So, Was Jocelyn The Idol's Real Villain All Along? That Ending Hints at Yes
Looks like Joss has outmaneuvered her abuser.
The fifth and final episode of The Idol, which aired on June 2, turned out to be just as controversial and confusing as the rest of the show, and fans are still not sure what to make of it.
What was it, after all? A dramatic tale of how the music industry is corrupt, and no one can be trusted? A twisted fantasy glorifying the misdeeds of people spoiled by money and fame?
One thing that all interpretations seem to agree on is that the story's central character, Lily-Rose Depp's Jocelyn, turned out to be just as much, if not more, of a villain than The Weeknd's Tedros. The final episode made it clear: Joss has been using her abusive lover all along.
'You've served your purpose,' Jocelyn tells Tedros before laying the cards on the table, revealing that their entire relationship has been set up to help the singer achieve her aims.
Tedros finally gets what he deserves after Joss and his former cult followers kick him out of her house and offer to take the money and never come back. However, The Weeknd's character shows up at Jocelyn's sold-out concert and is surprised to find out that he is among the guests with an artist pass.
Then, Joss drags her disgraced ex-lover on stage, announcing that he is 'the love of her life.' Evidently, the pop star isn't done with Tedros and is going to keep manipulating the man in a possible Season 2 of the show.
'The ending was horrible, but I guess it just shows how manipulative Joss is, making Tedros feel like nothing, ruining him, then taking him back, now HE'S her b--ch,' a fan summed up.
Most viewers were dissatisfied with the finale and felt confused about the characters and where they ended up. Obviously, Joss was made into a villain, and Tedros wasn't redeemed — perhaps the writers even wanted us to sympathize with him, but that would be impossible after everything he's done in the show.
Fans hoped that The Idol would end as an empowering story of revenge against one's abuser, but instead, it romanticized the toxic relationship between Jocelyn and Tedros. Yes, Joss seems to have defeated her abusive lover, but in the end, both she and Tedros appear to be deeply troubled and affected by Stockholm Syndrome, unable to exist separately even though they understand their relationship is destructive.
Will the story of Jocelyn and Tedros' troubled romance continue in Season 2? HBO hasn't made any official announcement about it yet, but The Idol was never meant to be a limited series, so a second season is not out of the question.
Source: Reddit.