The second season of NBC‘s crime drama The Hunting Party wrapped up on May 7, 2026, delivering an action-packed finale that answered several burning questions while leaving the door open for more stories. The episode, titled “Xander Wax,” introduced viewers to a truly frightening killer played by John Corbett, a man who uses random poisonings to target his victims. But the real story was the long-awaited face-off between Bex Henderson (Melissa Roxburgh) and the mastermind Colonel Lazarus (Kari Matchett). The finale did not hold back, featuring a prison riot, shocking returns of past villains, and a major promotion that changes everything for the team.
The Random Killer: Who is Xander Wax?
The central case of the finale focused on catching Xander Wax, an escaped inmate with a terrifying method. Unlike typical killers who stalk their prey, Xander finds excitement in complete randomness. After losing his parents in a sudden car crash, he became obsessed with the idea that chance rules everything. He uses rare toxins and poisons from exotic animals, placing them on everyday items like elevator buttons, door handles, and even sugar packets. He then waits to see who will die, getting his thrill from the unpredictability.
“Xander’s whole deal is using toxins from exotic animals to kill his victims. The thrill for him is in the waiting, the chance, the power implicit in the idea of killing someone totally arbitrarily, completely at random.”
The team soon discovers that Xander is not just killing for fun. His targets are investigative journalists who were getting too close to the truth about The Pit and its connection to a powerful figure named Phillip Beaumont. Beaumont runs a think tank called the Institute for Human Consciousness, which secretly funded the government’s horrific serial killer rehabilitation program. Lazarus was using Xander to silence anyone who threatened to expose her operation. This connection helps Bex and her team finally understand the full scale of Lazarus‘s corruption.
The Trap is Sprung
After capturing Xander, Bex, Shane (Josh McKenzie), and Hassani (Patrick Sabongui) plan to hand him over to their ally Mallory. But they walk right into a setup. Lazarus kills Mallory and Xander and throws the team into cells inside her hidden laboratory. They are not alone in captivity. Familiar faces from past episodes, including Amanda Weiss (Elizabeth Gillies) and Dr. Malak, are also locked up. Lazarus keeps Shane separated from the others. She still believes she can build a relationship with him, her biological son, and tries to convince him that her cruel methods were necessary.
Lazarus finally confesses that she was the one who blew up The Pit at the end of Season 1. She did it not to destroy the evil place, but to keep anyone else from shutting it down. She sees herself as the program’s biggest success story. As the first “graduate” of The Pit, she believes the torture and conditioning she endured made her strong. She refuses to go back to prison, even if it means killing everyone who gets in her way.
A Prison Break and the Final Fight
While Bex and the others are trapped, Morales (Sara Garcia) and Ben are working from Lazarus‘s apartment where they are holding Peck (Luke Forbes) captive. Morales makes a deal with Peck: freedom in exchange for access to the detention center’s computer servers. He agrees, and Morales remotely opens every cell door in the facility. Chaos erupts instantly as dangerous inmates flood the hallways. Bex, Shane, and Hassani use the confusion to fight their way to freedom.
Lazarus tries to run, but Bex and Shane chase her down. During the confrontation, Bex is shot in the shoulder but refuses to stop. Shane gets the upper hand on his mother, but when she begs him to kill her so she does not have to go back to a cage, he cannot do it. Shane tells her that sharing DNA does not make them a family and that his foster parents are the ones who truly raised him. Lazarus uses his hesitation to reach for a gun, but even with her injury, Bex manages to take the shot, ending Lazarus for good.
“Shane was right in saying that sharing DNA doesn’t make people family, not if you don’t want or choose them to be a part of your life.”
Morales keeps her word and gives Peck a one-hour head start before the authorities arrive.
Also Read:
What the Finale Sets Up
Unlike the first season which ended with a painful cliffhanger about a character’s survival, the second season gives viewers clear answers while shifting the show’s direction. Bex receives a promotion to lead the task force. She will now work under Phillip Beaumont, who surprisingly turned himself in. It turns out Beaumont had been trying to shut down The Pit for years after seeing how inhumane the experiments were, but Lazarus had too much control. His new mission for Bex is massive: track down all the remaining “graduates” of The Pit who are still free.
There is also a personal mystery hanging over Hassani. The finale hints that his late wife had a connection to The Pit and possibly to Beaumont himself. This personal angle could drive much of the drama if the show returns for a third season.
As of now, NBC has not yet renewed The Hunting Party for Season 3. The show remains on the bubble, waiting to see if it will be part of the network’s 2026-2027 schedule. But with Bex now in charge and a long list of dangerous escapees still on the loose, the story is ready to continue whenever the network gives the green light.
Keep up with the latest TV finales, renewal updates, and crime drama recaps only on VvipTimes.
