What Really Happens to Vlad and John?

Warning: Spoilers ahead for the finale of “Vladimir.”

When “Vladimir” opens, Rachel Weisz’s unnamed protagonist tells the camera that it has come to her attention that she “may never again have power over another human being.”

The seemingly sweet middle-aged university professor informs viewers that her students find her “out of touch,” her daughter “useless” and “as an older woman” she may never arouse a man ever again and has “lost the ability to captivate.”

She says all this as she walks by Leo Woodall’s Vladimir, a young and handsome new assistant professor — who also happens to be unconscious and chained to a chair.

As the season goes on, viewers discover that Weisz’s character’s husband, John (John Slattery), is accused of having sexual relationships with students. This, she knew about since they have an open marriage.

So when she attempts to get close to Vlad, a father of one and married to Cynthia, who is also teaching at the same university, it doesn’t really faze John.

What happens at the end of “Vladimir” and why is he tied up in her cabin? Read on to find out.

What Happens at the Cabin?

Vlad and Weisz’s character have lunch and over wine they discuss their books. She decides to take him to her cabin so they can do some writing and then things take a turn.

She keeps the booze flowing and at one point even puts something in his drink that makes him black out. This is when she ties him up so that he doesn’t topple over. While he’s unconscious, she uses his cell to text Cynthia and call her out about having an affair with John. She then drops his phone in water to hide her evidence.

When he wakes up, he’s confused and screaming. She lies to him and tells him that they got really drunk and he told her he wanted to be “dominated.” She tells him that he got upset after he found out that Cynthia and John were together.

He goes to sleep in the guest room and the next morning she thinks he’s gone but he’s not. He decides to stay at the cabin, upset that Cynthia gets to do whatever she wants and he doesn’t. He also calls out Weisz’s character for texting Cynthia. He knows he didn’t do it because he saw the exchange on his laptop that’s connected to his phone.

They spend the day together, writing their books and having dinner. When they finish eating and she’s cleaning up, Vlad comes up behind her and tells her, “I need to tell you something. I did something bad. I didn’t hand in my paper, professor. Am I in trouble?”

Confused, she excuses herself and goes outside. Vlad follows and apologizes, asking her if that wasn’t what they were going to do last night.

She says she doesn’t want to play out a fantasy of her being “some pervy older woman.” Vlad, however, says he just wants to do what she wants.

“Oh, Vlad, did I make it all up?” she asks about the possible sexual tension between them. “Oh, I’m going to go get ready for bed.”

Vlad replies, “Should I join you?”

He follows her into her bedroom and they start making out. Vlad tells her everything he has been wanting to do to her and then proceeds to do it.

After their moment together, John walks in and Weisz’s character and Vlad confront him about being with Cynthia.

John and Cynthia Are Not Together

John tells them that he and Cynthia have not been hooking up.

Instead, they are embarking on an unconventional creative endeavor. They get together at 2 a.m. and take drugs, so that she can finish her memoir and he can work on an epic poem.

Vlad gets upset because Cynthia is a former addict. John tells him that Cynthia just wants to complete her book so they can get out of the condo and “it can stop being about” Vlad all the time. This angers Vlad, who says, “When has it ever been about me?”

He then asks John to borrow his phone so he can call his wife.

What Happened During John’s Hearing?

John, who was accused of sexual misconduct with former students, has his hearing in the final episode. Ultimately, the complaints against him are dismissed.

He loses his job but gets to keep his pension, he tells his wife while at the cabin. He also believes that “it was a mistake” to involve their daughter, Sid, as his lawyer because he thinks the testimonies weighed heavy on her.

He then tells her that he would like for them to reconsider their open marriage agreement — after she’s done having her fun with Vlad.

What Happens Between Vlad and Rachel Weisz’s Character?

When Vlad is done talking to Cynthia on the phone, he and Weisz’s character are alone again.

“You want to know what I want?” he asks her, putting a hand over her breast. “I want you to meet me here once a week. Say you will.”

She removes his hand and so he gets up and tells her, “You inspire me.”

Looking at the camera, she says that there was a time when that was the most exciting thing that someone could say to her.

Talking to John, he asks her if her fling was everything she wanted it to be. She says it wasn’t all about desire: It was invigorating and gave her inspiration for her next book.

However, now it appears that she’s at odds with who she wants to end up with.

A Fiery Ending to Everyone’s Stories

Sitting on the couch, deciding how her new book will end, she gets inspired knowing that Vlad and John think of her as a character in their own stories.

In her story, as she describes, “A fire breaks out when we’re asleep, just like in a gothic novel. As though, that obsession, that thrill of desire goes up in flames.”

She wakes up to the space heater causing a fire and runs to John and Vlad’s rooms. It’s difficult to comprehend if what she’s describing is happening in real life or in her book.

Vlad and John try to get out of the cabin but the back door is stuck. She sees her stacks of notepads, the ones she’s been writing her novel in, on the coffee table near the fire.

She grabs her notepads and the rug behind her catches fire, seemingly leaving Vlad and John stuck and unable to get out.

She’s then seen furiously writing on the couch, no fire in sight.

“And this is how it plays out,” she says in the voiceover, before she’s seen standing outside, notepads in hand, staring at the cabin going up in flames.

Looking at the camera, she says, “I finish my book about a woman’s obsession with her younger colleague. Vlad writes a book about a tender affair with an older professor. Mine does much better. It speaks to a certain need. Oh, don’t worry, I call 9-1-1-. Everybody gets out.”

“You don’t believe me?” she asks, turning to the camera with a smirk as windows explode and fire truck sirens are heard in the back.

The episode ends without knowing for certain if Vlad and John made it out alive.