Aahana Swrup
‘Sterling Point’ is a coming-of-age teen drama series in which an impulsive trip to a lake island ends up changing a teenager’s life and many others along the way. After the death of Gordon, Ramona’s grandfather and sole remaining guardian, the teenager finds herself all alone without any family left. That is, until a 17-year-old Annie Jacobson shows up at Sterling Point from New York as Gordon’s apparent estranged granddaughter and fellow inheritor of the island.
As the two sisters learn of each other’s existence for the first time, they realize that their mother, Goldie, had many secrets to keep that ended up deciding the course of her children’s lives for better or for worse. Despite their complicated situation, Annie and Ramona find a way to bond and become crucial parts of each other’s lives over the course of the ensuing summer. Furthermore, in navigating these tumultuous waters, they continue to form new friendships and deepen existing relationships. For Ramona, one of these relationships includes Oona, her long-time best friend, whom she has been in love with for a long time. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Both Ramona and Oona Have Sapphic Storylines in the Show
From the get-go, both Ramona and Oona’s characters are introduced as queer individuals who are open about their sexualities. Although the latter never labels her sexual orientation in clear and specific terms, she consistently showcases her interest in and attraction towards other girls. Alternatively, although Ramona doesn’t specifically use the term “lesbian,” she identifies herself as gay on a few occasions. Thus, even in the absence of any distinct “coming out” scenes, the queer identities of both characters are well established and explored. In terms of her love life, Oona struggles with forming long-lasting connections with people. She often falls in love with people, indulges in a whirlwind romance with them for a week or two, before breaking things off and easily moving on.
Oona’s attachment-avoidant issues notably stem from her complicated relationship with her estranged mother, who has perpetually abandoned her two daughters in favor of her own personal journey. As a result, her daughter has developed some serious abandonment issues that prevent her from getting close to people in the first place, especially in romantic relationships. In this aspect, her friendship with Ramona remains an anomaly for its depth and level of attachment. However, her best friend has actually been in love with her for most of their friendship. Even so, she’s well aware of the others’ dating habits, which compels her to believe nothing could ever happen between the two of them. As a result, the two remain entangled in a homoerotically charged friendship.
Ramona and Oona’s Slow Burn Eventually Blossoms Into a Romance
Although Ramona has been in love with Oona for a long time now, she never really thinks there is much chance for romance to bloom between them. At first, this belief stems from her own insecurities, which compel her to believe her best friend would never go for someone like herself. However, once Annie enters her life and forces her into sisterly bonding, she tries to encourage Ramona to hope for what she wants. This results in a charged moment between the two best friends, which makes the existing attraction between them evident. For the same reason, when Oona invites her to a local movie screening, the invitation inevitably reads as a potential date.
Nonetheless, before Oona meets up with the other, her younger sister, Maple, gives her some advice to be careful with her friend. She has a habit of falling in and out of love in the blink of an eye. Even though her feelings for Ramona are obviously different, that doesn’t mean the outcome of their possible romance won’t end up being the same. If she isn’t careful, she can end up breaking her best friend’s heart to a point where no return would be possible. All of this compels Oona to chicken out at the last second and stand Ramona up at the movies in favor of her latest paramour, Stacey Mallory.
When Ramona, in a drunken state, makes the same discovery, it naturally leads to a disastrous end. Initially, this creates some lasting friction between the two best friends, which eventually resolves itself in an explosive confrontation. Much like Ramona, Oona doesn’t wish to return to a purely platonic friendship, especially in light of their mutual feelings for one another. Still, she’s also afraid of adding her best friend to the long list of people whom she feels she has disappointed. In the end, both teenagers decide to put their insecurities and fear aside as they’re irrevocably pulled into each other’s orbits. While their issues remain, they also decide to give their love a real chance regardless of the risks it presents.
Oona and Ramona’s Relationship Ends in Heartbreak, At Least For Now
Shortly after Oona and Ramona decide to get together, their lives continue to get more and more complicated in other ways. One of the primary reasons the other believes she could never be loved by her best friend is because of the complications of her personal life. After the death of her grandfather, Ramona all but becomes an orphan. Between that, an unknown father and a dead mother whom she never knew, the teenager comes with a lot of baggage. She’s worried that her life will scare Oona off and ruin the one good thing in her life. In turn, the latter assures her that nothing could ever change the way she feels about her because of the simple fact that she loves her. Nonetheless, as it turns out, love isn’t always enough.
Eventually, Ramona discovers that she’s actually the biological daughter of Goldie and Steven, Annie’s father. Although the mother had assumed her pregnancy was a result of her affair with Joe, it was actually due to her successful IVF treatment with her husband. This changes everything in the family and their unconventional dynamic. Due to their biological connection, Steven and Ramona now have a dynamic that exists outside of Annie, Steven’s actual adopted daughter. She feels a level of dissonance in parts of her identity that she was previously confident in. This causes some tension between the two sisters. Furthermore, it opens up the possibility of Ramona moving to New York in order to give her newfound relationship with Steven a chance.
When Ramona discusses these same things with Oona, it triggers the other’s abandonment issues. For most of her life, the teenager has been put second in her mother’s life in favor of other, more interesting people and places. She’s afraid that her girlfriend is now doing the same thing to her and that New York will eventually phase her out of Ramona’s life. In turn, the latter is incredibly offended by these assumptions, accusing her girlfriend of mischaracterizing her as a result of her own hangups. The argument that this creates cuts deep for both individuals involved. Therefore, Oona declares that it would be better for them to part ways than continue to hurt each other further. In the end, their fears win out, leading to twin broken hearts.
Read More: Sterling Point Ending Explained: Do Ramona and Annie Sell the Island?
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