Warning! This article contains spoilers for Earth Abides.

Earth Abides ends its six-episode run on a high note by featuring several emotional moments before leaving viewers with a memorable lesson. Unlike most post-apocalyptic movies and shows, Earth Abides takes a grounded and realistic approach to portraying humanity's life after a catastrophic event. It shows how long after a pandemic wipes out almost the entire human population, the remaining survivors find themselves at a crossroads where they can either resist change and attempt to rebuild civilization or let nature do its thing and adapt accordingly.

While most human characters in Earth Abides gradually settle into doing the latter, the protagonist, Ish, seeks certainty as he relies on books and knowledge to help humanity sustain itself. However, towards the ending moments of Earth Abides, Ish, too, learns to loosen his grip on control and accept the unpredictable nature of life. By highlighting Ish's cathartic journey,...