‘Sex Education’ ending explained: do Otis and Maeve end up together?
Sex Education officially comes to an end with its fourth season.
Created by Laurie Nunn, the Netflix show’s final season picks up as Otis (Asa Butterfield) and Eric (Ncuti Gatwa) face setting up a new sex clinic at Cavendish Sixth Form College.
Otis, meanwhile, is also struggling with the distance between him and Maeve (Emma Mackey), who is studying at the prestigious Wallace University in the US.
New cast additions for the final season include Schitt’s Creek star Dan Levy, Thaddea Graham, Lisa McGrillis, Marie Reuther, Jodie Turner-Smith and Eshaan Akbar.
What happens to Otis and Maeve at the end of Sex Education season 4?
Otis and Maeve mutually decide to call it quits at the end of Sex Education. The pair’s relationship, which has been strained throughout the fourth season, comes to an end as they both accept they are growing in different directions.
Maeve decides she wants to pursue her writing scholarship in the US, while Otis is needed in the UK to be there for his mother Jean (Gillian Anderson) and little sister Joy. Maeve, however, does leave Otis a heartfelt note.
“You have the rare ability to make people feel truly seen,” she wrote. “And you did the same for me. It was this, and your relentless optimism about human beings, that gave me the courage to start opening myself up to other people.
“For the first time in my life, I didn’t feel alone, which allowed me to imagine something bigger for myself. I want you to know that however much it fucking hurts that we can’t be together, I won’t ever close myself off again.
“Meeting you cracked my heart open and now it’s forever changed. And because of that, I will carry part of you with me wherever I go. I think what I’m trying to say is: Thanks for everything, dickhead.”
What happens to the other Sex Education characters?
After wrestling with his faith throughout the season, Eric decides he wants to become a pastor following an encounter with God (played by Jodie Turner-Smith). Crucially though, he manages to rekindle his friendship with Otis after the pair appeared to be growing apart.
Speaking to Tudum, show creator Laurie Nunn said: “For me, Eric and Otis have always been the central love story of the show. Even though the show is about sex, it’s actually really about friendship. Otis can have blinders on and doesn’t realise that he’s very much the lead character in his own life, and he sometimes forgets that Eric is the lead character in his own life.”
Adam (Connor Swindells) reconciles with his father Michael (Alistair Petrie), who eventually accepts his son’s passion to work with animals on a local farm.
Aimee (Aimee Lou Wood) enters into a romantic relationship with Isaac (George Robinson), who helps her discover a passion for art. She also manages to heal from her sexual assault trauma, and burns the jeans she was wearing when the incident happened.
Jackson (Kedar Williams-Stirling), who was raised by two mums, discovers his father was a former married co-worker of his mum Roz (Sharon Duncan-Brewster) called Jerome, who had an affair. Jackson learns Jerome wants nothing to do with him, fearing it would destroy his marriage. The show ends however with his mothers telling him that they hid the identity of his father to protect him, reaffirming Jackson’s relationship with his mums.
In the final episode, Cal (Dua Saleh) goes missing after experiencing depression due to gender dysphoria. After Cal is found by Eric and Jackson, who offer support, the students of Cavendish host a fundraiser to raise money for Cal’s top surgery.
Ruby (Mimi Keene) confronts O (Thaddea Graham), who was responsible for her getting bullied in the past for wetting the bed. O apologises, but Ruby realises the positivity at Cavendish has given her more empathy. She finds a new friendship group at the school.
Jean acknowledges she’s been in denial about her postnatal depression, while her sister Joanna (Lisa McGrillis) accepts she needs to address her past sexual abuse she suffered as a child. They both end up living together, as they look set to help each other.
Viv (Chinenye Ezeudu) ends her relationship with Cavendish student Beau, after her friends make her realise he is controlling and abusive.
Sex Education is available to stream on Netflix.
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Adam Starkey
NME
