Countdown Season 1 finale ending explained: The task force is lured into a trap again and Oliveras' fate remains in question

Countdown Season 1 finale just delivered the best possible ending, and if you have been following the Derek Haas thriller, it will definitely make you jump out of your seats. The closing moments of today's episode have nullified all the creative flaws so far, leaving the perfect cliffhanger ending as Oliveras runs for her life.

As it appears, Nathan Blythe's task force has been fooled once again by the killer, and the latter has used his close friend Seth Lewis's FBI identity to dig into the team. While the Countdown Season 1 finale is mostly about action and twists, it also gives space to Oliveras and Mark's twisted romance - not to mention Agent Shepherd's dramatic relationship arc with her sister.

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Countdown Season 1 finale kicks off at the right pace with the killer's case

Countdown Season 1 finale opens up with a sinister sequence of our mysterious killer as he totally goes into Walter White mode, brewing deadly, explosive chemicals. The opening mood is the perfect buildup to an unexpected cliffhanger with an adequate amount of drama clubbed with action.

The latest episode reveals Mark Meachum's new romantic interest, Officer Hannah Tilly (portrayed by Lacey Claire Rogers), with the LAPD. On the other hand, Agent Oliveras is seen leading a life of "stability" (as she likes to say) with Julio but have the old flames been totally extinguished?

It seems not, as the next day back at the headquarters, Oliveras and Mark have an awkward encounter in the Countdown Season 1 finale, given their history. Oliveras jokingly asks what Mark was so busy with (that he did not respond to her texts), and in return the latter tries to intrigue her with her relationship with a "boring" Julio.

However, thanks to Agent Shepherd and Bell's investigation skills, we come across a major lead. An aggressive talk show from Los Angeles, Truth to Power Hour, whose host is a man named Randy Mankin (portrayed by Kiff VandenHeuvel) becomes the next dot that the team needs to connect to.

Apparently, the language of the manifesto that Todd, aka the killer had been using has certain similarities with the talk show and once Oliveras and Mark meet up with Randy Mankin, the picture becomes clearer. They gather all possible information about any fans of the show who obsess over the subject and might be a potential link to the killer.

With Nathan Blythe's advice on the matter, the task force gears up to access crucial data from a company known as World Shield, one that does threat assessment for Mankin's talk show. However, each moment is valuable now as the highly anticipated fundraiser of the Governor and the President is nearing.

So Nathan Blythe must not leave any stone unturned to ensure security, and with the help of his senior ADIC Jay Tostrud, he keeps connected to Governor Shelby. Moreover, he asks Fitz to keep him updated with the schedule of the Secret Service shortly before the President's arrival.

Countdown Season 1 finale also drives a parallel story where we see Agent Shepherd struggling with her sister Molly's tumultuous presence. As it appears, she is in bad company and the guy she brings back to her apartment is definitely bad news.

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Oliveras gets abducted in Countdown Season 1 finale and the task force is lured into another trap

As it seems, the killer is always one step ahead of Nathan Blythe's task force and it is as if he can see everything - he can see whatever they are doing to catch him. As seen in the Countdown Season 1 finale, the killer makes his ominous presence felt at a horse race course in Arcadia.

Though his arrival seems suspicious, he smoothes in using a mysterious badge and identity which is not revealed until later. He leaves his truck behind and a can (probably stuffed with something inflammable) and his plans look more sinister than ever.

On the other hand, Finau uses his contact in ATF in Countdown Season 1 finale to get information out on the sniper rifle model that the task force had earlier retrieved from one of the cabins that was rented by Todd. His sources at the ATF eventually revealed that a lot of these above-mentioned rifles were retrieved by the LAPD but were later seized by the Bureau.

As all of this happens in Countdown Season 1 finale, Fitz accompanies Agent Blythe to see the governor at the venue that has been decided for the fundraiser with the President of the United States. On the other hand, it appears that Mark is still not over his feelings for Oliveras and the two have a heated confrontation where the former explains why they would be a good match.

However, as it turns out, he made it look like he was faking it, and Oliveras breathed a sigh of relief - but was Mark actually joking? Only time will tell.

But things go awry in Countdown Season 1 finale when reports from the nearby parking lot in Arcadia's race track come in mentioning that a mysterious vehicle has gone up in flames. As expected, Nathan Blythe and his task force reaches the spot on a priority basis, and all of them are surprised by how casually the killer left his mark - the mysterious sigil he always uses.

Moreover, Mark shares an awkward moment with his current love interest, LAPD Officer Tilly, (the one in charge of the crime scene) as she comes across him and Oliveras investigating the matter. Mark tries to play it cool only to get joked about by Oliveras.

He might be laughing it all off, but deep down, there is definitely something inside of him for the DEA agent. Mark even avoids Tilly's texts and drowns himself in thought later that night, which clearly indicates his confused state of mind.

The next morning comes with some big twists. As Oliveras, after a serious discussion with Julio about their relationship, leaves for work, she gets kidnapped by the killer.

However, it is eventually revealed at the headquarters that an FBI official, going by the identity Seth Lewis had tried to gain access to crucial information related to the task force. Amidst all this, Oliveras remains missing, and the team is not able to reach her. Assuming that she is just late for work, the task force takes up the matter in hand.

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A cliffhanger ending

As it seems, all records starting from footage outside the pub (where the task force first came in contact with the killer) to the rifle as well as the blown-up truck, everything matches with Seth. It's not only later that we realize that Todd, aka the killer is not actually Seth but the latter is his close friend (who was also having an affair with his wife).

So, Todd's whole plan to blow up the government was by keeping Seth as the face of the operation, as we see in Countdown Season 1 finale. With all evidence pointing towards Seth, Nathan Blythe's task force reaches his house location only to find his present wife (Todd's ex-girlfriend) and him.

However, Todd is elsewhere keeping Oliveras hostage (whose phone has been left behind in a cafe). Amidst all the conundrums, Agent Shepherd gets a call from the hospital that her sister has been admitted in a state of drug overdose and is currently in a coma.

Mark, being his usual nosy self, feels something is off and that they might have again landed in the wrong place. The closing moments of Countdown Season 1 finale will definitely leave you screaming at your screen. We witness the killer aka Todd taking Oliveras to his favorite shooting spot.

As he reaches there, Todd pulls Oliveras out of the car, loads his rifle, takes off her handcuffs and blindfold and shouts at her to run. As he points his sniper rifle at Oliveras (who is seen running for her life), Countdown Season 1 finale draws a conclusion leaving the whole story with a cliffhanger.

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