Ash vs Evil Dead Season 3, episode 10 recap: The Mettle of Man

This week on Ash vs Evil Dead, our favorite demon-slayer faces his toughest test in what will be the final episode of the series. With the Ghostbeaters by his side, Ash decides to say goodbye and finish what he started decades ago.

The final episode of Ash vs Evil Dead is now behind us and what a ride it has been. Ash surely faced a lot of evil in his life but nothing compares to Kandar. In what can be described as the final showdown, Ash surely has his doubts but it is his friends and family who give him the strength he needs.

As Ash and Brandy share a few meaningful moments, he realizes the best way to keep her safe is to get her out of harm’s way and finish this fight for good. Ash uses advice from his father and decides he can no longer run from evil. He will either fight or die trying. Either way, it is all up to Ash.

Time to show the world

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As Ash fully sees the magnitude of the giant creature that appeared in town, he gives Brandy and Pablo some pretty good advice–to run. The trio gets to the Delta to take Kelly’s body and the Kandarian dagger but they encounter a blood-thirsty deadite. While escaping, Brandy uses the dagger and kills the deadite, making Ash one proud dad. Pablo reveals that the creature is Kandar the Destroyer and it is here to test the “mettle of man.” This is part of Ash’s destiny as the final test but by seeing Kandar’s size, he has some doubts.

Ash, Pablo, and Brandy make it back to the house where they realize this evil infestation is occurring around the globe. As the power goes out, Ash fears that he has doomed all of humanity and starts to feel pretty overwhelmed. He considers himself a failure but Pablo gives him a little confidence boost. Then Brandy sets him straight and tells Ash to own up to who he is. She also shares that it is Ash who taught her how to trust and believe so this is no time to let her down. The pep talk from his daughter gives Ash the reassurance he needed and he declares that he is going to show the world what he can do.

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“I’m a Williams too”

Before he goes back out there, Ash decides he needs to be in a certain state of mind so he gets baked. Brandy tries to get in on the fun but he uses his fatherly power to tell her no drugs. Ash wants Brandy to pack up and get out of town away from the danger. Brandy has other ideas because Ash is all she has left so she refuses to leave his side. Ash does not want to watch his daughter die again but she is “a Williams too” and she wants to fight.

There are now military jets flying above and every time they shoot at Kandar, it makes the creature stronger. Pablo takes Kelly’s body through town because evil doesn’t target him. Meanwhile, Ash and Brandy take the abandoned mine tunnels which lead right to the cellar in the hardware store. Brandy takes the time to apologize to Ash for nobody believing him and shares that she wants to hear all about his life once this is over. Ash gives her the necklace he has kept ever since he encountered the Necronomicon in the hopes that it will now keep her safe. The sweet moment is interrupted when a horde of deadites chase them until they get to the cellar.

Filthy and not fine

The rift is still open and Pablo argues with Brandy and Ash about who will go in to save Kelly. They decide Pablo might have the safest chance since evil does not detect him so he jumps through. Ash and Brandy stay behind and fight off a few deadites resulting in yet another bloodbath for poor Brandy. Pablo finally comes back through and the rift closes behind him.

Kelly’s body remains lifeless which makes Pablo think he failed. He is overcome with emotion when Kelly jumps up surprising everyone, including herself, and the duo shares another kiss. Kelly catches a glimpse of herself as she still looks very much dead. Ash throws in a well-timed one-liner that Kelly is not “filthy and not fine” which gets a high five from Brandy. They might be more alike than we first thought.

No more running

The foursome goes back upstairs and makes their way outside where the military is now on the ground fighting with guns and tanks. Brandy pleads with Ash not to leave her. Pablo goes and saves a little girl while Kelly joins the fight with guns blazing. Ash wrangles them up and helps get them in a transport vehicle so they can get to safety because the military has plans to use nuclear force on the town.

Before Ash gets in the back of the truck, he takes the dagger and closes the door. He decides that he is done running from his problems so he says his tearful goodbyes to his daughter and his trusty Ghostbeaters. They are all visibly upset as the vehicle drives off and Ash is the only one left to finish this.

Ash jumps into an empty tank and tries to get closer to Kandar, accidentally destroying Pablo’s food truck in the process. In the tank, he uses a missile shell and connects the dagger to it to make the ultimate weapon. Ash sets aim and fires but it doesn’t work and Kandar picks up the tank. In the moment of panic, Ash finds the override and shoots the dagger missile right into Kandar causing it to collapse.

Hail to the king

After seemingly defeating Kandar, Ash goes in and out of consciousness. Someone is dragging him until he is put in a box. We get a quick glimpse of a Knights of Sumeria ring before the box is sealed. Ash later wakes up in the box, which is in a secluded room. He is wearing a strange suit and has a brand new hand. Considering the grey in his hair, a good deal of time has passed. A woman appears and calls him “savior.” She looks to be part human, part robot and tells him to follow her.

We can assume that the woman is a Knight and she shows Ash what happened to the outside world, which looks to be in a post-apocalyptic state. Apparently, the Dark Ones are still out there so Ash still has work to do. He wants to know where Brandy is and the woman says she will explain. Then she reveals the Delta, which is now fully reinforced, looking like something out of Mad Max. Ash hops in and before speeding out, he gives fan one last “groovy.”

Next: Ash vs Evil Dead Season 3, episode 9 recap: Judgement Day

With that, the series has officially come to a close. The ending might be reminiscent to some at the alternate ending of Army of Darkness. It is a shame we didn’t get one more look at Brandy, Pablo, and Kelly after evil decimated Elk Grove. We can assume they are still out there somewhere taking care of evil.

Even though Bruce Campbell is finished portraying Ash, maybe the young blood can take over in some sort of spinoff. Clearly, Brandy was following in the footsteps of her father and it would be awesome to see more of their story. But for now, we must say farewell to one of the most outrageously entertaining series in history.