Directed by Menna Fite, Season 2 of “Merli,” released on 2nd April 2021 on Moviestar+ as an original series. Netflix broadcasted the show on 9th September 2022. The series uses its plotlines as a means to generate awareness for HIV and also focuses on Philosophy as a means to make people realize the power behind free thinking.
Spoilers Ahead
‘Merli: Sapere Aude’ Season 1: Recap And Season 2: Plotline
Season 1 of “Merli: Sapere Aude” ended with Pol Rubio finding new independence and reinventing himself among his new friends. He gets acclimated with his new professor, Maria Bolano, and discovers her vices. Pol discovers his sexuality and starts accepting himself. He breaks off from his old friend Bruno and sets off on a new path away from him. Meanwhile, Maria gets herself checked into a self-help group after she realizes her bad behavior with her friend Silvia. She reunites with Silvia after she actively stops using alcohol as a means to drown in her sorrows. She also understands the concern her family and friends face while she has become an alcoholic.
“Merli: Sapere Aude” Season 2 begins with new beginnings in both Pol’s and Maria’s lives. They turn to a new chapter that introduces them to various different experiences that help them find happiness anew. Pol gets over his crush on Rai and accepts him as a friend while falling in love with Axel and discovering himself. He fights a long battle against HIV and almost loses himself in the beginning due to panic. Maria gets introduced to Dino, owner of Satanassa Bar, through Apollo, aka Pol. Dino helps her find herself and whisks her away at the end to save her from her loneliness. The other characters, like Rai, Biel, and Oti, struggle to find their own paths. Oti gets back together with her boyfriend and continues on with philosophy as her subject. Biel, on the other hand, is absolutely sure of his set path while getting over Minerva. Rai loses his zeal and decides to travel after quitting philosophy to find his calling.
Disappearance of Characters
From the very beginning of the series, two of the supporting characters who serve as potential love interests seem to be missing from the series. Minerva, a love interest to Rai, seems to have settled back in Argentina with her grandmother. Bruno, a love interest to Pol, disappeared after he was seen leaving Rai’s party. He was not mentioned even when Pol found work through Angel, Bruno’s friend. Bruno was connected to Pol through his father, Merli, an essential character who influenced Pol’s decision to take up philosophy and become a professor. A little cameo was expected in “Merli: Sapere Aude” Season 2. Still, it is heavily implied that Bruno has moved on, and Pol has found an identity away from his identity of being a student of Merli. Bruno’s grandmother, a famous actress, did not receive a mention, nor did Merli. He was only mentioned in passing as a mark of respect for being such an influential teacher. The entire series, although termed as a tribute to Merli, seemed to imply that the students had moved on and had moved closer to discovering themselves.
The Characters Rediscover Themselves
Professor Bolano manages to not relapse and also continues to attend the self-help group to give her that extra push. She gets to see her daughter again and has been sober for more than 2 months. However, she cannot fathom that her daughter is old enough to move into a new flat with her boyfriend, Victor. She constantly dictates their decisions and stops them from moving in together. She has a huge fight with her friend Silvia and mopes around the corners of the university. After a huge fight, Sylvia moves out of their shared office and instead sends Octavi to look after her. To help her deal with her issues and rediscover herself, Pol introduces her to his boss, Dino. Maria instantly takes to the bar and Dino; however, her reservations keep her from opening up completely. Dino, with his words and helpful nature, understood her loneliness and helped her be completely truthful, making her participate in different events where all of the employees sit and confess their deepest, darkest secrets. She finally confessed to being jealous of her daughter’s happiness. Her loneliness had made her bitter, and she had lost the spark she once had. Dino brings back the spark and addresses her loneliness by asking her to imagine him as somebody she likes. He then whisks her away on a cruise, and Maria gets to rejuvenate herself instead of staying stuck and feeling sorry for herself.
Rai, in “Merli: Sapere Aude” Season 2, finds himself lost and unable to focus on one thing. Minerva’s decision to stay back in Argentina left Rai unsure of his future and completely lost. He found a certain solace in Minerva and amidst his depression tries to still help Pol after he learns about Pol’s father’s outstanding debt toward the tax office. Rai employs Alfonso as a butler and helps him pay off the debt. He realizes that his friend Pol is not opening up about what is really troubling him and feels a distance growing between them. Rai tries to reconnect with his previous friends to find a place to belong but instead gets mugged on his way back home. Rai finds himself without a path and plunges into a depression. Ultimately, he takes matters into his hand and decides to travel to find his lost soul back and realize his dreams.
‘Merli: Sapere Aude’ Season 2: Ending Explained – Does Pol Save Himself and Find Happiness?
Pol has already found his calling. However, in the process of proving himself better than the other students and his friends, he uses them as a stepping-stone to get his way. He forgets his code of ethics and sells out his friends to achieve what he wants. He finds himself falling in love with Axel, the carpenter in charge of restoring the main hall. Axel challenges and makes Pol vulnerable in a way that he can rely on. Pol finds himself falling hard and fast for Axel. As Pol’s life begins to look up, his father’s debt and his becoming aware of having HIV drag him down. He distances himself from his friends and Axel after realizing this. He finds himself raging against Efra, who was the reason behind Pol being HIV positive, and his actions caused Efra to lose his job. He broke up with Axel, and he desperately started searching for some normalcy in his life.
He took his medication daily and found hope only after talking to Dino, his boss after Angel introduced him to the bar, he worked in. Pol realizes that he has to live in this condition. However, with medication and control, he can regain his normalcy and live freely. He talks to Axel about his HIV, and Axel helps in restoring his confidence back to him and accepts him as he is. Pol, re-energized, renews his fight with Axel because of his insecurities and uses his subjects to run away from him. Axel gives Pol his space and, instead, to help out Pol and save his debate, he restores the Main Hall in 2 weeks, just in time for the symposium. They get together, and Pol finds his happiness in time with some trial and error, and he waits to be introduced as a Professor of Philosophy.
Teen Series As An Aid To Create An Awareness
“Merli: Sapere Aude” Season 2 mainly focused on philosophy and sexually transmitted diseases like HIV and AIDS. The series, through the plot and Pol, as the main character, introduced HIV and created an awareness that would stop other people from treating HIV-positive patients as if they had the plague. Once medicated, there are less to no chances of HIV getting transmitted. The underlying message of the series was also to practice safe and consensual sex. The lack of proper sexual education can lead to the transmission of sexual diseases. However, if a person does have HIV, it is not a disease that’ll stop a person from leading a normal life. However, it is better to always practice safe sex and go for a regular checkup. If a patient does become HIV positive, then it is alright because there is medication to keep it in check. HIV can be kept in check, and it is not going to be an issue, so there’s no reason for panic. With medication, the person can easily return to normal life.
See More: ‘Merli: Sapere Aude’ Season 1: Ending, Explained – Does Pol Come To Terms With Himself?
