‘Orphan Black’ Bosses Talk Season 4, Finale Deaths and Neolution’s ‘Body Horror’ Return

Orphan Black has closed down the lab for another season with Saturday’s latest finale “History Yet to Be Written,” though the #CloneClub will have plenty of challenges ahead in Season 4. Now, creators John Fawcett and Graeme Manson break down some of those finale twists and deaths, also previewing what to expect from an increase in body-horror next year.

You’re warned of all the major spoilers from Orphan Black’s third season finale this past Saturday night, but many expecting a high-octane finish to the Castor storyline were treated to a less climactic closer in “History Yet to Be Written.” The clone club successfully managed to keep their progenitor Kendall Malone out of Castor’s hands, Helena even taking down Rudy, the last dangerous male clone, but in the process revealing the return of yet another conspiracy threat: the deranged “Neolution” group.

Speaking to TVLine, co-creator Manson previewed that Neolution’s return would reintroduce some of the body-horror and biotech elements from season 1, exemplified through the mysterious worm emerging from Dr. Nealon’s mouth:

They’ve been through slaughter just to fight their way through these factions and now they’ve discovered that there’s one real force behind it all. It’s doubling back to the very beginning and the first face we saw of Neolution, which was the sort of pop-culture Dr. Leekie face. That philosophy appears to be far more deep-rooted than we’ve known so far. That’s the journey we’re going to go on next season.

That revelation seemingly cost Delphine (Evelyne Brochu) her life, as Nealon warned she’d die before the day’s end, though the later shooting scene left unclear just how badly she’d been wounded. The jury’s out on who actually shot her, nor would the BBC-A clarify Brochu’s status for Season 4, though Manson at least offered that Delphine’s tragic fate would prove a necessary evolution of Cosima’s character going forward. Assuming Delphine actually died (Manson naturally wouldn’t confirm), creators haven’t ruled out the possibility of the character at least appearing in other means.

Delphine wouldn’t be the only character to return in Season 4 either, as both producers confirm that sole-surviving Castor clone Mark will keep Ari Millen in play, while the door remains open for both Ksenia Solo (Cosima’s new girlfriend Shay) and James Frain’s duplicitous “cleaner” Ferdinand. And while Tatiana Maslany herself has always provided the centerpiece of the series, Manson confirms that our newest clone “Krystal” will indeed play a part in Season 4:

We sure enjoyed that character. The [scenes introducing] Krystal in Episode 8 were some of my favorite of the year, especially [the ones] with Jordan [Gavaris]. Jordan was awesome. We always wanted to do that story about a clone who’s naive and you’re choosing to leave [her] naive. We’d like to see Krystal next year, and it’ll be that question again, “Do you tell Krystal? Or will Krystal find out?” Because she’s not what she appears. She’s not a bimbo.

There will be plenty more to break down as we begin the long road to 2016, including Rachel awakening to find her thought-dead mother Susan Duncan overseeing her recovery, and firmly in the Neolutionist camp, as well as Helena’s continued pregnancy and the Hendrixes’ newfound community role, but did Season 3 prove Orphan Black’s strongest yet? What other mysteries are left to explore when Season 4 picks up in 2016?