Fantasy Island: Season 2/ Episode 13 “MJ Akuda & The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Wives Club” – Recap and Review [Season Finale]

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In the season finale, a heartfelt, tear-inducing end to Ruby’s arc is paired with women wanting revenge and closure.

Release Date (FOX)	May 8, 2023
Director(s)	Aprill Winney
Writer(s)	Sarah Fain
Newly Noted Characters and Cast
Brooklyn	Amanda Tavarez
Sue	Gillian Vigman
Jenna	Camille Guaty
MJ (Mary Jane)	Gabrielle Byndloss
Gavin	Jason Priestley
Previously Noted Characters and Cast
Isla	María Gabriela González
Ruby	Kiara Barnes
Elena	Roselyn Sanchez
Javier	John Gabriel Rodriquez
Helene	Alexa Mansour

Plot Recap

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I Just Want Him To Know How It Feels – Gavin, Brooklyn, Sue, Jenna

Gavin is a womanizer. With his first wife, he seduced her when she was young and swallowed her whole to the point that his influence remains strong even years after their divorce. With Jenna, Gavin’s second wife, who he married after cheating on Sue, she helped him build his business. Yet, even with making her, at one time, feel like a valued partner, he dropped her for another woman. Yes, he paid her handsomely before dismissing her, but that feeling of being a power couple lost still pains her in some ways.

Now, with the current wife, Brooklyn, her issues run deep. She recently discovered that, again, Gavin is cheating, and what hurts her is her dad warned her, and she put Gavin before her dad, even when he was in his final days. So for that, each woman starts off wanting revenge but ultimately just wants Gavin to understand how they feel since he was too committed to being oblivious.

Thus him being setup, via Island magic, to feel the hurt through a shared voodoo doll, and later forced to hear each lady’s story and mentally and emotionally feel the pain of every woman he harmed. Thus, by the end of the trip, him seemingly being ready to turn his life around or at least have some sort of deterrent from his default mindset.

Dance With My Mother Again – MJ, Ruby, Isla, Elena, Javier

To save Ruby, Elena has MJ, Ruby’s only daughter, come to the Island, and Isla is upset about that. She considers it an underhanded move, but Elena refuses to lose this battle and is willing to pull out all the stops. But it wasn’t easy. Originally, MJ didn’t believe Ruby was alive, but upon seeing her, she understood, and with Javier giving MJ the push she needed, eventually, she is able to overcome the spell Isla had on Ruby to help Ruby’s memories rush back.

Thanks to this, these two have the kind of heart-to-heart conversations Ruby and MJ were unwilling or incapable of having during her first lifetime. And while, by the time MJ leaves, she forgets her mother is on the Island, she doesn’t lose the feeling of reconciling with her and moving on from her grief. Also, so that her brothers can get the same relief, Ruby gives MJ letters for them.

And They All Lived Happily Ever After – Ruby, Isla, Elena, Javier, Helene, MJ

Isla doesn’t let go of Ruby without effort. She damn near tries to drown her in order to keep Elena from winning, but, alas, she ultimately gives in. However, to show that maybe Ruby wasn’t just a pawn in a much bigger fight, Isla returns to Ruby the ring she threw away before they got together. This ring, her wedding ring, Ruby still doesn’t want, but rather than have it lost to the sea, she gives it to MJ with the aforementioned letters, thus changing the narrative about her ending her old life to fully embrace the new on better terms.

And speaking of better terms, with Isla gone, Elena has won, and because of her sticking to Ruby’s side, those two are close again, and Elena throws a party to “welcome back” Ruby. Javier shows up, Helene does as well, and things end seemingly with Elena and Javier discussing dating again, with Helene’s blessing.

Things To Note

Question(s) Left Unanswered

1. Did Brooklyn end up getting a divorce from Gavin?
2. So, we won’t follow up on Elena’s cousin at all?
3. Did Isla choose Ruby just because she was an easy target and going through something?
4. Surely Mac and Darren will want to come to the Island to see their mother’s final resting place, right?
5. What did Ruby write in the letters to her children?
6. How can the power of love between a mother and daughter override the very power that allows the Island to do such wondrous and sometimes horrific things?
7. Under any circumstances, can someone’s fantasy truly cause someone to die on the Island, or is it the job of the host to keep things from ever getting that far?

What Could Happen Next

1. With Ruby’s latest romance over, her getting a new one
2. Figuring out what is locked behind that door and the story of Elena’s cousin

Collected Quote(s)

I was so blinded by your lies, I thought the bouquet of red flags you gave me were roses.
— Brooklyn

Review

Notable Performances or Moments

Ruby and MJ’s Reconciling & The Magic Of Their Love

One of the things you have to think about regarding Ruby losing her memories is that a part of her might have wanted to. Isla was offering her a clean slate, the chance to be with a woman and forget the failures and secrets, and get away from anyone who would know her truth beyond the one she wants people to know. Yet, to rid herself of her former life and the new one she has built thus far wouldn’t allow her to be whole.

Heck, as seen with MJ, there were still lessons to be learned. Despite what she did for the sake of some form of normalcy, or her definition of it at the time, Ruby was still a multilayered person. So to see her daughter’s love for the person Ruby wanted to throw away, and MJ remind Ruby of how much that person was loved? It was something.

It was the type of moment that gets you teary-eyed for while you can’t discount Isla seducing Ruby with magic, even treating Ruby as a pawn in the mermaids’ war with the Roarkes, Ruby’s own autonomy has to be brought into play. She held back from saying yes to Isla for so long and even made excuses to draw out the process. So, you can’t say Ruby wasn’t torn about the idea, even though it was an option she could commit to.

However, coming to terms and reconciling with MJ, thus giving her closure, and Ruby reconciling who she was with who she is becoming, is what had me crying.

On The Fence

Feeling The Guest Storyline Was Ill Matched With Ruby’s

While the revenge/ closure plot wasn’t terrible, I wish, so badly, that it complimented what Ruby was going through. For the voodoo doll being used to burn, trip, disorient, and waterboard Gavin took away from Ruby’s storyline. Heck, even when things got serious about his exes and current wife’s feelings, and he had to sit on the throne of tears, it just didn’t match the impact and feelings of what Ruby was going through and made things feel off.

But, really thinking about it, I’m not even sure what story we’ve seen thus far could pair well with what Ruby was going through.

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