I have built up a theory regarding the conclusion of Delphine’s story arc at the end of season three. I firmly believe that she faked her own death. It would make so much sense!!
Reasons why I think this is plausible:
1) I know everyone is saying this but WHERE SHE WAS SHOT IS SO IMPORTANT
Delphine was shot in her abdomen-ish area, (I haven’t watched the finale in months) Which means that she was not shot to be killed. She was simply shot in an area that would draw enough blood for it to look like a genuine murder scene. Also I found that many people thought it was unwise that if Delphine “knew she was going to die” she would seek refuge in a parking garage. But NO. She wanted to make sure she died in a place as conspicuous as a parking garage. That would make it all the more believable. If someone were to find the scene, than their first thought would be that she was murdered and somehow disposed of.
2) It is also quite obvious that Delphine knew she was facing imminent death
The whole basis of my theory is that she was in league with someone who would help her fake her own death if need be. I say this because when she steps out of the car, she looks a bit anxious, she knows what’s coming. I mean, think back on her story in season 3. She was the “new Rachel” and being the “new Rachel” put her in a precarious position. She also was on the inside of Clone Club (as much as she could have been). She did not seem as evil/ ill-intentioned as other major players in the clone experiment such as Dr. Leekie, Olivier, Dr. Coady, Paul (but he’s iffy).
So yeah, Delphine had very little choice but to usurp Rachel’s position so she could make sure that the clones would, idk, stay alive. We intrinsically trust Delphine more than we could trust anyone else on the inside of the clone project because Cophine is a thing and we have seen that Delphine is slowly starting to see that the clones are more than just an experiment- they have livelihood, and they’e just as human as anyone else.
A major downfall in Cophine’s story line (or better yet, lack thereof) was that Cosima simply could not separate the lover in Delphine from the employed DYAD scientist that Delphine was. She tried to put Delphine in a box and make her feel guilty for breaking up with her when Delphine did it for professionalism and she just couldn’t afford to maintain a relationship with Cosima for any longer
AND
Delphine probably broke up with Cosima to create enough distance between them so her death would not come as much of a shock.
3) EVERYONE WE HAVE SEEN WORKING FOR Neolution HAS BEEN PROVEN DISPENSABLE
Who? You ask, we here’s a list for ya
-Dr. Leekie
-Oliver
-Dr. Nealon
short list, I know, but that’s besides the point because they were still all major players at one point, their story lines just happened to be very short lived.
Delphine knew that having her nefarious profession, she wouldn’t have the longest of lives, and she’s an intelligent person so she thought this through.
4) SHE ISN’T SHOT WITH A NORMAL GUN
When the gun is fired, it makes the most most pathetic “pew” sound which could mean many things. Her shooter did want to draw attention to what was happening and wanted Delphine to have enough time to escape before anyone noticed what happened. Escape, you ask? Yes, it matters that Delphine was not shot with a full-fledged handgun or pistol or rifle (I totally know proper gun terminology) so that she wouldn’t be completely incapacitated when it comes to making an escape.
NO. She is not just going to lie there until she bleeds to death. She’ll probably get back in the car or the person who shot her might help her, and carry on the plan from there, she just needed there to be a murder scene. The only person there would be to help Delphine with all this would be Marion Bowles (Delphine was in her basement to show Sarah the Castor clone) and before, Marion Bowles was in league with Rachel and what’s Delphine’s role in season 3?, being the new Rachel. Even if all this is proven blatantly incorrect I still strongly believe that Marion Bowles had a least a little part in Delphine’s situation at the end of season 3 because she could have easily been getting back at Delphine for having Rachel’s position, a position that she may have wanted all along.
I say all this because I know much of Clone Club (fandom) is distraught and are either upset that Delphine was shot and ~potentially~ killed, wondering who shot her, or questioning the state of her life. I have by now come to terms with her ~possible~ death but I just can’t easily accept that it’s one and done. ORPHAN BLACK HAS LEGITIMATELY MADE ME QUESTION EVERYTHING and the way all the cards have fallen just doesn’t make the last scene we see of her in season 3 conclude in death.
But then again, none of us know what we’re doing, we’re all just poking at things with sticks. ¯\_(ツ)_/
