Netflix's 'Below' Concludes with a Dire Warning of Environmental Catastrophe

The first season of Netflix's oceanic thriller Below, starring Josh Hartnett, concludes with a resolution to the immediate threat of a colossal sea creature but offers a chilling premonition of future environmental crises.

The series, set in the small Newfoundland fishing town of Snooks Arm, centers on fisherman Calvin Penney (Hartnett), who discovers that a monstrous deep-sea squid, responsible for his father's death decades prior, has returned. Alongside scientist Dr. Fonda Lee (Mackenzie Davis) and Calvin's son Wade (Charlie Heaton), the trio must protect the town not only from the creature but also from a predatory corporation seeking to exploit the area's mineral wealth.

The Squid's Demise and a Troubling Legacy

As the Canadian military prepares to bomb an iceberg containing the squid's egg sac, Calvin devises a plan to tow the iceberg offshore, luring the squid away from civilization. This action allows the creature to sacrifice itself, providing nutrients for its hatching young. However, Fonda warns that the warming ocean waters may render the newly hatched squids unable to survive, suggesting a bleak outlook for the species.

A Glimpse of the Future

A year after the events of the series, Snooks Arm has transformed into a tourist hub, capitalizing on the legend of the squid. The townspeople, however, are met with a new, ominous threat: a fleet of icebergs drifting towards the coast. These icebergs, potentially harboring more creatures and toxic secretions, serve as a stark visual metaphor for the escalating environmental dangers posed by warming seas. The series hints that a broader catastrophe may be on the horizon.

Future of 'Below'

While the series concludes with numerous plot threads that could support a second season, including unresolved mysteries surrounding characters like Wade's fiancée Maggie and the continued opposition from the Crocker Group, the show is billed as a limited series. According to Hartnett, there are currently no plans for a second season, though its potential depends on its reception among Netflix subscribers.