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Spoilers ahead for the entirety of the final season ofOrange Is the New Black.
But none of it came easy, says executive producer Tara Hermann.
Jenji often has to make the final call.
The last image of the couple is them laughing together during a prison visitation.
The writers arrived at Pipers story arc early in the series, moved byPiper Kermans life story.
Alex was given a darker story to show how she responds to feeling vulnerable.
She tries to bail, Hermann said.
Shes foreseeing heartbreak or hurt, so she tries to get out of it before it happens to her.
But, in the end, the couple gets one of the few uplifting endings of the series.
I think thats why people struggle with the character of Piper, because she does come from privilege.
Im happy that the two of them are giving it a shot and being adults, finally.
That doesnt mean it lasts forever, though.
In my head, I wonder.
We had planned something darker, Hermann said.
We felt Cindy had burned some bridges and she would have a go at go it solo.
She was hoping Cindy would have reconciliation with her daughter.
We heard her and decided to make a few changes.
Nicky is sober, confident, and trying to stay out of trouble.
After delivering her son Sterling prematurely, Lorna obsesses about his fragile state through photographs her husband sends her.
That was Lyonnes idea.
I absolutely love that, Hermann said.
It was a little nod to Red.
Oh Lorna, shes such a crazy-pants!
So its happy and sad.
Her condition is exaggerated by the fact that she was in isolation for so long.
We were excited to dramatize that story because its happening in prisons with that age and generation.
But her story of empowerment takes one of the most heartbreaking turns of the season.
Viewers learn later that she actually passed the test.
The finale opens with a close-up of Pennsatuckys corpse.
The best ear that she could turn to, sadly, was drugs.
We were obviously all sad to have to do it.
Pennsatuckys death also serves to highlight how much Suzanne has grown during the course of the show.
But I just think we dug into her character and let her grow up.
Daya sets up Hopper to get fired and recruits her younger sister Eva as her new external drug pipeline.
Aleida punches her in the throat and climbs on top of her on the floor and starts strangling her.
Maybe now Ill know what its like, the mother says to her daughter.
Its the last time viewers see them.
you’re able to come in as the doe-eyed innocent and become a hardened, hardened criminal.
But is Daya dead?
Thats another ambiguous one, Hermann said with a laugh.
People have some theories.
Does Daya survive that punch in the end?
Its hard to say.
Did Aleida feel like she had to take out one kid to save the other?
A prison official agreed, provided that she free the guards being held hostage by the inmates.
Gloria and Maria went through some real shit, Hermann said.
it’s possible for you to defend both of them for their actions.
I dont think either one of them is necessarily right or wrong in the way they proceeded.
At least these two managed to find a little common ground in the end.
I love where Maria went, trying to make amends and do right by her daughter, said Hermann.
So we had to tighten her story line.
And that was fine for Sophia.
That worked for her.
