It comes as no surprise that the ending of Sweet Magnolias Season 5 is centered around the theme of love. Love, hope, joy, and life will always be the central points of this series, and it’s an explanation of why the show is so enjoyable and heartwarming to watch – Episode 10 encapsulates that.
In this feature, I will cover three types of love themes that the finale touches upon: newlyweds, troubled marriages, and young love.
NEWLYWEDS
In Season 5, Episode 10, the primary focus is on Helen and Eric’s wedding – an event fans have been waiting for since episode 1. Their love is a story of finding romance later in life, a stage where it is more expected to come with baggage. For example, this is Eric’s second marriage, and Helen came close to marrying Ryan in a previous season. Nonetheless, Helen and Eric are content with where they have been in life and where they are now.
As part of Helen and Eric’s wedding, we also get to see how the celebration heals Eric’s relationship with his mother and father (perhaps more especially his father). Family love is never simple, but the hope from the Sweet Magnolias ending is that family events, such as weddings, can bring people back together to see the bigger picture in life and to learn how important it is to show love to your children.
TROUBLED MARRIAGES
In contrast to Helen and Eric, we have Dana Sue and Ronnie Sullivan, who embody the themes of brokenness and tough love. If you caught my ending explanation for Season 4, you will have seen that I wrote:
“For Dana Sue, we see that her sad ending is connected to Sullivan’s. Throughout the season, Dana Sue yielded her position to Eric and Cal. This meant that Dana Sue needed a new beginning – a new passion. And that was found in her teaching kitchen, while also making space for Ronnie and Annie’s dreams.”
Yet, by the end of Season 5, we find Dana Sue telling Ronnie that she will be finding her own place to live, without him. As noted in my Season 4 breakdown, Dana Sue’s arc has always been about making space for her family’s dreams. Ironically, it’s that exact space that backfired in Season 5. Ronnie’s dreams were to open up an electric bike shop, which he does, but unfortunately a set of dodgy bikes caused their house to go up in flames! Therefore, Dana Sue is no longer sure if their marriage can survive.
While a house fire IS a massive crisis, especially for a family home, I wonder if it truly warrants ending a marriage that has focused so much time and energy on counselling and growth? You don’t just give up immediately. And it feels very “un-Serenity” in my opinion.
Matthew 18:21-22: 21 Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” 22 “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!”
And why do I make all these points and references? I hear you asking; BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT SERENITY IS WHOLLY CREATED UPON.
So, where will Season 6 take Dana Sue and Ronnie? I can only hope for reconciliation. Otherwise, what message is being spread about marriage? It will feel like we’ve wasted our time investing in their relationship.
YOUNG LOVE
Lastly, the Season 5 finale of Sweet Magnolias tackles the drama of young love, primarily focusing on Annie. Admittedly, it’s a smaller plotline, yet it fits into the theme nonetheless. Throughout the season, we are invited into a new era of Annie’s dating life. After remaining home in Serenity while her now ex-boyfriend, Tyler, left to tour with his band, Annie decides that the relationship isn’t working and begins to date Blake and Noah. For a while, she finds herself indecisive between the fun and carefree time with Blake and the intimate and meaningful time with Noah.
In the season finale, we see Annie focusing her time on Noah. Even though they are both going off to college soon – and as history has told us, long-distance relationships at her age are particularly difficult and almost impossible to maintain. However, both Noah and Annie seem to be handling the conversation with maturity, knowing that at their ages, life will take them where they’re supposed to be, and Noah expresses that he hopes their paths will continue to cross.
However, while Annie is dancing away with her new boyfriend at Helen’s wedding, her phone is ringing, and it’s Tyler. So who knows what that may mean for Season 6 in Serenity.
This ending, just like all the others before it, leaves me craving the next season already. But maybe that’s my hint to start reading the book series so I can get my fix sooner.
