Diksha Sundriyal
The second season of Hulu’s ‘Paradise‘ expands the post-apocalyptic world by taking the audience outside the bunker, which had served as the primary location for the entire first season. This means bringing new key characters to the surface, the foremost of which is Shailene Woodley’s Annie, who saves herself from the apocalypse by finding refuge in Graceland. For two years, Annie hides away in Elvis Presley’s lavish house, but when Link and his group arrive, things change drastically. She becomes pregnant, and the idea of bringing a child into the world on her own makes her reconsider the thought of staying in Graceland. By the end of Episode 4, it becomes clear that her choice to leave the place is informed by her impending death. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Annie Expected Her Story to End Outside Graceland
Being a doctor, Annie was able to take care of herself and other people. While she may have left school before she got her degree, she had spent time learning the basics of healthcare, especially when it comes to patching up people. She had also been a bright student, and her expertise is exhibited by the way she helps Link and Xavier. But in a post-apocalyptic world, it meant that she had to be her own doctor too, especially when she got pregnant. She knew the basics, one of which was to keep monitoring basic signs, such as the blood pressure. Before she and Xavier leave Graceland, we find her checking her BP one last time. When she notes it down, it is clear that her BP is pretty high, and the previous entries reveal that it has been high for a while.
Annie knows enough to know that high blood pressure is not good for pregnancy, and considering other signs, like her swollen feet, she comes to the conclusion that she has preeclampsia. In a normal world, she would have immediately gone to the hospital to make sure the other doctors could help her navigate this situation and make sure that she and her baby survived. But the current world does not give her that luxury. She knows there is going to be a complication during her delivery, and her only hope is that the baby survives it, even if she doesn’t. This is why, when she finds Xavier, she becomes adamant about going to Colorado, because she hopes that by the time the baby comes, Link will be around to take her.
Xavier, however, makes it clear that he needs to find his wife first, so Annie agrees to go with him there, under the condition that they go to Colorado after this. She doesn’t tell him about her condition, because she knows that he will leave her behind. So, she continues the journey with him, hoping that the baby doesn’t come just yet. But two days into their journey, her water breaks, prompting Xavier to run to a nearby farm to ask for help. In the meantime, Annie, who knows what’s coming, writes a letter for her child because this is the only way she can talk to her or leave something behind for her.
Annie’s Death Marks the Departure of Shailene Woodley
By the time the baby is born, Annie has accepted her situation. She is happy to see that she has a healthy daughter who will be safe with Xavier, so she doesn’t have to be afraid for her. She also reminds him to fulfill his promise of going back to Colorado after Atlanta and hand the baby over to her father. By now, she has spent time with him to know that he will not leave the baby behind. In her final act, she has shown the bravery that Link had asked of her months ago. She has trusted a stranger and ensured that her child survives in this post-apocalyptic nightmare. Her final words reflect this, and she breathes her last in Xavier’s arms.
With this, Annie’s arc in ‘Paradise’ comes to an end. This, however, does not confirm that we won’t see her again. Given that death has been an integral part of the show’s storytelling, dead characters have a habit of popping up in ‘Paradise,’ even after the question and manner of their death has been resolved. James Marsden’s Cal Bradford and Jon Beavers’ Agent Billy Pace died in Season 1 but are still hanging around in Season 2. With this in mind, one could wish for Woodley’s return in a future episode, though the chances are considerably lower because her character, so far, doesn’t have the necessary backstory or impact on the storyline to warrant a flashback. Unless there is another mystery that is connected to Annie, there is a good chance that Shailene Woodley has departed the series for good.
Read More: Paradise Season 2 Episode 4 Recap: What Happened to Teri?
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