A lot happens by the end of this enemies-to-lovers YA drama.
Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for the finale of Season 1 of Maxton Hall.
The Big Picture
- Ruby and James reconcile at Oxford after his father forces them to break up.
- Lydia decides to keep her baby in the
Maxton Hall
Season 1 finale. - James and Lydia find out their mother died, leaving the siblings at a crossroads.
Another enemies-to-lovers pairing was introduced by Prime Video earlier this month, with the release of Maxton Hall: The World Between Us. In the German-language TV show based on Monica Kasten‘s book series Save Me, Ruby Bell (Harriet Herbig-Matten) is given a unique opportunity to attend a high-end institution with the hope that it might give her the education necessary to get into Oxford. With her mind entirely focused on school work, the character is on track to meet her goal, until she sees Lydia Beaufort (Sonja Weißer) kissing a teacher. Given that the Beaufort family is wealthy and owns a fashion empire, a scandal involving one of their own is inadmissible, which leads James (Damian Hardung) to bribe her as a way to assure his sister’s reputation remains untarnished. His efforts are in vain because she doesn’t accept the money, igniting a rivalry between them. Like any good romance, Ruby and James go from despising each other to falling in love, dealing with all sorts of obstacles along the way that prevent them from being a couple. A lot happens between them and the other characters when it comes to the finale. With so much to unpack, here is everything that went down and how Season 1’s final episode sets the stage for Season 2.
Ruby and James Reconcile at Oxford After His Father Forced Them To Break Up
The series starts off at Maxton Hall, where both Ruby and James study before getting admitted into Oxford. Although the two have a few misunderstandings during their first interactions, they are partnered up by the school principal to organize a donation gala, giving them the opportunity to get to know each other. By the end of the preparation for the Victorian-themed party, the protagonists can’t help but feel attracted to one another, resulting in an epic kiss at the event. However, their budding romance is cut short when James’ demanding father (Fedja Van Huêt) sees the pair kissing and forces his son to break up with Ruby and take his family’s business more seriously (even though Lydia is way more interested in taking over the fashion empire).
Fast-forward to Episode 6, the main characters are ready to attend their first day at university and try their best to avoid each other’s presence. Throughout the day, they exchange looks from a distance and James even wishes Ruby good luck on her interviews, but they never truly interact. Not until the next day, when he becomes jealous of her in the middle of a Q&A session, and they get into an argument in front of everyone in the room. Ruby leaves abruptly and James goes after her, continuing their discussion in the hallway. After much banter, they make amends by exchanging a passionate kiss and sleeping together. By the end of the night, the two are filled with joy at their reconciliation, even making plans for the future.
Lydia Decides To Keep Her Baby in the ‘Maxton Hall’ Season Finale
Viewers were shocked to find out about Lydia’s pregnancy towards the end of Season 1. Although she and Professor Sutton (Eidin Jalali) have been a couple since before Maxton Hall and continue their relationship until they are found hooking up on campus in Episode 1, they eventually move on separately. The baby news came as a curveball for Lydia, who was still reeling over her father’s confession that he would never allow her to take on the family business. During her orientation day at Oxford, she throws up outside and Ruby sees her. The two have a heart-to-heart moment that convinces the Beaufort sibling to keep her baby and still attend university. After deciding to become a single mom and full-time student, the character is excited to finally reveal the secret to her mother, who doesn’t answer the phone. Lydia ends up leaving her mom a voice message, which is never listened to nor answered because of a tragedy.
James and Lydia Find Out That Their Mother Died, Leaving the Siblings at a Crossroads
When James and Lydia go back home, they find out that their mother died of a stroke. Devastated that the only person that the siblings could count on is now gone, they begin to cry and demand an explanation from their father as to why he didn’t notify them of the incident before. When their dad answers a business call and totally ignores their questions, James becomes furious and physically attacks him. Percy (Hyun Wanner), their chauffeur, breaks off the fight. With a face filled with bruises and tears streaming from his eyes, James walks over to Ruby’s house hoping to tell her everything that happened. As he spots his girlfriend from the window sill, he sees her laughing with her family and telling them about all the great things that happened at Oxford. Seeing her this happy makes him walk away before she can see him outside. This open-ended resolution has fans of the show anxious for the next season that will continue to build on the main couple’s relationship and whether James’ experience with grief might take a toll on their connection.
How Does the End to ‘Maxton Hall’ Season 1 Set Up for Season 2?
Season 2 has been officially confirmed by Prime Video, as of this Friday, May 17. Actors Harriet Herbig-Matten and Damian Hardung were seen reading the second novel from Kasten’s book series in a recent social media post, hinting at a continuation to the YA drama. The confirmation came later on another social media post where they raised two fingers. The announcement was one of the quickest coming off of the platform, which only announced a sequel to its other enemies-to-lovers romance, Red, White and Royal Blue several months after the film premiered on Prime Video.
The main questions viewers are left off with by the end of Season 1 are whether the leading duo will remain together with James’ mother out of the picture, and what will happen to Lydia and her baby. Given that the Beaufort patriarch is not at all supportive of the couple’s relationship (having mocked Ruby for her financial conditions), he could easily manipulate his son into breaking up with her a second time. Lydia is also in the middle of a tight rope, since her father is hellbent on the notion that the family’s estate must remain free of any scandal. The news of her expecting a baby from a former teacher would not play out well in the media, so it is likely she will have to fight to keep her child.
Maxton Hall: The World Between Us is currently streaming on Prime Video in the U.S.
Watch on Prime Video
This article was originally published on collider.com