Paradise Season 2 Ending EXPLAINED: Does Sterling K Brown's Xavier Save His Family? Alex's Identity Revealed

The

eight-part second season of Paradise, created by This is Us' Dan Fogelman, packed in a lot of information. Former Secret Service agent Xavier Collins (Sterling K Brown) set out to find his wife Teri (Enuka Okuma). Along the way, he encountered some other important people. But returning to the Colorado bunker, another threat emerges as Link (Thomas Doherty) confronts Sinatra (Julianne Nicholson) and asks for Alex. The Season 2 finale gave fans answers and resolutions to long-pending arcs but introduced a whole mission for Season 3. Did Paradise stick its landing? Warning: Major Spoilers Ahead!

The story so far

After a doomsday event hit Earth, President Cal Bradford (James Marsden) and essential personnel from the US retreated to an underground bunker in Colorado. Three years after the event, a fully functioning society exists underneath. The project is spearheaded by billionaire Samantha Redmond, aka Sinatra, who wanted to protect her family against devastating events of climate change. In Season 1, Cal is murdered and his head of security at the Secret Service (Collins) aims to figure out who's behind it. The second season includes Xavier trying to find his wife; Cal was hiding information that outside the bunkers, many survivors existed.

Who is Link and what does he want from the bunker?

Those angry survivors outside the bunker have bandied together to form a militia. They are led by Link, also known as Dylan. His name is significant, as it's also the name of Sinatra's dead son. In the finale called Exodus, a flashback shows Link/Dylan's first meeting with quantum scientist Henry Miller (Patrick Fischler). He reveals to Henry that he has built the first AI-controlled quantum computer. Later, Sinatra arrives with unlimited funding to help develop it. When it becomes too powerful, viewers already know that she had Henry murdered and stole his technology.

Link wants his original creation back; that's why he heads to Colorado to find Alex. But Paradise also adds an intriguing new layer to the narrative. Is Link also Sam's son Dylan? He is also born on May 16 and would be the same age as him had he lived. By introducing the time travel element, the show has opened itself up to limitless possibilities. Paradise also moves away from its post-apocalyptic roots and ventures into sci-fi territory. It's less of a political thriller now as well.

Who or what is Alex?

The curtain lifts on Sinatra's visit to Alex; it is actually an AI quantum computer able to manipulate time. Henry named the computer Alex after his terminally ill wife, who had Huntington's. By the end of Paradise Season 2, Alex is predicting events, but it hasn't even properly been activated. It predicts that Sinatra will die by the end of the day (she does) and generates a key card that states, "Awaiting User X."The main Colorado bunker is now in danger after oxygen failure forces the bunker doors to automatically open. Additionally, lockdown mode gets activated. Life in the bunker is under threat and Dr. Gabriela Torabi (Sarah Shahi) authorises Exodus in Sinatra's absence. The residents of the bunker must leave the bunker, which is self-detonating at this point.

Who is user X?

Early on, viewers are led to believe that Link, aka Dylan, might be User X. After all, he helped create Alex. But by the end of the finale it is clear that Sinatra has a vision of the future. At the end, the story humanizes Samantha, aka Sinatra, as she decides to stay back and activate lockdown mode from the control tower in Paradise. She is at peace with her decision, having met Dylan, who she believes is her son.

She tells Xavier, who she now believes is X (his nickname from the freedom movement inside the bunker), to go to Denver to find Alex with the card. There is another bunker underneath the airport and Xavier must find out what Alex wants. Now that Xavier's family is together again, he must now make sure they have a secure future as well.

Where does Paradise go next?

While the Colorado bunker has been evacuated, plenty of answers still remain about future leadership and more. There's also the question of what Link wants from Alex. Xavier tells Link about Annie's (Shailene Woodley) death and his baby daughter. The duo have visions of one another, reminding them that they know each other from somewhere. Will they join forces or will they be enemies as they try to reach Alex first? Season 3 of Paradise is currently in the writing phase and will premiere in 2027. Both seasons of Paradise are now streaming on JioHotstar.