A Gentleman In Moscow Quietly Confirms The Sad Truth About The Show's Ending

Warning: Spoilers ahead for the finale of A Gentleman in Moscow.

Summary The ending of A Gentleman in Moscow may not be as satisfying as it seems, with clues pointing to a deceptive conclusion.

Sofia becomes a pivotal character in the show, shaping the narrative and influencing the perceived resolution of the story.

Despite a seemingly happy ending, Alexander and Anna's survival is unlikely based on the show's context and clues.

A Gentleman in Moscow's fraught conclusion came with an implied ending that suggested a relatively satisfying conclusion for Alexander, Anna, and Sofia. However, the finale's closing sequence is embedded with certain symbolism and creative decisions that all but confirm the ending that's shown is something of a thinly veiled deception. While viewers may choose to buy into the ending of A Gentleman in Moscow, it's difficult to ignore the clues that point to the story finishing in a much more upsetting way.

Led by Ewan McGregor as Alexander Rostov, the cast of A Gentleman in Moscow changed slightly as the show progressed. For example, when Nina bade farewell to Alexander in A Gentleman in Moscow episode 4, "Good Times," Sofia took her place as a main character. In the following episode, "An Arrival," An older Sofia is revealed to be the figure who has served as the narrator since the show's opening installment. So, despite her late debut, Sofia becomes a pivotal figure in the fabric of A Gentleman in Moscow's story - and even more so in how its ending is represented.

Related The True Story Behind A Gentleman In Moscow's Bolshevik Revolution In 1917 Ewan McGregor's A Gentleman in Moscow character might be fictional, but he's in the middle of a Russian conflict that happened in real life.

A Gentleman In Moscow's Black Apples Prove The Ending Is Just Sofia's Fantasy

The apples stem from one of Alexander Rostov's childhood tales

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In A Gentleman in Moscow episode 8, "Adieu," Alexander has dinner with the staff of Moscow's Metropol Hotel after he has sent his daughter on her way to Paris. When speaking of the concept of regret, Alexander tells the staff a story from his youth. The tale revolves around a tree that bears "Apples as black as coal." If someone were to find the tree and eat the fruit, they would be allowed to start their life again. Even Alexander admits the apples are from the world of fiction, and yet they are shown during the episode's closing scene.

The message here is that, even if Alexander and Anna had easy access to the fantastical fruit, they would feel no desire to start their tumultuous lives again. In other words, the love they've experienced is far too precious to forget.

The supposed flash-forward, narrated by a future Sofia, involves Alexander and Anna living a peaceful life in the Finnish countryside. The sequence features an apple tree, and the obsidian orbs perfectly match Alexander's description from earlier in A Gentleman in Moscow's final episode. Therefore, the rest of the scene is very unlikely to also be authentic. The message here is that, even if Alexander and Anna had easy access to the fantastical fruit, they would feel no desire to start their tumultuous lives again. In other words, the love they've experienced is far too precious to forget.

A Gentleman In Moscow Could Have Shown Alexander's Happy Ending With Anna (If It Had Happened)

The flash-forward gives A Gentleman in Moscow's conclusion a dream-like aesthetic

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Sofia's narration during the episode's conclusion confirms that she never heard from either parent ever again. However, the description of her fantasy matches what's revealed on screen a little too accurately: "I like to imagine [Alexander and Anna] finally free, living out the rest of their lives together." The likelihood of Alexander being able to stroll through the doors of the Metropol and begin life as a free man with no resistance is incredibly low. While it's possible that Anna did manage to flee to Finland due to Osip Glebnikov's warning, Alexander probably never joined her.

If A Gentleman in Moscow wanted to unequivocally confirm the survival of Alexander and Anna, it could have just shown them in the show's regular format.

The flash-forward switches to a 4:3 aspect ratio, further implying the scene's false nature. The 4:3 shots are largely reserved for A Gentleman in Moscow's point-of-view flashback shots. However, even though Sofia is narrating when the new life of her parents is revealed, she has already confirmed she never saw them again in reality. If A Gentleman in Moscow wanted to unequivocally confirm the survival of Alexander and Anna, it could have just shown them in the show's regular format. The show featured several time jumps throughout its run, so this scene should have looked no different from those instances.

Alexander And Sofia Would Have Reached Out To Sofia If They'd Survived

Sofia's parents would've risked it all one more time to speak with their daughter

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If Alexander and Anna had both survived their escape attempts in A Gentleman in Moscow's finale, it's difficult to believe that neither character would attempt to reach out to Sofia. While such an act would likely have placed both parental figures in danger, the love they have for their surrogate daughter had already proven to be far greater than their need for self-preservation.

Related A Gentleman In Moscow Brilliantly Connects Ewan McGregor’s Alexander Rostov & The Metropol Hotel There is an artistic connection between the Metropol and Alexander in A Gentleman in Moscow that could foreshadow the Russian count's fate.

After Sofia fled the group with which she went to Paris, she reached the American embassy and was thereafter granted asylum. So, Alexander or Anna could conceivably have reached Sofia through official channels - likely through Richard Vanderwhile. According to This is Finland, while there was a period when the country was under Russian rule, Finland regained its independence in 1917 - the year before the events of the show began.

Despite being fictional, A Gentleman in Moscow adhered to a genuine historical timeline.

By the time of Alexander's escape in "Adieu," it is 1953, which was 35 years after he was sentenced, and 36 years after Finland ceased to fall under Russian jurisdiction. So, this would have made it even safer for Alexander or Sofia to risk getting in touch with Sofia. Therefore, while A Gentleman in Moscow's almost-fairy tale ending is easier to stomach, it's unfortunately very likely to be nothing more than one of Sofia's idealized ruminations.

All episodes of A Gentleman in Moscow are now available to stream now on Paramount +.

Source: This is Finland