Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Paradise season 1, episode 8, “The Man Who Kept the Secrets.“TheParadiseseason 1 finale sees Xavier Collins (Sterling K. Brown) headed to the outside world, which will completely change the show in season 2. Except for the flashbacks, all of season 1 took place in the underground community. The surface was believed to be uninhabitable, until flashbacks inParadiseepisode 4’s endingproved that this was not the case, and that Samantha “Sinatra” Redmond (Julianne Nicholson) had Billy Pace (Jon Beavers) kill those who wanted to share the truth.
DuringXavier’s rebellionagainst Sinatra, helearned that his wife, Teri (Enuka Okuma), was not killed in Atlanta and that she and other survivors are still on the surface.Paradiseseason 1 endswith Xavier preparing to fly a plane so he can find Teri so he can reunite with her, and so they can both be with their children, Presley (Aliyah Mastin) and James (Percy Daggs IV) again. Before leaving, though, Xavier learns something from the notes President Cal Bradford (James Marsden) left behind that will raise the stakes in the outside world as the search for Teri unfolds.
President Bradford’s Notes Prepare Xavier For His Journey
Image via Hulu
President Bradford’s notes indicate that theremay be 55 million or more survivors left on the surface. This is a shocking discovery after the majority ofParadise’s charactersbelieved that no one outside the bunker survived and that they were all that remained of humanity. Instead of Teri being a lone wolf survivor, she is only one of millions still out there. While Xavier’s mission is to find and reunite with his wife, this becomes more complicated when there are so many others out there who could also benefit from the shelter and abundant resources in Paradise.
Paradise’s Mysterious Killer, Explained: Who Killed Cal Bradford, How They Did It, And Why
Paradise has been driven largely by the mystery of who killed Cal Bradford, and the season 1 finale reveals some pretty big twists about it.
The potential number of survivors is also a testament toPresident Bradford’s decisionto use the blue code, which disarmed all the nuclear weapons that had been launched. If not for President Bradford, there would not be millions of survivors out there. He gave them a chance at survival even when Sinatra and other world leaders expected him to simply contribute to condemning the world to nuclear oblivion. Now, Xavier will see firsthand the results of President Bradford’s courageous decision.
Paradise Season 2 Could Introduce Different Kinds Of Survivors
Civilization Has Been Rebuilt In More Ways Than Anticipated
Given the extensive number of survivors and other details in President Bradford’s notes, Xavier will likely encounter many different groups inParadiseseason 2. The notes mention that a surprising amount of vegetation and wildlife have returned,water filtration has been set up on the Mississippi River that enables crops to grow, and that there has been significant population migration in certain areas. These details provide insight into how survival has been possible, along with the wide range of communities that now exist.
Assuming Teri is still alive, it will be intriguing to see which kind of group she falls into.
It sounds like some are more nomadic and migrate to different areas as needed. Meanwhile, others remain in a single location and are settling down for the long haul, which includes setting up a water filtration system and growing crops. Assuming Teri is still alive, it will be intriguing to see which kind of group she falls into. If she is part of a community, she will likely want to bring them back to Paradise as well, which could create conflict between her and Xavier, and would forever change life in the underground bunker.
Paradise Could Use The Expanded World To Set Up New Villains
Sinatra’s Worst Fears May Be Realized
With Sinatra now in a coma,Paradiseseason 2 needs new villains. While President Bradford’s notes describe remnants of civilization being rebuilt on the surface, there are probably individuals who are still taking advantage of the lawlessness in a post-apocalyptic world. These individuals could pose a major threat to Paradise’s safety in season 1, especially since the underground community only has a population of 25,000. They cannot withstand an invasion by millions of survivors.
Paradisewas renewed for season 2 on August 15, 2025.
Most of those on the surface presumably do not know about Paradise, butas Xavier travels across the country on a plane, there will be questions about where he came from and why he knows so little about the outside world. Even those who have tried to rebuild civilization may be angry to learn that there is a thriving underground community that exists while they have been struggling to survive. Sinatra concealed the truth about the surface to prevent these dangers from becoming a reality, but conflict with them now seems inevitable inParadiseseason 2.
