I need some clarification regarding a Hollywood Reporter article I've just read. Full disclosure: I have not read any of the books in the Altered Carbon series. However, I have watched the entire first season of Altered Carbon on Netflix. The article I am referencing is: hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/altered-carbon-star-joel-kinnaman-wont-rule-season-2-return-1086500
In the referenced article above, the author states, "As he (Takeshi Kovacs) leaves, he walks off in a new sleeve (or body), strongly indicating that Kinnaman's work in the series is at an end." I take issue with this, as I've watched (and rewatched, and then rewatched again,many times) the last episode in Season 10, and don't understand how the author concludes that the sleeve we see is different than Elias Ryker's double-sleeve. Can somebody please tell me what I'm missing or not seeing? The only thing I can surmise is the end scene, with 3:42 left in the show, we see a pair of boots walking in a rain-soaked street on Harlan's World, and then a seconds later with 3:23 left in the show, we see a figure enter The Raven hotel, presumably Takeshi Kovacs. The pair of boots we see in both scenes appear different, even the pants appear different. Is this the smoking gun we're led to believe, that this is now a new Takeshi Kovacs sleeve, which is not Ryker? We don't see the figures face at any point, and I swear as the figure exits The Raven Hotel with 2:55 left in the show, it almost appears we're watching Ryker's double-sleeve leave the hotel.
Please educate me if I've missed something, but I don't see the smoking gun that this anything other than Ryker's sleeve, and I have to wonder if the article is making an assumption that can't be fully proven. Please help me with this! Thank you!