Merlí. Sapere Aude season 2 sees Pol struggling to live with HIV. The second season is now streaming on Netflix.
Warning: This article contains heavy spoilers
Plot Summary
Axel, the man who is restoring the university’s main hall joins Pol and his friends during one of Bolano’s classes. Pol instantly finds himself attracted to him.
They eventually cross paths and instantly hit it off. This results in Axel asking Pol to tag along with him to buy a dog. Pol knew this was more than a hangout, and confronts Axel about the same. Axel confesses he likes Pol but wants to take it slow, which works for both of them.
Bad luck comes Pol’s way, when his father Alfonso tells him that he accidentally tricked the tax office. If that wasn’t enough, Pol tests positive for HIV, which leaves him heartbroken. He thought he might not be able to live a normal life anymore.
Pol’s friend Rai helps Pol in his father’s case by offering Alfonso a job. Pol’s concern about HIV and moving into a relationship with Axel continues to haunt him. This results in Pol blasting his frustrations on Rai who just wanted to help.
A few days away from everyone helps Pol get comfortable with the situation. He finds a new job, teams up with Biel for a debate on love, and starts taking HIV medication.
A conversation with his new boss Dino, who also has lived with a virus and pills all his life encourages Pol. He further opens up about his situation to Axel and Otti and eventually comes into a circle with the fact that he wants to stay with his friends and be in love with his life.
Merlí. Sapere Aude season 2 ending explained in detail:
How did Pol get HIV?
While looking for a job for his father, Pol paid Efra a visit. During a conversation over drinks, Efra disclosed that he is HIV positive. He knew this for half a year now. He didn’t know he had HIV when they were together, so Efra suggested Pol to go through a test too. Especially because he remembers Pol didn’t wear protection.
Initially, Pol wanted to believe he is fine. But, on his way back, he decided to visit Pharmacy and take a test. The test came reactive, meaning, he is HIV positive.
The doctor assured Pol he can live with HIV if he takes good care of himself. This may require Pol to take daily medications but he will be fine and far from having AIDS.
Do Pol & Axel end up together?
Throughout the second season, Pol and Axel’s relationship goes through several ups and downs. First, Pol avoids Axel due to HIV. Then, Axel doesn’t find it right when Pol hides that he is bisexual.
Despite these outcomes, Pol joins Axel to visit his parents. During their visit, Pol confesses to Axel about HIV, and Axel accepts Pol the way he is. Pol senses that Axel’s family loved his ex-boyfriend Daniel a lot.
Axel tells Pol that he left Daniel when he got depressed, which doesn’t fit right with Pol. Thus, resulting in another fallout between the both.
Pol confesses his feelings about Axel to Bolano. He refers to it as one of his traumas. Pol also states there is confusion about this in his head. A little push from Bolano regarding the restoration of the main hall works.
More like a romantic gesture, Axel restores the hall in time for Pol and his friends to organize their debate. Pol later visited Axel at night and the couple locked a kiss.
Despite the reconciliation, Axel doesn’t show up at Pol’s graduation three years into the future. Furthermore, we don’t see Axel in Pol’s life in the near future either. So probably, they didn’t end up together.
Do Oto & Arnau end up together?
The second season opens up with Oto and Arnau into each other but they call it off soon. While Oto spends time exploring with other people, Oto continues to be in love with her.
During the debate about love in the finale, Oto confessed his love to Oto out in open, in front of everybody. While he received applause from friends and peers, Oto didn’t respond.
Oto later catches up with Arnau and lets him know that she has moved on to different things. The couple makes out and decides not to get together.
Despite the promise, we see Arnau on Oto’s graduation day as they kiss again. Arnau addresses Oto as his love, establishing that they ended up together.
Did Pol and his friends graduate?
Three years after the debate in the main hall, Pol, Oto, and Biel graduated. Rai, on the other hand, decided to quit philosophy. Rai had told his friends that he will travel the world to rediscover himself.
We see Pol preparing himself to be a professor. He gives his first class to his own father. In the near future, we see Pol doing a paint job, waiting for a teaching position as he dances his way out to close the show.
Also Read: Merlí. Sapere Aude season 2 review: Poor writing with decent performances