Dhruv Trivedi‘Sex Education’ is a comedy-drama set in Moordale Secondary School, where the students find themselves on the cusp of their budding sexuality and begin to explore their bodies in earnest. Ever since awkward high schooler Otis and class outcast, Maeve, decided to team up and offer sexual advice to their fellow students, the school has turned into a sex-positive haven that has many of the parents concerned.
Season 3 finds the school under a new administration that imposes strict new rules and attempts to paint everything a somber gray (both literally and figuratively). But the students of Moordale will not be kept down, and despite Maeve and Otis not running their “sex clinic” anymore, there is a lot of romantic and carnal experimentation in the works. So, where does it leave Moordale and its sex-positive student body? Let’s dive into the ending of ‘Sex Education’ season 3. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Sex Education Season 3 Recap
The season opens with the students of Moordale having a raunchy summer before heading back to school for a new year. Otis, not on speaking terms with Maeve after their falling out the previous year, has continued his casual relationship with high school queen bee Ruby. However, the latter remains skeptical about acknowledging their connection in public.
After the ousting of Mr. Groff, the school now has a new Headteacher, a former student and vibrant young lady who seems only too keen to get to know the students. However, it soon turns out that Mrs. Hope Haddon has her intentions fixed solely on fixing the school’s image in the press and is willing to go to any lengths to achieve it.
Eric and Adam explore their relationship, with Adam slowly coming to terms with coming out to his classmates. Maeve meanwhile finds comfort in her neighbor, Isaac, even while she worries about her mother, who has a recurring drug habit and has lost custody of her young daughter, Elsie. In school, the short-tempered girl has decided to focus on getting into an academic program in the United States and continues to ignore Otis or attempt to restart their sex clinic.
Meanwhile, Jean finally reveals to Jakob that she is pregnant, and the two decide to co-parent the child. However, they are unable to deny the attraction they have for each other, and after a particularly affectionate night, Jakob and his daughter Ola move in with Jean and Otis. However, Jakob is still racked with doubt, and the relationship remains tenuous. Otis and Ola get along for the most part, with the former even helping counsel Ola’s girlfriend, Lily.
Sex Education Season 3 Ending: Does Moordale Secondary Shut Down?
As things get increasingly out of control despite the strict measures put in place by the new headteacher, Mrs. Hope finally stoops to a new low by forcing her students to wear demeaning placards in school. She is especially un-empathetic towards the school’s non-binary students, and her true purpose of only caring about the school’s reputation and not the students’ wellbeing eventually comes out in the open. This leads to an all-out revolt during a large school gathering with the parents and the school’s investors.
Mrs. Hope eventually leaves and is last seen attempting to get IVF treatment to have a child. Meanwhile, the students’ celebrations are short-lived as they soon get word that Moordale’s investors have all pulled their funding. Jean also goes into labor and faces complications during birth that appear to be life-threatening. As Otis finds solace in Maeve, the two begin to get closer, and their caring bond for one another seems to be coming back.
However, Maeve is then given the news that she’s been selected for the academic program in America, and season 3 closes with her leaving the town of Moordale after bidding Otis goodbye. So, some devastating events occur at the end of season 3, the most notable of which is Moordale losing its funding. After the sexual spectacle put on by the students in front of the investors and parents, it seems like the school has lost all financial support, and it is announced in the season finale that Moordale will be shut down and subsequently sold. This is most devastating to the senior sixth-form students who are only a term away from graduating and must now seek alternatives to complete their education.
Far more serious than just the school’s unofficial sex clinic being shut down, it now looks like Moordale Secondary itself is well on its way to shutting down. Perhaps the only ray of hope comes from a brief scene where a news clipping shows how the student of Moordale, with their demonstrations, have sparked protests amongst students all over the UK demanding safer environments to explore their sexuality and personal choices without being shamed. Once it becomes known that Moordale is being permanently shut down, these protests might pick up further steam and have some interesting results. Though it seems unlikely, a benign investor might even step in and help reopen Moordale.
Where is Maeve Going? How Long is She Going For?
Maeve has been selected for the gifted and talented program in the United States but initially decides not to go. Despite being quite happy about her acceptance, Maeve is informed that the school doesn’t have the funds to support her in the program. Not used to asking others for help, the self-reliant student then decides not to go. All of this changes in the last episode when Maeve’s mother Erin — feeling regretful for all the years she neglected her daughter — gives her a large amount of money that is clearly very precious and has been obtained from selling some of her belongings.
Maeve finally accepts the money but then has to leave the very next day, giving her very little time to say her goodbyes. Though it is not clarified how long Maeve is going for, as she bids Otis goodbye, she hints that she will be back at some point in time, saying, “See you later.” Considering it is the final high school term, Maeve is likely leaving for at least six months, until the end of the academic year. This actually works out well for her as the other students of Moordale, with the school shutting down, are left looking for other schools to complete their education.
However, there is also a possibility that Maeve, after attending the scholastic program in the United States, will get a scholarship to an American university. Her ambition and financial situation will make it difficult for her to reject the offer, as she doesn’t have many other options. This means that Maeve might just end up spending many years in the US and away from Otis.
What Happens to Jean? Is She Still Alive?
Jean suffers from complications during the birth of her child and is forced to go into surgery immediately following the birth of her daughter Joy. The final episode opens with Jean’s life hanging by a thread and Otis and Jakob trying to comfort each other. During this time, Otis is forced to envision what life without his mother would be like, and he blurts out that he doesn’t want to go and live with his father. Jakob comforts the frightened boy and essentially says that he will be there for him. Jean’s precarious condition, therefore, brings Otis and Jakob closer together.
After many tense hours, Jean finally comes out of surgery and is declared stable by the doctors. Therefore, despite being a little loopy from the drugs given to her during surgery, she seems to be recovering fast. However, the ordeal seems to have given Otis a new appreciation for his mother, and his ever-simmering frustration towards her seems to have vanished, at least for the time being.
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