THE LIBRARIANS: THE NEXT CHAPTER Season Finale Recap: (S01E12) And the Unfinished Business
RELATED: Catch up with our recap of the penultimate The Librarians: The Next Chapter episode of the season, 'And the Graffiti of the Gods'
Finales are held to a higher standard than regular episodes. They must provide a satisfying conclusion to the season's long arc narrative, demonstrate characters' growth, highlight how relationships have deepened, and provide a tantalizing lure for future hijinks. On every point, The Librarians: The Next Chapter 'And the Unfinished Business' delivers. Gold star, friends. The goldest. Image Credit: Aleksandar Letic/TNT The Librarians: The Next Chapter, 'And the Unfinished Business'
Vikram runs through Belgrade to the rock-covered entry of the tomb, where he prevented Gregor from acquiring The Sword of Mars in 1847. With a crystal and a tuning fork, he magically opens the entryway. Inside, he finds the tomb empty and the sword gone. On the ground, he finds a guitar pick with the logo of Gregor's Hammer.
In the Annex, Connor and Lysa prepare to leave. The six months Jacob Stone gave them to help Vikram contain the magic he released into the world are over. Mrs. A. explains that the Main Library will absorb the Belgrade Annex. Charlie brings her equipment in to pack for the barracks. Connor shares that he got a teaching job, but he's not allowed to mention magic on the job.
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Jacob Stone (Christian Kane) arrives via magic door. He congratulates them on a job well done. He thanks them and gives them each a first-class plane ticket. Vikram bursts in to tell them there's some unfinished business. Before he can explain, the pendulum goes nuts, then explodes. They all rush to the table, identifying the map as Caucasylvia and the location of the magical event as the Capitol Building. Despite Jacob's protests, the team activates the magic door and leaves. He follows. Image Credit: Aleksandar Letic/TNT Gregor the Conqueror
In the Caucasylvian Capitol Building, the President addresses the government and announces that he is stepping down. He presents the new leader, General Bogdan Gregor. Gregor enters, wearing the Sword of Mars at his waist. When he turns to face the room, he grips the hilt, magic swirls around him, and his eyes glow with it. Jacob glares at Vikram. Vikram admits that this is the unfinished business he mentioned.
Back at the Annex, they debrief the situation. The Sword of Mars makes the wielder unbeatable in battle. Mrs. A. cuts through the squabbling to point out that Gregor's got the sword, making him incredibly dangerous.
In Caucasylvia, Gregor, escorted by his heavy metal band/sorcerers brigade, returns to his chambers where he stores the sword in a magical safe. He turns to his top minions and directs them to organize a meeting where he can address the world's leaders.
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At the Annex, Lysa wonders why Attila the Hun's tomb was empty. Jacob explains that when the sword's wielder is defeated, they are assimilated, body and soul, into the sword, increasing its power. As the team tries to puzzle out why Caucasylvia is so important to Gregor's plan, Jacob's phone rings. DOSA (The Department of Statistical Anomalies) requests that he report to the U.N. immediately. The team argues that he should let them help on this mission. He agrees to let Vikram and Charlie come with him and directs Lysa and Connor to start researching anything that might help beat Gregor. New York City
When Jacob, Vikram, and Charlie arrive at the UN, Janis Copeland (Monica Lacy) immediately briefs them. Defence systems around the world have stopped working. In the main room, Gregor appears on the screen and tells them that while they are all defenceless, Caucasylvia has long-range nuclear missiles. He gives them 12 hours to surrender and swear fealty to him. If they don't, he'll hit their major cities with the missiles.
The team breaks into the Caucasylvia Palace using the magic door, with Jacob in the lead. They have under 11 hours to get the sword away from Gregor and into the Library. In a nearby hall, Gregor berates the event organizers, insisting on black roses with lots of thorns as decor. He's not wearing the sword. Lysa whips out her magic detector app. Jacob's impressed with how she scienced the magic, commenting how Cassandra would love that. He sends Lysa, Connor, and Vikram to find the sword. He and Charlie will keep an eye on Gregor. Image Credit: Aleksandar Letic/TNT
Vikram distracts two staff members while Lysa and Connor sneak up behind them and knock them out with chloroform. They steal the uniforms. In the event hall, Jacob and Charlie watch as Gregor demands his new flag be unfurled and to begin the wine tasting.
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Lysa's app leads her, Connor, and Vikram to the guarded doors to Gregor's chambers. Lysa tricks the guard into going in. When he opens the door, they glimpse the safe inside. The staff they stole the uniforms from raise an alarm, and they must run. Meanwhile, Jacob and Charlie overhear Gregor's plan to fire his nuclear weapons after that evening's ball, even if the countries surrender. Before they can go, a security guard challenges them. Jacob's Librarian intro doesn't work on him, and Charlie throat-punches him so they can escape. Things Get Worse
Jacob gets another call from Copeland when the team returns to the Annex. He has to meet her alone. Charlie reminds him he has to tell her what Gregor plans to do. Jacob directs the team to find a solution. Image Credit: Aleksandar Letic/TNT
Connor and Mrs. A. find some information on how wielders of The Sword of Mars were defeated. In each instance, the wielder was 'defeated by love.' Vikram realizes they need Lysa to masquerade as Anya and convince Gregor so the sword won't recognize her as an attack.
While Charlie works making Lysa look like Anya, Vikram insists she adopt a cultured accent and tone to impersonate Anya. When he sees her, he's dumbstruck by the resemblance. Lysa has second thoughts, and Vikram reassures her that the plan will work. He reviews Anya's personality traits in detail.
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When Jacob finds Copeland, she tells him he needs to shut down the Library before Gregor can get in and take all the magical items he wants. Jacob protests that they don't give up like that. Copeland insists they're out of time, and he should protect the Library while he can. Anya Besson
Lysa arrives at Gregor's ball. Connor and Charlie are planted in the crowd while Vikram watches from overhead. Using in-ear communication devices, he plans to coach her through her subterfuge. She approaches Gregor, who can't believe she's real. They dance. Gregor interrogates her. When she claims Vikram brought her through time using magic, he calls her bluff, stating he saw her weeks ago through the scrying glass and she wasn't Anya then. Vikram tells her to tell Gregor that she was bewitched into believing she was someone else. As she spins the tale, Gregor pulls her close, and she picks his pocket for the key to the safe. Connor breezes by and takes it from her.
Connor, Charlie, and Vikram break into Gregor's chambers through an air vent (à la Leverage: Redemption 's Parker). When they try to use the key, the lock sparks. They realize the sword's defences are only down for the object of the wielder's love. Vikram lets Lysa know.
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In the hall, Gregor leaves Lysa on the dance floor. Charlie gives her back the key and tells her she needs to get Gregor to open the safe. Lysa's terrified, but Charlie reminds her that she's Lysa's Guardian as well. Gregor returns and hands Lysa a glass, declaring it Anya's favorite drink. He waits for her to identify it. Vikram panics. He has no idea what Anya's favorite drink was. Lysa takes a sip and identifies sugar, bitters, cognac, and absinthe. It's a Sazerac. Gregor is ecstatic and truly believes she is Anya now.
When Vikram asks how she knew over the coms, Lysa says it's a family recipe that her grandmother used to make at Christmas. Gregor sweeps her up in his embrace. As they stroll away, she gets him to brag about having The Sword of Mars. She refuses to believe him, accusing him of teasing her. When he insists he does, she tells him she must see it with her own eyes. He agrees. Sword in Hand
In his chambers, Gregor opens the safe and presents Lysa with The Sword of Mars. She convinces him to let her hold it and then asks him to close his eyes for a surprise. Expecting a kiss, he closes his eyes. She slips out of the room where Charlie and Connor knock out the guards and jam the door. Lysa runs for the magic door. Inside, Gregor realizes the sword is gone, and he's trapped.
The team is blocked from the magic door by a group of Gregor's security. Gregor's guards unblock the door. He comes out and calls for the sword, which flies into his hand. He sees Vikram and gloats, ordering the team arrested with plans to hang them for treason. Vikram challenges him, calling Gregor a coward.
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Gregor waves off the men holding Vikram and accepts Vikram's challenge. Vikram approaches him, unsheathing the sword in his walking stick. They duel. The Sword of Mars snaps Vikram's blade. Vikram continues to battle, but Gregor destroys his weapon completely. Before he can strike a final blow, Jacob steps out of the magic door and interrupts, stating it doesn't seem like a fair fight. He calls for Cal and tells Vikram to whistle to call the sword to him. Gregor realizes Cal is Excalibur with shock. A Fair Fight
Armed with Excalibur, Vikram prepares to face Gregor again. The duel begins again in earnest. As Vikram draws Gregor down a stairwell, Mrs. A. arrives, and the team dispatches the guards. The duel moves into the ballroom, scattering guests. Gregor's still feeling triumphant until Vikram reveals that he and the real Anya were in love.
Gregor loses his focus as Vikram describes the power of their love for each other, and Vikram disarms him. With Vikram's blade at his throat, Gregor asks if he'll strike the killing blow. Vikram puts his sword down and reminds Gregor that The Sword of Mars consumes its wielder once they're defeated. Magic emerges from the sword on the ground and pulls Gregor in.
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The team rushes forward to see if Vikram's okay. He hands Cal to Connor. With his hand wrapped in a cloth, Jacob picks up The Sword of Mars to transport it to the Library. The Next Chapter
Back at the Annex, Vikram's disappointed when Jacob insists on sending Cal back to the Library. Jacob explains that Cal's more than an artifact, he's a Guardian. Lysa thanks Jacob for letting them help with one last mission. Jacob commends them for their work. Vikram asks if Jacob would let them stay a team if it were up to him. Jacob reminds him it's up to the Library. Just then, the Annex lights surge. Jacob, Mrs. A., and Vikram all realize that something's changed. Image Credit: Aleksandar Letic/TNT
Jacob tells the others they should probably check their plane tickets. Lysa, Connor, and Charlie open the folders to find invitations to join the Library. Jacob offers them a life of mystery and misery, a life of loneliness and adventure, but most importantly, a chance to make a difference, a chance to save the world, every day of the week and twice before Friday. They all accept.
RELATED: Read our recaps of The Librarians: The Next Chapter
Vikram double-checks that this means he can stay, too. Jacob welcomes him back as an active Librarian… as long as he's not hiding any more artifacts in the Annex. Vikram promises and immediately pulls out the scrying glass from his pocket. He uses it on the portrait of Anya. It opens a portal to her, and they share a final farewell. He apologizes for leaving her alone. She shows him their son to prove he didn't leave her alone. Lysa steps up next to him. He introduces her to Anya as their great-great-great-great-granddaughter. The rest of the team fan out behind them. Anya is pleased that he is not alone either. The portal closes, and the portrait disintegrates. Behind them, the pendulum reforms, and the team gathers round to see where they're needed next. Epilogue
Out in the woods, a wisp of magic finds its way to a tree as a voiceover states, 'This is not the end of the story. Does a story ever truly end? Old characters leave the stage. New characters step into the light. Sometimes, old characters return. You may not recognize us at first, but you know my name. I am Merlin.' The magic breaks open the tree, and Merlin (Dominic Monaghan) emerges.
All The Librarians: The Next Chapter Season 1 episodes stream on TNT . Season 2 premieres in 2026.
THE LIBRARIANS: THE NEXT CHAPTER Stacks Season 2 With Guest Stars Diana lives in Vancouver, BC, Canada, where she invests her time and energy in teaching, writing, parenting, and indulging her love of all Trek and a myriad of other fandoms. She is a lifelong fan of smart sci-fi and fantasy media, an upstanding citizen of the United Federation of Planets, and a supporter of AFC Richmond 'til she dies. Her guilty pleasures include female-led procedurals, old-school sitcoms, and Bluey. She teaches, knits, and dreams big. You can also find her writing at The Televixen, Women at Warp, TV Fanatic, and TV Goodness.
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