Created by Annabel Oakes, ‘Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies’ is a musical teen comedy-drama airing on Paramount+. It serves as a prequel to the 1978 classic film ‘Grease,’ which is based on the stage musical of the same name by Jim Jacobs and Warren Case. Set four to five years before the events of the film, ‘Grease: Rise of Pink Ladies Finale’ chronicles the foundation of the all-girl clique known as the Pink Ladies. In the season 1 finale, Jane (Marisa Davila) takes a daring gamble to ensure Richie’s (Johnathan Nieves) return to school. Despite the objections from her friends, Olivia (Cheyenne Isabel Wells) prepares to get married. Meanwhile, Cynthia (Ari Notartomaso) faces arguably the most challenging decision of her life. Here is everything you might want to know about the ending of ‘Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies’ episode 10. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies Episode 10 Recap
The episode begins with the other three girls visiting Olivia and urging her not to get married. It seems that the Pink Ladies have realized how inappropriate the relationship between Olivia and Mr. Daniels is, and the song that they sing reflects that.
In the penultimate episode, Richie’s parents sent him to military school after he and Buddy (Jason Schmidt) were arrested for fighting and expelled from school. Jane’s streak of catastrophic decisions continues when she organizes a car race between Buddy and Gil (Nicholas McDonough). If Buddy wins, the Pink Ladies and the T-Birds will go to the Principal and accept that what happened was Richie’s fault, enabling Buddy to return to Rydell High. But if Gil wins, Buddy will do the same for Richie. Buddy agrees, even though he knows he has no chance against Gil.
However, on the day of the race, Susan purposefully causes an accident in which Gil gets injured. Even though Buddy wants to postpone the race until Gil is healed, Susan and Jane convince him and Gil to let them race in their place. Given that they both flunked their driving test, the boys reluctantly agree. Although Jane gains an early lead, her car starts to have trouble and completely shuts down during the final lap, leading to a victory for Susan.
Meanwhile, Hazel (Shanel Bailey) finds herself in a romantic triangle with Buddy and Wally (Maxwell Whittington-Cooper) and seeks advice from Jane. Cynthia faces her own issue with Lydia, as the other girl urges her to be true to herself. But it’s not an easy thing to do; this is the 1950s, after all. Cynthia harbors genuine feelings for Lydia, but society around them will not accept their relationship. Lydia compares her to a former girlfriend who couldn’t take the social pressure of being identified as gay and blamed everything on Lydia.
As Cynthia’s frustration grows, she becomes irritated with how Lydia treats Potato, making the other girl realize that Cynthia is not only right about her treatment of Potato but also she hasn’t been herself in the recent few days. Before the episode ends, Nancy reconciles with Potato in her own way. Cynthia comes out, and Nancy happily accepts who her friend is, embracing her. They reconcile when Cynthia lets Lydia know that she has spoken to Nancy about them, demonstrating that she is serious about what they have.
Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies Episode 10: Does Olivia Marry Mr. Daniels?
No, Olivia doesn’t marry Mr. Daniels. Oakes said in an interview that just as ‘Grease’ the film is a commentary on the 1950s from the perspective of the 1970s, ‘Rise of the Pink Ladies’ offers a commentary on the 1950s and 1970s from the perspective of the 2020s. Despite this, it takes them until episode 9 to underscore that a teacher should not be in a romantic relationship with a student.
When the other Pink Ladies try to convince Olivia not to go through the wedding at the start of the episode, she refuses to listen, as she is still angry at Jane and the widespread damage her indecisions and recklessness have caused. The other girls start to believe that their friendship with Olivia is ending because she is getting married, but Hazel helps them see the fundamental flaw of that belief. They subsequently crash Olivia’s wedding and convince her to leave with them.
Does Richie Return to Rydell High? What Will Buddy Do?
When Susan wins the race, she effectively secures Buddy’s return to Rydell High, not realizing that it’s not something he desires. Buddy has lived a life of privilege, but privilege often comes with responsibility and expectation. Buddy now feels that he is drowning because of the expectations of the people around him to fulfill his duties. His teammates want him to lead them to victory. His father wants him to be a model student-athlete and even tries to get him re-elected as the president so it would ease his mayoral run.
Buddy confesses to Hazel that he never felt freer than after he was expelled. For the first time in his life, Buddy has agency over himself. And this is why he chooses not to go back to school. He reaches out to the Principal, telling him he was responsible for the fight. This not only opens the door for Richie’s return from military school in the potential season 2 but also gives Buddy the space to find his own path.
Does Hazel Join the Pink Ladies?
Yes, Hazel joins the Pink Ladies toward the end of the season. Her knowledge about cars helps Susan win the race against Jane, and later she helps Jane and the others see that they need to help Olivia when she is about to make the biggest mistake of her life. Olivia, Jane, Nancy, and Cynthia have individual positive qualities but are almost always driven by emotions, which can be both good and bad. With Hazel’s addition to the clique, they now have someone who can approach things logically. Moreover, Hazel is also friends with Wally, Susan, Buddy, and others and can breach the gap between them and the Pink Ladies and the T-Birds.
Who is Frankie Zuko? How Does Jane know Frankie/Zuko?
The first season of ‘Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies’ ends on a cliffhanger. Gil (Nicholas McDonough) and the T-Birds approach the Pink Ladies and introduce them to a young man whom Gil refers to as a “pal” from New York. Gil says that the young man’s name is Frankie and is interrupted by a shocked Jane, who shouts, “Zuko.” The final shot of the season focuses on the ring the young man is wearing, and it’s distinctively like the one that Danny Zuko (John Travolta) gives to Sandy (Olivia Newton-John).
Now, this Zuko can’t be Danny; not only the first names but also the timelines don’t match as well. Given the series is set in 1954, four to five years before the events of the film, Danny, a Rydell high student in ‘Grease,’ should be around 13-15 years old at this point, around the same age as the future Pink Ladies members Betty Rizzo and Fran ‘Frenchy’ Facciano. We know that this mysterious young man wears a black leather jacket, so he is most likely a member of the T-Birds.
As there are already main characters in the show who are older siblings of the characters from the film, this Frankie is likely an older brother or cousin of Danny. Perhaps Danny inherited the ring from him. The name Frankie seems to be a tip of the hat to Frankie Valli, the renowned singer and the frontman of the Four Seasons, who recorded the title track of the 1978 film. As for Jane’s reaction to Frankie, she most likely knew him in New York. It’s even probable that they dated; otherwise, Jane wouldn’t have looked that angry.
Read More: Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies Episode 8 Recap and Ending, Explained
FAQs
How does rise of the pink ladies end? ›
In the last episode, Jane and Susan drag race to see whether Buddy or Richie should return to Rydell after their expulsion, and even though Susan wins, Buddy forfeits his chance to return. Toward the end of the episode, Hazel officially joins the Pink Ladies, rounding out the group's ranks.
Who is Frankie Zuko? ›The episode ends with the introduction of Frankie Zuko, presumably the older brother of Danny Zuko, the iconic character played by John Travolta in the original Grease movie. While the show hasn't been officially renewed yet, fans are holding out hope that this isn't the end of the prequel.
Was there a prequel to Grease? ›Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies takes place in 1954, four years before the events of Grease, and follows four misfit students who band together to kickstart the so-called 'moral panic' that influences Rydell High forever. Where are the cast of Grease now over 40 years later?
Did Sandy become a pink lady? ›Is Sandy part of the Pink Ladies? Sandy doesn't become part of the Pink Ladies officially because Rizzo thinks Sandy is “too pure to be pink”. By the end of the movie though she is accepted as a female greaser.
What does Pink Ladies mean in Grease? ›The Pink Ladies are a group of teen girls who attend Rydell High School and rebel against the societal expectations placed upon girls. They are bound by friendship, loyalty, and a desire to shake up the status quo.
What race is Zuko? ›(Characters like Soka and Katara are based on Inuit and First Nation's peoples as well as Pacific Islanders; Aang is Tibetan; Zuko and most of the Fire Nation are Chinese, as is Toph and the majority of the Earth Kingdom; and Suki is likely Japanese.)
Why is Zuko half bald? ›It didn't really do Zuko's character design any favors, but now the reason why has been fully explained. It was a punishment for losing the Agni Kai against his father, a way to add insult onto injury. Thankfully, Zuko abandoned this hairstyle after his banishment and grew the luscious locks we've all grown to love.
Why did Appa lick Zuko? ›Appa was the first to approve of Zuko's acceptance into Team Avatar, expressing this approval through licking him.
Were the Pink Ladies a real thing? ›The Pink Ladies got started somewhere between 1953 and 1955, depending on whom you ask, and lasted into the early 60s , with anywhere from a handful to nearly 50 members at any given time.
Was Helen Travolta in Grease? ›Grease (1978) - Ellen Travolta as Waitress - IMDb.
What is the oldest Grease movie? ›
Grease (also known as Grease 1) is a 1978 American musical film directed by Randal Kleiser and produced by Paramount Pictures.
Are Sandy and Frenchy cousins? ›The Grease girls, who played memorable best buds and cousins Sandy and Frenchy in the 1978 classic, joined one another on stage at the Flamingo Hotel & Casino during Newton-John's show.
Why did Sandy change for Danny? ›Before the final scene, Sandy is only shown as a prim and proper person. She actively dislikes the macho masculine side of Danny Zuko and just wants the loving caring guy that she met during the summer. She changes herself to fit in.
Did John Travolta sing in Grease? ›"Greased Lightnin'" is a song from the 1971 musical Grease which was also adapted into the 1978 film Grease. A soundtrack recording from the film version, with John Travolta on lead vocals, peaked at No. 47 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1978.
Is Jane's sister Frenchie? ›Yes, as it turns out, Frenchie — the bubbly Pink Lady played by Didi Conn in the original film — is Jane's little sister.
Why is Frenchie called Frenchy in Grease? ›Kitty was pleased to have a reason to be proud of her daughter. Fran showed off her new pierced ears to her sister, and said that Betty did for her. Kitty admonished Fran's vulgar new nickname from Betty - Frenchy.
Does Rizzo get pregnant in Grease? ›At the end of the school year, a carnival is held; Rizzo is seen on a Ferris wheel, revealing to Kenickie that she isn't pregnant.
Who married Sokka? ›| Sokka | |
|---|---|
| Gender | Male |
| Family | Hakoda (father) Kya (mother; deceased) Katara (sister) Bumi (nephew) Kya II (niece) Tenzin (nephew) |
| Significant others | Suki (girlfriend) Princess Yue (formerly) |
| Nationality | Southern Water Tribe |
| Zuko | |
|---|---|
| Children | Fire Lord Izumi (daughter) |
| Relatives | Roku (maternal great-grandfather) Fire Lord Azulon (paternal grandfather) |
| Nationality | Fire Nation |
| Bending element | Firebending |
Zukos wife is Mai.
Can Zuko see out of his eye? ›
He can. His eye is not faded like you'd probably see in someone who was blinded.
What does it mean when Zuko cuts off his ponytail? ›After becoming fugitives, Zuko and Iroh cut off their top-knots and threw them into a creek to symbolize their rejection of their homeland and the beginning of their true exile.
Is Zuko blind in one eye? ›Per this AMA with the series creators, Zuko sees just fine out of both eyes. Q: Is Zuko blind on his left side? A: No, he can see out of that eye too.
Does Zuko ever see his mom? ›Zuko Is Reunited With His Mother
After learning the truth from the Mother of Faces, Zuko returns to the village and reveals to Noriko/Ursa that he is her son. Noriko then chooses to have her face and memories restored and, finally, she and Zuko are properly reunited.
When things became grave, Ying held on to hope that she and her husband would make it and, with a little help from Avatar Aang and his friends, they did. She was nine months pregnant when she met Team Avatar. Ying and her family were spotted by Zuko while the banished prince was traveling alone.
Did Appa have babies? ›No. The sky bison you see in Legend of Korra are from Bhanti Island.
What year is Grease set in? ›Grease on Blu-Ray
A musical about teens in love in the '50s! It's California 1959 and greaser Danny Zuko and Australian Sandy Olsson are in love. They spend time at the beach, and when they go back to school, what neither of them knows is that they both now attend Rydell High.
How it all began. John Cripps is the plant-breeder who naturally cross bred the first ever Cripps Pink apple in Australia in 1973. Mr Cripps had the ingenious idea to cross a Golden Delicious and a Lady Williams, so creating this delicious new variety. The best of these apples were then branded Pink Lady®.
How old were the Pink Ladies in Grease? ›The pink-haired Pink Ladies member Frenchy is also 17 or 18.
With just a few days left until graduation from Rydell High School, Frenchy drops out to enroll in beauty school and accidentally dyes her hair pink.
10 secrets about Grease you probably never knew
Elvis Presley was originally considered for the Teen Angel role. At the time, Elvis was in his 40s - and while he was still performing to thousands of people in Las Vegas, his health had been deteriorating. However, he turned down the offer from producers.
Who turned down John Travolta's role in Grease? ›
It's not only his most iconic role, it's one of the most iconic roles in the history of television, but it caused Winkler a number of problems in his career, including causing him to turn down the lead in Grease, the movie that made John Travolta a star.
How old was John Travolta in real life in Grease? ›John Travolta, who starred as Danny Zuko in Grease, famously stood out as younger than much of the rest of Grease's principal cast during filming in summer 1977 at age 23.
Why is Grease called Grease? ›The 1978 hit movie Grease got that title from the word “greasers.” Greasers were young guys of the '50s often with greased back hairstyles. The movie Grease is based on the musical with the same name, which had its first performance in 1971.
Where was Grease filmed at? ›Grease was shot in various locations across the Los Angeles area, from the lively South Bay to the charming Silverlake neighborhood. Much of the production was filmed on-site, including exterior shots of Rydell High, taken at Venice High School, Huntington Park High School, and John Marshall High School.
Why are the kids in Grease so old? ›' 'People might say the cast is too old, but Grease is not a documentary; it's a fantasy,' he clarified. 'It is a non-PC fairytale that is better for the cast not being teens,' Thurm explained. 'The only thing that was important was that the cast all looked about the same age as each other, which they did.
Is there a season 2 of Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies? ›What To Expect From Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies Season 2. A lot happens in the Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies finale. There's a drag race between Jane and Susan (Thompson) to determine whether Buddy (Schmidt) or Richie (Nieves) should return to Rydell after their expulsion.
Does Richie come back in Pink Ladies? ›However, when Jane attempts to hold up her end of the bargain, the principal informs her that Buddy already confessed to everything, meaning Richie is welcome to return to Rydell.
Is anyone from Grease in rise of the pink ladies? ›Jackie Hoffman as Asst.
Taking over from Eve Arden (Anatomy of a Murder), who played the part in both Grease and Grease 2, Jackie Hoffman will portray Assistant Principal McGee, the only returning character from the original Grease film.
Paramount+ today announced that its new original series Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies will premiere on Friday, 7 April exclusively on the premier service. Following the premiere, new episodes of the 10-episode long season will be available to stream weekly on Fridays.
Was Cha Cha pregnant in Grease? ›Annette Charles, who played Cha Cha, suffered from an ectopic pregnancy during filming. After taping the drag race scene, she had emergency surgery that night.
Was Riz pregnant in Grease? ›
At the end of the school year, a carnival is held; Rizzo is seen on a Ferris wheel, revealing to Kenickie that she isn't pregnant.
Who is the pregnant girl in Grease? ›Stockard Channing (born Susan Antonia Williams Stockard; February 13, 1944) is an American actress. She played Betty Rizzo in the film Grease (1978) and First Lady Abbey Bartlet in the NBC television series The West Wing (1999–2006).
Who does Richie end up with in it? ›In the movie adaptations (2017/2019) Richie is confirmed by Andy Muschietti to be in love with Eddie, carving their initials into the Kissing Bridge at age 13. He later re-carves their initials after Eddie dies to say a final goodbye to his first love.
Who did Richie have a crush on it? ›We learn that Richie Tozier, the fast-talking, foul-mouthed teenager (played by Finn Wolfhard) who grew up to be a popular stand-up comedian (Bill Hader) is gay and has been secretly in love with his friend and fellow club member Eddie Kaspbrak (played as an adult by James Ransone).
Did Richie have a crush on Beverly? ›Richie and Beverly Meet
While he was trying to teach himself how to use a yo-yo, he spotted Beverly Marsh. He didn't have a crush on her but he thought she was pretty and tough, so he went up to her and they got along instantly. He invited her to the movies and she joked about his invitation being a date.
Marisa Davila as Jane Facciano, a student of Rydell High School, founding member of the Pink Ladies, the first female student to run for class president, and older sister of Fran "Frenchy" Facciano.
How old was John Travolta in Grease? ›John Travolta, who starred as Danny Zuko in Grease, famously stood out as younger than much of the rest of Grease's principal cast during filming in summer 1977 at age 23.
Where is Rydell High in Grease supposed to be? ›Rydell High School is a fictional school. In fact, Peer Space shares that the scenes inside and around the school were filmed in three different high schools in the Los Angeles area. Most of the exterior shots of the school are of Venice High School.
What is Rizzo's first name in Grease? ›Betty Rizzo, better known by her surname "Rizzo", is one of the main characters in the movie Grease. She is the sarcastic leader of the Pink Ladies.