The last shot of the five-episode series Sirens centers on Simone (Milly Alcock), standing in front of Cliff House in a stunning silk dress, looking out at the ocean from the vantage point of her newly acquired domain. But this kingdom has not come easily to her, nor without its casualties. Seeing Simone in such a triumphant pose, it’s easy to forget she was almost a casualty herself.

At the start of the finale, Simone is fired by her boss — and former bestie —  Michaela “Kiki” Kell (Julianne Moore) after Kiki sees photos of her husband, Peter (Kevin Bacon), kissing Simone. Despite Simone’s protests that Peter initiated the kiss, Michaela dismisses her once-beloved assistant from the Kells’ lavish island home and life. But Simone does not go quietly.

Distraught at the prospect of going back to Buffalo, NY, to live with her sister Devon (Meghann Fahy) and their ailing father Bruce (Bill Camp) who neglected her as a child, Simone returns to Cliff House, where she runs into Peter, who, she later says, was drawn to her like a magnet. When Simone informs Peter that Michaela is keeping the photos in case he ever tries to divorce her, he takes swift action. Heading back to Cliff House, Peter tells Michaela their marriage is over and expels her from the property. As for Simone? She steps into the role of Peter’s partner and head of the Folger Wildlife Preservation Society as easily as she glides into her goddess-like evening gown, saying goodbye to Devon and their father and hello to a brand-new life by Peter’s side.

“One of the reasons it was so thrilling to write the character, Simone, is that I wanted the audience to love or hate what she chooses at the end,” showrunner Molly Smith Metzler tells Tudum. “I wanted them to really understand why she might feel desperate in that moment to never go back to [Buffalo]. We were very, very careful to let the audience inside what’s making that poor girl tick. I have so much empathy for her at the end, but I know that a lot of people will think she’s a monster.”

But is Simone a monster? Is Michaela? Or are they both just trying to survive in a world made for men? Specifically, very rich men. Read on to hear what Smith Metzler, director and executive producer Nicole Kassell, Fahy, and the rest of the cast have to say.

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But first, who is Peter Kell? 

Peter Kell is Michaela’s incredibly rich husband. He comes from old money and is the highest-status person in every room he enters, and with that prestige comes immense power. As executive producer Kassell points out, “He’s so important, he can play that he’s not important. He can wear Crocs. He doesn’t have to work at it. And he gets what he wants.”

In the finale, Peter blames Michaela for coming between him and his children from his first marriage. He cites her infertility and the pain she felt being around his children as the reason she kept them out of their lives. But with limitless funds and a private jet at his disposal, “he could have solved this problem a million times,” says Smith Metzler. “The story he’s told himself is that Michaela restricted the relationship because she was too upset about her childbearing.”

Peter might have always held the power, but it isn’t until he wields it, and reunites with his estranged kids for his grandson’s christening that things begin to fall apart with Michaela. She knows he’s lying to her, sends Simone to spy on him, and after some time spent searching for quahog together, Peter and Simone forge a connection that will end up destroying Peter and Michaela’s marriage — and accelerating Kiki’s dismissal from Peter’s life. Peter decides to say goodbye to Michaela once it becomes clear that she intends to blackmail him, but there’s also a more insidious reason that’s at play: She hasn’t given Peter what he thinks a wife is supposed to. Michaela hasn’t birthed children and extended the Kell legacy, so she can go. 

“It’s such a rude awakening at the end –– that we all work for Peter, and the audience works for Peter, too,” says Smith Metzler. “[That scene] is certainly a little bit of a nod to Greek mythology, where a woman’s value is very much weighed according to motherhood … So in this world where beauty is a currency, where marriage is a currency, where we all work for Peter, within that structure, her job is not secure.”

Kassell adds that when she directed Bacon in the early episodes, there was no discussion of him being the bad guy. “You can’t play a villain, you have to play your character, and he played Peter so beautifully. He’s just a man who, by the privilege of his life, is so insanely comfortable in his skin, but having a real midlife crisis,” she says. “You empathize with his heartbreak over losing his kids. So it even snuck up on me, this consciousness of, ‘Oh, he’s the bad guy!’ He’s the most subtle, sneaky, and unexpected villain because he wears the nicest and politest of clothes.”

As for Bacon, he thinks the ambiguity around Peter is what makes the ending so unique. “I’ll tell you what I think is, there’s going to be people who will think Peter is an absolute pig, and there’ll also be people who will say, ‘Well, it wasn’t his fault.’ I think people will have varying reactions to it… it's not a cookie cutter kind of story or ending.”

What happened to Jocelyn Kell?

In Episode 5, Devon confronts Michaela — during the gala and in front of a room full of her guests, no less — and accuses her of murdering the former Mrs. Kell, among other things. Michaela shuts Devon down, explaining that Jocelyn is very much alive, but was disfigured during plastic surgery after Peter divorced her and now lives her life as a recluse. 

“It’s delightful if the audience is thinking that she was murdered,” says Smith Metzler. “When Devon says it, we should kind of believe her. There’s a real question about it.” But, when it came to what actually happened to Jocelyn, Smith Metzler wanted to explore the idea of beauty and youth as a currency in this world, and how it’s possible to destroy yourself even as you’re desperately trying to preserve your status. “Michaela has that line, ‘We all work for Peter,’ and in a lot of ways what happened to Jocelyn is exactly right, because of course she hurt herself trying to maintain her sirenhood.”

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Is Michaela a cult leader? 

No. She’s ultimately just a wealthy woman who lots of people want to emulate — and who love helping birds, of course. In the finale, another of Devon’s theories about Michaela is corrected: While the wildlife foundation does initially present as a little cult-like (can I get a “hey, hey”?), it really is just what it appears to be. And Michaela, in turn, is also what she appears to be: a powerful woman who uses her sphere of influence to make a difference in people’s lives.

“Michaela’s extreme devotion to caring for these almost extinct animals on the island and the way she looks after everyone in her tribe is fascinating,” says Smith Metzler. “I think it’s very revealing that Michaela wanted to be a mom and couldn’t and has found other ways to mentor and nurture women.”

For the first half of the series, when Devon says that Michaela is a monster, it seems like it could be true. “Then the narrative switches,” says Smith Metzler. “I think there’s an argument to be made that she’s not a monster at all, and yet we experience her in this undeniable, monstrous way. It was really fun to shoot because the more suspicious we could be of her, the better. And then, of course, Julie [Moore] was so icy and so powerful. She gave it to us in spades. It was wonderful.”

Unlike her character, Fahy actually sees Michaela’s cult-like control as a positive. “If Kiki does have a magic power, it’s that she really is responsible for some of the communication that goes on between Devon and Simone,” she says.

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What happened to Simone as a child? 

Over the course of the five episodes, and the numerous fights between sisters Devon and Simone, we’re able to piece together a lot of their childhood trauma. Their mom, who was living with mental illness and died by suicide, had brought 7-year-old Simone into the car with her where she killed herself by running a tube from the exhaust pipe to the front seat. It was Devon who found them, pulled Simone out of the car, and rushed her to the hospital. After their mom’s death, their clinically depressed father was unable to take care of the girls, and once Devon left for college, Simone was left on her own, and eventually was put in foster care before Devon left college to take care of her little sister. 

“She is someone who’s so incredibly wounded,” says Alcock of her character, “and has been so incredibly hurt by the people who inherently are put there to keep her safe, that she kind of realizes that she can’t trust anybody.”

That’s why, at the end of the series, when faced with the prospect of returning to her childhood home to live with her father, Simone becomes catatonic and then ruthless in her pursuit to remain at Cliff House. “We think Simone has lost touch with reality and herself, but, actually, maybe she’s the one speaking the truth the most,” says Kassell. “She does love where she is, and you come to understand why [for her] going back to Buffalo is worse than death. Doing what it takes to survive may leave casualties, but it’s a calculated risk, it’s not indifference. It’s the price she’s willing to pay in order to not go back.”

For Smith Metzler, the “spine of this entire show” are the questions: Are you where you come from? What do you owe where you come from? What do you owe the people who brought you into the world? “These are questions that I’m asking in the show that I hope people are thinking about.”

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Are Simone and Peter really a couple now? 

Toward the end of the finale, Simone tells Devon that when she and Peter came together on the beach, they were both surprised to find themselves professing their love for each other. Devon looks on in disbelief as her younger sister takes her place at Peter’s side on the podium to make the gala’s opening toast.

“Simone is certainly telling Devon and maybe telling herself that [they’re in love], but I think we control our own narrative. We’re the author,” says Smith Metzler. “So she can spin it any way she’d like, whatever makes her feel OK.”

One of Smith Metzler’s favorite moments in the finale is when Peter gets up in front of the group with Simone beside him, and toasts the crowd, and everyone toasts back. “There’s this sense of, ‘There’s just a new Mrs. Kell now?’ ” she says. “She’s been recast, and it’s sort of like [on TV], when we just pretend the actor isn’t different. There’s ferocity to that world and the way people come and go.”

So is Simone happy in that final shot, looking out at the water? “Well, it’s funny because I’ve seen all the different tapes and the one we used, we all described as the Mona Lisa smile because in that famous painting, you don’t really know exactly what she’s thinking,” says Smith Metzler. “And so the fun is that it’s up to you in the audience to decide how she feels about it and how you feel about it. I have my answer, but I don’t know that it’s the answer.” 

The showrunner does think there’s a bit of a hint in the scene with Devon where Simone tells her sister, “Today has been a total win.” “I loved watching that moment on-screen because I got a real sense of excitement from Milly,” she says. “Her life is about to be huge. So I think the Mona Lisa smile is the right take because it’s bittersweet, but there’s some excitement there.”

As for Peter? Bacon says of his character, “He definitely falls in love with [Simone]. There's no doubt about that. He's not using her. He definitely falls in love with her, and he is definitely angry at Kiki for denying him access to his children for all his years. Those are real things.”

Meanwhile, Alcock thinks Simone’s motivations are a little bit different. “I think that she feels safe with Peter. I don't think she's in love with Peter,” she says, “but I think that she sees an ally within him, and so she feels comfortable sharing the information about the photograph, and she feels comfortable saying yes to his proposal.”

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What happens to Ethan in Sirens?

With Simone on her way to becoming the new Mrs. Kell, there’s more than one broken heart left in the wake of her new relationship with Peter. All to say: How is Ethan (Glenn Howerton) doing? 

Our favorite duckie-blazer-wearing playboy experienced quite the emotional roller coaster throughout the series, from falling in love with Simone to flying to Buffalo to … falling off a cliff. 

That’s right — falling, not being pushed. 

While Ethan ended up feeling like he was victimized by both Simone and Michaela — the former broke his heart, and the latter encouraged Simone to do so — his attempt to blame these women for his problems is reflective of the sense of entitlement that often goes hand in hand with being a powerful, wealthy man who’s used to getting what he wants, when he wants it. And what happens when his fantasies don’t become a reality? His whole world crumbles right out from underneath his feet, and he needs to find someone to blame.

“I think the tragedy of a character like mine,” says Howerton, “is that he thinks he knows what he wants because it’s all he’s ever seen. At one point he says, ‘I knew I wanted to marry Simone when I pictured the fence and the chocolate lab and the Christmas photos.’ And it’s just like, ‘Oh, wow. This guy has such a limited view.’ ” 

For Ethan, love isn’t so much about how he feels, but what he can acquire. Still, he’s not a totally unsympathetic character.

“It’s not his fault,” continues Howerton. “He’s not a bad person. But he has such a limited view of the world that I think he needed this massive wake-up call in order to possibly get in touch with who he really is and what he really wants. Maybe it’s an opportunity now for him to find out who he really is.”

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Why didn’t Devon go to Palm Beach?

In Episode 5, Devon tells Morgan she can’t take him up on his offer to sail down to Palm Beach and spend a month with him on the yacht. She decides to go home and take care of her dad, and tells Simone that dropping out of college to take care of her was the best thing she’s ever done. 

“Devon’s extremely loving, protective, resilient, and wickedly funny, and uses her humor to deflect her pain,” says Kassell. “In her essence, she’s a caretaker.” But as the director and executive producer points out, in taking care of everyone else, Devon is neglecting to take care of herself. “There is definitely an addiction to caretaking because you feel like a saint,” she says. “What’s so gorgeous about this piece is that Devon has very admirable characteristics, but everybody is flawed, and Molly [Smith Metzler] really pokes at what is underneath that. There is this self-avoidance.”

But Smith Metzler thinks Devon has learned her own value over the course of the weekend on the island, and doesn’t view her decision to go home with her dad as martyrdom. “I see it as: she’s in process, and the wrong answer for her is to sail away from her problems. I respect that about her.”

What’s next for Devon?

As Devon’s leaving the island, she bumps into Michaela on the ferry, and they make peace with each other and discuss what they’re going to do next. While Michaela is unsure, Devon says she’s going to Buffalo but she’s also going to get a place of her own, one with some light. “I think Devon has a lot of work to do on herself, and I actually think at the end of the show, both she and Michaela have changed in really significant ways over the weekend,” says Smith Metzler. “I just have this feeling about Devon that she’s going to get sober and stay sober. I’m not convinced she won’t go to Palm Beach in six months.”

Fahy also thinks Devon has made peace with Simone’s decision by the time she talks to Michaela on the ferry. “It’s really the moment that Devon realizes she was blaming the wrong person the whole time,” she says. “Simone made a choice to stay and Devon didn’t want that to be true, so she was convincing herself that Kiki was some sort of cult-leading mastermind who was manipulating her sister into staying, that the truth couldn’t be that her sister didn’t want to come home or have anything to do with her family. When she realizes that, she realizes, ‘Wow, Kiki is a woman and a person and not a monster.’ ” 

Who is really the siren in Sirens? 

Simone? Michaela? Devon? Smith Metzler isn’t convinced the female leads are the monsters in this story. “Women — especially women like Michaela, Simone, and Devon — are villainized, or cast as seductresses, or they’re beautiful, or they’re cast as monsters, but who’s to say they’re the sirens? What is a monster?” 

It comes down to perspective. “In Greek mythology, the sirens are only described by the sailors. We don’t ever know the sirens’ point of view,” says Smith Metzler. “So even a show like this with these strong female roles, in the end, Peter’s point of view is very, very important. It was very intentional on our part, and I think it might cause some fun debate and comments.”

Perhaps the misconception surrounding sirens and their capabilities goes right back to the mythology. “We call these women monsters in the myth, but for all we know, they’re just singing for help,” says Smith Metzler. “In the original myth, they’re there because they’re being punished. They’re trapped. They’re unhappy. It’s a cry for help. All these sailors crash their own stupid ship. And then they’re like, ‘It’s because of these beautiful maidens.’ ”

Hey, hey, accountability.

Additional reporting by Kristin Iversen.

Julianne Moore, Meghann Fahy, and Others Dive Into the Mythology of Sirens