The following article contains spoilers for the Season 2 finale of Ted Lasso on Apple TV+.
Last night’s finale episode of Ted Lasso saw many key developments: AFC Richmond promoted back to the Premiere League after a season of incredible input from its players and management, Ted reaching a manner of peace with ex-wife Michelle, and Sam making the (ultimately wise) decision not to return to Nigeria. Even the sharp-tongued Trent Crimm of The Independent had moved on to pastures greener by the episode’s end. Meanwhile, on a romantic front, fans were left wondering if Keeley Jones (Independent Woman!) had outgrown him after landing her dream PR role.
But perhaps the biggest moment of the night came from Nate Shelley (Nick Mohammed), who finally gave Ted a piece of his mind, and boy was it a scene worth waiting for.
We have watched over the course of the season as Nate battled feelings of abandonment and rejection by Ted. From Ted’s spontaneous hire of former club captain Roy Kent as yet another manager in an already cluttered landscape, to Nate’s misinterpreted slight at Ted’s failure to include his Christmas gift on his office desk (not realizing the gift in question — a framed photo of Nate and Ted — sits pride of place next to a photo of Ted’s son in his house), to his sly outing of Ted’s anxiety issues to the tabloids, there is no doubt this season has been agony for a man struggling with deep Daddy issues.
Those issues all came to a head in an explosive outburst from Nate last night as he unleashed a whole year of spite at the man he had once revered as an idol. His message to Ted simple: Go home.
It came as no surprise, given an earlier whispered conversation with Rebecca’s caddish ex Rupert that Nate might be ready to leave both Ted and AFC Richmond for a better deal at West Ham United. Still, the closing moments of the episode, in which Nate observes training at West Ham, struck with an almost Game of Thrones-style sense of villainous betrayal.
Add to that Nate’s tearing up of the sacred “Believe” sign and we have to wonder if Nate is even redeemable at this point?
Luckily Nick Mohammed, who has given such life to this mercurial character, has offered up several thoughts over Twitter on Nate’s arc, his season finale actions, Nate’s state of mind, and if he thinks the character can even be redeemed as Ted Lasso heads into a third season in 2022.
And if you are wondering about Nate’s gradual hair color change, you may be surprised to learn it’s quite deliberate.
Check his comments on the careful construction of the season’s biggest story arc below.
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