Oh man, I cant believe I only just found this thread now, I have been a huge POI fan since the very first episode ( IMO the best pilot episode for a tv show ever).
Not sure if Shaw is really dead, but Sarah Shahi is definitely out of the picture for the foreseeable future. If Shaw is actually dead then it was a good way to go out. I think its possible that final gunshot may have been Shaw shooting Martine, and Decima does tend to recruit its enemies e.g. Kara Stanton... But I think its more likely that its a Nolanesque ending (a bit like the spinning top) or maybe to spare us seeing a character we've grown to care about get shot in the head .
It is sad to see Shaw go , as she's been a great character, but I think it was handled well.
On another note, I have a couple of theories I'd like to share with fellow POI enthusiasts.
First, it will ultimately be Harold who kills Greer - for the unforgivable sin of putting mankind at Samaritan's mercy - the ultimate perversion of what Finch was trying to achieve. This would be a very significant step for Finch, who abhors violence, but it would be a nice touch.
Second , Root will die in the process of destroying Samaritan. Now that Shaw is gone all she has left is the machine -she's like its prophet and probably its martyr. She ll go out with a bang, but I doubt Root will survive another season.
Third, the machine will reveal that it has other operatives maybe even a whole other team out there, working away without Finch's knowledge. Maybe theyll turn up and save team Finch at a crucial moment ?
Finally, My overall prediction for the show is that it will end with the apparent destruction of the machine (possibly by Finch himself). Hopefully Jonah will take a page from his big brothers book and give Reese and Finch happy endings - or at least one of them. I think they'll die in a figurative sense, as in take on new identities and new lives- but otherwise they'll move on. However, the final image/shot will reveal that the machine is still alive and well and calculating away.
The one character who I think will make it to the end of the show relatively unchanged is Fusco. Surrounded by supercops, super spies and, super hackers he sort of represents the everyman, which is why I dont think he'll get killed off.
In terms of the machine and samaritan being mentioned in front of him, I bet Reese will just tell him that it's stuff he really is much safer not knowing about, and Fusco being Fusco will shrug it off and happily remain a white square.
I dont have any real substantive predictions re Elias, other than that he will eventually win his war with Dominic. He's most dangerous when he looks beaten. Maybe he and the brotherhood will wipe each other out, but either way I can't see Dominic coming out on top.
Otherwise season four so far =Wow ! Team machine vs decima, Elias vs the Brotherhood , what next ?
Personally I found season 3 to be much stronger than season 2, especially with the terrific story arc leading up to Carters death, and the aftermath - but season 4 is turning out to be on a similar level.
Much like most of you I cant wait to see Greer get what's coming to him.
"Cooly delivered sadistic warning" Indeed !
t: love their stuff
The music in POI has always been on point. They picked the right song from Glitch Mob like they did with Mogwai (another one of my favorite bands) for the ending of "Foe". (S1/Ep8):
. I'm so confused about Shaw's fate cause first of all that ending 
, but then in the promo for the next episode, they're all looking for her so I got my hopes up again. But now apparently she's leaving 
.
