Netflix‘s new dark comedy, Sirens, ends with a twist where Simone’s and Michaela’s lives get reversed for better or for worse. The ending also draws its modern conclusion from the Greek mythology of Sirens, reinterpreted from a female gaze perspective.
After a Labor Day weekend, Simone, Michaela, and Devon see their lives changed forever. However, it is Peter Kell, the billionaire, who ultimately remains unscathed by the topsy-turvy tales of the narrative.
Why did Simone replace Michaela in Sirens’ ending?
The ending of Netflix‘s Sirens unveiled how Simone Dewitt (Milly Alcock) took over the life of wealthy socialite Michaela Kell aka Kiki (Julianne Moore), essentially replacing the latter’s position in Peter’s life.
Simone initially took the job of being Michaela Kell’s personal in-house assistant as she was desperate to leave her Buffalo life behind. But in the end, she had to “betray” Kiki for her own survival.
In the beginning of Sirens episode 5, aka the finale, Simone gets to know that Michaela has fired her for kissing her husband, Peter. Even after telling Mrs. Kell that it was her husband who initiated the kiss, her boss did not hear her plea.
As Simone gets ready to leave the island, she feels a dread consuming her. The thought of going back to their not-so-posh life in Buffalo terrified the Yale dropout. Hence, she returned to the lavish mansion to find answers.
Finally, when Simone sees Peter at the beach, it dawns on her that the only way to escape Buffalo is to stay at the Cliff House. With Peter’s already-established interest in her, Simone exposed Michaela’s plan of blackmailing him with their kissing picture.
The rest is easy for the billionaire who has done this before. So, just like his first wife, Jocelyn, Peter replaces Michaela with Simone, who enters their gala event as his official partner.
Was Sirens’ Michaela really a cult leader?
In one of the final moments of Sirens, Michaela and Devon (Meghann Fahy) have a chat on the ferry where the former subtly addresses the latter’s “cult” allegations. Michaela hints that people gave her the attention to create a “tribe” because of her position as “Mrs. Kell.”
The show’s executive producer, Smith Metzler, reinterpreted what Michaela’s magical powers meant. Metzler gushed, “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.
Ultimately, through Michaela’s hypnotic presence, Sirens weaves a spell of magical realism, where seductive power becomes currency, yet women remain ensnared by the very men they seek to enchant.
