Aahana Swrup
Prime Video’s ‘Etoile’ presents a story about the transformative journeys of two distinct ballet companies who find the beginning of something new in light of an artist exchange program. Initially, when Geneviève Lavigne pitches the idea of a swap between her Le Ballet National company and Jack McMillan’s Metropolitan Ballet Theater, the latter is vehemently against the idea. Nonetheless, as he manages to secure Cheyenne Toussaint, one of the most coveted Ballerinas in the world, through the program, things are swiftly put into motion. While Cheyenne offers a chaotic change of pace at the New York company, a sense of tradition remains, especially through Nicholas Leutwylek, the institution’s long-time art director and Jack’s close friend. Although the character’s dwindling health is introduced into the narrative almost as a running gag, it takes a turn for the worse near the conclusion of the season. SPOILERS AHEAD!
Nicholas’ Failing Health Takes a Heavy Toll on Jack
Although Nicholas and Jack’s friendship remains well-established from the very start, the depth of their connection only becomes evident with time. The duo has had a long partnership, almost as long as the MBT head’s career at the company. He had grown up idolizing the older man, who used to be a ballet dancer in his prime. As such, Nicholas’ near-permanent residence at the company as its creative director becomes an unmovable fixture for Jack. No matter the man’s age or subliminal desire to retire, he always managed to stick around for another year. For the same reason, when Jack first hears about his friend’s health crash, which has sent him into a coma, he is startlingly composed at the news.
Nicholas has had many health scares in his days, so many so that a coma or two has become a commonplace thing for his friends to deal with. Jack is confident that the man will wake right back up in a matter of time, simply because he has done it so many times before. Eventually, the older man ends up doing just that, instilling an instant air of relief. Even though he’s still hospital-bound for some time, Jack can luxuriate in his company, as the two share ill-advised bags of Smarties between them. However, this moment of bliss is short-lived. It isn’t long before Nicholas’ health crashes once again—this time, inviting far more morbid uncertainty.
Things get so bad that the doctors advise Jack to contact Nicholas’ family. Furthermore, the expectation of the latter’s looming demise invites a stormy time for the MBT company. In the event of his death, the company would have to ensure it’s prepared to have a successor take over its creative direction once Nicholas is gone. Nonetheless, the mere idea of losing the man had been so unfathomable for Jack that he never bothered to prepare a shortlist for such an event. Thus, all at once, the reality of the situation creeps up on the man, forcing him to not only plan his best friend and pseudo-father figure’s likely funeral while also being expected to make impossibly significant decisions about the Metropolitan Ballet Theater.
Nicholas Pulls Through—But Only After Jack has Opened up a Can of Worms
As Nicholas’ mortality looms over Jack’s head, he’s forced to make an impossible decision he never thought he would have to make. The former ballet dancer has been the creative director at MBT for a long, long time. Since Jack is expecting him to stick around indefinitely, he never considers the possibility of having to pick Nicholas’ successor. Yet, now that’s exactly what he has to do. Consequently, he’s grossly unprepared for the event, with no candidates in mind. This allows the conniving Crispin Shamblee an opportunity to plant a damning idea in the man’s head. Once the businessman floats the idea of Cheyenne as the next art director for the New York company, Jack becomes fixated with the idea.
Jack’s recent experience with the exchange program, which he initially fought against tooth and nail, much to Geneviève’s chagrin, has ignited something in the man. He can now appreciate the value of putting his all behind a seemingly insane, but undeniably genius idea. Cheyenne is a ballerina at the height of success and fame. However, at the same time, Jack can tell that she has been recently doubting her place in the limelight, especially after an out-of-character mid-performance slip-up. Therefore, he can tell that a part of Cheyenne—the same one that has a loud opinion on everything from costumes to choreography and casting—would excel at Nicholas’ position.
For the same reason, Jack ends up offering the position to Cheyenne, effectively making everyone’s lives a lot more complicated. The proposal alone comes across as a betrayal of trust between Jack and Geneviève since the course of the ballerina’s future is bound to have a major influence over the Parisian company head’s career. Furthermore, it opens up a door that was previously closed for Cheyenne, revealing her true aspirations. As such, everything comes crashing down when a night visit to Nicholas’ bedside gives Jack the opportunity to witness his friend’s miraculous recovery from his coma.
In the end, Nicholas wakes up, adding the whole situation to a long list of near-misses. Naturally, Jack is overjoyed at the development running through MBT, gleefully announcing Nicholas’ recovery. Yet, the news isn’t as joyous for a particular somebody, namely Cheyenne. The man’s recovery inevitably takes Jack’s job offer off the table for the ballerina, creating a world of complications between the duo. Additionally, it also creates tension between Cheyenne and Nicholas, as is evident by their ominous reunion on the latter’s first day back to work. Thus, it seems his near-death debacle is bound to invite some future repercussions at MBT.
Read More: Étoile Ending Explained: Do Cheyenne and Jack End Up
