One Hundred Years of Solitude (Cien Años de Soledad) follows the journey of the Buendía family through generations, from the time the patriarch of the family founded the fictitious town of Macondo. As it blends fantasy with political disputes, we witness the transformation of a town from being a small settlement to becoming the hotspot of this dispute.
The show stars Claudio Cataño, Marco Antonio González Ospina, Susana Morales Cañas, Diego Vásquez, Marleyda Soto, Akima, Loren Sofía Paz Jara, Janer Villarreal, Édgar Vittorino, and others. It is directed by Alex García López and Laura Mora and consists of eight episodes, each approximately 60 minutes long.
One Hundred Years of Solitude Ending Explained
The plot begins with José Arcadio Buendía and his wife Úrsula who go in search of the sea but end up creating a new town called Macondo, with the wish to let everyone be free to live as they like. As the town expands, numerous people are attracted to the settlement including a group of gypsies where Arcadio finds a friend who shows him the wonder of science. While he is entrapped in the madness of inventions, his wife is busy running the family and soon creates a substantial source of earnings.
As the story progresses, we see the changes in the family. The sons soon grow, and Acardio slowly returns to his family life. Meanwhile, the growing town soon catches the eyes of the government and pulls the flourishing Macondo into a chaotic period as the conservatives and liberals fight. But things take a real turn when the sons of this family are also pulled into this war.
What Drives José Arcadio Buendía into Madness? How Does He Die?
After the death of his dear friend Melquiades, Arcadio is driven into madness as he finds out that no life is eternal, putting a stop to his search for eternity. This makes him see everything as an illusion and soon he is driven to such madness that he begins to speak in Latin, while tied to the chestnut tree in the courtyard of the family house.
Years later, when Aureliano is still out at war with his liberal army, he has a premonition after years where he sees his father had him a yellow flower. The colour signifies mourning among the Spanish, he understands what is to come and sends a letter to his mother to warn her about the upcoming future.
Úrsula is shattered by this and hugs Arcadio, telling him the news of their son finally seeing his premonitions once again. She then leads him to their bedroom and asks him to go to sleep while the others are also saddened by the upcoming tragedy. In his final moments, Arcadio gets up from his bed and opens the door that takes him to different places. First, he sees his son Aureliano in a faraway place reuniting with his song, then he sees his dear friend, and finally, he sees Prudencio Aguilar, the man he killed and the man who never left his side.
With this, he embraces death and a rain of yellow flowers fills the streets of Macondo, as it grieves for the person who founded this city.
How Does the War Change Aureliano Buendía?
After years of journeying through the country and fighting for their cause, Aureliano is convinced to settle for a truce. However, seeing how his party is put in a disadvantageous position, he disagrees and continues his war where he is almost killed through an assassination. This breaks a string in his mind as he begins to ruthlessly kill the conservative leaders and rage war through cities.
The war changes him into another man and by the end of the show, we see no more of Aureliano who was a kind young man in Macondo. Finally, as he stands outside Macondo to take over his home, Úrsula rushes to meet him and put an end to the violence. While she recognises the fact that her son has become a changed man, she still tries to persuade him.
She tells him how Macondo has finally found peace, but Aureliano is not ready to call for a truce. He does not heed her words and Úrsula is left with no choice but to back away as the war finally arrives in Macondo. Soon, peace within Macondo is once again disrupted as Aureliano rushed into the town with weapons in hand.
How Does Úrsula Recognise the Curse on Her Family?
Years ago, when Úrsula married Arcadio, she was warned by her mother that she would be cursed for marrying her cousin. While her fear came to an end when none of her children were born with any deformity, she soon understood what the curse was. As their personalities become plagued one after another, she realises the monsters she has created.
After the sudden and unexpected death of her first son José Arcadio, Úrsula is in shambles. While the mystery of his death remains, she is also dissatisfied with how her daughter Amaranta became the cause of an innocent man’s death. Later, when Aureliano also becomes a war maniac, she finally understands that her lineage is filled with people who are meant to cause destruction in some way and not live a long life. Thus, the curse was not a deformity, but their their twisted personalities.
Will there be a One Hundred Years of Solitude Season 2?
Netflix has already confirmed that the show is set to release as a 16-episode series, which will be divided into two parts each with 8 episodes. Thus, there is surely going to be a season 2 but as to when it would release, we will have to wait on it until further news on the same.
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Also Read: One Hundred Years of Solitude Review: Captivating Adaptation of a Timeless Classic