FX’s limited series Class of ‘09 has reached its conclusion with the eighth episode, “Graduation.” It’s no spoiler that the gang graduates from Quantico, so the past segment of this episode is very short and sweet. The present (2025) section is actually the longest, and I have to say that the resolution felt a bit rushed. But as a reminder, if you feel lost at any point, you can go back through my recaps, which always group each episode’s action by its place in the timeline. Without further ado, here is the final Class of ‘09 recap.
The Past – 2009
It’s graduation day at Quantico. Hour (Sepideh Moafi) and Poet (Kate Mara) pack up, giving their shared dorm room one last look before leaving it forever.
In the theater, Gabriel (Jon Jon Briones) and Drew (Brooke Smith) call each student up to be sworn in.
Outside, Tayo (Brian Tyree Henry) is greeted by his mother (Lisagay Hamilton), who shares how proud she is of him and adds that his father would be, too. It’s here that she meets Tayo’s girlfriend, Vivienne (Rosalind Eleazar), for the first time.
(Steve Swisher/FX)
Poet goes to Lennix (Brian J. Smith), who is standing all alone. Both of his parents are traveling and couldn’t be there, although he mentions how it seems to be on purpose. He asks Poet if she misses her mom today and her eyes get misty. He tells her he wishes he could’ve met her, and she begins to cry.
The Class of ‘09 is called together for a group photo by the fountain.
The Present – 2025
Tayo limps into his favorite diner on a cane to meet Poet, whose left eye is still red and scarred. Referencing his mystery assailant, Poet tells Tayo that without proof of a conspiracy to kill him, claiming so will make him seem unfit for office. He tells her about how his father died at the hand of a racist man who had been pulled over by two of his dad’s colleagues. They saw he had an unregistered gun and heard him make racist comments, but they chose to let him go. “White beats Black when you’re blue,” Tayo says, revealing this to be the reason he joined the FBI. “They killed my father, and they tried to kill me, but I won’t let them kill this chance for a change.”
At the Bureau, Tayo and Poet enter the command center to use the new program to try and trace a lead on who may have hired a man to try and kill him. The most likely suspect pops up, who spent time in the military with Tayo’s attacker. But when Poet tries to pull more information, she finds that the system has protected that information with a password.
Tayo enters the office of FBI Director Shannon (Lindsay Ayliffe) and asks who ordered the hit on his life. Shannon tells him that after the Wall Street takedown, every branch of government asked for meetings. “It worried a lot of very powerful people,” he adds, revealing that he doesn’t know who tried to have Tayo assassinated. However, Shannon shares that he is stepping down from his position a year early and that he’d like Tayo to be his replacement, leading the system. It comes with a caveat, however. Tayo would have to agree to implement some exclusions from the system, namely spies, diplomats, senators, and the president.
We see Vivienne at home with a pregnancy test. Tayo returns home and tells his wife that the director is stepping down and he will be his replacement. She is upset that he is dropping the investigation into who tried to murder them so quickly. He argues that in his new position, he will be able to demand justice. She sees it as an attempt to shut him up. She announces that she’s leaving for her own safety. Tayo says he’s doing what he’s doing to ensure that everyone is safe. “This is so much bigger than me and you,” Tayo snaps. “Yes, it is,” Vivienne replies as she leaves.
Poet returns to Hour’s apartment, where she’s staying, and finds her roommate looking sad. “The only reason I didn’t resign from the bureau a long time ago is you,” Hour tells Poet. She’s upset that they stole her system and turned it into something other than what it was intended to be, a useful tool that still relied on people to make decisions. She fears it will be misused, but Poet defends Tayo and says she can work with him to ensure it is used properly. Hour begs Poet to trust her, saying it will fundamentally change the bureau. Hour asks Poet to talk to Tayo for her, but Poet feels like Hour is asking her to choose between two friends. Hour gets upset and goes to her bedroom, closing the door.
Tayo enters the server room with agents behind him. Amos (Raul Castillo) congratulates Tayo on becoming director. Tayo tells him that he needs a few exemptions to be added to the system, which greatly upsets Amos. “It’s not your decision anymore,” Tayo tells him, adding that he’s not requesting permission. When Amos refuses, he commands his agents to secure the premises. “You do this, there’s no telling what will happen,” Amos warns Tayo.
Entering the control room, Tayo instructs his agents to activate the system for every field agent in the country. The code on the screen begins to move faster.
Segue
The dots are connected between 2025 and 2034 through a rotation of news coverage. By 2026, crime is down 50% nationwide thanks to the FBI’s new AI system. By 2028, white-collar crime is down. In 2030, the government reforms its drug policies. In 2033, the first AI-created arrest report is filed. But in 2034, reports begin of arrests being made before a crime is even committed. And this has led to a rising number of protests against the system.
The Futue – 2034
Newly appointed FBI Director Warren (Dan Tracy) stands in the control room. The system prompts several arrests and asks if he’d like to overrule them. He decides not to.
Tayo is moving into Vivienne’s house when a team of agents surrounds them, along with two drones. Vivienne is under arrest for encouraging protests, as evidenced by her yet-to-be-published book, which features several anti-AI examples. Tayo reminds the against that people can publish whatever they want. They tell them that Vivienne is believed to be at the center of a plot to destroy the system. She asks to review the evidence and as Tayo tries to fight back, drones tase him, and he falls to the ground. Vivienne is forcefully arrested and brought to a circular room where she is scanned by the system.
(Steve Swisher/FX)
A protest has formed outside of the courtroom. Inside, Vivienne represents herself as Tayo, Lennix, Poet, and Hour watch from the stands. An AI camera is positioned next to the Judge (Roxzane T. Mims). Vivienne pleads her case that in spite of all appearances, this courtroom is not run by people. “We cannot be reduced to code and then judged by the code we’re reduced to.” Through the camera’s eye, we see the code being impacted in some way by Vivienne’s words.
After the court session, Tayo and the gang go to his favorite diner to discuss their next steps. They agree to break into the core data center, a remote underground location. They will use an EMP pulse to shut the system down, after which Hour will be able to alter the code. Poet thinks it’s a great plan that will force the FBI to admit that they had no control over the system once all the exceptions are removed from it.
They arrive at a bunker in the woods. Hour works to break in while Tayo and Lennix shoot down as many attacking drones as they can. Once inside, an elevator descends to the underground server farm. When the elevator doors open, they toss out small EMP blasts to confuse the drones. A bigger one is saved for the center of the farm, which knocks out the servers. Hour inserts a card into the controls and begins removing the exceptions. When they exit the bunker, they are surrounded by agents who arrest them.
“What have you done?”, Warren asks Tayo in an interrogation room. “We made sure people like you can’t abuse their power,” he responds. “It’s either an unbiased system, or it’s off.” Warren leaves in frustration.
In court, the judge tells Vivienne that all cases based on the system’s deductions have been nullified. Her case has been dismissed.
At Quantico, Poet is now a teacher. She addresses the new class, who will be the first since the system was shut down. “An instructor once told me that the FBI is its people,” she says. “We would like to make that true.” She calls on each student to stand up and tell the class who they were, who they are, and who they want to be. It’s exactly how her own time at Quantico began back in 2009.
In the final scene, Poet visits her mother’s grave with a bouquet of flowers.