Season 5

Complete listed story — includes the ending

1. Dark Paradise

It has been two years since the death of Norma. Norman is now living alone and running the Bates Motel. He stays with his hallucination, "Mother", whom he believes faked her death to the rest of the world, while he is secretly keeping Norma's preserved corpse in the basement. Meanwhile, Dylan and Emma are living in Seattle now married with an infant daughter, and are unaware of Norma's death. Caleb shows up, much to the stress of Dylan, so Emma asks Caleb to leave for Dylan's sake. Back in Pine Bay, Romero is in prison serving a five-year sentence and is denied parole. Romero sends a hitman to kill Norman, but Norman murders him instead. He meets Madeleine Loomis, a young hardware store-owner who resembles Norma. While "Mother" and Norman dispose of the hitman's body in a lake, the man's phone rings. Norman answers it to hear Romero's voice.

2. The Convergence of the Twain

Norman visits Romero in prison to taunt him and Romero warns that he will come for Norman. Later, Romero gets into a fight with another prisoner and is sent to the infirmary. Norman goes on a dinner date set up by Madeleine and her husband Sam, who is cheating on her. "Mother" follows Norman and asks why he is having dinner with a girl who looks like her. Meanwhile, Caleb returns to White Pine Bay, looking for Norma, but instead learns that Norma committed suicide over a year earlier. He breaks down with grief at her grave. Later, he and Chick have an altercation in a bar. Caleb says he knows Norman killed Norma, because she would never commit suicide, and vows to get revenge. He goes back to the Bates house and discovers Norma's corpse in the basement. Norman, dressed as "Mother", attacks Caleb. Chick witnesses this, shocked.

3. Bad Blood

Caleb wakes to find himself chained in the basement of the Bates house. Norman, as "Mother", visits him to recount their history. This causes Caleb to slowly lose his mind. Chick, now aware of Norman's mental condition, remains at the house to research his true-crime novel based on Norman. Madeleine admits her troubled marriage to Norman, and they become friends. Meanwhile, Romero is granted a transfer, following his prison fight. He escapes custody, only to be shot while trying to steal a car from a farm. "Mother" insists that Norman should kill Caleb, as she cannot do it. Norman sets Caleb free, but "Mother" chases him into the road, where a distracted Chick accidentally hits him with his car.

4. Hidden

Caleb dies from the accident and Chick cremates the body. The new sheriff is informed about Jim Blackwell skipping parole and questions Norman, as Blackwell had the house's address. Meanwhile, the fugitive Romero tends to his gunshot wounds before showing up at Maggie Summers' house. Chick tries to move into the Bates house, only to be turned away by Norman, who does not think Chick being there is a good idea. Norman and "Mother" continue to get into arguments, as Norman wants to have control over his own life. Madeleine invites Norman over to her house for dinner since Sam is out of town, and they start kissing. "Mother" appears and Norman visualizes Madeleine with her throat slit. He runs back home, calling for "Mother", who is not there.

5. Dreams Die First

Norman awakens the next morning to find no sign of his mother. Sheriff Greene pays Norman a visit informs him that Romero may come after him. In Seattle, Dylan explains to Emma why he cut off contact with Norma, revealing that Norman is sick and Emma's mother went missing after checking into the motel. Emma later discovers that Norma is dead. Back in Pine Bay, Sam's mistress, Marion Crane, goes on the run after stealing $400,000 from her boss; Madeleine confronts Sam about the affair. Elsewhere, Norman encounters his old therapist, Dr. Edwards, and is faced again with the reality that Norma is dead and he assumes her persona. He visits the White Horse Bar, and is confused when the patrons recognize him from the night before. A man attempts to seduce him and Norman has a flashback of "Mother" and the man having sex. Panicking, he flees home just as Marion arrives at the Bates Motel.

6. Marion

Norman greets Marion at the motel. At the same time in Seattle, Emma informs a shocked Dylan of his mother's death. After Norman and Marion eat dinner together, Norman spies on her as she undresses for her shower. He later reveals to her that Sam is married. When Marion sees Sam and Madeleine arguing at his house, she smashes his car windows in anger and returns to the motel. "Mother" tries to goad Norman into killing Marion, but Norman, unwilling to do this, fights back and forces Marion out of the motel before he can hurt her, saving her life. Marion leaves town as Sam shows up at her room. He decides to shower while waiting for her. When "Mother" compares Sam to Norman's father, Norman stabs Sam to death in the shower.

7. Inseparable

"Mother" and Norman dispose of Sam's body, though Norman does not want to hallucinate "Mother" anymore. Sheriff Greene reveals that Jim Blackwell's body was recovered. Norman buries Norma's frozen corpse in the woods in case police investigate his house. Dylan arrives at the Bates' house and says that Norman should have told him about Norma's death, and to let him help Norman, as he sees that Norman is sick. Dylan learns that Dr. Edwards is missing and presumed dead, even though Norman said he'd met with him. Dylan then meets Madeleine, who is worried about a missing Sam. Dylan asks Norman about Sam and encourages him to take his medication, but "Mother" takes over and tries to kill Dylan. Norman intervenes, yelling that Dylan is his brother, and Dylan, in shock, watches him struggle with himself. Norman comes to, dials 911, and confesses to Sam's murder.

8. The Body

Norman is anxious to be arrested, fearing that he will see "Mother" and she will intervene. He is interrogated, and given his medication, but "Mother" forces him to vomit it out and takes full control of him. "Mother" blames Madeleine for Sam's murder and says Norman confessed to take the fall for her. Dylan gets a lawyer and explains that Norman is not a criminal nor a bad person - he is mentally ill and needs a mental institution. Emma's mother's body is also found and identified from the lake, confirming Dylan's suspicion about Norman killing her. Romero returns to the Bates' property and finds Chick, who has set up his writing desk in the house. Chick is killed by Romero after mocking him and the entire situation. Sam's body is found next, and Norman, with "Mother" still in control, is charged with three murders.

9. Visiting Hours

Norman's attorney suggests entering an insanity plea, as he could be put to death if convicted. Emma arrives to see Dylan but is unsure whether the two of them will make it when Dylan takes his brother's side. After seeing the evidence presented at Norman's hearing, Madeleine asks Dylan how he can live with himself after knowing Norman was sick and still leaving him to do what he did. Emma decides to go back home, but not before going to see Norman. She instantly realizes he is in "Mother's" persona, and so asks him to tell the real Norman that she misses him. Romero discovers where Norman is and forces the officers to release him. He forces Norman into Norman's car and orders him to take them to Norma's body.

10. The Cord

"Mother" leads Romero to Norma's body and as Romero mourns over it, Norman subdues him and shoots him with his own gun. Before Romero dies, he tells Norman that Norman will never be able to escape from the fact that he killed his own mother. "Mother" tells Norman that with Romero dead and now that he really knows the truth - that he killed her - there is nothing left to protect him from, and she leaves him for good. Unable to handle this, Norman's mind regresses to when they first moved to the motel. Under that delusion, he takes Norma's body back to the house and invites Dylan for dinner. Dylan does not inform the police. Instead, armed with a gun, he goes. After seeing Norma's corpse at the dinner table, Dylan begs Norman to face reality but Norman is unwilling to live without his mother. Dylan is forced to fatally shoot him when Norman charges at him with a knife. Norman dies in Dylan's arms and thanks Dylan for letting him reunite with Norma in death. The motel and house are sold, and Dylan and Emma make a happy life together with their daughter.