined a series that would benefit profoundly from her absence. Hopefully, “Money Heist” decides to pull a “Game of Thrones” and shock the audience with a jaw-dropper where Tokyo is concerned. Season 5 has the chance to come out of the gates swinging by dropping one of its most troubling parts. Tokyo must go early if Season 5 has the hope of regaining its Season 3 mojo and its momentum. 

There is nothing worse than a character who is pompous without having anything to puff their chest out about, and Tokyo is one such incarnation. This “Money Heist” viewer has had it with her attitude. Why? Tokyo should hang head her in shame. Not keep it tilted so high she could drown if it rained. Unless Season 5 begins by giving her a reality check and a massive helping of humble pie, the satisfaction of the final chapter is in personal jeopardy.

Tokyo Devolved Last Season

Never one known for being personally likable or appealing, last season upped the ante with how unlikable Tokyo can be as she raged at The Professor for her failures and her continued attempts to lead a group she has never shown any abilities to captain.

If “Money Heist” has any hope of stealing back the ground it lost, it needs to cut ties with her early in Season 5. Otherwise, Tokyo will continue to erode the series, and at the worst time in its history -- the end. There are way more compelling characters to spend time with as “Money Heist” completes its last chapter.

Redemption Would Work Too

At the least, “Money Heist” needs to reexamine its approach to Tokyo. Last season, more than any other, began to split off from what was once a somewhat objective view of her. Cut to Season 5’s previous installment, and the narrative insisted that Tokyo is enchanting on every level.

Countless characters claimed that she is irresistibly likable. This notion in spite of her holier than thou attitude, abundant arrogance, horrible planning, emotional management, decision-making, and overall lack of a moral compass, telling a different tale.

It Is Time For Growth

Tokyo is unbearable due to all of these traits. While other characters around her continue to grow, she remains tiringly true to her entitled self. In truth, Season 5 would be disingenuous to show her capable of making personal progress. There has never been any genuine expression of feeling she needs to feel guilt for anything. Her behavior is vile, and it undermines “Money Heist” reaching its full potential.

Tokyo is the reason Rio was captured and tortured. She is to blame for the current heist (that will now span up to Season 5), even needing to be executed. To that point, “Money Heist” has not provided a real reason for someone as brilliant as The Professor to keep her around. Tokyo is a toxic liability, and Season 5 would need to offer a solution or explanation for why he would.

The Breaking Point

During a scene last season, she blamed The Professor for everything going awry amid her latest ignorant reign of terror and assumption of control. I rolled my eyes to the back of my head so hard I was surprised to see the next scene. “Money Heist” needs to get her off the show or justify her presence.

Is she Berlin’s long-lost daughter or The Professor and Berlin’s long-lost sibling? If not, it makes zero sense for The Professor to have such a soft spot for her. Tokyo has cost the gang at every turn. She is the reason chaos has been unleashed time and again. She has endangered team members and actually gotten them killed.

Why Is Tokyo Still Around?

How could someone as pragmatic as The Professor justify her place in the gang? Tokyo’s appeal to him is wholly and utterly lost on me. I cannot be the only one to find his decision so disquieting. Tokyo almost made “Money Heist” Season 4 unwatchable, and without her maturing at all, that is only going to worsen in Season 5.

Tokyo and her unremorseful attitude need to go. She has got Moscow killed, got captured, and almost cost the team the first heist. She is the reason Rio met with destruction and caused the current calamitous heist that got Nairobi killed. (Just to note, I cannot stand Rio either.) Tokyo has a high opinion of herself and yet fails at everything she attempts.

In Summation

Throughout last season, I kept hoping that “Money Heist” would reveal Tokyo is narrating from the great beyond. A symptom from the past, who has had her bad choices catch up with her. In Season 5, I need there to be movement on the Tokyo front. Redemption (via an act of true heroism) or let her go away.

“Money Heist” Season 1 through 4 (aka Parts 1-4) is currently streaming on Netflix. There are a lot of other great television options to check out if you need something to watch while you wait for Season 5 (Part 5) to arrive. A premiere date for Season 5 has not gotten announced yet. Production is underway.