What the actual F? We need to talk about The OA, Netflix fans. Because if, when you got to the end of The OA, you weren’t left scratching your head, mouth agape and wondering what the hell just happened, then you are a bloody genius and we need you to come and help us out.
If, on the other hand, you were very much frozen in a state of WTF after watching that final scene, we’re right there with you buddy. Don’t you worry.
In the spirit of getting to the bottom of the things, we tried to rationalise what we think actually went down in the series and answer the questions that have kept us up at night since watching The OA.
Needless to say, there are a few spoilers up ahead so tread carefully. Equally, don’t be one of those people who reads what happens without actually watching the show. You’re better than that. I think you should go watch it and then come back. Trust me.
What even is *The OA *about?
Firstly, the basics. The OA is an eight-part Netflix Original drama about Prairie, a young woman played by Brit Marling who somehow is returned to her parents seven years after disappearing from home. To add to the mystery, when Prairie went missing she was blind but when she comes back, she can see. We were hooked at the synopsis too.
Want a quick recap? Take a minute to re-watch the Netflix trailer
Before we go any further, let’s just throw ourselves back into that mysterious world…
But what does OA stand for?
That is the question, isn’t it? Because Prairie stops going by the name Prairie after another Near Death Experience (NDE) in Hap’s underground prison cell thing, and choses to go by OA. In the fifth episode I’m pretty sure Prairie describes herself to her as ‘the original angel’, so that could be it. It makes sense but I’m not entirely convinced that it’s that simple. The OA is never that simple.
What’s the deal with Jason Isaac’s The OA character?
Who? Hap? The NDE obsessed scientist who repeatedly watches people die every now and again to find proof of existence beyond death? I wish I knew. Besides having to regularly remind myself that it was indeed Hap not Lucius Malfoy who had kidnapped and tortured OA and the others, he was a tricky character to figure out.
I can’t be the only one who thought they saw real compassion in his eyes when was dealing with blind Prairie. But then again that all went away when he left her at the side of the road in the middle of nowhere, didn’t it?
And what was with the ending of The OA?
It was all very dramatic and unexpected. And okay, a tad inconceivable. Questions: who was the shooter in the cafeteria? Did performing the ‘movements’ actually work or was the shooter just really baffled by what the four boys, BBA (the teacher who also took part in OA’s midnight story telling sessions at the abandoned house) were doing?
My understanding was that using the first and second movements have the power to heal – remember when they managed to bring Scott back to life and cure the sheriff's wife? But we didn’t really find out what all five movements did together, because whenever they were actually all used together someone got shot.
I guess how you feel about the ending really depends on whether you believe OA’s story. Because on the one hand her premonition told her that something bad was going to go down in the cafeteria. And when she was wheeled into the ambulance after being shot by the cafeteria killer, she tells the group of five that they did it. ‘Don’t you see?’ she says, ‘I have the will. Can’t you feel it?’
The thing is...I’m not sure we do see. But perhaps she was finally passing over to be with Homer. Unless you think OA’s story was all made up because of the books about NDEs, angels, and Homer’s ‘Odyssey’ that French finds under OA’s bed. There’s that option. But where’s the fun in that?
Who is Allison Wilke?
Remember just before the credits started rolling at the end of the final scene of the series, it noted ‘In memory of Allison Wilke’. She’s not listed on the show’s IMDb profile but the Mirror reportedthat Allison Wilke was actually one of the producers on the show. She died at the age of 44 in November 2016 before The OA was released.
Is there going to be a second season of The OA?
For a while we were unsure. We were teased with lots of 'maybe's and 'oh that would be exciting' type comments, like when Brit Marling (who co-wrote and produced the show as well as starring as OA) told Variety: ‘It’s exciting to leave that gap between one season and another to see how people feel about it and what they’re thinking, and then to get to continue, to actually answer the questions.’
But now we can confirm that there IS going to be another series and your questions will (maybe) be answered! Anyone else feeling both relieved and really nervous about what's to come? Okay good, me too.
Is there a trailer for season 2 of The OA?
Yes there is but sadly it tells us very little. You get a snapshot of a bridge, and we're guessing it's the one we see OA jump off of at the beginning of the first season. But other than that there's just of moody smoke and shimmery water. You can hear OA's voice though (errm... SHE'S STILL ALIVE?!), and all she says is the name 'Homer', so we're guessing the search is still on.
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Follow Jazmin on Twitter @JazKopotsha
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.