‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ Episode 6 Ending, Explained: Bringing Back the Dead

Nine Perfect Strangers Episode 6 took a dark turn at the end, after an episode that undid much of the progress the Marconi family made since arriving at Tranquillum House. The Hulu series is all about healing from grief. However, the latest installment sees Masha (Nicole Kidman) suggesting a worrisome approach to dealing with Zach’s (Hal Cumpston) death. What exactly is she planning and how will it impact the final two episodes of the series?

[Spoiler warning: This article contains spoilers for Nine Perfect Strangers Episode 6.]

What happened at the end of ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ Episode 6?

The latest installment of Nine Perfect Strangers sees the Marconi family reconnecting with Zach, a hallucination likely brought on by the next step of Masha’s protocol. While only Zoe (Grace Van Patten) was able to see her brother in episode 5, both Napoleon (Michael Shannon) and Heather (Asher Keddie) share a similar experience this week. Heather has a full-blown conversation with her son, which sparks a memory that stops her healing journey in its tracks.

Heather realizes that Zach’s asthma medication listed “suicidal ideation” as a potential side effect, a fact that sends her spiraling. As she and Napoleon question her role in Zach’s death, it seems the Marconi family may never recover from their loss. Cue Masha and her questionable plans.

In response to everything happening with the Marconis, Masha suggests using psychotropic drugs to bring about an alternate reality. In it, the three of them could live as if Zach remained alive. It would require significant risk and constant upkeep, but Masha seems to have a stake in cheating death.

Apparently, it’s something she’s attempted before, too. The end of the episode sees Delilah (Tiffany Boone) telling Yao (Manny Jacinto) they need to leave before Masha gets into hot water again. It seems whatever legal troubles Kidman’s character faced stemmed directly from a similar incident. That doesn’t bode well for the Marconis.

Can Masha deliver on her promise from episode 6?

While viewers haven’t received a full recount of what happened at Masha’s failed retreat, flashbacks heavily imply someone died while staying at Tranquillum House. The trauma from that haunts Delilah, making sense of her response to Masha’s suggestion in Nine Perfect Strangers Episode 6.

Messing with psychotropic drugs can certainly have negative side effects, especially for long periods of time. With Masha pushing the Marconis to use them continuously, there’s an element of danger to her plan. Perhaps that’s why Napoleon isn’t so eager to agree.

The other question hanging over episode 6 of Nine Perfect Strangers is whether or not Kidman’s character can even accomplish what she’s offering. Her last attempt failed, and maintaining an alternate reality with drugs doesn’t sound like a sustainable action plan — even without the health complications.

‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ may not have a happy ending

As Delilah points out, history seems to be repeating itself at Tranquillum House. With Nine Perfect Strangers Episode 6 putting the guests in almost the same situation that led to tragedy, are they destined to wind up in the same place?

Only the final two episodes will tell how things turn out for Masha and the Marconis, but a sense of foreboding hangs over the resort. Unless the Marconi family decides against Masha’s plan, it’s possible they’ll find themselves in a worse place than where they started. And even if she does succeed, what would they need to sacrifice to make an alternate reality work? The ends simply may not justify the means.

Episode 6 of Nine Perfect Strangers is currently streaming on Hulu.