I asked the question before about what it was about Warehouse 13 that drew people in. For the most part, for me, it’s been a show that didn’t require a whole lot of brainpower to get into, which can sometimes be a good thing. Tonight’s season finale had a lot less of that “I’ll throw this on while I do something else at the same time” feel to it, giving us a deeper look into Artie and MacPherson’s relationship and what we can expect to see in subsequent seasons of Warehouse 13.
First thing’s first, I stand by the title of this post. Artie is clearly not dead, and with so much attention paid to The Phoenix artifact, there’s little doubt it played a hand in saving Artie from what appeared to be certain fiery doom. He was noticeably reaching his hand into his pocket during the explosion, so we’ll find out next season that he had his paw wrapped around the artifact. Mark my words.
A point that was brought up in last week’s episode that I found interesting — though probably not all that surprising — was the confirmation of the existence of twelve other warehouses. Whether or not they still exist isn’t entirely clear, though Mrs. Frederic did make note of them. My guess is that they are no longer in existence, as it seems all of the artifacts are kept at #13 and not spread out elsewhere. That is, unless, there’s a different sort of artifact kept at the other twelve.
Something else that was introduced in the finale was the presence of actual human beings as artifacts, in “The Bronze Sector.” If nothing else, this sets up all sorts of possibilities for future episodes. Hunting down actual people rather than inanimate objects opens up a whole new world to us. And how long before Pete gets stuck in the bronzing machine, standing in stasis for months, and then later thawed in a very Han Solo-esque manner. Oh come on, you know it’ll happen.
I’m actually looking forward to another season of Warehouse 13, though I won’t be surprised at how things start out with Artie clutching the Phoenix. That doesn’t really disappoint me, as this show was never about shocking us. It’s a fun show with enough science fiction and shout-outs to moments, people and objects of historical significance that keep this geek interested. The ratings seem to indicate there are a lot more people feeling comfortable with the show, as well, geek or not.
Clacked by Keith McDuffee 
on Sep 22, 2009 @ 22:33 EST5EDT
Ha! I was thinking I dont know how Artie will be back but I totally forgot about that artifact.
I’m really looking forward to the show coming back, especially to see you know who get her comeupance.
I am not sure if they established this in the show yet but I read in an interview that the Library at Alexandria was the first warehouse. It has moved locations throughout history to whichever empire was the most powerful at the time; The regime most capable of protecting the artifacts.
I happened to be catching up on the show and just watched the “Pilot,” which I originally missed. While driving Pete and Micha around the warehouse the first time Artie explains that “the first Warehouse 13 was built in 98, 1898… did not have a handle on how to store so and it burnt down.”
1898 was probably the first American warehouse.
oops, forgot to add this:
https://www.hulu.com/watch/82286/warehouse-13-whose-warehouse-is-it-anyway#s-p7-st-i1
It’s where they talk about the library at Alexandria being an early warehouse which is way older than 1898 :)
The most powerful empire not just because it was most capable of protecting the artifacts, but also because it had the farthest reach with which to gather new artifacts and bring them to the Warehouse.
Mrs. Frederic swears on the ashes of the first twelve Warehouses, so one needn’t read the interviews or the website to know that they no longer exist.
An interesting point is that the Warehouse doesn’t mystically choose its new location: the Regents decide when and where to move it. At some point in history they began to change empires before the fall of the current one, in anticipation of the rise of the new.
But the Phoenix was shown to require a ‘sacrifice’ if it saves the holder’s life. Who was the sacrifice if Artie held the Phoenix? No, I doubt he would have risked Latimer and Bering’s lives.
Actually, my main ‘mystery of the episode’ thing was with Leena. Why would she help McPhearson? And WHY would she frame Claudia? All this and more…in 2010.
I was pissed about Leena. I liked her! She was cool! THIS BETTER BE A DOUBLE CROSS.
Anyways, I’m with a previous commenter, having issues believing Artie would risk Pete and Myka by using the Phoenix. Plus, even if he was, it doesn’t protect him from that giant fall he’d have taken, does it?
Also, last week they said that Warehouse 13 was so named because the other 12 had somehow gotten destroyed.
I thought of Han Solo too! The un-bronzing would be a great twist. I approve.
Thank you Keith that was a great overview. I agree with Sara on both points, although I may not be as observant as you.
I recall, that when MacPherson demonstrated The Phoenix
causing the ’sacrifice’ of the bystanders (the men who breathed out purple air then collapsed after and assumed dead) only happened after MacPherson’s bodyguard, with The Phoenix in hand reappeared from the inferno. (I so wanted to say “arose from the ashes.”) I believe this sets the precedence that if, in fact, Artie is saved from the self-destruction of the “umbilical” he was in because he was holding/touching The Phoenix, that someone is gunna die when he is reborn or arises from the ashes himself. (Could not help myself that time.)
Also, the Leena-thing got me too. Although I had a “feeling” about her myself. Sorry, Pete, you are not the only one. I am a sucker for stories like Claudia’s. What’s going to happen to her now. She so got the raw end of the deal on this one. I really like her.
And lastly, why’d Mrs. Fredrickson never come back to the warehouse? She magically appears seemingly less climactic times. Why not now when she had a Pete-like “feeling” that something was wrong and instructed her driver to “turn around.”?
Too many questions. Can’t wait ’til it is back!!
It’s safe to assume that Mrs. Frederic’s doorways have a limited range. Otherwise, she wouldn’t need to ride around in a car at all. She may even have driven back close enough to the Warehouse to save Artie and obviate the need for Phoenix sacrifice calculations.
P.S. I think I am hooked.
Because Leena disappeared during the second ep and because she was so earth goddessy, I figured they might turn her evil by the middle episode. When they didn’t, I got over my fears and allowed myself to enjoy her, although I still feared they might write her off, as she wasn’t as used as the others.
However, this is what I don’t understand, if the Warehouse has top level background clearance and can learn who might possess international genocidal capabilities, why haven’t they applied that process to their own employees let alone the figures from the 1940s and early 21st century?
Didn’t MacPherson say that whoever had touched the artifact would be safe and that is why the two buyers did not die when their bodyguards did? Granted I can not remember if Pete or Myka touched the medallion.
Two nitpicks: Why would the exit be fire stormed and yet the office survived? You would think the exit would be the last thing to burn to let workers escape. And why didn’t Artie remove the crystals after the cryo process but before the bronzing?
I am torn between being glad that Claudia was not the traitor and being pissed that it was Leena.
Yeah, they both touched the medallion, they both looked at it while wearing those funky psychedellic glasses. Which has me wondering, I would bet Mrs Frederick has touched it before, so who does that leave in the vicinity who would be killed because they hadn’t touched it?
Mrs Fredericks bodyguards for sure are candidates
also….
Leena, she was nearby when the self destruct went off, but I cant see the writers offing her that easily.
Claudia? Her last scene was her leaving the B&B, but we don’t know what range the medallion has do we?
Makes me a little worried for the ol’ girl
The other 12 Warehouses and their history are listed on the official site: https://www.syfy.com/warehouse13/#/about_history
It’s nice to see a show who has its mythology established and is not making it up (and changing) as it goes along.
first off artie swore that he’d protect pete and mika so he wouldn’t use the medallion without knowing if they had touched it but they did either at the auction or when they were bringing the artifacts back to the warehouse. leena also touched the medallion because she is the one who stole it and gave it to mcfereson. to answer a previous commentor if artie took the crystal thing off mcfereson he still would have died even in the bronze
and to add on to my previos comment artie would have survived the fall because when mcferson was selling it he said that it gave the holder invinsibility not just make you fire proof
Great ep, season, wrap up and review. And the comments here are really making me think even more I can’t wait until this comes back. Great show that keeps us all guessing and wanting more. Now that is a good thing!
By the way, great comments from everyone–really nice to see the interaction and ideas thrown out to mull over for the next 8-9 months until it returns.
just watched the ep on hulu.
did not see any part at all where pete and mika touched the pheonix, wasn’t it also the first autioned item sold? they moved on to poe’s items when pete and mika came into scene. didnt see the agents get the pheonix artifact at all. the previous scene with the “funky glasses” only showed a hologram/doesn’t count as touching artifact… and yes it does kill, flashback referances the death of all five firemen at the scene where james saves the girl, this flashback is important, don’t want to see anyone die but…. artie refused to use the artifact stating its never worth using, so artie as a character is he someone that sticks by his words or bends them for his own use, then is he better than james or just the same, willing to sacrifice anything or anyone. as for leena, who knows another artifact/brainwashing? and if so maybe a diff arti for artie to save his life?
love the show and all, dont mean to double post…
but one scene set me off a bit, before bronzing james, artie mentions that it would be horrible if anyone found a process to reverse the bronzing, then leena does it with one push of a button labeled something like reverse process, was a bit at awe over that.
In that scene, Artie actually says that the Bronze Section is not in the manual and there are no written records of it because it would be horrible if someone discovered it and “somehow reversed the process.” Technically, he didn’t say that they didn’t have a method to reverse it, and Leena, like the other Warehouse employees, would have the correct password or biometric signature or whatever to activate it.
Totally.
I love Warehouse 13 and CAN NOT wait for it to comeback, and god dammit they better bring Artie back, he is my favorite character on the show.
Can’t wait!!! Wish it would come back before next summer….
For sure Artie is still alive, not sure who may die. Hopefully it will be MacPherson, he was closest to the blast. Maybe Leena, or maybe she will be exonerated as being used by JM; possibly without her knowledge.
Artie said he had to break some rules to capture JM. Maybe the whole thing was a setup to get MacPherson out of the way permanently (extremely dangerous if he should ever escape). Irene did turn around, possibly because she remembered Leena’s lie about monitoring JM’s wife in DC. Maybe she’ll be the one to off him if somehow he survives the “sacrifice” effect. He did say there was a way around almost anything, and he is clever enough to find it if one exists. Warehouse 13 – This one’s a Keeper !!!
arty is actually dead. if he was holding the phoenex. even if he was then someone else has to die in his place. which would be the other two agents. arty is actually dead. its going to be up to the three of them to finish it.
A few points. The other twelve warehouses were destroyed. The current warehouse is its thirteenth iteration.
Artie could not have used the phoenix. He was unwilling to sacrifice five strangers at the beginning of the episode. I think it is safe to assume he would not use it while risking the lives of Pete and Myka.
MacPherson was cryogenically frozen and was not yet bronzed, which is why it was reversible.
Artie is alive. MacPherson knew Artie had some kind of artifact, not the phoenix, that would protect him. Evidence for this is when MacPherson asks the camouflaged Leena to wave to the camera so that “Artie can enjoy it later”. Also the scene where Artie is obviously reaching into his pocket.
One thing i noticed again was when Artie shot McPherson with the Tesla it didn’t do anything. So what artifact did McPherson have and if it was the phoenix who was the sacrifice.
The first twelve warehouses were destroyed. Remember Mrs. Frederick said “I swear on the ashes of the first 12 warehouses…”
I just want to knwo when warehouse 13 is comming back on tv
one thing every site i’v read and everyone is overlooking is that artie disliked the phonixe and feared useing it cus it always takes a life to save a life artie wouldn’t be selfish enough to use it to save himself at the cost of others would he? specialy if his students where nearby and could be the poteial sarifice
so i’m quite puzzled as to how he comes back if at all i’m afraid they’ll get rid of him and put that weird mean lady incharge forgives my lack of names and accuretness as it’s been like 6months sense i watched an epsiode lol