Paradise's dylan: time traveler, son of a villain, or just plain lost?
The season two finale of Hulu’s Paradise left viewers grappling with a cascade of questions, and at the heart of the mystery lies Dylan, played with captivating ambiguity by Thomas Doherty. Is he a time traveler? The son of the series’ deceased antagonist, Sinatra? Or something else entirely? Doherty, who recently spoke with Esquire, navigates the labyrinthine plot with a wry amusement, revealing as much as he can without spoiling the already-complex narrative.
The link to the past: a nintendo nod
Introduced initially as “Link,” a nod to the hero of Nintendo’s Legend of Zelda series, Dylan’s unassuming persona masked a mission to avert a nuclear meltdown. But the show cleverly peeled back the layers, revealing his true name and hinting at a potentially explosive connection to Sinatra, whose grief over her supposedly deceased son fueled her creation of a subterranean bunker in Colorado. Doherty himself is as invested as the fans in unraveling the enigma. “She could be his mum,” Doherty muses, echoing the fervent speculation across Reddit forums. “But we don't know. That's the thing about any Dan Fogelman show. You want a question answered, you'll get the question answered. But with the answer comes five more questions.”
Embracing the chaos: nosebleeds and visions
Beyond the potential for familial ties, Dylan’s journey is further complicated by shared visions and nosebleeds with Sterling K. Brown’s character, Xavier. Doherty, admitting to a slight bewilderment when grappling with the show's increasingly complex science, surrenders to the writing. “I have to trust that the nosebleeds make sense,” he laughs. The sheer volume of information presented during his rapid immersion into the series – from a Thursday audition in Los Angeles to moving cross-country by Friday – left little time for extensive Zelda preparation, despite his initial desire.
A daughter's name, a father's regret
The finale's poignant moment—Dylan naming his newborn daughter Annie, honoring his relationship with Shailene Woodley’s character—reveals a depth of character beyond his initial, somewhat detached demeanor. “I invest in the idea that, yes, there was trauma bonding going on,” Doherty explains. “But it was a relief for each other.” He acknowledges the potential regret Dylan feels regarding his interactions with Sinatra, a sentiment amplified by his newfound role as a father. “There's also this resentment and shame that he’s from this woman he detests so much,” Doherty adds, hinting at a turbulent journey ahead.
Season three: a reckoning looms
As Paradise heads into its final season, Doherty anticipates a reckoning for Dylan. The weight of his failures, the lingering mystery of his parentage, and the burgeoning friendship with Xavier promise a compelling conclusion. He's acutely aware of the impact the series has had on his career and personal growth. “It's made me reflect on my sense of self,” he admits. Ultimately, Doherty's performance embodies the show's central theme: the enduring human capacity for hope amidst apocalyptic uncertainty—a sentiment that, as he puts it, “won’t be clear. It’s going to be woven with all these conflicting paradoxical emotions and feelings.”