Well, Queen Sugar lovers, we've made it to the finale of this second season, and it did not disappoint. Let's get started with our last (waaaah!) recap of the season...
We open with Blue playing with his doll Kenya, telling her that he overheard someone referring to his mother as "that damn girl." He's clearing picking up on all the family unrest that's going on between his parents and the Bordelon clan in general. Violet then comes over and starts singing "This Little Light Of Mine." She seems distracted, and Blue does too.
Nova's at the farmhouse, sitting in while her reporter friend Lizzie interviews one of the farmers that works with Charley for that story about the Queen Sugar Mill. And then Darla pulls up; she wants to pick up a few things inside the house while Ralph is working in the field. But Nova is not going to let her in while Ralph is away. She is very clear that she doesn't trust Darla, and can't understand how she never told anyone the truth about Blue, not even Violet and Hollywood, who basically saved her and Blue's lives. Darla explains that she chose what she thought was best for Blue, but Nova corrects her: She chose lies, not what was best.
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Next, Charley confronts Jacob Boudreaux, who admits that at times he has been a bit worried about Charley's next game plan, but that in the end, all of her deviousness was "all smoke." He then cops to spreading the negative rumors about her farm, but continues to push her to partner with him and his family because there's much more money for them both that way. He then begins to...flirt, I guess you could call it? Creepily telling Charley that she intoxicates him. But Charley is not falling for it. "The end, is coming," she tells him. "And that ain't blowing smoke." I wanted to give a standing ovation to Dawn Lyen-Gardner for her acting here; the girl sure can send a message with her eyes!
Out in the field, yet another landowner lets Ralph Angel know they can't work with the Queen Sugar mill anymore; they're nervous about all the rumors. And over at the mill, Charley is warding off phone calls from even more mill owners who are expressing their concerns that the machinery at the mill isn't working properly, thanks to those Landry and Boudreaux rumors. This is getting ugly and very bad for business.
Darla then drives up to Violet's house to pick up Blue, and when she sees him outside playing with her and Hollywood, she starts weeping — and then drives away. Hollywood then receives a phone call from the lawyer from the rig lawsuit, who informs him that the company has settled for triple the amount they originally thought they would. In other words, as Hollywood puts it to Violet, they are now rich. Violet says "So, this is how it feels to be rich? It doesn't feel no different!" Hollywood is all Duh, we've always felt rich, because we've been rich forever...in love! So sweet.
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And then, right there on the front porch steps, Hollywood says he wants to be with Violet forever — like, on paper. He knows they'd previously talked about not needing to get married to be happy, but: "Vi, there's so many people out there alone, wishing they had half of what we got," he says. And then he asks if she would consider marrying him, and though she takes a minute to think about it, she of course answers "Yes, baby. Yes, yes, yes, yes..."
Nova hosts a small engagement dinner at her home for the couple and Blue, because she doesn't want their moment to fall between the cracks with all of the mill and harvest drama. "I couldn't let this day pass without marking its significance, not just to you two, but to me, to all of us, y'all are everything." It's a touching moment, and then the celebrating ensues. Violet is telling a funny story about Roberta (y'all remember her, the waitress at the High Yellow that's always stepping on Violet's territory and flirting with Hollywood) trying to come on to Hollywood with the line: "I know why they call you Hollywood: Because when the lights go out, you ready for action." Y'all — I hollered. Because that was so real! We all know that one person with some terrible pickup lines...
Remy arrives next, and after the celebration ends, he helps Nova wash dishes and thanks her for doing this for Violet and Hollywood, because it's needed, especially during the stress of harvest season. They have a bit of a bonding moment, and I realize that these two haven't shared much screen time this season. But they share some laughs about how Remy would've stepped to Violet if Hollywood hadn't, because she's got some "ways." And then on a more serious note, they talk about the love Violet and Hollywood share — and Remy says it's a damn near impossible thing to find someone you can be yourself with, flaws and all. And then...could I be mistaken? Hold up, y'all. Was that...sexual tension, between Nova and Remy? Chemistry? Sparks? Whoa. I did not see that one coming. Neither of them says anything inappropriate, but it's the way they're looking at each other, and the long lingering hug that Remy gives Nova at the end of their conversation before mentioning he's got to get back to Charley that feels...intense. I am praying that Queen Sugar does not go eventually there.
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Back at the house, Charley tells Ralph Angel that she's down to only three farms, thanks to the Boudreaux and Landrys and their rumor-spreading. Charley has an interesting proposition to fix things: She suggests that Ralph Angel mill with the Boudreaux. She tells him she needs his trust on this, because her most robust projections are from that part of the parish. If Ralph Angel doesn't join them, the Queen Sugar mill is done. Ralph Angel is hesitant, obviously, but Charley assures him she's thought this all the way through. "We need to make this an internal fight," she says. "One they never saw coming." And then she adds that just like he's standing with her, she's standing with him, which is why she fired Darla. She doesn't want him to question where her loyalties lie.
Remy approaches Charley and offers his help to figure out what they can do next to get some of their farmers back. Charley hesitantly tells him that her and Ralph Angel made a decision to play a little chess game by directing him to take his haul to the Landrys and Boudreaux. Remy is obviously not happy, asking her how the community and Black farmers are going to feel about her working with her enemy. But Charley says she can't think about the community when they've all abandoned her anyway. Remy asks her to not do this, but Charley said that if she's learned anything this year, it's that hurt fuels her; she can't let it fester. But Remy makes sure that she knows he can't support her on this, because she's making a deal with the devil. "I see in this very moment that I don't know you at all," he says. Ouch. That one hit hard, at my core — and apparently, Charley's too, because she says he's right. He doesn't know her. It's looking like this might be the end of Charley and Remy's love affair...
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Nova is also playing her own part in all of this, over at her house writing late at night, working on a story she titles "Race, Land, and Trump's America." She sends it to her editor with a note that this is a bit different than her typical story. He writes back not too long later with an e-mail reading "One of the most incredible pieces I've ever read. Ever." And he wants it to go on the Sunday front page as an op-ed. Wow.
Meanwhile, Ralph Angel goes by Darla's rehab therapy session and talks to her sponsor, Marlene, who tells Ralph Angel that Darla never showed up that day. Uh oh. And even though she's staying with her, said she needed some time to herself, because she was thrown for a loop after losing her job. Double uh oh. This doesn't sound good. So Ralph Angel proceeds to go out looking for Darla, going to various crack and whorehouses asking if anyone has seen her. This whole scene is heartbreaking, as you can see how defeated and heartbroken RA is — but how unwilling he is to give up on her.
And then he finally finds her, thank goodness, safely at the pool, swimming away her problems instead of resorting to old habits. He confronts her, saying that he knows he hasn't always done right by her, but one of the things he's never done is lie to her. They talk about what happened in an emotional scene that I can't even remember all of because I was boo-hooing so hard — seeing Ralph Angel cry tore me up, y'all. He confirms that they have to break up, because he'll never be able to look at her the same again. Darla tearfully tells him that he can turn away from her, but he can't turn away from Blue, because Blue loves him more than anything in the world. RA says Blue is the blood in his veins, and my heart aches for them both. He'll take Blue for awhile while she goes home to her parents for awhile. And then Ralph says: "God bless you Darla. I mean that." I just about lost it then. But, Queen Sugar viewers, it appears this is the end for Ralph and Darla, too. Another breakup this episode.
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Charley goes to visit Jacob Boudreaux, who tells her that the two of them could make a formidable team in the business. But Charley says she doesn't want to partner; she just wants to sell the Queen Sugar mill upfront. Whaaaat?! She explains that she hasn't been there for her son and she's lost a lot of things that are important to her, like a relationship. She says she'll remain the face and driving force of Queen Sugar and will oversee the day-to-day operations and work out the percentages of ownership with the Boudreaux, plus the equity. I can't quite tell if she's still playing the game, and then when Boudreaux takes her hand in hers and says, "Now how about another arrangement," and she says "one step at a time, Mr. Boudreaux," I think, okay, this is probably just her playing the game some more. Probably, right?! And then Jacob tells Charley that they have a deal, and they toast. Yikes. I'm reaaaaaally hoping that Charley knows what she's doing here, but I'm honestly not sure.
At the end of the episode, Ralph Angel picks up a sleeping Blue from Violet's house, who sleepily asks where his dad has been. He reminds his son that it's been harvest time. "Where do you think I was, Blue?" he asks. And then Blue shrugs and cries and softly says "I don't know." MY HEART. And then Ralph tells him how he got the name Blue: Violet once told him that as a girl, she saw her name on a crayon at school and felt special that her name could make something so pretty. So he thought about that and realized there was one for his own son that was perfect: Simply, Blue, which also rhymed with his mother's name, Dru. So in the end, Blue was named after the two ladies in his life that always believed in him no matter what.
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And then Blue looks up at the moon, with his sweet, hopeful face...and then falls asleep. And that's where we leave off.
Ugh! Queen Sugar! That's it?! I'm left with so many questions! What's Ralph Angel and Blue's relationship going to be like now? Will we ever see Darla again? Will they ever get a paternity test just to make sure? Will Hollywood and Violet have a grand, turn up wedding? What's the reaction to Nova's article? And WHAT THE HECK IS CHARLEY UP TO?!
Unfortunately, we won't get any answers until some time next year. It's been a joy recapping this show with you all season, dear viewers. I'll see you next year for more Queen Sugar goodness. Until then...