If the final moments of the “Paper Girls” finale left you scrambling, well, welcome to the club. But we are here to work through it with you — and we got the cast’s input on things as well.
Now, before we get into what comes next, let’s lay out what all went down. In the season finale, now streaming on Prime Video, we see Erin (Riley Lai Nelet), Mac (Sofia Rosinsky), Tiff (Camryn Jones) and KJ (Fina Strazza) set to be returned to their original timeline, with their memories erased. But, thanks to some help from Prioress (Adina Porter), they manage to flee from the Grandfather (Jason Mantzoukas) in escape pods.
Prioress — who sacrificed herself in the process — released them because as it turns out, Tiff is instrumental in the creation of time travel, and thus, the time war. Prioress was around the same age as the paper girls when she joined up with The Watch, but she never actually wanted to be part of the war. So she encourages Tiff and her friends to find a different future Tiff, and explain what her work leads to — to stop the time war before it can even happen.
After some commotion, all four girls do manage to escape the ship in their pods, but they get separated. Mac and KJ go into one pod, while Erin and Tiff end up in another. What exactly happens to the former pair is unclear, as we stay with Erin and Tiff. They land in a cornfield in the past — way in the past.
“Golden Years” by David Bowie plays over the action, but that’s not entirely a good indicator of the decade they’re in. The song came out in 1975, but Erin and Tiff are definitely in the 50s or 60s. They’ve arrived at a drive-in, and — much like the “Paper Girls” audience — are visibly confused. And then of course, the credits roll.
So, what does that mean for the future of “Paper Girls”? Well, as of this writing, the show has not officially been renewed for a second season. But that cast has an idea of what might be coming down the pike should they return.
“Well, there are some times and some moments that are in the comics that have not been explored yet,” Fina Strazza, who plays KJ, explained to TheWrap. “And hopefully, you know, the girls will get the chance to explore some things that fans are wanting to see if we’re given the chance to explore it more with the second season. We’ll find out more.”
Strazza’s co-stars were hesitant to tease any further, simply echoing her excitement, although it’s worth noting that the comic book series on which the show is based (by Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang) frequently finds the characters traveling throughout the 20th and 21st centuries.
Sofia Rosinsky, who plays Mac in the series, is particularly excited to see what happens with the girls’ relationships with each other.
“Any different time periods, I’m very excited to see. I am very much looking forward to seeing the way that these — how their dynamics change. And just where they go, what they do, if they ever make it back, who knows? I’m just looking forward to seeing how these girls change and I’m on this ride with them, and I’m so excited.”
“Paper Girls” is now streaming in its entirety on Prime Video.
