5.
Doc’s big hero sacrifice and death is probably the most shocking moment at the end of Vengeance. Why was now the correct moment for this to be Doc’s end, and was it something that had been planned for a while?
TR: Listen, what if I told you that…I might have asked for it.
MS: I was hoping you were going to bring this up.
TR: I think it’s a great arc for the character. People always ask, “What was your favorite scene, or what was your favorite season?” But in all honesty, when it comes to Wynonna Earp it was the entire arc that I was given. Just because I’ve gone through so many different levels and emotions, and to end it the way we did, I just loved it. I personally loved it. I thought it was really great. And I think Emily did it justice. I was never nervous. I was in great hands. I died in, literally, the best hands possible. And I had Emily Andras writing that scene. I felt safe. It was a good way to go. I’ll say this…it’s a sci-fi show. Anything is possible, right?
EA: Tim would tell you the truth about it being his idea. You should feel very proud of that, Nora.
There is something natural about Doc, having been on this 175-year-old journey. He’s been a gunslinger, he’s been a vampire, he’s been a good guy, he’s been a bad guy, he’s been a dad. What is the ultimate last adventure? It’s death, right? It did kind of feel like the right choice for him.
But this is the truth about Tim Rozon that we all know. Nobody is more Earp than Tim Rozon. The Earpiest Earper who ever lived. So he had a meeting with Tubi, and he basically said, “Look, we have this passionate fandom. We have more stories to tell. I’m sure Andras can do it, hopefully.” And Tubi said, “Well, what makes this a special? What makes it not another episode?” And he said, “I’ll tell you. We’re gonna kill off Doc.” So it was his pitch.
But then, you know, people go out for dinner and pitch all sorts of things. When we actually got a green light, I said to Tim, “I can fight this. People say crazy stuff all the time.” I said Meryl Streep was going to be in it. I said, “You already sold it. So, do you want me to fight?” And he was like, “No because I trust you, and I do think it’s an interesting story, and you will give it weight.”
That being said, as soon as Tim got on set, he was like, “Em…do you think we…I don’t think I cannot do this again if we get to go again.” I was like, “Let’s talk. We can figure it out.” That’s the next problem.
I think it just speaks to how much the cast understands that the show has become something that was created by us, and shifted to something that’s owned by the fans. I think creators struggle with that sometimes, like that’s the ultimate gift that other people take ownership of it. And Tim was like, “Anything we can do to get more Earp to these people we love is good.”
Mel, was it a tough to film that final scene between Wynonna and Doc?
MS: Anything with my Tim is, like, easy. So even if it’s hard. It’s easy. And that’s what I’ve learned. I used to put a lot of pressure on it to be like, Oh, this has to be good, but like, it will be because we’re together. It felt good in that sense. It was a really tough one. I don’t love that he’s gone and that things happened that way.
I also have faith that we have some friends in high places. I think, much like Wynonna, it’s all about keeping hope alive. She’s not going to give up, and neither will I.
