Breathe Into The Shadows Ending Explained What Was C16 C-16?: I just finished the new Amazon Prime original series – Breath season 2, which stars our own Junior Bachchan aka Abhishek Bachchan, Nithya Menen, Amit Sadh in lead roles. The series is a whodunnit mystery thriller revolving around Avinash ( Bachchan) and his family. The series was great in my opinion and the storyline was perfect in every sense. The makers established a perfect connection between the past of Avinash and the victims. I know it was a confusing watch so let’s start the explanation.
If You don’t want to Read The Post, You Can Directly Check This Youtube Video For Ending;
Read About: Breathe Season 2 Review
Plot
The series’ plot starts with Siya, the 6-year-old daughter of Avinash and Abha Sabharwal getting kidnapped by a mysterious man who also has previously kidnapped a teenage girl Gayatri who is studying for Mbbs. Avinash is a well-known Psychiatrist and Abha is a great Chef. After getting kidnapped, there is no news about Siya for nine months with everyone losing their hope and almost giving up. Untill one day they receive a parcel containing a video of Siya and Gayatri who are alive and well. They are in an unknown room which has no windows thus nowhere to go. The kidnapper asks the Sabharwals to kill a person named Pritpal Singh so that they will get closer to rescue their daughter.
After planning for 10 days they are successful in killing him. After it, the killer tasks them with another possible murder, and this time Avinash apparently has a connection with the possible victims. After several narrow misses, the couple finally manages to get rid of their 2nd victim Natasha Garewal. The Police is joined by Avinash who in the disguise of helping them is secretly spying on their progress. Things take an awful turn when the killer announces their third victim who turns out to be Avinash’s college batchmate. He figures out that he somewhere has a connection with the victims and the police especially Kabir is on his tail because of suspicion.
Who was the Kidnapper?
In the 5th episode, we learn that the limping kidnapper who has been tasking the couple to kill people is none other than Avinash ( well …. No ). We learn through some flashbacks that Avinash had a traumatic childhood with his abusive father and him having no friends. His only friend was his mother who died in the accident he himself barely survived. This created a split personality inside his mind who was stronger than Avinash. The split personality named itself J. So it was J who was ordering the killings to Avinash and Abha. We learn that the killings are motivated and is related to Avinash and J’s past life.
Pritpal Singh unknowingly and mistakenly killed a puppy named Goofy whom Avinash considered his friend and loved him very much. Natasha Garewal used to visit Nainital and they used to hang out together. One night Natasha and Avinash are about to kiss when suddenly a teacher enters and scolds them for it. Natasha blames Avinash for the act lying that he forced himself on her. The third victim was the batchmate of Avinash because of whom his best friend Himanshu Jain died. This all incidents were witnessed by J, creating a sense of hatred for these people and how they hurt Avinash. J always wanted to protect Avinash so he creates a plan which will result in the killing of them and they getting back their sins. Whenever Avinash used to sleep J would kind of get activated and take his place, wandering around and looking for the victims, following them their routines, etc .
This is where he meets Shirley and the two bond with each other. And when he slept again he used to wake up as Avinash. This explains why Avinash always had a headache because he rarely used to get sleep. J had every bit of information about Avinash and his daily routine but Avinash never knew the existence of J and does not remember anything of while being J.
The Ending
In the last episode we see that Kabir almost figures out that there is something wrong with Avinash and so to find the proof, he decides to visit Nainital. There he meets Avinash’s professor who enlightens him about his past and behaviors. He also meets Avinash’s psychiatrist who discloses that Avinash has a split personality and gives Kabir a proof in the form of a Videotape. Kabir realizing the sensitivity of the case visits Library and finds another clue that points in the same direction. We see that one Avinash issued a book from the library he signed as Avinash but when he returned the book he signed it as J .
Thus giving proof of the split personality. He rushes back to Delhi. Meanwhile one night, Abha realizes that there is something wrong with Avi and he is behaving mysteriously and not like himself. She decides to follow him where she witnesses Avinash hugging Shirley. She is distraught after seeing them. She continues to follow him and reaches the old theatre where she reunites with Siya and meets Gayatri. Kabir arrives, with J also there they have an argument where J tricks them by behaving like Avinash and after several turns, he is captured. Avinash has a moment with his daughter untill J comes back but this time Kabir holds him and we see that J has fulfilled his purpose and he might be gone.
3 years later
The time moves forward and we see that Abha is proven innocent with a little help from Kabir and gets acquitted. She visits Avinash who is in a mental asylum going through treatment. She shows pictures of Siya to him and asks that Siya is continuously asking when will her father return and how will they be able to tell him different than J . This breaks Avinash who tells Abha that he is doing tremendous progress and the doctors are also overwhelmed. To which Abha raises genuine security questions. It seems then that Abha has decided to leave Avinash for the safety of her daughter to which Avinash reluctantly agrees.
What was C-16?
We see Avinash and Shirley sitting on a bench in the asylum where Shirley confesses that he makes her feel good and happy and answers that “she will do it” and leaves. Avinash holds her hand and passes her a piece of paper. She opens it while walking and sees that it is written C-16 on the paper and seeing that she slowly smiles and walks away.
Now, what was the meaning of C-16 … Let me put on my detective hat so that I can explain it to you
So there can be 2 possibilities and in both possibilities, it is highly likely that J has returned. Let’s begin;
1. When I first saw the C-16 I thought of the isotope of Carbon. An isotope is a variant of an actual element differing in some ways. And if we attach this to the show’s narrative it felt clear that C-16 is an isotope of Carbon just as J is of Avinash. But after doing a little research I found out that C-16 actually is a drug that is very common in the field of medicine. They are used as Nootropics. Nootropics can be defined as the drugs which are used to improve cognitive function and executive function and in cases of treatment of CNS. Cognitive function includes brain-based skills that are needed in the acquisition of knowledge, manipulation of information, and reasoning.
Long story short, we can say that J was back but he needed Avinash to prove to the doctors that he is fit and fine. And being a psychiatrist he knows all the medicines in the field of work. Thus by using C-16 on Avinash he can manipulate his memories and thus making him “fit” for the outer world. We also see that J is becoming more and more in control of Avinash’s mind, thus when released he will be free and can start a new life with Shirley. Therefore she says that she will do it. Meaning that she will get the medicines for him.
2. This is a more Bollywood style. J is back and wants to live with Shirley but he cannot get out of the asylum and thus they both make a plan where Shirley helps him to break out of the asylum and maybe the C-16 can be his ward number or room number from where he is currently staying in the asylum, thus she can make plans accordingly.
Well, I think the 1st explanation makes quite a sense with Avinash being a knowledgeable psychiatrist and he must know about these medicines. Thus using it to get his freedom.
This was our Breathe Season 2 Ending Explained, what is your theory of it? please let us know in the comment box, for more posts like this, stay tuned with us.