Summary
The finale wraps up the second season open-ended, providing a measured approach to the story, giving that school dance feeling, and leaving enough for the audience to ponder season 3.
This recap of Netflix’s Never Have I Ever season 2, episode 10, “… been a perfect girl” — the ending explained — does not contain spoilers.
Read the recap of the previous episode.
It’s all about the Winter Dance in the finale and the dramas it drums up. It wouldn’t be a high school drama without a dance! Devi is fretting over Paxton, calling her “pal.” But then, Paxton shows up through her bedroom window. He apologizes for earlier when he was in a hurry. Devi felt he was embarrassed by her. Paxton explains that he doesn’t like PDA or labels, but as the narrator states, it’s obvious he’s embarrassed by her. However, Devi believes him, and they hook up. Oh, Devi!
The Winter Dance is the solution?
Devi tells her friends that she’s sort of dating Paxton, and they are in shock. She doesn’t feel great about it. Eleanor says the way to solve it is the Winter Dance — if Paxton asks her to partner up, that will solve it, as that means he will see her as his girlfriend. At school the next day, loads of boys are making extravagant offers to the Winter Dance, but nothing from Paxton. And even Aneesa found a wonderful way to ask Ben to the dance. Devi tells Aneesa that boys usually ask girls to the dance, but Aneesa explains it’s too old-fashioned and it’s less stressful asking herself. What a wonderful modern view on dating!
Rejection for the Winter Dance
Devi asks Paxton to the dance, and his friends stood behind him at this moment. Paxton says no, and Devi is devastated and cries in the bathroom. Ben saw this and sympathize, joining her in the bathroom. He says Paxton should be embarrassed, not her and that he doesn’t deserve her. Devi is cheered up by his nice words.
Kicked off the Robotics Team
Fabiola is no longer the captain of the Robotics Team due to pursuing popularity and not giving the team enough attention. She was too busy supporting the LGBTQ community, and it’s pointed out that one of the Robotics Team is gay. This was extremely harsh, but it makes sense for the ending.
Paxton’s reasons for rejecting Devi
With complete audacity, Paxton climbs through Devi’s bedroom window late at night on the same day he rejected her for the Winter Dance. He apologizes to her and raises how she humiliated him by cheating, and then he got run over, so the situation isn’t easy for him. Paxton reiterates that he likes her and wants it to be secret for now. Devi agrees, but the next day she tells her friends that she declined the “secrecy.” You can kind of understand Paxton’s point; it’s easy to forget that Devi was cheating on him.
Listen to Streaming Dan’s review of Never Have I Ever season 2:
Devi’s father gives her a reality check
Devi experiences a dream and sees her father. He tells her she shouldn’t settle for less and that she’s the perfect girl. When she wakes up, she locks her bedroom window so Paxton can’t get in. The next day, she tells Paxton she cannot be a secret girlfriend anymore. She admits some of it is her fault, but she isn’t going to settle for less. Paxton admits he cannot be in a public relationship with her. Devi shakes his hand and walks away.
Fabiola feels like she cannot fit in
At the Winter Dance, Devi and Eleanor find Fabiola crying alone. Fab explains she thought it would have been easier after “coming out,” but she cannot even fit in with the gay girls, and the Robotics Team hates her. Jonah walks in and tells her it’s hard to live your authentic life, but the whole point in “coming out” is to be who you are. A wonderful point by Jonah!
Queen and Queen
At the Winter Dance, the King and Queen (retitled Queen and Queen) are Fabiola and Eve! The couple starts the slow dance; Fabiola tells Eve that she likes robots and knows nothing about pop culture. Fabiola accidentally lets it slip that she loves Eve, and Eve reciprocates. What a lovely ending to this arc, for now.
Good grades for Paxton
Paxton receives a call from school, and he’s told that his grades have turned around and he will have the chance of making it into a good college — this reminds him that he and Devi are a good team.
Cold feet for Kamala
During a dinner with her family and Prashant’s family, Kamala senses that Prashant will propose during dessert. She delays the dessert as much as possible and then sneaks out so she can head to dance to meet Manish, the teacher who invited her. She joins him at the teacher’s secret party.
A change of heart for Paxton
And then, the moment of truth for Devi…
Ben speaks to Devi at the Winter Dance, and as he’s about to ask her for a dance, Aneesa shows up and grabs him. And then Trent asks Eleanor for a dance, leaving Devi all alone. She decides she’s going to leave. As she leaves, Paxton accidentally hits her with his car. Devi knows Paxton came to the dance for her and wants to know if she’s his girlfriend. Paxton says he came to be her boyfriend. Devi has gotten what she wants — Paxton stepped up to the plate.
The ending
They walk on the stage together to dance. There’s plenty of eyes on them as there’s a shock that Paxton showed up. Ben shows his frustration and claims that “it’s always Paxton.” Eleanor corrects him and explains in Malibu, she chose him (Ben) and that she and Fabiola talked her out of it. And then, she reveals that everything Devi did to Aneesa was because she was jealous, so it’s not always been Paxton. Ben looks downbeat and struck as he watches Devi and Paxton kiss on the dancefloor.
The love triangle is well and truly burning again! Roll on season 3.
