Abhiroop Das
Created by Jennifer Flackett, Andrew Goldberg, Mark Levin, and Nick Kroll, Netflix’s ‘Mating Season‘ begins with the end of the winter hibernation season, and follows four animal friends on their journey to find a mate for the season. Josh the bear, recently separated from his wife, is forced to start the dating process from scratch, and soon comes to realize his own shortcomings in all of it. Fawn the dear and Penelope the fox, on the other hand, have to battle the memories of a traumatic past as they keep running into unsuitable partners. That said, it’s the fourth friend, Ray the raccoon, who ends up having the most topsy-turvy arc, especially with the arrival of a swan named Addy. Though they end things on a sour note, it’s clear that their feelings aren’t waning anytime soon. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Ray and Addy Likely Still Have Strong Feelings For Each Other
While Ray and Addy part ways well before the end of ‘Mating Season’ season 1, there is a good chance that their love story is far from over. Despite their bumpy relationship and a particularly messy breakup, the fact remains that Ray is now a more conscious and sincere raccoon than before, one capable of appreciating love. Whether they can get back, then, depends on how Addy feels about Ray’s transformation and whether she is open to a relationship after everything that has transpired. Even in their breakup scene, it is clear that Addy doesn’t make the choice due to a lack of love, but because being with Ray makes her life toxic. Now that such a thing might not be a factor, Addy might just be open to giving him a second chance.
Ray and Addy’s love story is not the only plot thread on an ambiguous note in ‘Mating Season,’ as the finale also teases the return of Penelope’s estranged lover, Summer. In their case, the problematic aspect is Summer returning after so many years with the expectation of simply resuming the relationship from where things left off. While Addy isn’t likely to return under similar circumstances, how Ray approaches her in case they meet again will be the real test of his emotional maturity over the past season. If his renewed commitment to his friendship is something to consider, then Ray now has a much better grasp on how boundaries work, and that should ideally translate to his dynamic with Addy as well.
Ray’s Transformative Journey Will be the Key to a Potential Reunion
What complicates Ray’s relationship with Addy is his insecurity about her friendship with her co-worker, a male swan. Though Ray claims it’s because the duo has perfect singing chemistry and spends a lot of time together, a part of his jealousy comes from a place of self-hatred. From the start of the show, Ray has never felt right with animals that are deemed conventionally attractive, as all he’s known as a raccoon is discrimination because of his diet and abode. This is why Ray falls in love with Addy in the first place, as she never judges him for his lifestyle choices or his nature as a raccoon. To that end, when Ray sees Addy befriend a fellow swan, he projects his own insecurities onto that animal, even lashing out over the tiniest of misunderstandings.
While the end of the season sets Ray on a path of self-improvement, it remains to be seen whether Ray has tackled that part of his consciousness just yet. For Addy, who has craved genuine companionship her entire life, Ray’s aggression induces an idea that no matter how far their relationship proceeds, Ray is bound to revert to his controlling side, even if it means hurting Addy emotionally in the process. Still, her final interaction with him shows that this is far from an easy decision for her as well, and there still might be hints of love left in her heart. Though we won’t know the trajectory of this dynamic for sure until a potential season 2 makes it to the screen, one thing that is for certain is that both characters are evolving rapidly.
Read More: Mating Season Ending Explained: Will Penelope Choose Summer or Jojo?
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