Wayward Ending Explained: What Is the Leap and What Will Happen to Tall Pines?

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The Netflix thriller *Wayward* takes place in a beautiful but unsettling town in the Pacific Northwest, centered around the controversial Tall Pines Academy. This school helps troubled teens using methods led by the powerful Evelyn (Toni Collette), who believes she has a groundbreaking approach to dealing with teenage problems. The story really kicks off when new police officer Alex Dempsey (Mae Martin) and his pregnant wife, Laura (Sarah Gadon), arrive. Laura is hopeful for a safe and welcoming community, but Alex quickly becomes suspicious of Evelyn’s techniques and the town’s strangely perfect atmosphere, believing something dark is hidden beneath the calm exterior.

Wayward creates tension by showing Alex’s investigation and his connections with students trying to break free from the academy. This puts him in direct conflict with Evelyn, leading to a power struggle that risks revealing the town’s hidden secrets. As the story progresses, it builds towards a thrilling climax, promising answers to the show’s central questions and exposing the truth about Evelyn’s institution, as well as the cost of maintaining order and fitting in within Tall Pines.

Warning: Spoilers below for Netflix’s Wayward

How Does the Leap Work in Netflix’s Wayward?

The main puzzle in Netflix’s *Wayward Pines* centers around Tall Pines Academy, a school for troubled teenagers run by the enigmatic Evelyn. Throughout the series, the students are subjected to harsh psychological and physical challenges, and questionable therapy techniques intended to crush their will. It seems unlikely these methods would produce well-adjusted adults, but the nearby town is entirely populated by people who used to attend Tall Pines. Despite obvious emotional scars, the townspeople are surprisingly content, suggesting Evelyn’s abusive approach has some level of success.

The remarkable changes students at Tall Pines experience are due to a technique called The Leap. Developed by Evelyn, it involves a combination of hypnosis and a naturally-derived hallucinogen. During this deeply altered state, Evelyn helps students suppress painful memories and disconnect emotionally from their families.

Those who undergo The Leap are free from the burdens of past errors and family ties, allowing them to fully contribute to the Tall Pines community. This community was started by Evelyn, who believed that trauma is often passed down through families, and that true happiness comes from building a society where everyone is emotionally healthy and unburdened.

Okay, so ‘The Leap’ isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. It messes people up *badly*. I mean, they lose their memories, and that completely changes who they are – they basically become pushovers. But the really heartbreaking part? It destroys their ability to connect with others, even their own kids. They can’t even *love* the babies they’re carrying. That’s the core of why Laura finally snapped at Evelyn, you know? It’s all about that lost connection.

What Will Happen to Tall Pines After Laura’s Revolution?

When Laura and her husband, Alex, move back to Tall Pines, Laura is forced to face her past and begins to suspect something isn’t right with Evelyn or the town itself. Because Alex didn’t grow up in Tall Pines, he’s able to see flaws in Evelyn’s approach, which ultimately helps Laura understand that her pregnancy is deeply troubling – she feels unable to connect with the child she’s carrying.

Alex begins investigating Evelyn, determined to reveal the truth about Tall Pines and shut it down. Initially, Laura appears to support her husband’s efforts. But Laura has a hidden agenda: while she also believes Evelyn needs to be stopped, she thinks the strong sense of community at Tall Pines is valuable and worth saving. She wants Evelyn gone so she can take over as the town’s new spiritual leader.

By the end of *Wayward*, Laura had gathered enough support to pursue her goals. The birth of her child signals a fresh start for Tall Pines, with the community welcoming the baby as a symbol of hope. Meanwhile, Evelyn overdoses after Alex gives her a hallucinogen while fleeing Tall Pines Academy, leaving her leadership position open for Laura to fill. Although *Wayward* doesn’t explicitly state whether Evelyn survives, she’s clearly lost the unwavering support of the town, suggesting a change in leadership at the school.

This isn’t a happy resolution. The story of *Wayward* shows that Evelyn took control of Tall Pines by killing the leader of a local hippie group – she felt they were hindering true spiritual growth. Laura shares this violent side, having murdered her own parents before experiencing The Leap. This means the new community, built on the ruins of the old, is once again under the control of a cold-hearted woman who firmly believes her approach is superior to the last.

Why Did Alex and Leile Decide to Stay Behind?

At the conclusion of *Wayward*, Abbie and Leile successfully leave Tall Pines Academy, but Leile unexpectedly chooses to return. She tells Abbie that despite the questionable practices at the academy, she believes it can actually help her. Leile explains that her mother is relieved to have her away, and she is deeply traumatized by her sister’s death, which she feels responsible for. She sees The Leap as a real chance to escape her painful past and rebuild her life with the support of a community willing to accept her.

Abbie tells Leile she’ll return, but taking ‘The Leap’ will change her so much that she’ll lose the close bond they share. This means their friendship will end, no matter what happens afterward. This outcome is troubling because Leile embracing ‘The Leap’ suggests Evelyn’s methods actually work, which is a complicated idea. Ultimately, the final episode of *Wayward* doesn’t quite tie everything together in a satisfying way.

It really broke my heart at the end of *Wayward* to see Alex choose to stay with Laura. I was so hoping he’d leave town with his baby and finally join Abbie, maybe they could’ve found some peace together, you know? They both went through so much, and I thought they could build a real family. But sadly, he just seemed to accept his fate and become part of Laura’s group, which is just… devastating.

We don’t know why Alex did what he did. He committed a cold-blooded murder as he left Tall Pines Academy, and he understands he’ll face serious legal consequences without Laura’s family’s help. His violent tendencies likely played a role, especially since he can’t condemn Laura for killing her own parents. It’s also possible Alex realized that taking the baby means repeating a cycle of trauma. As usual, *Wayward* leaves us guessing, suggesting Alex might believe family connections are inherently harmful and that raising children in a disconnected community is the only path to a better future.

Wayward is available on Netflix.

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2025-09-25 16:19