Warning: Spoilers ahead for Emily in Paris season 2!
Emily in Paris season 2's ending was full of highs and lows for Lily Collin's titular character, and it set up the best possible path for a potential season 3 - here's everything that happened and what it all means for the future of the show. After finding her footing at Savoir in season 1, Emily began to flourish in Paris even after sleeping with one of her best friend's ex-boyfriends. Emily In Paris season 2 quickly dealt with the fallout of Emily and Gabriel's passionate night, but there was still a lot for Camille and Emily to go through.
While Emily's personal life was in turmoil, it seemed her professional life was flourishing. Emily's boss, Sylvie, finally warmed up to her and her co-workers, Luc and Julien, became just as friendly. Still, Emily in Paris season 2 introduced a wrinkle with the return of Kate Walsh's Madeline Wheeler, Emily's boss from the marketing firm in Chicago.
Madeline's trepidation at the French way of doing things led to her digging deep into the goings-on at Savoir, and she didn't like what she found. Emily In Paris season 2 ended with a few bombshells. Sylvie left Savoir and took all of its employees and most of its clients with her. She also offered Emily a job at the new firm she's opening up, meaning Emily has the choice to stay in Paris indefinitely. This emboldened her to tell Gabriel about her true feelings, but not all went according to plan.
Savoir Revolution Explained
Emily in Paris season 2 episode 10 took its name from one of the most frequently depicted historical events in Europe - the French Revolution, and it certainly was fitting. After Kate Walsh's Madeline Wheeler made a splash at the Savoir offices, investigating Sylvie's morally dubious affair with Antoine and the truly laissez-faire workplace attitude, Sylvie, Luc, Julien, and the rest of Savoir's employees had enough. At the end of Grégory Duprée's fashion show with Pierre Cadault, Sylvie revealed to Madeline that she was quitting, handing her resignation letter in truly dramatic fashion before Madeline could fire her. Emily looked shocked at this revelation, while Madeline was very pleased.
Sylvie also revealed that she was taking the rest of Savoir's staff with her, including mainstay Emily In Paris characters Luc and Julien. It was clear that this betrayal hurt Emily. Throughout Emily in Paris season 2, Sylvie and Emily grew closer. After their somewhat contentious relationship in season 1, it was nice to see Sylvie take a liking to the plucky Emily, and it seemed out of character for the frequently brusque Sylvie to not clue in Emily to plan.
It was also quickly revealed that Sylvie didn't tell Emily about their plan because she would try to fix it, and she was right. Emily would've done anything to keep Savoir together because she had yet to see the real Madeline. Luckily, it seemed Sylvie was always planning on bringing Emily on board at her new firm. Unfortunately, while this aspect of Emily In Paris season 2's ending was a happy moment for Emily, what this led to wasn't.
Why Gabriel Chooses Camille
Emboldened by the opportunity to stay in Paris, Emily headed to Gabriel's apartment to profess her love to Camille's ex-boyfriend, only to find out that Camille had moved in with him. So why did Gabriel choose Camille? The prior episodes made it clear that Emily in Paris season 2's ending was inevitable. After Emily promises Camille that she will never be with Gabriel (and vice versa), Emily stuck to her promise because of her dedication. Still, it was clear that Camille never planned to stick with her promise, while Emily took a more pragmatic approach, convincing herself it could never work because she would be leaving Paris after her year-long tenure at Savoir.
While Emily was inherently connected to Gabriel, Emily kept it strictly professional. She also spent much of the back half of Emily in Paris season 2 with her new love interest Alfie. Meanwhile, Camille was slowly worming her way back into Gabriel's life, starting with his restaurant opening. Gabriel choosing Camille over Emily not only continued the show's central love triangle, but it also set up the perfect drama for Emily in Paris season 3. With Emily staying in Paris (possibly indefinitely), Gabriel will have an even harder time convincing himself he is not in love with Emily while they continue to work together. While on paper, the decision works, and it prolongs the central dramatic plot of the show, Gabriel choosing Camille was still a heartbreaking turn of events.
How Emily's Season 2 Ending Shows The Series' Growth
The show is about Emily being in Paris, but Emily in Paris season 2's ending left the former Chicagoan in an interesting predicament. Emily could choose to leave Savoir and work at Sylvie's new firm, spurning her boss Madeline and continuing her adventures in the City of Light. Of course, the chance to go back to her life in Chicago may be an enticing one. But still, Emily in Paris seemed to have learned from past mistakes even though that didn't seem apparent at first.
The Emily in Paris season 2 ending presented Lily Collins' character with a tough choice - quite possibly the toughest one she had to make in the entire show. While it wouldn't make sense for her to leave, a choice like this proved that the series has the ability to raise the dramatic stakes. From corporate intrigue to an interesting wrinkle in her love life, Emily was finally faced with a truly life-changing decision. While it may seem like an easy answer from an audience perspective, Emily deciding to stay in Paris could have major ramifications for the character's growth.
What Emily In Paris' Ending Really Means
Emily In Paris season 2's ending sets up the best possible season 3. Not only does it look like Kate Walsh's Madeline could be sticking around for future episodes, but the battle between the former Savoir employees and their former corporate owners is far from over. With Sylvie planning to take most of Savoir's clients and Emily faced with the wrath of her former boss, Emily in Paris season 3 could be rife with drama, a central theme for the series.
Another season could finally deliver on the potential drama between Gabriel, Camille, and Emily. While season 2 certainly dealt with the fallout from season 1's ending, a lot of dramatic potential was left by the wayside. It seems like the love triangle will only get more complicated from here on out, and Emily in Paris could lean more into its Sex and the City vibe by bringing more dramatic heft to what has ultimately been a lighter affair. Whether or not Netflix renews the series is another question, but Emily in Paris season 2's ending indicates that the show has many more places to go.