Ransom Canyon season 1 ending explained: the end of the road

After nine eventful episodes spent getting to know various residents of the scenic small town that is Ransom, Texas, we've come to the end — of Ransom Canyon season 1, that is.

Right now, Netflix hasn't officially announced a Ransom canyon season 2 pick-up, but there are eight novels in the Jodi Thomas book series on which the show is based, so there's plenty of source material that could be adapted into a sophomore season.

And given the shocking events of the Ransom Canyon season 1 ending, there are still plenty of questions we'd want answered. Will Quinn (Minka Kelly) actually head off to New York to play with the Philharmonic, leaving Staten (Josh Duhamel) behind after their romance only just started? What will happen between Yancy (Jack Schumacher) and Ellie (Marianly Tejada), especially after that arrival of a surprise spouse. And will Lucas (Garrett Wareing) stay in Ransom with high school love Lauren (Lizzy Greene) or leave it all behind for one of his prestigious Ivy League acceptances?

But before we get ahead of ourselves, here’s everything that went down in Ransom Canyon episode 10, entitled “Maybe It’s Time Yancy Grey Dies Too."

Justice served

The episode begins with a quick catch-up with some of the main characters. We see Lauren in a sling for her injured shoulder, effectively ending her cheerleading career. Blaming Lucas — who got Kit (Casey W. Johnson) to sign those emancipation papers, protecting him from being sent to foster care — for distracting her during the pep rally and causing her to fall, Lauren won't talk to him.

Lucas confronts her at the memorial for Cap (James Brolin) and promises her that no matter if there's no UT and no scholarship in her future, he's going to be there for her. Though Lauren worries that things are getting too serious between them, Lucas gets a push from Reid (Andrew Liner) of all people to declare his love for her, which he does from the dance-hall stage in front of a whole party of people. They reconcile and kiss to cheers.

Lauren also reconciles herself with the fact that her mother Margaret (Sarah Minnich) was the one who caused Randall's car crash, killing the teen boy. She tells her dad (Philip Winchester) they can't let Kit keep sitting in that cell for a crime he didn't commit. Taking that to heart, Sheriff Dan goes to Austin with back-up to arrest his wife Margaret, with tears in his eyes as he does it.

Returning home, Dan and his daughter mourn the arrest of Margaret, while a newly freed Kit joyfully reunites with Lucas at the trailer home. However, just moments prior, Lucas was looking through all of his college letters — is he not going to remain in Texas after all?

Plans made

At the dance hall, Quinn gets a concerning piece of mail from Austin Water & Power's lawyers — they're threatening legal action if they don't recoup the early-stage investment they gave her, which means she owes them a whopping $80,000. Staten offers to lend her the money, but she says she'll find a way to pay it herself.

Given that things are moving smoothly with Staten, Quinn finally sets a meet-up with Davis to break things off. He handles it surprisingly well — so much so that she wishes he'd be a jerk about it to make things easier. He tells her he's always known that her heart really lies with Staten. He wants her to be happy and asks if she's still planning on going to New York for the Philharmonic seat? She hasn't decided. Before he leaves, he asks if it was ever real between them — she tearfully assures him that it was.

After an uncomfortable conversation with Sam (Brett Cullen), Quinn realizes she'd rather see Gracie's close than keep playing Austin Water & Power's game. She tells Staten maybe it's time to move on, and comes clean about the NY Phil offer, which would be a six-month gig. Unsurprisingly, State is upset, thinking Quinn just wanted a little fling before she planned to leave him high and dry for the big city. She cuts the conversation short and says she just wants to go to bed.

However, later at the dance hall, Quinn tells Ellie she's going to go to New York and take the Philharmonic gig to get the money they need to keep Gracie's open. She also wants Ellie to officially come on as her business partner.

They throw a big dance party at the Gracie's that night to celebrate, with everybody in attendance, including both Davis and Staten. Still smarting over his dumping, Davis says harsh words about Staten's late wife, prompting the latter to punch him — which is just what Davis and Sam want, to use the physical altercation as proof that Staten is unfit to be the trustee of Double K ranch.

Quinn is furious that he would get violent in her bar — she says all she ever wanted was him, but all he ever wants is his own pain. He exits, leaving behind the straw bracelet that Quinn had given him.

The last we see of Quinn, she is contemplative at her piano, while Staten rides his horse alone above the canyon.

Promises broken

Ellie is very much in mourning following Cap's death. Meanwhile, Yancy has been preparing for the memorial that they're hosting in Cap's honor at the Fuller ranch, which he will be selling to Austin Water & Power like his grandfather wanted, though he plans to give every cent of the sale to Ellie and Ruth. However, at the memorial, Ellie reveals she doesn't want him to sell the land; she wants him to do the right thing.

After an emotional conversation with Staten at the memorial — during which Staten reveals to Yancy that Cap spent years looking for him and his mother and wanted to make things right between them all but never got the chance — Yancy tells Ellie he's not going to sell the place after all. Just like Cap, he's going to run the ranch until they bury him on it.

He also surprises her by proposing, having gotten Ruth's engagement ring to give to her. She's ambivalent because it's so soon in their relationship but he's asking her to take the leap — he has the chapel, the priest and the suit ready to go, she just has to meet him there that night.

At the dance hall, she tells a jealous Kai (Justin Johnson Cortez) she's going to marry Yancy. White gown in hand, she's planning to leave and meet Yancy at the chapel when she's stopped by a woman who is looking for him. Who is she, Ellie asks. Only Yancy's wife!

All 10 episodes of Ransom Canyon season 1 are now available to stream on Netflix.