Orange Is The New Black has finally dropped on Netflix for its seventh and final series. But it's been a year since we last saw the inmates of Litchfield, who spent the last season locked up in maximum security following the explosive riot in season five. With a new setting and plenty of new prisoners to get to know, season six was full of drama! So before you binge the last ever series, here's a recap of what happened at the end of Orange Is The New Black, series six.
Orange Is The New Black series six overview
Before we divulge the ending, there are a few key points to remember about season six. The main plot throughout the series dealt with the fallout of season five's riot, particularly the death of CO Piscatella, whose SWAT team comrades were actually the ones responsible for his murder but the prisoners were framed for his death. This resulted in them being transferred to Litchfield maximum security prison, where the majority of them were split up into different cell blocks, which were run by new 'top dogs'.
Character recaps in 30 seconds!
Other key storylines included Daya turning to OxyContin to cope with her new surroundings and lengthier prison sentence after she murdered CO Humphrey in series five. This will likely be a key storyline in series seven, along with Daya's mum Aleida continuing to smuggle drugs into the prison with the help of boyfriend/CO Hopper.
What happened at the end of Orange Is The New Black series six?
© Photo: NetflixThankfully no major characters were killed in series six, but there were certainly some gruesome deaths. Warring sisters Carol and Barbara, who ran separate cell blocks and started a major gang war between the blocks, were found dead in the last episode after they stabbed each other during an argument about trying to kill Frieda – who they had been after for the whole series after it was later revealed Frieda had snitched on them when she was first at the prison in her younger years.
There is also a question mark over the future of Lorna after she went into early labour with potential health ramifications for her and the baby. Poor Taystee was also sentenced to life in prison after she was pinned as the main culprit of the riot and found guilty of the murder of CO Piscatella, which she did not commit. It was also a heartbreaking moment when she discovered her best friend, Cindy, had made a deal to testify against her in order to avoid additional time on her sentence.
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© Photo: NetflixWill the truth finally come out for Taystee in series seven?
The biggest surprise of the finale was Piper's early release from prison. Although this was simply because CO Hopper wanted to get rid of her because she knew about the drug dealing going on in the jail. Piper and Alex did finally 'marry' though before her release. Sophia also received early release, along with a hefty sum for her silence about the prison's shocking treatment of her as a trans prisoner. Blanca was also released but immediately transferred to an immigration detention centre.
What will happen in Orange Is The New Black season seven?
The good news is that you don't have to wait any longer to see how Piper deals with being a free woman, as the final series is streaming on Netflix now. Teasing the new season, Netflix revealed: "In its final season, the ladies of Litchfield come to terms with the fact that prison has changed them forever." Of course, a main focal point will be how Piper adjusts to life on the outside, and being away from 'wife' Alex, who has four years left on her sentence. It's thought that she might start writing the memoir she first mentioned in season six now that she is a free woman.
The final series will also draw on themes of institutional racism and corruption in the prisons system, something which the show has been highly praised for since the first season.
© Photo: NetflixWill Piper and Alex stay together?
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Will there be an Orange Is The New Black spin-off?
While it's sad news that the popular prison drama has wrapped for good, there has been some exciting talk of a sequel. "We're really proud of the long run that Orange Is the New Black had," said Lionsgate TV Group chairman Kevin Beggs. "It remains one of Netflix's most-watched shows. We're ending on a high note. Keep in mind we own that series and will be distributing it for years to come. We're already in discussions and, when the timing is right, we'll talk further with [writer] Jenji [Kohan] about a potential sequel."
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