‘Vida’ Recap: ‘Episode 20’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

THIS IS THE EMERGENCY SPOILER ALERT SYSTEM. YOU ARE ADVISED TO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.

When we are young, the night life is everything to us. Because there is something quite powerful about being able to venture out into the world while the rest of it goes to sleep and make wonderful memories while you drink or smoke the night away. And it truly seems in that moment, that this is what life should feel like and you genuinely hope that these good times will never end. But one day, the bars just don’t quite appeal to us like they used to, and twenty beers become one light one and an early bedtime is super enticing and that is quite the jarring transition. But it is one that is a necessary part of growing up in general. Because there simply comes a point in life, where we realize that there is more to life than partying until dawn and hollow pursuits.
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If anything, this is relevant to today’s discussion, because that all-important moment when someone comes to the point where they realize enough is enough with the nightlife and the B.S. that our peers exhibit found its way into the storytelling fabric of last night’s episode of Vida. For three main characters came to understand that the path they were currently on was no longer sustainable and the time had come for a change. Mari for instance, came to understand that life is short and fleeting and that if someone wants to make an impact in this world, they cannot waste their time discussing what should be done, they should act and act quickly. And that’s why she finally stood up to Yoli and the rest of Los Vigilantes and called them out for their cowardice and that’s also why she made the bold decision to walk away, so that she can enact some real change in a world that needs it.

But while Mari’s journey in this story was far larger in scope, since she was looking at the world, Lyn’s voyage in this tale was far more intimate and truly in line with some of what we discussed earlier. Because the birthday party she hosted for Marcos at the bar, was just too much for her, for several reasons. The biggest one being that she’s spent the past three years on this series trying to grow and be more, and she hasn’t taken the time to acknowledge that she’s been successful in her endeavors. Because she’s now running a bar that gets buzz from her ideas, and she has confronted a dark chapter in her family’s history by visiting her father and trying to get to know him. And to top it all off, she even rebuffed Juniper’s silly and immature overtures to bring her back into a life of luxury because she earned all of this. She did it herself, without anyone’s help and the rush that comes from that supersedes any party or drug and those elements, combined with seeing what the party lifestyle looks like from the sober side, made her realize that kind of life isn’t for her anymore. But the one that she’s forged for herself, sounds quite enticing.

Yet as this series is wont to do, it also threw the audience quite the curveball in regard to this exploration by way of Emma. Because once again in this tale she was a tad morose and lost, despite getting answers that satisfied her concern about ownership of the bar. And well, her aloof nature and desire to escape with Marcos and his friends in this tale, came from one hell of a wakeup call. For Emma revealed she is likely pregnant in this tale, and well, that discovery clearly led to her own unique epiphany. For while Emma is indeed the straight arrow on this series, full of logic and decisiveness, she has assembled her own perfect little world in a bubble. One where she doesn’t make mistakes and doesn’t connect with people all that often unless there’s good reason to let them in. So, discovering that she is going to be a mother, helped her to realize that she is fully capable of making big mistakes, the kind that change a life, and also that the world doesn’t operate like a business plan and that she needs to start being open to meaningful connections since parenthood requires bonds.

In the end, this was simply a supremely complex and powerful and relatable chapter in this story. Because all of us have experienced something similar to what Mari, Lyn and Emma went through in this tale, and if by chance that reckoning hasn’t occurred yet, well it’s only a matter of time before one’s eyes are opened to the world. Which makes this episode quite special. Because it is rare when a television show can truly pull from our memories and take us back to a formative moment in our lives. But this one accomplished it no problem, and it will be interesting to see where this trio goes from here now that they’re seeing the world in a different light. Because once you’ve said ‘enough’, you demand better and more, and you won’t settle until you have it and these revelations and discoveries will likely help to make the series finale of this story quite powerful, now that our trio are facing some big life decisions in regard to what comes next for all of them. Until next time.   

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