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One of the most complicated aspects of the Hulu series Nine Perfect Strangers involves the love triangle between Yao, Masha, and Delilah. This relationship isn’t in the book, and it’s never really explained how it started or who has true feelings for who. On some occasions, Yao seems to choose Masha over Delilah. However, Delilah also sleeps with Masha without telling Yao.

Yao and Delilah smile and at each other while working in the Peace Corps in the 'Nine Perfect Strangers' finale. Delilah and Yao are both wearing Peace Corps t-shirts.
Tiffany Boone as Delilah and Manny Jacinto as Yao in ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ | Vince Valitutti/Hulu

Some fans found it a little strange that Delilah and Yao ended up together as a couple in the finale. Nine Perfect Strangers director Jonathan Levine admits he considered a slightly different ending for Yao and Delilah. However, he explains why he chose to have them end up together in the finale.

The love triangle in ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’

In Nine Perfect Strangers, Yao, Delilah, and Masha are in a throuple, or a three-person relationship. Although there isn’t anything wrong with polyamory, this relationship seems pretty unhealthy.

Masha, for one, is in a position of power over Yao and Delilah. There also seems to be a lack of honesty. Delilah sleeps with Yao and knows that he sleeps with Masha. However, Delilah and Masha hide the fact that they too have a sexual relationship.

Yao stands behind Delilah while Masha holds Delilah's hand in Nine Perfect Strangers.
Yao, Delilah, and Masha from ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ | Vince Valitutti/Hulu

Delilah also seems jealous and hurt by Yao sleeping with Masha. In the end, Yao always seems to choose Masha over Delilah. He refuses to leave Tranquillum House with her when things start to go awry. It’s also never clear how this relationship started.

In Liane Moriarty’s novel, Yao, Delilah, and Masha never have any kind of sexual relationship, so the book can’t provide any further information. Some fans felt that Delilah and Yao ending up as a couple at the end of the series was a little strange.

Why Yao and Delilah are a couple at the end of ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’

At the end of Nine Perfect Strangers, Delilah alerts the police of Masha’s activities at Tranquillum House. However, all the employees appear to avoid jail time. Yao and Delilah end up as a couple and join the Peace Corps, which some fans found surprising. “I am genuinely shocked Yao and Delilah are still together at the end,” a fan said on Reddit. Other fans felt confused about the love triangle and the pair ending up together.

“Did I miss it or was there a point to the whole Delilah/Masha kiss, and the love triangle tension? I’m so confused by that,” another fan said on Reddit. “They made it seem like she was actually jealous of Yao but then she went back to him at the end? Idk it was kinda messy.”

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It seems that Levine has a simple enough answer. Yao and Delilah were two people who wanted to help others, but they ended up stuck in a toxic environment. “For me, they complemented each other in this beautiful way,” Levine told Insider. “Ultimately they just needed to be away from the drama of that place and help people in a way that is a little less loaded.”

The decision for Delilah and Yao to stay together wasn’t apparent from the beginning. Still, Levine always hoped that Delilah and Yao would find “a healthier way to help people.”

Delilah and Yao almost ended up in another throuple

Levine has also mentioned that the writers briefly considered replacing Masha with another third person in Yao and Delilah’s relationship at the end of the series. This was ultimately decided against.

“We had one situation where we ended with them, and they were in another throuple with another person,” Levine told Insider. “We ultimately dismissed that, even though it made me laugh.”

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