Orange is the New Black Season 5: 5 Questions We Need Answers To

Orange is the New Black’s fifth season ended with the mother of all cliff-hangers. After a season filled with ups and downs, there was little resolution in the one and a half hour finale. Of course, that has left us with an entire year to deliberate about what the next season will bring. Here are five questions that we want answered in season five.

 

1. What will Daya do?

The critical point of the finale was when Daya took up a gun against the guards, in a prison hallway filled with furious prisoners. Of course, there are only two ways that things could go from there: either Daya uses the gun or she doesn’t. After Daya’s mother, Aleida, got released from prison this season, we saw some interesting character development with Daya. Despite Mendoza’s best efforts to keep her promise to Aleida, that she would keep her daughter safe, Daya has fallen into a crowd involved in drug trafficking. However, shooting a prison guard would definitely be the turning point for Daya, and could ensure that she stays in prison for a long time to come. Of course, just the act of threatening to shoot the guard will probably get her thrown into SHU for who knows how long.

 

2. How will Poussey’s death be handled?

Probably the turning point of this season was the death of beloved character Poussey Washington. The way the death was handled was met with uproar by both characters in the show, and fans of the show. In the season finale, Caputo covers up for the guard that accidentally kills Poussey. In his press release, Caputo fails to even mention her name. Upon hearing this, Taystee, furious, begins the riot that leads to the season’s final scene: a prison where the prisoners are angry and rioting. Though after four seasons, we have little faith in the institution that runs Litchfield, and even less faith in the prison guards, is it too optimistic to hope that Poussey’s death will be given the proper respect it deserves in the coming season?

 

3. Will Alison Abdullah get a backstory and character development?

After binge watching season four of the show back in June, I was struck by how the show’s newest Muslim character, Alison Abdullah, seemed to bring little to the table. In response, many have urged me that the next season of the show will certainly delve into her character and engage with her religious faiths. I’m certainly curious in how Abdullah’s character is dealt with in the coming season. She was a character filled with promise at the beginning of season four. Unfortunately, we barely got a glimpse into her character. Instead, she was pushed to the background of the story in order to focus on the story of the girls from the ghetto trying to make money from photos of Judy King. What’s more, the show sprinkled many of her appearances with odd, Islamophobic comments from Cindy; which unfortunately didn’t stop once the two characters struck up a friendship. Mostly, I am curious in how the show hopes to deal with a Muslim character and if they are able to write a well-researched character with nuance. I’m also hoping that the new season stops with the Islamophobia.

 

4. What will happen to Lolly?

This season we also got the backstory of Lolly, which gave us a glimpse into the life of a woman who was struggling with her mental health whilst simultaneously having nobody there to help her along with this. Her backstory also showed us that it was this lack of care for someone with mental health issues that eventually landed her in prison. Lolly, who only joined the show in season two, has grown to be an interesting and complex character, who also supplies the show with a lot of its humour. Not only that, but she’s become a somewhat strange confidante and friend of Alex’. However, the last we saw of Lolly this season was when she was admitted to the psych ward because she, wrongly, confesses to murdering a guard. Although the show has made us believe that it is difficult, if not impossible, for prisoners to return from psych, I hope that the new season will still feature Lolly. She has, after all, become a dear character to many viewers. I also believe that there is much left to tell of her story, and the story of how those who are mentally ill, like Lolly or Suzanne, can be exploited by institutions such as Litchfield.

 

5. What will become of Brooke?

This season also saw the development of Brooke, due to her relationship with Poussey. If I’m honest, their relationship was probably my favourite thing about season four. It was well-written, and the characters complemented each other. Which is one of the reasons that I hope the show continues to grow Brooke’s character even in the absence of Poussey. This season’s glimpse into Brooke’s backstory showed us that though she’s a character with strong convictions, she can often be misguided and hypocritical. Her relationship with Poussey caused her to reconsider this aspect of her character, and showed a very real growth from the Brooke the fans met in season two. I’m excited to see how Brooke’s character will continue to grow and specifically how Poussey’s death will shape this growth.