Yes I felt this way too, especially the first time I watched S5 long ago -- it felt like it rerouted back from where it was and I went bwuh??

I'm glad it's not just me! I understand that it was part of the plan all along, but it feels like a derailment from the entire thrust of season five to have him end up like that.

Kind of curious if Garibaldi/Lise was a thing in the original plan now, kek.

I still can't get over how little chemistry they had! There were so many episodes to give her a personality, and it's not like the show is incapable of writing incredibly vivid, fun female characters. But no. :(