MovieChat Forums > Nurse Jackie (2009) Discussion > Last Episode(s) Symbolism

Last Episode(s) Symbolism

posted 9 years ago by pmvl
2 replies | jump to latest

I just finished watching the series. I was thinking about some of the symbolism of the last couple of episodes. These are thoughts and questions that I have so far:

* On the hallucination scene at the end, we see several people from her past that have passed away: Charlie, the bicycle guy, and the nun. Does this mean that Jackie is dying? Or that she is thinking about those people?

* She takes off her stethoscope, id, and watch. Does her taking off the watch mean that it's the end of time for her?

* Vigilante Jones I think is really a representation of Jackie herself. Someone who thinks that s/he is saving others no matter what the cost. Someone who thinks that they are above everything (Vigilante doesn't care about his legs/feet, Jackie doesn't care about using drugs). Someone who, figuratively (Jackie) or literally (Vigilante) think that they can fly and ultimately jump to their deaths (again, figuratively or literally).

* The drug addict (I can't remember his name) from whom Jackie obtains the heroin at the end. Isn't he the one who said in an earlier episode "Why save me? I'm going to use again anyway." Isn't that exactly the story with Jackie, she is "saved" or gets clean, just to use again anyway.

* I really think that there is some symbolism to Dr. Prince at the end, I just can't quite figure it out.

[–] yahko_kun 9 years ago

The way I see it - it doesnt matter if Jackie dies of an overdose or not. The near death experience is shown to us that she had been to the other side. If she is saved and they pump her with some anti opiates meds.

She can not function in a world that completely abandoned her. Prince is dying, Coop is gone, Zoey doesnt follow her to Bellview (and the reason is that Zoey doesnt want to be around an addict), Eddie is going to Jail, Grace is gone to college, O'Hara breaks her friendship, Carrie is Carrie.

If she dies - she died a happy death because it was the end chapter in her All Saints life. Its like the old guy in Shawshank Redemption - he couldn't survive anywhere else but the jail.

[–] rendrag-2 9 years ago

* I really think that there is some symbolism to Dr. Prince at the end, I just can't quite figure it out.

Prince was the Doctor version of Nurse Jackie. Breaking rules. Doing what's necessary instead of what's expected etc.

Ever heard the term "Physician: Heal Thyself." Dr. Prince, like Jackie, was an inspired care-giver but when it came to his own health there was nothing he could do. He just worked through it the very best he could.
Jackie could have cured herself but chose not to... or so conventional wisdom tells us.

I thought it was great that I had more patience. Turns out... I just don't give a sh!t