⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This article contains major spoilers for The Abandons Season 1.
Netflix’s new Western drama The Abandons concludes its first season with an explosive and bloody showdown that finally exposes the long-brewing feud between the Van Ness clan and Fiona Nolan’s family. After keeping their hostility discreet for most of the season, both sides unleash vengeance in a finale that reshapes the future of the Washington Territory and sets the stage for an even deadlier Season 2.
A Clash of Matriarchs
Set in 1854, The Abandons centers on two powerful women ruling their worlds with iron conviction. Lena Headey stars as Fiona Nolan, a widowed mother with four adopted children and strong community ties. Gillian Anderson plays her rival, Constance Van Ness, a ruthless matriarch determined to protect her wealthy legacy at all costs.
While earlier episodes hinted at tension, Episode 7, “This Was Meant to Be My Peace,” delivers the confrontation viewers have been waiting for. The truth about the land battle brings both matriarchs face-to-face, and neither is willing to step down.
Samara Betrays Fiona’s Side — To Save Her Father
The season finale turns on a major betrayal driven not by greed, but by survival.
After Constance fails to secure ownership of Fiona’s land through negotiation, her son Garret turns to manipulation. He woos Samara Alderton — daughter of Fiona’s ally Miles Alderton — and reveals a devastating truth: Miles is really Adam Winston, a fugitive with a violent past.
Samara reacts with shock but not disgust. Despite his history, she knows her father has changed. Yet fear for her family pushes her into a corner. Garret promises that if she and Miles sell their piece of the land, Constance will bury his past. What Samara doesn’t know is the consequence of refusal — her father’s execution.
To protect Miles, she switches sides. And in doing so, she shares the terrible secret behind the death of Garret’s brother, Willem — the same Willem who raped Fiona’s daughter Dahlia in Episode 1 and was killed in retaliation.
Garret Lights the Fuse
Armed with Samara’s confession, Garret exhumes Willem’s body and presents the truth to Constance. The discovery shatters any remaining restraint. What follows is not negotiation — it is war.
The Van Ness family and the Nolans are officially locked in a violent feud, opening the door for a Season 2 filled with vengeance, fractured alliances, and the fallout of Samara’s betrayal.
What Season 2 Could Explore
While Netflix has yet to officially announce Season 2, the finale clearly positions several major storylines to unfold:
- Fiona and Constance are now on an inevitable collision course.
- Samara must face the guilt and consequences of her betrayal.
- Miles / Adam’s violent past may return in full force.
- Garret’s descent into cruelty marks him as a likely major villain going forward.
- The arrival of powerful investor Mr. Vanderbilt hints at an even larger threat to the town.
With blood already spilled and secrets out in the open, the next chapter promises to be more brutal than the first.