The final episode of Sterling Point season 1 comes in like a wrecking ball after the mind-blowing cliffhanger that ends episode 7: Ramona approaching Steven with the possibility that he's her biological father. Their shared colorblindness aside, everything we know about Steven suggests that he can't be her real dad, but clearly, stranger things can and will happen.
Sterling Point season 1 episode 8 doesn't drop us right back into the paternity mess, instead beginning with a cute, quiet moment between Annie and Ellis underneath they stars. She's feeling the Sunday scaries about her impending departure and soaks in all the time she has left with Ellis with kisses and good times with their friends. Ramona's distracted, though.
She and Steven both obsessively check for the DNA test results online, unable to relax with the unknown hanging over their heads. Ramona hasn't even shared the possibility of Steven being her father with Oona. Meanwhile, Connor visits a website with the intention of looking for his and Annie's birth parents. For a moment, at least, everything is peaceful for the group.
Ramona's real biological father is revealed
Annie and Ellis wake up next to each other, completely and blissfully in love as they once again get intimate. Ramona receives the DNA test results in the mail. She and Steven are a genetic match, confirming that she is Steven's biological daughter, not Joe's. She and Steven sit Annie and Connor down to share the news. Annie's reaction isn't as understanding as they would have hoped.
But it's complicated, specifically for her. She's not mad at Ramona, but she's processing this big change. Her parents have a biological daughter. As much as that doesn't change anything, it's a lot for Annie to take in, especially after searching her whole life for a place to belong. Steven pulls Annie outside for a one on one conversation after an odd talk with Ramona about what she wants (nothing).
He attempts to assure Annie that nothing has changed, he's her daughter, and DNA tests don't change that. She argues against him, and Ramona is visibly uncomfortable overhearing their conversation from outside. Annie isn't open to taking on Steven's feelings about the situation. She can't fix his sadness. She's the kid and deserves to feel the sadness right now.
Steven apologizes for the leadership role she has taken in their household growing up. He doesn't agree with her when she expresses a desire to lean into her life in Sterling Point, believing that she's trying to follow her mom's footsteps. Meanwhile, Connor's high on mushrooms with Denise in her hot tub, and though he wouldn't admit it, he's feeling upset about the revelation, too.
Oona breaks up with Ramona
Later, Ellis finds Annie at the cottage and even though she's silent, he wraps her in a hug. (Apparently, he heard the news about Ramona offscreen.) Ramona talks with Oona about Annie's reaction and ponders about what would happen if she visited Steven in New York. The mere mention of Ramona going to New York spooks Oona, who picks a fight about their future.
Oona pushes Ramona away, already deciding that Ramona will move to New York and forget about her. Before Ramona leaves, she retaliates by pointing out Oona's abandonment issues with her mom, which hurts Oona. She officially breaks up with Ramona after this fight, a fight, mind you, that was 100 percent avoidable on both sides. Ah, young love.
Back at the cottage, Annie packs her suitcases with Ellis, reflecting on the chaotic summer they have had, full of emotional and life-changing revelations. When Ellis lets the sadness of Annie leaving creep in, she tries to avoid making their parting harder. Soon, she's crying and they're kissing. Ellis tells her that they have to let their separation hurt. (Isn't the flight less than an hour?)
Ramona announces her breakup to Sully and Connor. Sully finds comfort food, but her brother gives her the advice to sell the island, make a ton of money, and leave to travel the world. For the first time, someone gives Ramona permission to put herself first and go somewhere, if she wants to. She's never had that option. If she sells, she doesn't want anything to happen to Ellis or the marina.
Ramona wants to sell Sterling Point
When Ramona sits Annie down and lays out her plan to sell, Annie's initially resistant to the idea especially when Ramona pushes back against her feeling that Annie doesn't want to be her sister. She insists that isn't true ad apologizes for not having a perfect reaction to the news. Ramona explains herself further amid more protest, and Annie agrees to her original promise to Ramona.
By selling, they would both be losing a part of themselves: a part Ramona's ready to give up and a part Annie hasn't fully explored. But Annie promises to honor her sister's wishes. That night, Annie lies in bed and sees a life full of memories with her mother, from her infancy to first period to her having her own child. It's heartbreaking and cathartic and you won't end the scene without sobbing.
In the morning, Annie wakes up Ramona and takes back her promise. She refuses to sell and asks Ramona to give her a year to continue getting to know their mother in Sterling Point. Annie insists that at only 16 years old, Ramona could be making a mistake. Before leaving, Connor receives a call from the adoption agency. His birth mother wants to meet him.
Annie and Ramona switch lives
Ramona stops by Oona's boat, but Maple lies that she's gone. After Ramona leaves, Oona reveals that she couldn't let Ramona see her or she wouldn't do what she needs to do move forward. Annie sits down with Joe and asks questions about her mother and her death. Goldie wished she had come back to Sterling Point sooner, but was planning to return to New York after Steven took the twins.
Joe reveals that Goldie had a heart condition no one knew about and didn't survive the emergency C-section during Ramona's birth. Goldie never had the chance to meet or hold Ramona, a detail that breaks Annie's heart. After that conversation, Annie runs back to the cottage. Suddenly, Ramona's at the dock before Steven leaves with Connor. She hugs her dad, cutting off his appeal to her.
From a distance, Annie watches her dad and sister's embrace with an unreadable expression. The scene cuts to Ramona crying in her bedroom and Annie running in talking a mile a minute. Ramona has been the girl with a dead mom her whole life, but Annie's been the girl with an alive dad her whole life. She proposes that they switch places and exchange experiences.
She tells Ramona that she deserves to be taken care of and needs it even though she might not want it. An undesignated amount of time later, Ramona wakes up in Annie's bed in New York with hope written on her face for the first time. Meanwhile, Annie remains in Sterling Point. She ties her hair up and jumps into the lake. The first season ends with so much possibility for them both.
Watch Sterling Point only on Prime Video.
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