×
s

'Maid': Ending Explained

Netflix's heartwarming drama series based on Stephanie Land's memoir highlights the struggle of a single mother to give her young daughter a good life.

'Maid'

'Maid' is a heartwarming story of a single mother's struggle to give her young daughter a better life.

Based on Stephanie Land's memoir 'Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive,' the film follows Alex (Margaret Qualley), a single mother, who must fight poverty, bureaucracy, and homelessness after leaving an alcoholic partner. 

She takes up jobs as a maid to raise her daughter while fighting for custody of her child. 

Did her hard work pay off? 

Here is everything that happened in Netflix's 'Maid'.

'Maid'

'Maid' Synopsis and Ending Explained

Alex lives with her young daughter, Maddy, with her boyfriend Sean in a parked trailer. After witnessing Sean's violent tendencies, Alex decides to leave in the middle of the night, taking her young daughter with her. 

With no place to go, Alex leaves Maddy to Alex's free-spirited but unstable mom, Paula (Andie MacDowell). Alex finds a job as a maid. However, later that day, she loses her car after it gets totaled in an accident. 

Alex and Maddy get forced to spend the night at a ferry station. She tries to apply for different government assistance programs, but it is difficult to meet all the formal requirements to qualify. The young single mother struggles to meet their basic needs.

Luckily, she managed to get into a domestic violence shelter and met Denise, the kind counselor who cares for them. Alex also gets the help of Nate, an old friend, who is in love with her. 

While working in the homes of the affluent people, Alex notices that their life is not happier than hers, although their pockets are full. She notices how unhappy they are despite the luxury surrounding them. Alex began to write a novel based on her observation. Alex has great potential, but her current financial state bars her from pursuing her dreams.

Alex managed to get close to one of her clients, Regina, although she left a negative first impression during her first job. Regina is a high-caliber lawyer trying hard to conceive her first child. 

While cleaning other people's homes, Alex can't help but imagine the good life she wants to give her daughter. She eventually gets a scholarship to study writing at a university in Montana. 

However, she must win the custody battle if she wants to bring Maddy with her.

Regina extended her legal help to get Alex full custody of Maddy.

'Maid'

'Maid' Ending Explained: Did Alex and Maddy Get A Better Life?

Throughout the episodes, we see flashbacks of Sean getting violent. Although he never hit her, Alex knows that it is bound to happen someday. Because of this, Alex decides to leave him even if he is trying to fix his alcohol problem. 

Sean does not want to be away with Maddy. So, he tries to fight Alex in the custody battle for her daughter. However, he later realizes that his alcoholism and tendency to violence make him unfit to take care of Maddy. He eventually agrees to give Alex custodial rights. 

Alex took multiple housekeeping jobs to save money for her move to Montana. Sadly, her mother becomes homeless after her new young husband cunningly runs away with all her properties. 

Alex never liked the guy, and her intuition was correct. 

With nothing left, Paulina agrees to go to Montana with Alex and Maddy. Alex bids goodbye to Regina. When she returns to pick up her mom, she discovers that Paulina already has a new lover and does not want to go to Montana anymore.

Alex and Maddy then went to Montana, looking forward to a brighter future ahead. 

Alex arrives at the university. She also gets several financial assistance after she strenuously complies with the requirements. However, she still needs to take student loans, so she still has to continue working as a maid for the rest of college.

Although there are still plenty of challenges ahead, Alex is already in a much better place compared to where she started. The ray of hope for her and her child gets brighter and brighter.

Her love for Maddy will continue to fuel her determination to be successful.

With her courage and determination, we know there is no obstacle that she can't overcome. 

'Maid'

Did Sean Cure His Alcoholism?

Sean is still halfway through his battle against alcoholism. However, he finally recognizes the severity of his condition after he relapses into alcoholism again. He acknowledges that he still needs to work on himself before he can take care of her daughter. 

Sean admits that he couldn't stop thinking about drinking even while spending time with his daughter. He starts seeing himself in the shoes of his alcoholic mother, and he doesn't want that for Maddy. 

He finally gives Alex full custody, but Alex still invites him to visit their daughter in Montana if he wants to. 

Sean will likely continue his battle to be better. He seems to have finally let go of Alex and acknowledges that he has his faults, too. In the end, Alex's firm decision to leave opened up better doors for the two of them. 

'Maid'

Why Did Paula Changer Her Mind?

Paula seemingly has bipolar disorder. At the last minute, she decides not to go to Montana with Alex and Maddy. Paula now finds a new love named Micah, the owner of the handicrafts stall where Paula works. Although Paula has a history of falling madly in love with the wrong people, she probably decided to stay with Micah to prevent being a burden to her daughter. 

She understands how hard Alex is working to provide Maddy with a good life. Paulina does not want to get in a way of her success. 

With her current situation, Paula's future doesn't look too promising. Her daughter is far away, and her new lover doesn't seem to care much about her. But Paula is a free-spirited artist. So whatever life throws at her, she will surely have her way of coping with it through her artistic expression. 

The 10 episodes of 'Maid' are all available for streaming on Netflix.