If you’ve spent any time on Hulu lately, you’ve probably seen Sterling K. Brown looking stressed in a suit. That’s Xavier Collins. He’s the guy at the center of Paradise, the 2025 series that basically tricked everyone into thinking it was a standard political thriller before pulling the rug out. Honestly, the show is a lot. It’s got murder, massive bunkers, and a version of "heaven" that feels more like a gilded cage.
Most people started watching for the "who killed the president" mystery. They stayed because the world-building is actually kind of terrifying. Xavier isn't just a Secret Service agent; he’s a man living in a simulation of the world he failed to save.
Xavier Collins in Paradise: The Twist You Didn’t See Coming
Let’s be real. The first episode of Paradise does a great job of lying to you. We meet Xavier Collins, a stoic, sleep-deprived agent protecting President Cal Bradford (played by James Marsden). It looks like House of Cards meets The West Wing. Then, the ending of the pilot happens.
Everything we saw—the sunny streets, the perfect suburbs, the kids playing—is fake. It’s all happening inside a massive underground dome in Colorado. The world ended three years ago. The "Paradise" Xavier lives in is the only thing left of humanity, or at least the 25,000 "important" people who made the cut.
Why Xavier is Actually a Reluctant Hero
Xavier isn't your typical hero. He’s bitter. He blames President Bradford for the death of his wife, Teri. See, when the world started ending (due to a series of natural disasters and a massive caldera), Bradford knew. He had the intel. But he didn't tell Xavier in time to stop Teri from flying to Atlanta for business.
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Xavier is stuck in a beautiful bunker with the man he hates most. He even tells Cal, “I’ll forgive you when I can sleep again. And I’ll sleep again when you’re dead.” Then Cal actually ends up dead.
Xavier finds the body, and suddenly he's the lead investigator in a world where "murder" isn't supposed to exist. It’s a messy, high-stakes puzzle. He has to balance his personal grief with the fact that the entire social structure of the dome is starting to crack.
The Mystery of the Murder and "Sinatra"
The show introduces a character named Samantha Redmond, but everyone calls her Sinatra. She’s the architect of the whole project. She’s also kind of the villain, depending on how you look at it.
Sinatra and the "Founders" of Paradise are obsessed with order. They’ve created a society where everyone is "happy" because they have to be. But Xavier starts noticing things that don't add up.
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- A six-digit code on a cigarette pack.
- Rumors of people living on the surface.
- The fact that his own daughter, Presley, might be keeping secrets.
Xavier’s investigation isn't just about finding a killer. It’s about realizing that the "Paradise" he’s protecting is built on lies. The workers who built the dome? They weren't allowed to stay. The people outside? They were left to die.
What Happened in the Season 1 Finale?
The ending of the first season changed everything for Xavier Collins. After a lot of back-and-forth and some pretty dark flashbacks, we find out the truth about the murder. It wasn't some grand political conspiracy from the outside. It was much more personal.
Trent, a man who had been living under a false identity in the dome, was the one who killed Cal. He was a construction worker who felt betrayed by the elites. But the real kicker? Cal basically let it happen. He was tired. He felt the weight of his decisions.
In the final moments, Xavier finds a book Cal left for him. Inside are coordinates and instructions. Xavier doesn't just stay in the dome to lead. He grabs a helicopter and flies out into the "wasteland" of the surface.
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The Music of Paradise: More Than Just a Soundtrack
You can't talk about Paradise without talking about Phil Collins. Specifically, "Another Day in Paradise." The show uses covers of 80s hits to set this weird, nostalgic, but creepy tone.
The lyrics about "a girl with blisters on the soles of her feet" hitting too close to home when you realize the show is literally about the "haves" and "have-nots." When Xavier hears these songs, it’s a reminder of the world he lost.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans of the Show
If you're trying to keep track of all the moving parts before Season 2, here’s what you need to remember:
- Watch the Backgrounds: The show uses a lot of visual cues. The "sun" in the dome has a specific flicker when things are going wrong.
- Focus on the Flashbacks: Most of Xavier’s motivations are buried in the 1997 and 2022 timelines. His relationship with his father (a pilot with Parkinson’s) explains why he’s so obsessed with control and "flying out."
- Check the "Sinatra" Files: Samantha Redmond isn't done. She still controls the resources inside the mountain.
- The Atlanta Theory: Xavier is heading to Atlanta because he thinks Teri might be alive. The finale hinted that some cities might have survived the nuclear/natural "cleansing" better than others.
The story of Xavier Collins isn't just a mystery; it’s a look at what people do when they think they’re the last ones left. It’s messy and complicated. And honestly, it’s one of the best things on TV right now.
Next Steps for Viewers:
To get the full picture of the Paradise mystery, re-watch Episode 5, "In the Palaces of Crowned Kings." It contains the most significant clues about the "Code Blue" protocol and the secret communications between the President and the outside world that Xavier is currently tracking. Keep a close eye on the library scenes, as the books Cal left behind contain the physical maps Xavier is using to navigate the world beyond the dome.