Between Father and Son Ending Explained: Led by Pamela Almanza as Barbara, the series also stars Erick Elías as Alvaro, Graco Sendel as Iker, Natalia Plascencia as Gaby, Ivanna Castro as Leo and Carmen Delgado as Margarita. The Mexican thriller show Entre padre e hijo, produced by Pablo Illanes for Netflix, gradually unveils the twisted and dark story of manipulation, secrecy, forbidden love, and other mysteries concealed within the luxurious property of the Sarmiento family.
Between Father and Son Ending Explained
Who Was Truly Responsible for Fernanda’s Disappearance?
To begin with, all those surrounding Barbara would suggest that it looked like Fernanda had disappeared after her turbulent marriage to Alvaro ended. Even Alvaro seemed sure that his wife had died because of some tragic circumstances many years ago. This is why it was always such a delicate issue for him to discuss it. Nevertheless, as Barbara investigates the whole case, she starts seeing how much information has been hidden from her. As a result, she finally understands that it could not be a mere coincidence that caused Fernanda’s disappearance, but rather something pre-planned by the very family.
Behind all this was Margarita, the domineering and conniving mother of Alvaro. Some years back, Margarita found out that her husband had cheated on her and poisoned him to death. The whole act was perfectly carried out and was made to appear as a death by natural causes. This made Margarita have absolute control over everything in the family. What got to her was the discovery that Fernanda had found out everything about the real cause of death of her father. To Margarita, it was now time to do away with Fernanda.
It is worth mentioning that things only got worse when it came time to kill Fernanda. The task was given to Gaby, who, from birth, had been psychologically dominated by her mother, which made her obedient to her mother’s wishes. However, while Margarita never formed a relationship with Fernanda, Gaby and Fernanda were able to form a true friendship; therefore, Gaby found it difficult to harm Fernanda. Thus, Gaby locked Fernanda up in the abandoned ruins of Los Cipreses, where she hid from the world for six long years. Although Gaby visited her regularly and supplied her with food, she managed to keep Fernanda alive for six years without letting anyone discover the truth.
Who Killed Franco Sarmiento?
Franco Sarmiento was a potential threat to Margarita since he was one of the few people who never gave up their quest to know what happened to Fernanda. Franco loved Fernanda, unlike others in the family, making his suspicious nature about the disappearance understandable since they had once had an affair. Franco never lost hope of discovering the truth regarding Fernanda, even after several years. When Barbara started inquiring about what happened, it made Franco’s information a significant danger to Margarita because the truth was coming closer to being uncovered.
Even before Franco’s demise, Margarita showed her capability and willingness to do anything to keep her dark past under wraps. After the lawyer Gloria Villaseca tried to investigate the secret affairs of the Sarmiento family, she was killed on Margarita’s orders. This was when Franco came into the picture, since not only did he know about her love affair with him, but he was always trying to gather information regarding her disappearance. Margarita went further to try framing him for domestic violence so as to divert attention away from her.
When this did not work out, Margarita decided to make sure that she would not be discovered using a much more permanent approach. She had Franco killed before he managed to divulge all his secrets to Barbara. The killing of Franco had nothing to do with any jealousy or revenge for the affair; rather, it was driven by Margarita’s need to make sure that her secrets remained hidden from everyone else.
What Happened to Alvaro at the End of Between Father and Son?
One of the most tragic events during the finale would be the story of Alvaro, since he remains completely oblivious to the corruption of his own family throughout the series. When Barbara tries to look into the disappearance of Fernanda, Alvaro attempts to try and live on in hope and make an attempt at having a happy future with her, despite the scars of his painful past remaining fresh. Later, when Barbara disappears as she tries to find some answers, both Iker and Alvaro track her down at the abandoned Los Cipreses estate.
When they get there, they find out the terrible truth of what happened. Upon finding Fernanda alive within the dilapidated property, chaos erupts once more, as Gaby, whose mental state was severely affected after years of being manipulated by Margarita, totally loses control of herself. Afraid that everything will fall apart, she starts shooting randomly with a gun. In the process, she manages to shoot Fernanda first, and later on shoots her own brother, Alvaro, as she tries to prevent Barbara from fleeing.
Whereas initially there is uncertainty about what happened to him, it soon becomes evident that the final events one year later reveal that Alvaro finally dies because of the gunshot wound inflicted on him. It is important to note that the death of Alvaro will affect the family dynamics for good, as it represents the ultimate consequence of all the years of lies by Margarita.
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What Happened to Gaby and Margarita?
With the exposure of Fernanda’s situation, both Gaby and Margarita are taken into custody by the police at Los Cipreses. For many years, the two women were joined by an unhealthy relationship, in which Margarita used emotional power over Gaby in order to dominate her entirely. Throughout her life, Gaby was raised in an isolationist environment, conditioned to comply with her mother’s will. The very unhealthy obsession she developed because of that dependence is what led her to join in the abduction of Fernanda.
Even though Gaby never intended to take Fernanda’s life, she became a party to the act of killing by keeping her captive for many years at a stretch. Gaby’s breakdown of spirit is evident in the climax of the film, when the stress, fear, and guilt drive her to the point of insanity. When she loses control in the middle of a shootout at the mansion, she wounds both Fernanda and Alvaro. Gaby is no doubt a victim herself, having suffered from years of manipulation by her mother.
Margarita, on the contrary, does not stop being calculative even after her arrest. While in the process of being apprehended, she tries to put the blame back on Gaby by saying that her daughter is deranged and is the one behind the crimes committed. It seems obvious that the TV show hints at Margarita trying to evade consequences through her connections, considering the fact that she has always been able to do so before because of her social status, hiding away the murder of her husband and the assassinations that were part of the inquiry.
Did Barbara and Iker End Up Together?
The first meeting between Barbara and Iker is rather spontaneous. Right from the start, Barbara establishes a strong connection with Iker, and the attraction becomes hard for the couple to suppress. However, things get worse when Barbara finds out that Iker is none other than Alvaro’s son. To make matters worse, Barbara is already engaged to Alvaro. Despite efforts to fight off their emotions, the two of them find themselves developing an unbreakable bond with each other as the story unfolds.
As opposed to her relationship with Alvaro, Barbara’s relationship with Iker seems rather genuine and pure. It does not require any effort since she and Iker seem to connect on some level. While handling the Sarmiento family pressure, the two become close due to their understanding of each other. For this reason, Iker becomes one of the few trusted people in Barbara’s life during the investigation of Fernanda’s disappearance.
In the ending of Between Father and Son, we see that despite the demise of Alvaro and the Sarmiento’s secrets being unveiled, Barbara finally decides to stick with Iker. A year passes, and Barbara and Iker continue their affair, and Barbara confesses that she is happy with her choices. Though it might be argued that their love story has been morally tainted due to the way they met, the series portrays the couple as individuals who have found solace in one another amidst a very traumatic ordeal.
