Diksha Sundriyal
In its fifth episode, Hulu’s ‘Paradise’ peels the layers of mystery to give us insight into the last day of Cal Bradford’s life. So far, he has only been shown through the memories of other people, limiting the perspective to how he was perceived by other people. But this episode dives into what was going on in his mind and what may have led to his death, though the latter still remains a mystery. This chapter of the story also takes some great strides as several characters find themselves cornered, which makes them extremely unpredictable. Xavier Collins, specially, takes a step that can change everything for Paradise and its residents. SPOILERS AHEAD.
The Story of Cal Bradford’s Life
To understand Cal Bradford’s death, first, we need to understand his life, which is why the show turns the clock back to 1997 when Cal was yet to be on the path to the White House. Despite his father’s booming business in oil and other things, he doesn’t find himself adept at the job. So, he comes clean and tells his dad he is not made for this. Rather, he would like to have a simple life, preferring to become a high school teacher than lead a multi-billion dollar oil company. Of course, his father doesn’t approve of his ideas and presents his own plan for what he wants Cal’s life to be. It is Kane who throws his son into politics, eventually leading him to become the President of the United States.
This shows that Cal never had any control over his life, and this becomes more evident when it turns out that it was Kane, not Cal, that Samantha approached when she decided to go forward with her plan of making a city in the heart of a mountain. Cal’s position as POTUS led Kane to open all the resources to Samantha’s disposal, making her task immensely easier. Yet, Cal’s position as the President never allowed him to come into the inner circle, which he discovers when he tries to log into the classified account but is barred from it. Cal uses his now-dementia-stricken father’s credentials to log into the classified stuff and discovers the truth about the expedition that was sent to the surface. He had no idea that Billy Pace was sent after the scientists and asked to neutralize them.
What’s more shocking is that the scientists actually found people who had survived the tsunamis. They wanted to bring them back to Paradise, but Samantha and other billionaires couldn’t have it. So, the truth was buried. When Cal finds out about it, he is shocked, but he also doesn’t know what to do. He knows that a secret of this level could be dangerous to him, so he puts some measures in place. He tells his therapist to get Xavier if something happens to him. He even leaves a clue for his bodyguard to find in his cigarette. But he makes a mistake when he confronts Samantha about the whole thing because not only does she put him in his place, but it seems like she is the one who had him removed from the equation altogether.
Billy Pace’s Death Makes Xavier Reconsider His Plan
From the beginning, Xavier Collins knew that Samantha had something to do with Cal’s death. His suspicions grew stronger when he discovered that instead of dedicating everything to solving the murder, she was trying to bury it. And then, Billy came to him, confessing that he had done something bad and that it was connected to Cal’s death. But before Xavier can find out what it is, Billy is killed. This confirms for Xavier that the billionaire, codenamed Sinatra, is up to something bad, and he has to expose her.
Because Agent Robinson had an affair with Cal, Xavier finds it difficult to trust her. He sees her as a suspect who may or may not be working for Samantha. However, by the end of the episode, it becomes clear that she is the only one he can trust, especially after she confesses her love for Cal. In the flashbacks as well, we see her and Cal’s relationship as something more than an affair. She tells him that she is more than his mistress, and hours before his death, he expresses his desire to make their relationship public. He even told her where the weapons were stashed in Paradise and how to get to them. Later, Robinson relays this information to Xavier, showing him how serious she is about solving the case and taking down Samantha.
Some Wild Cards are Yet to be Played in Paradise
The clearer the picture gets in ‘Paradise,’ the more questions bob to the surface. The first and most pressing, for example, is about the surface. The episode opens with an image of the Washington Monument. Due to the tsunami, only its peak remains visible, which exhibits the extent of the damage caused to the world. We return to this image at the end of the episode, but this time, we see a ship floating around it. It is not in the best shape, but the fact that it is still floating shows that there is a chance someone might be on it. Another wild card that the show throws into the mix is Xavier’s daughter, Presley. Following Cal’s death, Xavier found that his tablet, which contains all the secrets in the world, was missing from its place.
At the end of this episode, we discover that Presley has the tablet. She even tries to tell her father about it, but he has more pressing concerns, so he tells his daughter to get her brother and pack a bag. Meanwhile, Kane also remembers Presley. At first, due to his dementia, it is believed that he may be confusing her with someone else, but considering that Presley has the tablet, it is clear that Kane has some memory of the night of Cal’s death, and Presley was there in the house that night, after all. However, it doesn’t really mean that she is the one who killed Cal. Still, suspicions remain. The episode ends with Cal taking the fight to Samantha. She had tried to shut him up, but following Billy’s death, he is too riled up to be scared anymore. To show how serious he is about his resolve, he has the message (“They are lying to you”) written on the sky for everyone to see.
Read More: Paradise: Is Agent Billy Pace Dead?
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