Netflix's Penelope ends with a shocking discovery for the titular character, making viewers reflect on her journey into the wilderness.
The eight-episode coming-of-age drama series revolves around the story of Penelope (Megan Stott), who decides to leave home and live in the wilderness of Cascade National Park for reasons unknown.
Penelope's Plot Explained: What Happened to Her?
Penelope's decision to leave everything behind is a bold move for a 16-year-old like her, but she seems determined to push through with it, especially after ensuring no one can find her.
Penelope's first few episodes revolve around her trying to settle in at Cascade National Park, but the series does not directly explain why she ran away from home.
Still, Penelope cements the idea that something is wrong with the titular character; she feels that running away is the solution, as being close to nature will help her reflect on what's bothering her.
In her journey to self-discovery, Penelope has no shortage of friends whom she meets along the way, such as an environmentalist named Helena (Krisha Fairchild), a free-spirited musician Sam (Austin Abrams), and her first love, Peter (Rhenzy Feliz).
These three people unlock something inside Penelope. Helena reaffirms her love for nature. Sam embodies someone who lives in the moment, a trait Penelope uses to power through in her new wilderness lifestyle. Meanwhile, her meeting with Peter makes her realize that there is more to life than struggling to isolate herself.
[ Full Cast of Penelope 2024 on Netflix: Characters Guide (Photos) ]
Penelope's Ending Explained: Are Her Parents Alive?
Penelope's parents mostly appear via flashbacks, leaving everyone to question why no efforts are being made to find a missing 16-year-old girl in the woods.
During her stay in Cascade National Park, Penelope sometimes wants to be alone and completely detach from the world, as if something is bothering her.
In Penelope Episode 8, the combined effects of winter and suffering injuries push the young girl to the brink. She decides to walk to the forest's edge and seek help but loses consciousness.
After being rescued by good samaritans, Penelope wakes up in a hospital and meets an overly accommodating social worker named Jen (Sulai Lopez).
Jen helps Penelope by providing her with new clothes, a hot meal, and an information pack with emergency contact numbers and nearby clinics. While she accepts Jen's assistance, Penelope still leaves the hospital to try and return to her newfound home in the forest.
After spending the night in the house of an old man named Eugene (Stephen Kelsey), Penelope feels the urge to find Peter and discover what her parents have been up to since running away.
However, she soon learns that her parents have passed away, and there is also a plethora of messages from her friends and family asking her to come home. The screen then cuts to black.
The question on everyone's minds is whether Penelope's parents were already dead even before she ran away. Based on the girl's reaction, it seems she knows that her parents are dead, and she uses this as her reason to run away and start fresh in the wilderness.
Running away seems to be Penelope's way of grieving, and she needs an escape to deal with the tragic loss. This would also explain why viewers can only see her parents via flashbacks or visions. However, there was a scene in Episode 1 where Penelope seems to be texting with her mother.
Still, there is a chance that this could all be happening in her head. Penelope may be imagining all this to cope with her rash decision to run away, seemingly asking permission from her dead mother if this is the right move.
All episodes of Penelope are streaming on Netflix.
