Paradise Season 1 Episode 5 recap: What are the new threats in the show?

Paradise Season 1 Episode 5, In the Palace of Crowned Kings, turns up the heat in the underground world. In this dystopic episode, some secrets come out and new threats show up. It's all happening on the last day of President Cal Bradford's time in power. The main part of this episode is about Cal's background and the not-so-great relationships he has.

But what's important is that Xavier, not a fan of the people in charge, starts to fight back harder. And there's political tricks and people getting killed without anyone knowing why. Plus, someone takes a tablet with important secrets, and Kane starts giving out weird warnings, Xavier starts doing things that aren't exactly legal, and Presley ends up with something of Cal's that he really shouldn't have.

With each new piece of information we get, it's clear that no one in this place called Paradise is out of harm's way.

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Paradise Season 1 Episode 5 recap: The stolen tablet

One of the most astonishing twists in Episode 5 is finding out that Presley, Xavier's daughter, has taken Cal Bradford's tablet. Kane, who isn't always the sharpest tool in the shed, claims he saw Presley the night Cal was killed.

That's right, she might've been right there at the crime scene! But hold on, how on earth did she manage to get her hands on the president's tablet, and was it before or after Cal's untimely demise?

This tablet is a treasure trove of secrets about someone who went to the surface and found a woman who survived up there. Before you know it, Sinatra had her wiped out. The details on that tablet could be the smoking gun to blow apart all the fibs that keep the residents of Paradise in line.

If Presley has indeed got her hands on it, is she playing the rebel, ready to bring the regime down? Or is she just hiding it for someone else's benefit? If she's got that tablet, it could be the wildcard in Xavier's plan. It could give him the upper hand he needs or land them all in trouble. It's a delicate situation, and the fate of their world might hinge on what Presley decides to do with it.

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Xavier’s rebellion and the “They’re lying to you” message

Xavier Collins makes a dramatic shift in his approach in this particular episode, deciding to go against the grain and reveal the hidden corruption lurking within Paradise’s top officials. After discovering that Agent Billy Pace’s demise was actually a murder that Sinatra had covered up, Xavier understands that a face-to-face confrontation with her won’t lead anywhere good.

So, he turns to Carl, his neighbor who happens to work at the Tower, which is the place that manages the city’s artificial climate and sunshine.

They join forces to hack into the city’s control system and broadcast a clear message across the dome for everyone to witness:

“They’re lying to you.”

This significant plot twist in the show sees Xavier adopting a different tactic compared to Cal, who was trying to change things from within the existing framework. Xavier’s decision to take such a step is an important moment. As mentioned by TVLine, Paradise is a place where everyone is closely monitored and the leadership’s control is unyielding.

With this act of rebellion, Xavier not only puts himself and his loved ones at risk but also challenges the very fabric of the community. The question that looms is whether the residents of Paradise will respond to his clarion call for transparency or if Sinatra will keep her power by silencing the dissent.

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Paradise Season 1 Episode 5 recap: Sinatra’s control and the dangers of the surface

Sinatra, the one who truly holds the reins in Paradise, keeps showing everyone why she's the most feared person in the show. Her power goes way beyond playing politics and pulling strings—she's not afraid to take lives to keep her throne steady.

This part of the story shows us that she's the one who told someone to get rid of the folks who came back from that trip to the surface, including the one person who made it out alive. It's not just about getting rid of problems; it's about keeping the people in Paradise in the dark about what's going on outside their bubble.

And she's not just playing games with the big picture—she's also messing with the investigation into what happened to Cal. It seems like she's hiding something big, and she's not letting anyone get too close to the truth. With Billy Pace out of the picture—probably because of her—the people trying to figure out what's going on are left with very few people they can trust.

Now that Xavier and Robinson have stumbled upon a secret stash of weapons hidden in the arena's basement, things are more intense than ever. The question is, can they fight their way to the truth and bring her down, or is she hiding more nasty surprises that could end it all?

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You can catch all of this excitement in Paradise, only on Hulu.

Next up: Paradise vs. Silo: How are the two shows similar?