Saagar Kote
Apple TV+’s ‘Acapulco’ is a heartwarming tale that follows the life of Máximo Gallardo and the people close to him. Moving between past and present, it chronicles his past in the Las Colinas resort, while also looking at his attempts in the present to restore it to its former glory. The show explores ideas of love, friendship, and loyalty in a poignant manner through the experiences of the protagonist and the people who are important parts of his life. The previous episode with Las Colinas successfully hosting the Miss Universe event in 1986, following which, young Máximo gains the respect and admiration of Don Pablo.
At present, Paloma assumes the title of “Head of Operations” in the renovated Las Colinas, with Máximo’s blessings. As the protagonist looks forward to the reopening of the resort, he wonders if there is any chance he can actually win Julia back, as she is determined to go to Milano instead. This sets things up perfectly for “Never Gonna Give You Up,” the season finale. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Acapulco Season Finale Plot Recap
The episode begins in the past, a month after the Miss Universe pageant, wherein Julia and Máximo settle into their life together, and also see success in each other’s professions. In the present, Hugo returns just in time for the relaunch of the resort, and asks his uncle Máximo about Julia. The owner relaunches his beloved resort, with a seemingly angry Julia cutting the ribbon. Máximo proceeds to tell his nephew another story about the past. In 1986, after earning Don Pablo’s respect, Máximo heads to his office, but sees that Ricardo Vera, the younger brother of Alejandro Vera and the resort’s co-owner, is occupying his chair. Vera offers him a new position as the Head of Operations for an international brand of resorts that he is planning, which leads to a tussle between the Vera brothers.
Máximo starts to think about whether he should stay at Las Colinas or fly out of the country. As Héctor and Diane celebrate, Chad slips into more sadness due to the Gloria situation, following which Diane plans to reunite them. Máximo indicates to Memo that he wants to propose to Julia, and Nora prepares to bid adieu to Sara. Diane pretends to be a customer, approaches Gloria at El Alma del Mar, and discreetly brings her son along. Before Máximo can propose to Julia, she informs him that she has been given an apprenticeship in Paris at “House of Dior,” which surprises Máximo. This leads to an unexpected argument between the lovers, wherein they clash about their dreams and goals.
Máximo, due to the unexpected revelation by his girlfriend, enters a zone of insecurity and sadness. Despite it being the moment he had waited for so long, it turns into a complete disaster, which ruins his planned proposal. He instantly asks Julia to sacrifice her own dreams for their sake, which angers her. She tells him how selfish he sounds, which ultimately leads her to break up with her boyfriend. The couple, who truly loved one another, breakup due to unforeseen circumstances of distance and ambitions. Gloria and Chad reunite after he apologizes for his behavior and promises to grow up as a better man. Esteban finds it difficult to say goodbye to Sara, and Nora comforts him.
Acapulco Season 4 Finale Ending: Why Didn’t Máximo Stop Julia at the Airport in the Past? Why Did He Accept Ricardo Vera’s Offer?
In 1986, after Julia breaks up with him, Máximo is saddened by the way his plans to propose to his lover backfired. While dealing with this, he also finds himself in a position where he has to say goodbye to his sister Sara, before she leaves for New York. After Esteban, Máximo, and Doña Rosita bid adieu to Sara and Nora, the protagonist suddenly spots Julia at the airport as well, rushing towards the gate to catch the flight to Paris. For a moment, the protagonist almost feels like he is in the toughest moment of his life. He feels a strong urge to run towards her and confess his true feelings, and also apologize for his behavior earlier. However, as he nears her, he realizes that stopping her won’t be the morally right decision.
Máximo sees flashes of all the things Julia said to him earlier, about him being selfish and not caring about her dreams. He also understands that Julia has always been interested in fashion, and that has been her only true passion in life. Due to these thoughts, he makes the difficult decision of walking away from her forever. This is a poignant moment in the life of the protagonist, who chooses to place Julia’s desires above his own and becomes a mature man. Despite his deep love and desire to get married, his relationship with Julia ends in the most shocking way. Following the heartbreak, he sadly heads back to the resort and meets Ricardo Vera, who offers him a 30% hike to leave Las Colinas and join him for his prestigious international resort project as the new COO. Due to the tragic breakup and the incentive of money, Máximo feels that he has no reason to stay at Las Colinas anymore.
Feeling the need to step away from the resort he dedicated his life to, he accepts the offer with conviction and also gets a 5% ownership of the new resort by negotiating with Ricardo Vera. This is the moment that changes the protagonist’s life forever, taking him away from Las Colinas and Acapulco in the past, and towards the future, wherein he ultimately became a successful man. It can be presumed that his journey with Ricardo led him towards greater professional success, which fueled his journey of becoming a rich man in the present. Thus, a single day changed young Máximo’s life in a bittersweet way.
Why Do Máximo and Julia Get Together in the Present?
In the present, older Máximo regrets his past and the way he and Julia parted ways. As he finishes narrating the story to Hugo, he gets an idea to talk to Julia, right in the spot where they broke up all those years ago. He tells his nephew to help him out by requesting Julia to come to the spot. Keen to help, Hugo conveys the owner’s request to Julia. In one of the most pivotal moments, the kid also tells her that his uncle was going to propose to her in the past, which takes her by surprise. She realizes that not only did she walk away from Máximo in the past, but she also walked away from the possibility of marriage and a family.
With this realization, Julia heads to the spot where they broke up. She tells Máximo that she knows about the proposal, which takes him by surprise. He gets emotional and tells her that he got it all wrong in the past, including the fact that he had a very selfish concept of happiness, wherein her desires weren’t taken into consideration. He apologizes to her for his behavior in the past and also tells her that she was right to leave him. The protagonist then recites a Jane Eyre poem and tells her that his heart will belong to her till the end.
He then hands her a blank piece of paper and tells her that from now on, he won’t plan anything stupid, and tells her that they can chase their dreams together, without any negativity. This emotional appeal from Máximo manages to capture Julia’s heart, who kisses him passionately. The fireworks go off at the relaunched Las Colinas, as the two of them continue to kiss. Fate brings the two former lovers together again and reunites them in a heartwarming manner.
Will Las Colinas Be Successful in the Present? Why?
Las Colinas is the heart of the narrative and serves as the setting for the most important moments in the season and the show as a whole. Following the successful relaunch after the efforts of Máximo and his team, the pink and beautiful resort finally opens to the public, hoping to write a glorious new chapter. However, the narrative doesn’t explicitly show the fate of the resort in the future. It can be presumed that Las Colinas will be a popular spot in Acapulco again, as it remains a project of passion for the owner. Máximo bought the resort due to his deep sense of belonging, and not a business plan alone. The fact that Paloma is the COO is also an important point in the narrative, as she is someone who reflects her passion for the resort’s success.
Paloma will presumably take charge of the resort in the same way Máximo and Don Pablo did in the past and lead it towards a brighter future. Paloma’s passion will also be supported by Maximo’s, who will guide her towards success, having done so in the past himself. It is highly likely that the resort will again emerge as the best in the region, after Máximo makes smart decisions, along with Paloma’s help. The amount of resources at Máximo’s disposal will also ensure that the resort will never run out of supplies or anything important. With Don Pablo’s values still present, it will become a place of love and family again as it heads into the future.
Read More: Acapulco Season 4 Episode 5 Recap
