'The Irrational' Star Maahra Hill Talks Tonight's Shocking Ending

Maahra Hill as Marisa in 'The Irrational.'

The penultimate episode of The Irrational was called "Bombshell" for good reason, ending with FBI Agent Marisa Clark's discovery that her colleague and love interest, Jace, had been shot and possibly killed. “It was shocking and very heartbreaking for Marisa,” Maahra Hill, who plays Marisa, told Parade. Although Hill stopped short of revealing Jace's fate on the show, she confirmed that the incident would be "life changing" for her character.

Sounds about right for the addictive NBC psychological drama in which Hill stars opposite Jesse L. Martin's Alec, the brilliant professor of behavioral science at the heart of the series—and Marisa's ex. Ahead, Hill spoke to Parade about the nuances of their relationship and what to expect from Season 2.

Related: Everything We Know About Season 2 of 'The Irrational'

Alec’s study on how bandages hurt less when they’re slowly removed seems like a metaphor for his relationship with Marisa. Explain how their connection drives the show.

As an FBI agent, Marisa is on regularly, rarely off. It's kind of like an on-call situation, so the stuff that she faces day-to-day keeps her in an intense frame of mind. But the relationship that she has with Alec is where she's much softer. There's this love that they have between them, and this new territory that they're navigating post-divorce, trying to figure out exactly how to move on from one another without moving on, in a way.

The church bombing was the first case that she took on as an FBI agent and was a pivotal moment in her career. And for him it was traumatic. Her being somebody that loved him despite his scars showed her unconditional love for him, which is a powerful force that carries throughout their relationship. Whether they want to be around each other or not, they need each other.

We see that Marisa and Jace have grown closer—she gave him a closet in her house last week. For his part, Alec seems smitten with Rose. Are their new boos just replacements, or are they the real deal?

The new relationships are definitely an attempt to move on from the other person. I don't know that Jace will ever replace Alec, nor will Rose [replace Marisa]. They both have something to offer and they both benefit from these new relationships in ways that they may not have in the marriage that they had.

Wes Banning is dead, yet Matthias remains on the loose. Was he the one recording Marisa and Jace at the end of last week's episode? Will his identity be revealed in the season finale?

Wes and Jace were shot because they posed a threat to whomever Matthias is. Once Wes's daughter was safe, it left Matthias with limited options to manipulate Wes. Jace was obviously getting very close to uncovering his identity as well. All I can say is, "Matthias" seems so invested in keeping his identity a secret that he's willing to commit murder to do so. The season finale will definitely bring many things to a close. There will be closure for the characters and the audience as well.

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We see Marisa and Kylie work together in "Bombshell," suggesting that their recently strained relationship is evolving. Explain how you see their dynamic.

We talk a lot about how the heartbreak that you feel when you break up with your spouse or your boyfriend or your girlfriend, but we don't often talk about the heartbreak that you feel when a friendship is lost or broken. Kylie is somebody that I think Marisa loves, not as much as Alec, but she definitely loves her like a sister. They don't have the typical in-law relationship with issues. Marisa feels protective of Kylie, but she probably "lives" a little more when she hangs with Kylie too. Kylie is so free-spirited, self-aware and fun-loving—who wouldn't benefit from a relationship with Kylie?

In "Bombshell," Marisa realizes that Kylie could be a real asset to the FBI as well. So, the potential Kylie offers to a professional relationship with Marisa is just beginning, but as Kylie proved, it's definitely invaluable.

What can you tease from Season 2?

The finale opens a totally new and unexpected door that will likely be explored throughout the second season. There are going to be some dangerous situations that every character is put in. Our writers are busy creating our next season as we speak, so I am eagerly awaiting the next chapter along with everyone else.

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