‘Sweet Magnolias’ Season 3 Ending Explained: Who’s Leaving Serenity?

Editor’s note: The below contains spoilers for the Season 3 finale of Sweet Magnolias.

Season 3 of Netflix’s Sweet Magnolias finds the residents of Serenity adjusting to their new normal as they work to create a better future for themselves (and their neighbors). Maddie (JoAnna Garcia Swisher) is evolving and focusing on being better at being present for those around her, while her boyfriend Cal (Justin Bruening) attempts to leave his past and anger behind and her son Tyler (Carson Rowland) is considering a new future for himself — one, he fears, his mother may not be happy about.

Elsewhere, after her relationship with Ryan (Michael Shenefelt) failed yet again, and her prospects of having a child of her own become even more challenging, Helen (Heather Headley) is forced to come to terms with the fact that her future may not look exactly like the one she’s always dreamed of. And, Dana Sue (Brooke Elliott) and Ronnie (Brandon Quinn) have focused on rebuilding their marriage, which has also set their relationship with Annie (Annaliese Judge) on a new, better course. Sweet Magnolias Season 3 changes things up quite a bit for our characters, but the finale sets them on different paths moving forward. Let’s break down this heartwarming, shocking, and emotional hour.

RELATED: ‘Sweet Magnolias’ Season 2 Recap Before Season 3

How Does the Penultimate Episode Set Up the ‘Sweet Magnolias’ Season 3 Finale?

After Ronnie gave Kathy (Wynn Everett) a big chunk of money to leave town, he and Dana Sue are forced to call off their vow renewal party until Maddie and Helen offer to put together a scaled-down version of the event on a budget. After a brief discussion, they decide not to invite Erik (Dion Johnstone) or ask him to make the cake given his tense relationships with Helen and Dana Sue. While Maddie and Helen begin to get things in order, they are met by enthusiasm around town to help at a reduced rate — free — if an invitation is given. So, going against Dana Sue’s request for a small get-together, the guest list for the renewal begins to expand. At home, after Katie inspired the letters that brought the Magnolias back together, Maddie decides to write a children’s book with Katie, asking her mother, Miss Paula (Caroline Lagerfelt), to illustrate it.

Meanwhile, Noreen (Jamie Lynn Spears) is shaken up after her confrontation with Bill (Chris Klein). She goes to Helen for advice about formalizing their child support agreement but is met by the realization that this would include Bill having more access to their child. Later, Jeremy (Chase Anderson) shows up at the spa for a meeting with the Sweet Magnolias but brings along a gift and begins some heavy flirting with Noreen while he waits for the others to arrive. Elsewhere, the kids — Ty, Annie, Kyle (Logan Allen), Sophie (Gabriella Garcia), Willow (Lana Jean Turner), Lily (Artemis), and CeCe (Harlan Drum) — are working together to fix up the local playground, going around town to get the permits and supplies they need. After getting the approval of the Acting Mayor, CeCe and Ty have a sweet moment where she apologizes for how she acted and cut him off during the events of last season. Later, at dinner with Bill and the Townsend kids, Kyle informs Bill of their plan to restore the playground and Bill gets a harsh reality check on how checked out he’s been and where the current status of his relationships with his kids is when he mixes up which kid he took to play there and how long ago.

Erik Faces the Consequences of His Actions in the ‘Sweet Magnolias’ Season 3 Finale

While the penultimate episode leaves off with Helen considering whether to reach out to Erik, it’s Dana Sue that meets him at the start of the Season 3 finale. After taste-testing a wide variety of cakes for her vow renewal, she is ready to ask him to make her cake and gives him an invitation both to the vow renewal and back to Sullivan’s. However, after unknowingly working for Dana Sue’s enemy, Kathy, Erik feels he has betrayed her, turning her down on all counts. She apologizes for being a bad friend and boss before he confesses to what happened with Kathy. Erik doesn’t feel deserving of her friendship and offers to return to her life, and she pleads with him to understand that he’s making the decision for her over what’s forgivable and not. So, Dana Sue and her broken heart part ways with Erik for the time being, hoping he’ll forgive himself and change his mind.

The next day, Erik arrives at Sullivan’s with a proposition. Having agreed to assist with the vow renewal, he suggests a tower of cupcakes of different flavors. Dana Sue thanks him but unexpectedly says she’s not interested. Erik accepts this and begins to walk out, but Dana Sue reveals her caveat is that Erik returns home, to Sullivan’s, and then creates this beautiful cupcake tower. Both apologize for what went wrong in their relationship, and Erik accepts the opportunity. Isaac is thrilled to have Erik back, even though it means losing his new role as sous chef. But, Dana Sue proclaims that Isaac won’t be demoted, but everyone will be receiving new titles. Well, almost everyone — Bailey (Sean Benum) isn’t so lucky.

Over at the Corner Spa, after weeks of investigating the Mayor’s office and how the Lewises misused their power, Peggy (Brittany L. Smith) and her new beau/fellow journalist Charles meet with Helen to discuss the investigation and use Helen’s meticulous notes of town affairs to help them fill some of the gaps. When Charles steps away for a phone call, Helen is speechless as she revels in Peggy’s dedication to the community. Off the record, Helen pitches that Peggy runs to become Serenity’s new Mayor, and Helen even offers to run her campaign. Unfortunately, whether Peggy will accept the offer or not remains to be seen.

What’s Going On With the Kids in ‘Sweet Magnolias’ Season 3?

Meanwhile, the kids are continuing their efforts to rebuild the playground. To help raise funds, they decide to make a themed video (as elves and other mythical beings) to convince people to donate generously and help out. After filming, Lily kisses Kyle in front of all of their friends, making their new romance official. That evening, after a football game with Castlewood, everyone is hanging out on the field. Annie is by herself, waiting for Jackson (Sam Ashby) to speak with her. After her car accident and being grounded, she’s had some serious alone time to reconsider her life, particularly her relationship with Jackson which has been complicated since his mother forbade him from seeing Annie. When Jackson does speak with her, Annie officially breaks things off with him, calling him out for his selfish behavior that has made her think sneaking around and lying to be with him was acceptable. Crying, she turns around and seeks comfort from Ty.

CeCe decides to give them a moment, getting everyone to join her at Wharton’s. However, it seems we may have another love triangle in store. Since they began speaking again and both showcased how much they’ve grown since their brief romance, it’s been rather obvious that CeCe’s feelings for Ty aren’t completely gone. At the vow renewal, as he prepares to play his guitar, CeCe is making heart eyes for him. But, given the progression in Ty and Annie’s relationship and the constant underlying feelings between them, how will this play out? Especially now that Annie and CeCe have developed a beautiful friendship — one that, with Lily, seems to be their version of the Magnolias’ friendship. Additionally, the day before the vow renewal, Ty finally accepts what he wants for his future. Now, it’s time to tell his mother. He explains that he’s thought long and hard about it, but he doesn’t want to go to college. At least not right away, as he wants to explore his options further. If he needs to go to college to pursue something he wants, he will, but currently he’s enjoying working with his hands as his late grandfather did. Maddie graciously accepts this turn of events, understanding how much thought Ty has given the situation.

Who’s Leaving Serenity (and Is It Permanent) in ‘Sweet Magnolias’ Season 3?

When an old friend and flame of Miss Paula’s arrives in Serenity, he presents her with an interesting opportunity. After getting divorced again, he is ready to pursue Paula — something he feels is decades too late. He bought a house on the water and wants Paula to join him there for as long as she would like to as their romance grows and she paints murals on the walls of the home. And, after witnessing how much Maddie and her grandchildren have grown over the last year, Paula feels comfortable enough to go. But, she isn’t the only one exiting Serenity after Sweet Magnolias Season 3. Before the vow renewal begins, Kathy and Bill arrive together. (While we knew they had started a romance of sorts, it’s news for everyone else.) Dana Sue and Ronnie aren’t happy to see Kathy, as she was supposed to leave when she received the money, but she promises she’s on her way out. She just wants to give them a gift first. She hands over their grandmother’s tea set, which has been passed from mother to daughter. Kathy gives Dana Sue a sincere apology for how she’s wronged her over the years, taking things from Dana Sue as Kathy had things taken from her. Then, given Bill’s own introspection and realization about how those around him have moved on from his presence in their lives, the two leave town together. It seems Kathy’s story is finished, but it’s up in the air about if and when we’ll see Paula and Bill again.

The Vow Renewal and the Season’s So-Called Cliffhangers

Despite starting with a selective guest list, pretty much everyone in Serenity shows up to celebrate Dana Sue and Ronnie’s vow renewal. Paster June (Tracey Bonner) brings her new man, as do Peggy and Paula. Jeremy is holding Bex, signaling that his relationship with Noreen is progressing into something more. During the quick ceremony, Dana Sue and Ronnie recommit and pledge their undying love for one another — a wondrous showcase of the characters’ growth since their introductions. Afterward, Paul and Maddie share one more heart-to-heart conversation, while Isaac and Erik begin to reconnect. Ty and Annie discuss her recent breakup, holding hands even as Kyle comes up to discuss what happened with Bill and Kathy. After much contemplation, Isaac tells Noreen they need to talk, seemingly finally ready to confess that Bill is his biological father. However, Noreen says she needs to talk with him about something, too. What could it be?

Then, Lily confesses to her new best friends, Annie and CeCe, that she thinks her parents are going to split up, leading to them comforting her as the Sweet Magnolias watch and reminisce about how they were at the kids’ age. They discuss how important their friendship is and how much they mean to each other while looking out at the crowd enjoying themselves at the party. When it’s time for Dana Sue to throw the bouquet, the unmarried ladies line up, but it’s Helen who makes the lucky catch. Erik watches her, meeting her eyes, and begins to walk forward, but is held back, likely due to his new girlfriend (who is notably not present). Finally, Maddie and Cal share a kiss as the episode fades to black. It’s a happy ending, but an incomplete one.

Every episode of Sweet Magnolias is now streaming on Netflix.