The Equalizer has been a powerhouse action drama on CBS for five seasons, and the series finale wrapped up in a satisfying bow. Based on the original series of the same name starring Edward Woodward, the reboot stars Queen Latifah as Robyn McCall, an ex-CIA operative and a divorced single mother who uses her skills to help people in need. The Equalizer season 5 finale concludes the series on a high note as Robyn faces her most personal mission yet.
Robyn and Dante embark on their romantic getaway, where their lives are placed in danger by men intending to kill Robyn. Along with Robyn and Dante, other key characters like Aunt Vi, Captain Curtis, and Robyn's daughter, Delilah, each have their own stories and aspirations to look forward to. While The Equalizer succeeded in the ratings department during its inception, viewership declined towards the end of its run, leading CBS to cancel The Equalizer before season 6. The drama is among a list of canceled CBS shows, including the FBI spin-offs and S.W.A.T., due to low ratings and high production costs. However, despite a satisfying conclusion, the door is left open for The Equalizer season 6.
Robyn And Dante Finally Have A Romantic Getaway
After getting to know each other for five seasons, Robyn and Dante are fully in love and have their romantic getaway at a cabin in the Poconos. Reminiscent of Robyn, Dante is also a divorced parent with children and is a smart investigator thanks to his job as an NYPD detective. However, their relationship had a rocky start because Dante was reluctant to have Robyn's help in certain cases, since she is considered a vigilante who can sometimes bend his rules of law enforcement.
CBS's The Equalizer ends abruptly after season 5, leaving fans heartbroken over unresolved storylines and lingering questions about Robyn’s future. Despite their differences in pursuing justice and fighting crime, Robyn and Dante fall in love and gain more respect for each other because of their strengths and vulnerabilities as single parents and their care for humanity. They also support one another's careers, particularly Robyn encouraging Dante as he leaves the NYPD for his promotion to a special unit in Los Angeles. Robyn and Dante's romantic getaway gives them an opportunity to elevate their relationship, but it doesn't come without hurdles, as men try to kill them in their time off from work.
What's Next For Aunt Vi And Captain Curtis?
Robyn's aunt, Vi, and NYPD Captain Curtis Martin are another intriguing couple in season 5. In The Equalizer, Aunt Vi moved in with Robyn and Delilah in New York back in season 1 to help and support them after moving from Milwaukee. As Vi continues to establish herself as a talented artist and a mother figure to Robyn, she has also found love with Curtis, which turned out to be a lighter and more sentimental subplot amidst the action and drama surrounding Robyn.
Vi and Curtis ultimately decide to move in together by agreeing to find their own home in the show's series finale. While this is a happy ending for the pair, their relationship could be explored further if The Equalizer is to make a surprise comeback in the future. It's also curious to determine whether Vi and Curtis remain in New York or move elsewhere outside the Big Apple. Regardless, this couple's story deserves its own stage, perhaps in an Equalizer spin-off and/or prequel to delve deeper into the characters' backstories.
Robyn's Final Case Explained
Robyn's cases generally involve her helping other people get out of trouble and using her brand of justice to battle tough villains. However, the series finale makes Robyn's final case personal as she and the love of her life are in danger of being killed by the hands of major cartel member Angel Salazar. This nemesis squared off against Robyn during the season 5 premiere, "The Lost Ones," and episode 8, "Guns and Roses." Robyn and her team investigated Salazar before for smuggling illegal guns used in gang wars and placing them in stolen trucks. Salazar escapes after Robyn and her team seize a shipment of guns in episode 8. Due to this, Salazar wants payback and intends to kill Robyn for interfering with his business. Dante is shot while held at Salazar's base of operations. However, with the help of her teammates Harry and Mel, Robyn takes down Salazar during an intense knife fight and rescues a wounded Dante. After this near-death mission, Dante proposes to Robyn, who eventually accepts his proposal.
How The Equalizer Season 5 Finale Sets Up Its Scrapped Spinoff
While The Equalizer season 5 finale is now considered the conclusion to the series, it still leaves plenty of open doors for a spin-off (which has also been scrapped due to the lower ratings and high production costs for The Equalizer). Titus Welliver's ex-CIA operative Elijah Reed and Juani Feliz's martial artist Samantha Reed were expected to star in the spin-off series after their impressionable appearances in season 5 of The Equalizer. This would've been a grand opportunity to start a spin-off that focuses on new characters with elite crime-fighting skills. If this spin-off were to occur, it would've been the start of an Equalizer franchise reminiscent of the NCIS and FBI franchises.
According to showrunner Andrew Marlowe, back in 2021, there was also some consideration of having Latifah's Robyn McCall cross over with Denzel Washington's Robert McCall from The Equalizer trilogy directed by Antoine Fuqua. While this would've been a challenge considering the differences in style and tone, this could still be an option in the near future, especially since Latifah and Denzel both worked together before in the film, The Bone Collector.
What The Equalizer Season 6 Could Have Been About
If there were to be a season 6 of The Equalizer, it would've included Robyn and Dante's wedding, according to Joe Wilson, another showrunner. Their engagement is significant because, while this elevates their relationship, their careers are left in question. One of them is whether Robyn will be able to continue her equalizing job of helping others while trying to keep herself and Dante safe from dangerous enemies. Another question is regarding Dante and if he'll still be a police officer.
Although this is the end of The Equalizer on CBS, a streaming service like Paramount Plus (associated with CBS) or Netflix can revive the action drama for a sixth season or form a new series to continue Robyn's journey. Considering Robyn and Dante's respective careers, they would try to balance their work and personal lives if there were to be another season or spin-off of The Equalizer. The relationship between Vi and Curtis should also be explored after their decision to move in together, along with Delilah's college life at Harvard University and her bond with her mother.
Although this is the end of The Equalizer on CBS, a streaming service like Paramount Plus (associated with CBS) or Netflix can revive the action drama for a sixth season or form a new series to continue Robyn's journey.
