The Tourist season 2 ending explained: The file reveal, a time jump, and a new location

It's the perfect time for another Netflix binge because The Tourist season 2 is now streaming on the platform in the United States! The BBC Original returned for a second installment at the start of the year across the pond, seeing Jamie Dornan and Danielle Macdonald reprise their roles as Elliot Stanley and Helen Chambers, respectively. This time around, the two are boyfriend-girlfriend and are enjoying life traveling the world. But when Elliot receives a letter from someone from his past, he and Helen decide to go to Ireland to find out where Elliot came from.

Unsurprisingly, though, things don't go as expected, and Elliot learns the hard way about his troubled past — including a major family rivalry.

WARNING: Spoilers ahead for The Tourist season 2.

Similar to the first season, The Tourist season 2 contains six episodes total. It might not sound like a lot, but it's action-packed from start to finish! That means, of course, we have a lot to break down. (Not just the fact that Elliot's real name is Euguene.)

Follow along with us at Netflix Life with our coverage of the new episodes. In this post, we're going to explain the ending of the season, which is pretty surprising and very eventful. I was able to stream the new season early and can confidently say that the finale ties up all the loose ends in a satisfying way while leaving a little tease at the end for potentially more episodes.

Why the suitcase is so important

One of the biggest reveals in the season 2 finale comes when the Cassidys and McDonnells are facing off at Cassidy’s Pub. After surviving a near-death experience and learning that Elliot/Eugene had been arrested for Donal's murder, Helen heads to the airport. She doesn't feel like she can trust Elliot/Eugene any longer, not because of his past but because of what he's allegedly done in the present. Well, as we know, Elliot/Eugene wasn't actually the one to kill Donal, and fortunately, Helen realizes she should help him. Ethan and Slater, surprisingly, are very helpful to Helen in her mission and they end up finding the missing suitcase.

In a pivotal moment at the pub, Helen arrives and reveals what's inside the suitcase: love letters from Frank's dad to Niamh's mom! Do you know what that means? The Cassidys and the McDonnells are actually family, because Frank and Niamh are half-siblings. Helen and Elliot/Eugene get back together after it's revealed that Niamh was the one to kill Donal.

Helen and Elliot/Eugene relocate

After the scene at the pub, The Tourist season 2 features a six-month time jump. Fortunately, Helen and Elliot/Eugene are still together, but they've relocated again. Now, they're living in the Netherlands and Helen works as a private investigator. They seem very happy together — way happier than they did in Helen's dream when she was in a coma — and Elliot decides he's done chasing his past. As we've seen, he doesn't ever love what he finds. Now, he's happy in his life with Helen and doesn't want to dig up who he was before the accident.

Despite this, Elliot/Eugene has a manila file on himself that he calls "the life and times of Eugene Cassidy," though he says he doesn't want to know what's inside.

The finale also features a heartfelt and funny scene of Helen and Elliot/Eugene visiting a theater where Elliot/Eugene shows off his dancing skills. Remember, a running joke throughout the second season is that apparently, Elliot/Eugene is a great dancer. This is something Niamh reveals that Helen can't let go of, understandably. Amid the fun dance scene, we cut to the file burning up in their Dutch oven. But, of course, viewers get a quick glimpse of what it says.

So... what does that file mean?!

As the final moments of The Tourist season 2 unravel, we see a small peek at the file in their Dutch oven, which shows Elliot/Eugene being listed as a special agent! As far as we can see before the flames take over, he was on a "general mission, sentinel." The file presumably burns up before the two characters arrive back home, but the scene unlocks a ton of potential for another season about Elliot/Eugene's previous career. If he was working as a special agent, that could've been the real reason he was caught up with Kostas and his men in the first season. The explanation he believed that he was their accountant always sounded a little off.

The episode comes to a close as the song "Swan Lake" ends, showing Elliot/Eugene one more time up on stage before cutting to black. That's how The Tourist season 2 ends, so there are certainly hints at what could be next. The drama hasn't been renewed for a third season yet, though the creators seem open to it if Dornan and Macdonald were willing to return. Would you want to see another installment, this time exploring Elliot/Eugene's life as a special agent? That could be a fun twist!

We'll keep our readers updated with any news we hear about a potential third season of The Tourist. Be sure to watch (and rewatch) all 12 episodes of the show right now on Netflix U.S.