(Credits: Netflix)

In the deadly depths of Tall Pines, the skeletons are one too many. The new Netflix limited series, Wayward, cracks open the gates into the Tall Pine Academy, a fictional school for troubled teens with secrets darker than the night.

Wayward opens with police officer Alex Dempsey and his wife, Laura, moving to Tall Pines following an incident in their previous home in Detroit. But by the time Netflix pulls down the curtains, Laura is the new cult leader of Tall Pines.

So, what exactly happens in the eight-part miniseries? What triggers their move to Tall Pines? And what does the finale mean?

For those with similar questions, here’s every answer you need with a comprehensive explanation of how Wayward came to an end.

Why do Alex and Laura move to Tall Pines?

According to an episode one conversation between Alex and his new partner in Tall Pines at the office, Dwayne Andrews, allegations were in the air about the former resorting to “excessive force” during a “high stress” police situation in Detroit. The controversy didn’t improve the situation. However, actor Sarah Gadon says the characters were always going to end up in Tall Pines in any case.

One of the major reasons behind the move, as is evident in Wayward, is that Laura spent a significant amount of her teenage years at the Tall Pines Academy. In fact, she shares an extremely close bond with Evelyn. Gadon explains to Tudum, “There’s always this feeling you have when you’re pregnant – you want to nest, and you want to be close to your mother. At least that was my experience. So it made total sense for Laura to want to be near Evelyn, who’s her mother figure.

But as the series progresses, it’s observed that Laura’s Tall Pines retreat is less about comfort, nostalgia, or familiarity with her past. Instead, her return becomes the vehicle of unravelling sinister secrets that Alex never had a hunch of.

All about the Tall Pines Academy Leap

When Abbie is signed up for Tall Pines Academy at the directive of her parents, her best friend Leila follows suit, determined to save her. But contrary to their plans, they both end up trapped in the cobweb of the school, which runs on the promise to “solve the problem of adolescence.” As they make up their mind to flee the school, Abbie discovers a prominent clue which holds the truth about the academy in episode four. She accidentally comes across Evelyn performing her “theory” on her students, which ultimately concludes in what they call “the Leap,” which only a handful of pupils are allowed to experience.

Abbie, Leila, Alex, and lastly Laura, who was Leaped 15 years ago, spent the rest of Wayward trying to find what the Leap exactly is. In fact, it boils down to a tense confrontation between Laura and Evelyn in episode five where the former accuses her of drugging her and changing her, resulting in the loss she has experienced in life. It’s gradually revealed that Evelyn had been turning to psychedelic drugs to reprogram her pupils’ minds.

This apparently “cauterises” the traumas of one’s past, ruining the relationship with their caregivers. But these are not the only drawbacks. The effect also robs people of their emotions, making them unable to feel for their prospective future children. This is something Laura suffers.

What happens to Leila’s sister?

Evelyn shows interest in Leila, offering her the Leap, having recognised early on that she has plenty of trauma and burden, which Abbie clearly doesn’t. Episode six reveals that it all ties back to the death of Leila’s sister, Jess, who drowned in a swimming pool after a night of heavy partying. But the episode also hinges on a big question mark about how she exactly fell and whether Leila attempted to save her.

Leila spends the entire episode juggling her memories while Evelyn watches. She recalls going to a restaurant where she worked on the insistence of Jess and her best friend, Ashley. That night, the senior girls decided to kick off a drug-fueled party, compelling Leila to attend to make her look cool in front of her friends. However, as the party spiralled beyond control, the owner intervened, kicking everyone out of the venue. While Leila didn’t waste time fleeing out of the restaurant, she was worried about losing her job and getting arrested.

But the party didn’t stop. As they party hopped to the next destination, Leila and Jess stopped by a public pool to continue drinking. And that’s where the scenario gets a bit foggy. The audience can see Leila passing out by the pool and Jess floating dead in the water. However, Evelyn soon appears in her memory, tasking her to retry and show what really happened. Gradually, Evelyn convinces Leila to admit her hatred for Jess or how she sees it, which resulted in her pushing her down the pool, and simply watching as she drowned.

While Wayward doesn’t reveal the truth about Jess’s death, the confrontation was a game-changer for Leila and her relationship with Abbie.

What happened to Laura’s parents?

The mystery surrounding Laura’s parents was paramount throughout, since she was completely convinced they had left her or had just mysteriously vanished. But Alex unveils the real truth in episode six. But it turns out, her parents came for her to Tall Pines and tried to take her. However, they were never found again following that visit. As Laura cools off near a pond following this conversation, she notices her parents’ missing car, which is now submerged at the bottom. This makes the couple think whether Evelyn could have done that to her parents.

But as the finale comes, another possibility turns the speculation upside down. According to Evelyn, Laura had killed her own parents with a rock while she tried to help her friend cover it up. That’s when she Leaped Laura to erase her shame, guilt, and pain.

Inside the history of Tall Pines

Tall Pines’ history of the 1970s includes hippies and draft dodgers, which the residents take pride in. But the place is anything but ordinary. In episode seven, viewers come to know that Evelyn was 17 and escaped home after an unforeseen pregnancy. She came to Tall Pines with Weldon, an elder fictional figure with absolutist methods which are considered revolutionary. With his arrival, a cult was formed in the same home that Laura and Alex live in.

Weldon inspired Evelyn’s contemporary teachings. Before waking up from a coma, a green door appeared to his father, who knew he had to “leap” through it. This “leap” ultimately became the passageway Evelyn forced her students to confront to let go of their trauma. However, when she realised Weldon loved the power over the idea of healing, she killed him to actualise the Leap.

Is Laura the new Evelyn?

Laura was quick to rise to prominence in the social circle of Tall Pines since the moment she returned. By episode seven, she begins her own movement, convinced that she would do things differently while sitting in the same place Evelyn once did. The finale clarifies that Laura has been chosen as the new leader by the residents.

Is Evelyn dead?

With Laura rising through the ranks, Evelyn has organically lost her grip. To worsen things, she kidnaps Alex in the finale in an attempt to leap him, telling the residents that it’s all for the baby. But neither Laura nor Alex cares about the reasons. Fortunately for Alex, Evelyn’s right-hand minion Rabbit was already growing sceptical of her motivations. So, he shoots her with the toad venom that was meant for Alex. Once free, Alex takes charge and injects the syringe into Evelyn quite a few times, causing her to grow unconscious and enter a hallucinogenic state of mind. The last we see of her is when she is trapped amidst imaginary green doors. But whether she dies or is in a coma remains a question the creator would like viewers to decide.

Inside Laura’s birth scene

When Alex frees himself, he runs into Andrews, who he eventually bludgeons with a rock. Meanwhile, Laura gives birth right after he arrives, resulting in a poignant moment. Soon after, Laura’s cult following shed their clothes and cradle the baby, which leaves Alex in a shock. But Laura doesn’t feel similarly. If anything, she is enthusiastic at how the community has welcomed her baby. “It’s going to be everyone’s,” she explains.

Why does Alex stay in Tall Pines?

Although Alex wants to leave Tall Pines for good, he reconsiders his decision and ultimately stays. Speaking of his choice, Martin explains, “Alex stays because he cares more about his fantasy of this nuclear family and heteronormative life than he does about his moral compass. He things he can turn things around. But I think it’s mainly that he just loves Laura.”

What happens to Abbie?

Having survived kidnapping, the therapy, the psychological battle of the Academy, and the consequences of a hiking trip, Abbie escapes the town. Although the actor doesn’t know where her character is headed to, she has little doubt that Leila will be etched in her memories as she stays in Tall Pines.

But why does Leila stay?

Leila discovers the sinister truth of the Academy, but also acknowledges that some things can help her heal. But a lot of those seeds are sown by Evelyn who believes she would eventually become a burden for Abbie, causing the latter to abandon her. The fear factor alone convinces Leila but what also contributes to her motivation is the desire to heal and save her best friend from her mess.