A family comes together to celebrate Midsummer the Swedish way, and quite unexpectedly, it turns into an episode of confessions. The Norwegian series Midsummer Night is a family drama that deals with unsettling truths and focuses on how each crisis is resolved. Carina and Johannes invited their extended family to celebrate the occasion of Midsummer. But this was not a usual celebration; there was a secret that the couple was hiding, and they realized that it was time they disclosed the truth to their loved ones. Joining Carina and Johannes in the celebration were their daughter Hanne, her fiancé Darius, and his family. Their younger daughter Helena welcomed her stepsister, Petronella, to the party with open arms. Carina’s brother, Hakan, and his girlfriend, Sara, were also part of the celebration.
Spoiler Alert
What Was Carina and Johannes were hiding?
After spending 30 years together as a married couple, Carina decided that it was time that they went their separate ways. Johannes was content with his life and did not intend to make any changes, whereas Carina had many goals that she had yet to fulfill. She refused to spend the next twenty years of her life at the same place, living a routine life. Carina wanted to travel the world and try new things. She had spent three decades focusing on her family and her children, but now that they were all grown up, she looked forward to living her life just for herself. Carina did not wish to die with regrets, and that was why she made the tough decision.
Johannes was not in complete agreement with Carina. He believed she could do it all while staying married. But Carina knew that, as long as she was with Johannes, he would always hold her back. She did not want him to change as a person either; all she hoped for was for them to recognize the fact that they wanted separate things in life and that it was best for them to opt for a divorce.
Carina wanted to spend their last midsummer night together with their family. She did not wish for the divorce to turn into a sad affair; instead, she hoped to celebrate the beautiful thirty years that they had spent as a couple. Carina did not think that disclosing the secret to her family would be as nerve-racking as it turned out to be. Johannes waited for Carina to spit it out, but when she did not, he decided to break the news himself. He could not enjoy the day thinking about how his family would take the news, and he was extremely heartbroken because even then, the thought of living alone without Carina by his side was quite emotional. Their daughters, Helena and Hanne, initially refused to accept the separation, but they gradually realized that it was for the best. At the end of Midsummer Night, Carina admitted that she will always love Johannes, but they must also nurture their individualistic desires.
Do Sara and Hakan have a future together?
Carina’s brother, Hakan, believed in staying youthful all his life. Unlike Johannes, who preferred the predictable, Hakan thrived on spontaneity. His life choices were not approved by everyone around him. Some found him trying too hard to stay relatable. Hakan brought along with him his twenty-eight-year-old girlfriend, Sara. The age difference between the two was shocking at first, but seeing how happy Hakan was, Carina had no reason to complain. Hakan met Sara a year ago, and they bonded over their love for Midsummer songs. Sara appreciated Hakan’s maturity, and she felt a sense of security when she was with him.
Hakan was quite vocal about not wanting to become a father, and initially, Sara agreed with his opinion. It was only at the party that Hakan found out that Sara was pregnant with his child. She did not intend to hide it from him, but she wanted to be sure before discussing it with him. Hakan’s opinion remained the same, and Sara was disheartened. When the couple later discussed their situation, Hakan expressed that he was afraid that he was too old to become a father and that he would end up being a laughingstock. But Sara showed confidence in him. She was in love with Hakan, and it was only with him that she could imagine starting a family. In the end, all that mattered to them was being together, with or without children.
What secret was Petronella hiding from her father?
Petronella was Johannes’ daughter from his first marriage, which lasted for three years. His relationship with Petronella had always been cordial, but he was unaware of the struggle she went through. After their separation, her mother often left her at home alone, leading to her developing trauma over the years. Her mother was not mentally stable, and as a young girl, she found it quite difficult to cope with it all alone. As an adult, she had trouble relying on others, and she was working on it. After consulting her therapist, Petronella decided to spend more time with her father. All her life, she chose to remain silent about the immense psychological burden she had to live with, but she realized it was time that her father knew about it. She wanted to know him better, and he too had a lot to learn about her. At the end of Midsummer Night, Petronella stood by her father and announced that she would like to spend the next few days with him. Johannes will surely appreciate the presence of his daughter at such an emotional rollercoaster moment in his life. Petro would also finally have someone in her life to rely on, and maybe this is the beginning of a beautiful father-daughter relationship.
Did Helena find happiness?
Helena was jealous of Hanne after she found out that her older sister was dating the man of her dreams. The moment Darius entered the coffee shop Helena worked at, she knew he was the one for her. She tried to strike up a conversation with him and hoped that he would take an interest in her. But her dream shattered when Hanne entered the cafe and introduced Helena to her partner. Helena thought it was unfair that the world somehow always treated her sibling better than her. Every time she saw Darius at family gatherings, she secretly wished that he would fall in love with her.
Helena started to detest her sister when she found out that she was cheating on Darius. One morning, when she went to the hotel where her co-worker’s brother worked, she saw Hanne there. She was horrified to see Hanne with another man weeks before her wedding. She could not bear the sight of Hanne from that day on, and she struggled to hide her feelings at the Midsummer party. She ended up fighting with Hanne for trivial reasons, and towards the end of the series, she decided to confess the truth to Darius. She took him aside and told him the whole truth, and she was quite surprised to see how unaffected he was. Helena awkwardly confessed her feelings for him, and she proceeded to kiss him. She realized it was a mistake, but she was also glad that she finally got over it. A weight had lifted off her chest, and Helena could finally enjoy the party. She was surprised when Darius’ stepbrother, Robert, confessed his feelings for her. They had known each other for a long time, but she did not know that he was in love with her. She was glad that he finally decided to come clean, and from what it seems, the two definitely plan on getting romantically involved. Good for you, Helena!
Did Darius forgive Hanne for her infidelity?
Darius and Hanne were to be married within a couple of weeks. They both seemed happy at first, but soon the underlying complexities in their relationship started to surface. Darius seemed a little bothered when Hanne’s ex-boyfriend, Lysander, showed up at the party. He wondered if Hanne was still in love with him, but she reassured him that he was the one for her.
Lysander had recently found out that he had a brain tumor that needed to be operated on, and there was a fifty percent chance that it could be a failure. Lysander decided to attend the Midsummer party when he realized he did not have much time in hand if things didn’t work out for him. He wanted to smooth his relationship with Hanne after their messy breakup. He could sense that there was some tension between her and Darius, and he wondered if she was truly in love with the man she was planning to marry. Of course, Lysander was still in love with Hanne, but he could not commit the way she wanted him to.
We soon find out that Darius had seen Hanne with another man. He had come across a text, and he later followed her and saw her walk into a hotel room with the stranger. He was devastated, to say the least, and he ended up spending the night with his parents. Darius’ father, Tabur, helped his son realize that just because Hanne cheated on him does not make him morally superior. There could have been several reasons why Hanne acted the way she did, and it was important to understand her rather than judge her. Tabur had also been cheated on, and he had realized that forgiveness was the key to any relationship, and he encouraged his son to do the same. Even though Darius wanted to forgive Hanne, he also thought it important to confront her about her infidelity.
Hanne was stunned when Darius confessed that he knew that she cheated on him. She broke down, accepting that she had been unfaithful, but at the same time, she hoped that he would believe that she loved him. She admitted that it was a childish decision she had made after she felt extremely overwhelmed with the wedding preparations. Hanne regretted it, and she felt terrible thinking that she would lose the love of her life over a one-night stand that did not mean anything to her. Hanne was taken by surprise when Darius stated that he was ready to forgive her and that he looked forward to their future together. He believed they were both mature enough to move past the incident and start all over again. Darius felt confident when Hanne expressed that she loved him and did not wish to change anything about their relationship.
During Midsummer Night‘s ending, Darius suggests that he and Hanne get married that very day at the party. They had been through the worst, and they still decided to be together; it was reason enough to believe that they were ready to spend the rest of their lives together. The whole family celebrated the union, and the day ended in the most unexpected way. Midsummer Night is a bittersweet drama that addresses relationship issues and we get to witness how everyone’s life changed a little in one single day.
