The ending was disappointing in a way, because part of me wanted to see a happy ending. But maybe the characters got one in their own way.
Rosie got what she wanted — she left the community, and even though Sam was portrayed as a negative character, he gave her a new experience and showed her a different side of life, helping her understand what life outside the community could feel like.
Adam didn’t want to leave, but maybe that’s exactly what he needed. Perhaps life inside the community never allowed him to truly be himself, and that’s where all his insecurity came from.
Mrs. Phillips was finally reunited with her son. Instead of spending the rest of her life in misery, she now has a chance to live her final years in peace and happiness.
Isaac didn’t get a happy ending, but his character is interesting in many ways. I still have so many questions about him. If leaving the community was his plan all along, he could have left much earlier instead of having so many children and then leaving his wife behind to deal with everything alone.
The same goes for his wife. To her, the community seemed more important than her husband, she never supported him and maybe that’s exactly why he never felt truly loved and wanted to leave. Rules are above feelings in this community. And that's not for everyone.
I think Adam and Hannah would fit each other more in the community. Same goes for Rosie and Isaac. But thats just a thought.
The ending itself also felt a bit unrealistic. The police are supposedly searching for Sam, yet he still manages to take such an important role in the community, and the main characters **just let it happen.**There were so many moments when they could have called the police, and realistically there would have been no consequences for them. Adam could have simply broken Sam’s phone with the video on it. I didn’t like how much power Rosie and Adam gave to Sam when, in reality, he had none. But some people can never cross the limits of their own character — and I think that’s what the show was trying to portray.
But I think the real purpose of the ending was to show what communities like this are truly about — control. They talk endlessly about sin, they punish people, and preach morality, yet the leaders themselves are often the biggest sinners.
One sinner simply replaces another and continues teaching others how not to sin. And people obey.
They teach people not to think for themselves. In many ways, that’s how the world works. We believe we join these communities to escape the demons, but in reality, we may end up closer to them than ever before. And along the way, we lose all common sense.
In reality, there are many people in leadership roles who are psychopaths because of their power to manipulate others. Especially those ones with victim mentality. Like Adam. He was struggling so much inside himself that he couldn’t see what was happening around him clearly and was easily manipulated. Or maybe he didnt want to take actions because it is easier to be weak?
So in the end, we see the devil in the flesh becoming the person who will teach those people how to live the “right” way.
Will control them and write his own rules. Funny isn't it? But very realistic, sadly.
In any community, common sense should matter more than strict rules.
But it's not how it works.