After a season of escalating conflict, the first season of Netflix’s Western drama The Abandons ended with a literal blaze of glory and a cliffhanger that has left viewers debating. The final showdown between matriarchs Fiona Nolan and Constance Van Ness culminated in a brutal fight inside the burning Van Ness mansion. As the inferno raged, a single, shadowy figure was shown stumbling out of the front door. The series deliberately cut to black before revealing who survived, turning the finale into one of television’s most talked-about mysteries.
The fiery conclusion was the inevitable result of a land war in the 1850s frontier town of Angel’s Ridge. Fiona, played by Lena Headey, leads a found family of orphans living on land rich with silver. Gillian Anderson‘s Constance is the wealthy power broker who runs the town and wants that land for her mining empire. Their clash turned deadly after Constance’s son, Willem, attacked Fiona’s daughter, Dahlia. Fiona killed Willem, and her family buried the body, a secret that unraveled in the finale, pushing Constance to seek violent revenge.
The Final Confrontation: How the Fire Started
The chain of events leading to the fire began when Constance, having discovered the truth about her son’s death, ordered the kidnapping of Dahlia. She brought Dahlia to her estate, torturing her with a knife to lure Fiona into a trap. Fiona arrived, seemingly alone and unarmed, in a desperate attempt to save her daughter.
However, this was part of a larger plan. While Fiona confronted Constance, her other children and allies from Jasper Hollow launched a coordinated attack on the Van Ness estate. In a pivotal moment, Fiona’s son Elias drove a wagon loaded with flaming oil barrels directly into the mansion, setting the structure ablaze. The attack served as a distraction, allowing Dahlia to break free, and as poetic justice—the Van Ness family had previously set fire to trees on Fiona’s land.
With Dahlia safe, Fiona did not retreat. Instead, she walked deeper into the burning house, determined to end her feud with Constance face-to-face. The two matriarchs found each other in Constance’s bedroom, where their long-simmering hatred erupted into a vicious, hand-to-hand fight.
Clues in the Smoke: Analyzing the Survivor
The final minutes of the episode are packed with fleeting details that fans are scrutinizing for answers. As smoke filled the room, the women fought fiercely, using whatever was at hand. In one crucial shot, Constance is shown lying on her back, choking on the fumes. Fiona appears to have the upper hand, but then the scene cuts away.
A first-floor window is then seen shattering from the inside. A figure stumbles down the main staircase and out the front door as the house collapses. The silhouette is intentionally obscured by smoke and darkness, making positive identification impossible. Both women wore long, dark clothing, and any distinctive hairstyles were likely disheveled during the fight, adding to the ambiguity.
Some viewers believe the evidence points to Fiona. Narratively, her story as the protective mother fighting for her home feels unresolved. Logically, the last clear shot showed Constance on the floor while Fiona was moving, suggesting Fiona had a better chance to escape. The show’s executive producer, Chris Keyser, added to the intrigue by stating the writers themselves have not definitively decided who survived. He playfully suggested that perhaps two people could walk out, leaving every possibility open.
“I don’t think anyone needs to win that argument… To try to rank those kinds of families is a foolish, meaningless game. … Love is love.” – Chris Keyser, Executive Producer, on the conflict between the families.
Others argue you can never count out Constance Van Ness. Her entire character is built on survival, cunning, and an iron will to preserve her legacy. Surviving the fire, even after losing her home and militia, would set her on a path of devastating retaliation in a potential second season.
The Aftermath and Future of Angel’s Ridge
The fire concluded more than just the personal battle between two women; it represented the collapse of the Van Ness empire, at least for now. Constance’s secret militia, the Red Masks, was decimated in the attack. Her children are scattered: her daughter Trisha has turned against her, and while her son Garrett survived, he was badly wounded.
For Fiona’s family, the outcome is also uncertain. While her children are physically safe for the moment, they are left to watch the burning mansion, not knowing if their mother is inside. Key relationships hang in the balance, most notably the star-crossed romance between Elias and Trisha Van Ness. After learning Elias helped cover up her brother’s death, a devastated Trisha ended their relationship. However, his confession about Willem’s assault on Dahlia gave her a painful new perspective.
The fate of other characters is also unclear. Dahlia, despite her fierce spirit, suffered serious stab wounds. The rogue enforcer Roache was shot during the battle, but his death was not confirmed. With the central power structure of Angel’s Ridge obliterated, the town’s future is as uncertain as the identity of the woman who walked out of the fire.
The actors themselves have embraced the mystery. In interviews, both Lena Headey and Gillian Anderson confirmed the intense fight scene was always planned as the season’s climax. Anderson even kept the rubber table leg she used as a prop during the brawl as a wrap gift. As for who survives, Anderson stated that no substantial conversations about a second season have happened yet, leaving the cliffhanger completely unresolved.
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