While at the end of Amazon Prime’s original series, The Wilds season 2 audience favorites Toni Shalifoe and Shelby Goodkind break up, there is hope for the couple in The Wilds season 3. The Wilds, created by Sarah Streicher, is a teen survival thriller full of compelling characters, exciting twists, and an eclectic soundtrack with The Wilds season 2’s songs spanning genres from jazz to emo/pop-punk. The show follows a group of teenage girls whose plane crashes, leaving them stranded on an uninhabited island where they are unknowingly the subjects of a social experiment. However, while the survivalist setup is intriguing, the real focus of The Wilds is the characters' complex relationships, including that of Toni and Shelby.
The Wilds season 2 dives deeper into the characters’ relationships and experiences while also introducing another group of stranded teens, a group of boys who are also subjects of the same social experiment. The Wilds cast features many talented yet unknown actors, but two stand out. Viewers have fallen in love with Toni and Shelby as a couple due to the undeniable chemistry between Erana James (Toni) and Mia Healey (Shelby). The unlikely but endearing relationship grows stronger in season 2 as the girls fall in love. However, their relationship has been occasionally turbulent, especially during The Wilds season 2 ending.
While the couple breaks up in their final scene together, Shelby's commitment to regaining Toni's love, their potential for introspection and growth, and a vivid dream Shelby has give hope for the couple in The Wilds season 3 despite The Wilds season 2's unhappy ending. The break-up relates to an incident where Shelby reveals to Toni that she saw a boat near the island but froze instead of calling for help due to fears of facing her homophobic family. After Toni's best friend, Martha, experiences a psychotic episode, Toni, who was initially understanding, silently blames Shelby. When Shelby expresses to Toni that she wants to mend their relationship, Toni's silence and subtle body language indicate it's over for her. Nevertheless, Shelby's feelings for Toni stay strong and she vows to do anything to earn back Toni's love. At least one of them has not given up hope and the arc of The Wilds season 3 is already set up for them to potentially get back together.
Shelby made a mistake by not calling out to the boat, but Toni doesn't handle the situation well either. The cold shoulder she gives Shelby and her quick switch from expressing empathy to ending the relationship is reflective of Toni's struggles with communication, emotional regulation, and her inability to accept love. While Shelby hasn't fully accepted herself yet and needs to build confidence, Toni also needs to develop self-love and the ability to work through conflicts with loved ones instead of pushing them away. Toni and Shelby are pushing each other out of their comfort zones and there's potential for their journies of self-discovery to continue in The Wilds season 3 and eventually lead to a reconciliation. Further, The Wilds season 2 finale showcased a scene where Shelby has a dream where she’s singing on stage while Toni watches her from the audience, smiling. While the true meaning of the dream could just be Shelby's hopes, it also provides a possible glimpse into the couple's happy future.
Season 2's finale left viewers wanting more, anxiously waiting to see what The Wilds season 3 has in store for Toni and Shelby. All hope is not lost. Shelby's commitment to earning back Toni's love signals that their relationship isn't necessarily over. Both characters have the potential to grow in season 3 suggesting that their romantic storyline will continue and they will possibly reconcile. The Wilds season 2's twist cliffhanger ending presents an uncertain future, but there is hope for the couple in The Wilds season 3 if they're both willing to work on themselves.