Diksha Sundriyal
Netflix’s crime drama, ‘Turn of the Tide,’ follows a group of friends whose lives are changed when a boatload of cocaine washes up on the shore of their island. Trying to escape the island for different reasons, the youngsters make this opportunity count by selling drugs and making enough money to leave for America. However, they forget that the cocaine belonged to someone, and that person will not rest until they have got it back. This puts the protagonists in a dangerous position. They are pitted against forces more powerful than them at every turn. It’s not just about keeping the cocaine but also saving their own lives. Here’s what happens to them by the end of the first season. SPOILERS AHEAD
Turn of the Tide Season 1 Recap
Eduardo has lived on Rabo de Peixe his entire life and never felt things would improve for him or his family. His mother died of cancer when he was still young, and his father’s eyesight is deteriorating. Eduardo doesn’t have the money to get his father the proper treatment, and he can’t leave the island until he has ensured his father will be alright. He desperately needs money, and that’s when the cocaine arrives.
Two members of the Italian mob are forced to change course when the rudder of their yacht breaks. Rabo de Peixe is the nearest landmass, but they can’t just dock on the island like a regular person because their yacht contains tons and tons of cocaine. They hide the drugs in the grottos and coves, hoping no one will find them. They plan to repair the rudder and leave as soon as possible. However, as the weather worsens and the waves get stronger, the cocaines from the coves are washed out and land on the shore.
The sudden arrival of so much cocaine changes everything for the people on the island. Everyone gets their hands on as many packets of cocaine as possible, but because everyone has it, they can’t make money from it. So, they use it for their own consumption. Two people, however, want to use it differently. Eduardo knows that the cocaine didn’t just drop from the sky. It must have been hidden somewhere. He finds the coves where the stash was hidden and takes whatever remains. Meanwhile, a local gangster, Arruda, collects the cocaine from the locals and plans to create a stash that he can sell outside the island.
While Eduardo and Arruda are busy figuring out how to move the cocaine, Inspector Frias arrives from the mainland to curb the situation. She wants to lock up everyone in possession of the cocaine and knows there must be a much more significant amount than assumed by the local police. Meanwhile, the actual owner of the cocaine, Monti, comes to Rabo de Peixe to get it all back.
Turn of the Tide Season 1 Ending: Who Has the Cocaine?
While no one knows the total amount of cocaine brought on the yacht, all the parties involved want to get their hands on whatever remains of it. Arruda wanted to get all the cocaine from the locals and sell it himself. He almost succeeded until Frias arrived and conducted a raid throughout the island seizing every single packet, no matter who had it. Arruda had around 500 kg of cocaine, and the local cops thought that seizing such an amount was enough. They were unaware of the stash that Eduardo and his friends were hiding.
Despite the lack of enthusiasm from the local police, Frias knows that there is much more cocaine hidden around, and she wants her hands on it. Arruda knows that Eduardo is hiding something, and he wants the cocaine for himself. Monti, on the other hand, has already sustained a considerable loss by losing so much cocaine. He wants to get back whatever remains of it. All three know that Eduardo and his friends are the keys to finding the cocaine. The question is: who will get to them first?
After Silvia almost dies of an overdose, Arruda forces Rafael to tell him about Eduardo’s hiding spot. He takes all the cocaine and kills Rafael. When Silvia finds out about it, she decides to have revenge on her father. She and her friends devise a plan to get the cocaine from him while he gets into a gunfight with Monti’s people. They hide the cocaine at Eduardo’s uncle Joe’s place because no one knows about it. However, Arruda locates them. Things don’t go as well for him, and Eduardo stabs him with a harpoon.
Meanwhile, Monti finds Eduardo’s father and kills him. He also kidnaps Carlos, threatening to kill him if the cocaine is not returned. Joe and Eduardo had planned to ship the cocaine in canned tuna, sending it to America, where Eduardo could sell it. However, Frias discovers their plan, forcing them to change their strategy. Eduardo knows there are too many adversaries, and he can’t handle them all individually. Arruda is gone, and Monti and Frias are already on opposite sides of the law. So, he decides to pit them against each other.
Eduardo agrees to give the cocaine to Monti in return for Carlos’ life. He also notifies Frias of this deal, enticing her to arrive at the spot to catch Monti, the bigger fish. With the mob boss and the cops facing off against each other, Eduardo and Carlos escape. While he saves his friend’s life, Eduardo also makes sure that the cocaine is not lost. He hides it in a different place, somewhere only his Uncle Joe can find it. He leaves a message for Joe in which he tells him the location of the cocaine. Ultimately, the drugs are still on Rabo de Peixe, and Joe is the only one who knows about their location.
Do Eduardo and Carlos Go to America?
The only thing Eduardo wanted was to escape his life in Rabo de Peixe and go to America. He wanted to be in a bigger world and do bigger things, but he never had the means or the opportunity to do so. The arrival of cocaine changes all of that. When the walls start to close in on him, Joe decides that the only way to save Eduardo is to send him to America. Had they had a little time, their tuna cans idea would have worked, but with Frias and Monti circling them, they must let go of that.
When Monti kidnaps Carlos, Eduardo realizes it wouldn’t be safe for his friends to remain on the island. Carlos doesn’t want to leave, but when things take such a dangerous turn, he realizes that the only way to save himself is to leave the island with Eduardo. While the cops and the mob fight each other, Eduardo and Carlos escape. The arrangements were already in place. When they arrive on the dock, they find a boat waiting for them, taking them to the ship headed for America. In the final scene, we see them wave happily, indicating that their journey is complete and they have landed in America.
Why Doesn’t Silvia Go to America?
Since the beginning of the story, the only thing Eduardo wanted was to go to America. He wants his friends to accompany him but realizes it is not their dream, so he doesn’t push them. After Rafael is killed and Silvia’s father turns against her, Eduardo offers her a new life in America. He proposes her hand in marriage, and they plan to run away together. Later, however, Silvia wonders if this isn’t a good decision. She’d wanted to go to Boston, but she never intended to leave her family and friends behind. She knew that he would never return to the island once Eduardo left.
Silvia gives some thought to the matter, weighing the pros and cons. This is when she discovers she is pregnant. It is not clear whether the child is Rafael’s or Eduardo’s, but it is enough for her to give up cocaine and find a purpose in life. Now, she has something to hold on to, which gives her a reason to stay in Rabo de Peixe. This is why, when the time comes, she doesn’t show up at the dock to go to America with Eduardo.
Read More: Is Netflix’s Turn of the Tide Based on a True Story?
