The Resort: Unraveling the Mind-Bending Conclusion (The Ultimate Explanation)

The Peacock sci-fi mystery series, The Resort, provides answers to many of its major questions while also raising a few more. The show follows Emma and Noah, portrayed by Cristin Milioti and William Jackson Harper, as they commemorate their 10th wedding anniversary with a luxurious vacation at a resort in the Yucatán. From the start, it's apparent that their marriage is not in perfect harmony, but the mystery of Sam and Violet, a teenage couple who vanished 15 years ago, reignites their relationship. The Resort flawlessly combines different genres, transitioning from a murder mystery to science fiction and concluding with an adventure akin to Indiana Jones.

What initially appears as a potential criminal conspiracy involving the powerful Frías family evolves into a mind-bending temporal dilemma as the stories of Violet and Sam intertwine with those of Emma and Noah. In the series finale, all four characters eventually reach the mythical Pasaje. For Violet, who mourned in 2007, and Emma, who grieves in the present day, the Pasaje becomes a metaphorical Eldorado. After a perilous journey, Emma discovers Sam and Violet floating in a pool, seemingly unchanged since their disappearance. It is through this revelation that the final pieces of The Resort's ending fall into place.

Sam & Violet Are Alive & They Transcended Time

In The Resort's conclusion, it is revealed that Sam and Violet were not murdered as initially suspected, considering the lack of viable suspects. Both Baltasar and Alex, who were initially suspected, are ruled out as potential killers and instead assist in finding the missing teenagers and leading them to Pasaje. The ending hints briefly that the couple may have tragically drowned during the 2007 hurricane, but it is then unveiled that they have actually been in stasis for the past 15 years.

Moments before their near-drowning, Violet was inexplicably drawn to something unseen, later revealed to be a vision of her deceased mother. This vision saved both her and Sam from drowning in the cave and resulted in their preservation for the past 15 years. Likewise, in The Resort, Emma, portrayed by Cristin Milioti, is also drawn to the pool, where she hears the laughter of her lost child whom she never had the chance to see. Just as she is about to join Sam and Violet in the pool, she decides against it and instead brings the young couple back from their stasis, concluding The Resort.

Waking up in 2022,

What's Next For Emma And Noah?

, it feels as if only five minutes have passed for Sam and Violet. The responses of their respective parents differ greatly. Sam's parents abruptly hang up on him, while Violet's father Murray is left speechless, visibly moved by the emotional reunion with his long-lost daughter. Throughout the past 15 years, Murray (Nick Offerman) has faced numerous challenges, constantly relocating and engaging in questionable work for government contractors, never truly settling down. Now, with his daughter by his side once again, the weathered and disheveled Murray can finally reclaim his role as the caring and devoted family man introduced in The Resort episode 1.

In the previous episode, Emma and Noah's marital difficulties reached a breaking point as they confronted their codependency, as The Resort's conclusion explained. Worried about losing their sense of individuality, Emma observed that her pursuit of Pasaje had become another means for Noah to keep tabs on her, rather than reigniting their passion. With a deeply affecting performance by Cristin Milioti, Emma reveals to Noah, unintentionally in Murray's presence, that she longs to find Pasaje in order to see her deceased daughter's face, something she had initially refused to do when she learned her daughter had passed away shortly after birth.

Noah's worry for Emma and her avoidance of her traumatic past have created a divide between them. Emma's pursuit of Pasaje, inspired by the idyllic relationship of Sam and Violet, parallels her own love story with Noah, and serves as a way for her to reconnect with the way things were. However, when she arrives at Pasaje, she decides not to enter the pool, explaining to Noah that she doesn't want to forfeit 15 years. This statement holds a double meaning.

Primarily, it refers to the time lost by Sam and Violet when they transcended time, as revealed in The Resort's ending. More importantly for Emma and Noah, it also reveals that despite what she may have led him to believe, she still wants to stay married to him. Her conversation with Violet about reuniting with her deceased mother confirms that Emma has made peace with her daughter's death and is ready to move forward. Although she still carries the pain of the loss, it no longer consumes her, as she tells Violet: "It's always there...but it gets better."

How Did Alex Know Everything That Was Going To Happen?

The owner of the hotel, Alex (Ben Sinclair), is the most fascinating character at The Resort. In episode 5, it was revealed that he intentionally placed Sam and Violet's phones in the jungle, leading to their discovery 15 years later by Emma and Noah. This act initiated the investigation into Sam and Violet's disappearance, even though they hadn't actually vanished when he planted their phones. The explanation for how Alex knew the outcome, despite supposedly dying years ago, can be found within the mural on the wall of his penthouse, as revealed in The Resort's ending.

The mural portrays Sam and Violet observing from the penthouse window, with Emma and Noah shown in the jungle. The presence of a meteor and dinosaurs in the painting strongly suggests that Alex perceived time differently from others. The mural represents the coexistence of the past, present, and future, reflecting Alex's unique perspective on time, which ultimately caused him to have "memory leakage."

Was It Worth Losing Time? The Resort's Real Meaning Explained

Luna articulates the true essence of the show when she points out that "They lost time [...] It may seem nice at first glance, but if you look closely, it's messed up." The underlying meaning of The Resort revolves around the destructive allure of nostalgia. Violet's longing to be reunited with her deceased mother and relive the past leads her to abandon her father for over a decade. Emma is captivated by Sam and Violet's love story because it resembles time travel. Through them, she can experience the significance and intense highs of that period before "the lows keep getting lower."

The setting of Yucatán and the presence of Mayan symbols in The Resort amplify the theme of the challenges associated with recapturing one's youth. The reference to Spanish conquistador Ponce de León, who is believed to have journeyed to the same region in search of the Fountain of Youth, further emphasizes this concept. Similar to the pool at Pasaje, which enables Sam and Violet to retain their youth through transcending time, the price they pay is the devastation of their family and loved ones for fifteen years. Violet realizes that the sacrifice of losing time to see her mother one last time was not worthwhile, as the pain still lingers even after fifteen years, and will continue to do so indefinitely.

Is The Resort Setting Up Season 2? Where Is Baltasar Going?

Despite tying up the storylines of Emma and Noah, as well as Sam and Violet, there remains a few unresolved threads as explained in The Resort's conclusion. In the closing scene, Detective Baltasar Frias hands Luna a newspaper clipping and hints at their future encounter. He mentions embarking on a journey to a distant ocean, driven by a discovery that has found him. As Baltasar walks away, his jacket reveals an emblem depicting three friends gazing out at the sea.

Upon reading the clipping, Luna expresses a knowing smile and departs from the poolside bar. The potential for a second season of The Resort, exploring Baltasar's destination, hinges on the show's success on Peacock. The presence of key clues strongly suggests that their time-sensitive friend and employer, Alex, might still be alive and located in a faraway ocean.

What Resort Showrunner Andy Siara Says About The Season 1 Ending

The Resort concluded its storyline, but there were still a few lingering questions. Showrunner Andy Siara shared his thoughts on the ending of The Resort season 1 and the potential for a sequel. Although the narrative of The Resort has reached its conclusion, Siara intentionally left it open-ended in case there was interest in creating The Resort season 2. In an interview with Collider, Siara discussed the ambiguity of The Resort's ending and how it allows for future storytelling.

Siara revealed that he has numerous ideas on how the story could progress if Peacock decides to pursue The Resort season 2, particularly focusing on the character Baltasar played by Luis Gerardo Mendez. "If Peacock is interested in another installment, I have a clear vision for its continuation. This could involve existing characters or introduce a completely new cast," Siara explained. This suggests that The Resort may adopt an anthology format similar to The White Lotus if the inclusion of a new cast is to be considered. Despite this, Siara intentionally concluded The Resort in a way that could stand alone, in the event that a second season does not materialize.