Orange is the New Black season 5: 11 questions we need answered in season 6 after that finale
The Orange is the New Black season five finale was dramatic and satisfying in a lot of ways, but it also left enough questions and loose ends to fill an abandoned swimming pool.
1. Who survived the SWAT team bunker raid?
Loads of our most-loved characters were in the bunker when season 5 came to a dramatic close, but who will survive?
Could OITNB kill them all off? Or will they all make it?
Would you survive an Orange is the New Black prison riot?
We really don’t want to part with any of them, so fingers crossed that Taystee, Piper, Alex, Red, Frieda, Suzanne, Cindy, Gloria, Nicky, and Flores escape with minor injuries only.
2. How the f*** did Frieda build the bunker?
We love Frieda, we love her bunker, and it was an excellent prop for this season’s plot – but it’s a tad far-fetched.
She got a computer down there? And chairs? And booze? The list goes on. Moreover, why – after ALL that hard work – would she basically invite the SWAT team in?
Wouldn’t it have made sense to go upstairs and surrender, keeping her bunker a secret?
3. Where are the inmates being sent?
The riot ended with the women being separated and driven away from Litchfield, but where are they off to?
There are too many of them to put in the same prison, there’s not enough space in max, and Litchfield needs some, erm, TLC.
Presumably, they’re heading to various prisons – so it’ll be interesting to see who ends up where, and who they end up with.
4. Will they return to Litchfield?
We reckon the inmates will be sent back to Litchfield eventually, so perhaps the next season will see them adapting to new places, making new friends (and enemies).
They all need to be under the same roof in the long-term, so we’re hoping Litchfield becomes home again in the near future.
5. What caused Piscatella to become a monster?
We got some of Piscatella’s backstory in the harrowing episode where he tortures Red and co. He had a relationship with a male prisoner, who got beaten up badly by his fellow inmates because of it.
We know Piscatella killed one of the prisoners who carried out the attack, but none of this explains why he thinks it’s OK to beat and abuse women prisoners – and will we ever find out now that he’s a goner?
We really, really want to know what makes a man do that.
6. What’s going to happen to Pennsatucky?
Yep, it’s icky that Pennsatucky has shacked up with her rapist boyfriend CO Coates, but how long can it possibly last?
When they notice she’s missing, will they look for her? If they find her, will she be punished? And what about Coates?! He can’t possibly think it’s a good idea?
Is he going to hide her in his home forever? Or will they go on the run, spawning a new Pennsatucky spin-off show?
7. Why is Alison in prison?
Alison was a key player in season 5 thanks to Taystee’s ‘Justice for Poussey’ storyline, but her fascinating backstory didn’t reveal the most important thing: what did Alison do to land herself in Litchfield?
We know that she’s a feminist, we know that she agreed to her husband having another wife…so did she kill wife #2? Or her husband? Or was it something really boring? We hope not.
8. Will we see Sophia again?
Quite early on in season 5, Sophia walked out of the riot and got herself sent to max.
We saw her looking for Sister Ingalls, and discovering that she got out on compassionate leave, but then it all went quiet on the Sophia front.
We’re assuming she’ll be in season 6, although it could depend on where the show’s set in future episodes.
9. Will Piper and Alex actually get married?
Although Piper and Alex have been a bit boring this season, Piper’s proposal was touching, and we would like to see them tie the knot.
But will they both survive the SWAT raid on Frieda’s bunker? Seeing one of them without the other would break us.
10. What will happen to Daya?
Daya finally took some responsibility for shooting Humps and got sent to max – but presumably there’s more punishment to come? CO Humphrey died, which means she’s going to end up serving quite a lot more time, no?
She’ll surely get manslaughter at the very least, and possibly murder. Sure, it was Maureen’s fault that he died, but it’s unlikely Suzanne is going to tell anyone about that.
If the women do return to Litchfield, Daya will likely be bunking there for a very, very long time.
11. Can the authorities count?
There were 10 prisoners missing, according to the SWAT team. That lines up with the number of inmates in Frieda’s bunker, but of course, Chang and Pennsatucky had both escaped unnoticed.
Sure, Linda from Purchasing is being treated as a prisoner and therefore takes care of one of those, but the authorities should still know their counting is off.
Bonus
What happened to the cute nurse? Is he still in one of those disgusting portable toilets?
