The following contains spoilers for the Paradise season 1 finale.
Paradiseshow creator compares season 2’s mysteries toThe Empire Strikes Back.Released in 1980, the second installment in the originalStar Warstrilogy sees Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) traveling to Dagobah in search of Yoda while Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) continue to face the Imperial forces. IntheParadiseseason 1 finale,Xavier (Sterling K. Brown) heads back to the post-apocalyptic world for his wifewhile the dark truth about the underground bunker city is revealed.
In an interview withEntertainment Weekly, Dan Fogelman teasedbig mysteries to unfold following Xavier’s journey to the outside world. The show’s creator explained that season 2 will tell “a much bigger story,” addressing what happened to those being left stranded outside and exploring how the season 1 events affect the bunker. Read his comment below:
It’s a really big deal. I think of this coming season as the middle episode in our trilogy. So it’sThe Empire Strikes Back.The first season had two mysteries — who killed the President? And what happened in the outside world, why was this bunker built? We’ve answered those mysteries now, and now there’s two new big mysteries looming, which is what happened to Teri? Is she out there? What is her story? And two, what are the effects of all the happenings of episode 8 on the bunker and somebody having publicly left the bunker and opened the doors and gone out there? Those are two stories we’re telling in a much bigger story.
What This Means For Paradise Season 2
Prepare For The Big Plot Twists
The Empire Strikes Back’s Darth Vader revealis considered one of the best plot twists in cinema. Luke’s time on Dagobah with Yoda is a necessary step in the battle against the Dark Force, leading to ending the tyranny of the Sith. At the same time, though the secondStar Warsmovie in its release order, the film is essentially the fifth in chronological order. The original trilogy launches directly at a time when the protagonists fight to end the Sith’s rule, but the backstory isn’t explained until the prequel trilogy. Fogelman’s comments suggest thatParadisemay have taken a similar route in its storytelling.
Paradise’s Season 1 Finale Confirms The Biggest New Villain For Season 2
Paradise’s season 1 finale sets the stage for a very different power struggle in season 2 — and establishes the likely next main villain of the show.
Season 1 occurs after an unseen “extinction-level event” that is said to have wiped out all the world’s population except those in the bunker city. However, by the end of episode 8, it’s revealed that there are survivors scattered above the ground. Fogelman’s comments indicate that the story is expanding as the bunker city enters a dark and vulnerable phase with Xavier having publicly left. Previously,Fogelman had revealed a three-season planfor the Hulu series. TheStar Warscomparison could also indicate thatseason 2 serves as a build-up for events in season 3.
Every Character Is On Their Own Path
Image via Hulu
InThe Empire Strikes Back, Luke’s time on Dagobah served as his strength. Yoda didn’t just train him to use the Force but also opened his mind. The end ofParadiseseason 1 also sees Xavier on a similar journey to search for the truth and his wife. What he learns will have an impact on the bunker city carefully controlled by Sinatra. Bradford’s death in episode 1 kicked off a series of events that led toa rebellion against Sinatra, though small in scale. After the explosive episode 8, it seems that it’ll be a while for Xavier and Sinatra to crossfire again.
As confirmed by Fogelman, Sinatra is still in the picture inParadiseseason 2. Like a Darth lord, she’s injured and vulnerable, but it doesn’t mean the tyranny is over. Instead,things could get much worsebefore they start getting better. The season 1 finale also sets Jane on a very different path after she decides to betray Sinatra and take things into her own hands. Though she has done horrible things, season 2 could see her on a journey of redemption.
