Rather than just revealing more about Elliot’s history, the second season of The Tourist shed light on aspects of his past while still leaving some major questions unanswered. The final moments of the season only deepened the mystery around his choices and identity.
Shifting the story’s setting from Australia to his home country, Ireland, introduced fresh uncertainties—especially regarding McDonnells’ motives for kidnapping him and why certain members of the family wanted him dead.
The truth is out, but peace remains elusive (Photo: The Tourist/GK Films, Columbia Pictures, and Spyglass Entertainment)The long-standing conflict between the McDonnells and the Cassidys reached a breaking point in the sixth episode, where Helen’s discoveries played a key role in putting an end to their rivalry.
Although it may have seemed like traveling to Ireland was a mistake for Elliot and Helen, their visit added depth to the amnesia storyline in The Tourist.
The journey provided Elliot with clarity about his past, and he gradually accepted that his actions moving forward were what truly defined him—not the history he had only partially remembered.
By bringing both familiar and new characters into the mix, unearthing secrets that had been buried for decades, and resolving multiple storylines, season two wrapped up several loose ends from both seasons. However, one last revelation hinted at a hidden truth that could disrupt Elliot’s newfound peace.
Elliot Stanley’s True Identity and Its Implications
Unlike the first season, the second season focused heavily on how Elliot ended up in Australia using the identity of a deceased diver while being known as Eugene Cassidy back home. His struggle with his past reached a critical point when he kidnapped Donal McDonnell and nearly took his life in episode five.
Even though many still saw him as Donal’s murderer in the next episode, the truth finally came to light—Elliot’s mother, Niamh, had killed Donal without remorse.
Revealing these hidden truths in front of both the Cassidys and the McDonnells prevented an all-out gang war and led to a much less violent conclusion in episode six. Elliot’s refusal to kill Donal, despite having the chance, proved that he was no longer the same person as Eugene Cassidy from his past.
His actions finally brought him the peace he had been seeking since the first season and throughout his journey in season two.
How Niamh’s Secret Prevented a Gang War
With how intense the rivalry between the Irish families in The Tourist had become, it would have been easy to assume that whatever Niamh had been hiding for over four decades held great financial value for the McDonnells.
However, what she concealed was a different kind of truth—it was not about wealth but rather her heritage. Niamh was a McDonnell, the result of an affair between her mother and Frank McDonnell’s father.
Although knowing about this family connection did not stop Niamh from taking the lives of multiple McDonnells, including her nephew Donal, the revelation changed everything for Frank.
His father had wanted him to know about his half-sister, and because Frank valued family above all else, this knowledge forced him to reconsider his actions.
Elliot and Helen’s Reconciliation Despite Her Doubts
The beginning of episode six showed Helen visiting Elliot in jail after his arrest for Donal’s murder. She broke up with him because she feared she no longer truly knew who he was, even though her feelings for him remained.
Although she had initially planned to leave Ireland, her determination to uncover the truth made her stay. Her decision to enter a bar filled with potential enemies, knowing a gang war could erupt at any moment, demonstrated just how deeply she cared about him.
Her actions not only saved Elliot but also changed the course of events for his family. Their ability to reconcile was largely due to the changes in their outlooks. When Elliot told Helen he hadn’t killed Donal, she hesitated for only a moment before believing him.
At the same time, Elliot had stopped searching for a connection with his family or giving them undue chances. Unlike before, Helen did not feel the need to find extra justifications for why Elliot was a good person. Instead, both of them focused on the present and the possibility of a future together.
The Use of the File in The Tourist Season 2’s Ending
Burning the file marked an important turning point in Helen and Elliot’s relationship, as it signified that both of them were finally living in the present without being weighed down by the past.
However, even though they did not know what was inside, the revelation that Eugene Cassidy had been a special agent was bound to affect their lives if The Tourist returned for a third season.
Since The Tourist season two became available on BBC iPlayer on January 28 and on Netflix on February 29, it may take some time before any renewal decisions are announced. The show’s future will depend on how well it performs in terms of viewership.
This unexpected twist could serve to reshape how Elliot’s past is perceived, potentially justifying some of his previous choices while adding a new layer to his character. At the same time, it would reinforce the style of storytelling seen in the first two seasons.
If a third season were to happen, Elliot and Helen would likely find themselves in yet another unpredictable and chaotic investigation, struggling to understand why strange occurrences continued to follow them even after resolving the conflicts with the McDonnells and Cassidys.
Why Fergal Could Never Have Killed Elliot
Right from the start of The Tourist season two, Fergal sets himself apart from his siblings, balancing out Orla and Donal’s hostility towards Elliot with a much calmer and more empathetic approach. When he secretly freed Elliot and kept it hidden from his family, it became clear that he was different from them.
Elliot’s past refuses to stay buried (Photo: The Tourist/GK Films, Columbia Pictures, and Spyglass Entertainment)His reluctance to harm Elliot became even more apparent once he discovered the truth—Elliot was his biological father.
Fergal’s desire to form a bond with Elliot, combined with his determination to distance himself from the McDonnells due to their mistreatment of his mother, meant that harming Elliot was never an option for him. Planting a bomb in the Cassidy pub was something he would never have considered.
How The Tourist Season 2 Sets Up a Possible Third Season
Season two of The Tourist provided Helen and Elliot with far more insight into his past life. However, the biggest transformation was in their perspectives. They both came to understand that they had been too fixated on the weight of Elliot’s history when, in reality, it had no bearing on who he had become.
The most intriguing setup for a potential third season came in the form of the last-minute revelation that Eugene Cassidy had secretly been a special agent. This twist could place Elliot in a completely different position, possibly even aligning him with the law for the first time in the series.
If The Tourist were to return for another season, this discovery could throw Elliot and Helen into yet another unexpected journey, forcing them to deal with unforeseen challenges that arise from secrets they have yet to uncover.
