‘The Big Door Prize’ Season 2 Ending Explained: What’s The Deal With Dusty And The Morpho Machine?

The Big Door Prize Season 2 took Deerfield’s Morpho mayhem to the next stage, and the next stage, and — in a last-minute finale twist — the next stage after that!

When the Apple TV+ comedy, based on M.O. Walsh’s popular novel of the same name, left viewers in Season 2’s penultimate episode, Dusty and Cass had prematurely called their self-ploration quits, Beau skated an inspiring Shania Twain routine and got the girl, Jacob and Trina talked about moving in together, and Dusty broke things off with Alice only to learn that he was in her vision — and that she may have been part of his. *GASP!*

In a desperate attempt to make sense of his life, as the rest of the town is prepping for the Deercoming Parade, Dusty marches into the general store and starts hitting buttons on the Morpho machine until it malfunctions. As a never-before-seen screen reads, “Please See Guide,” the episode ends with Mr. Johnson asking what was on everyone’s mind: “Oh Dusty, what have you done?”

The Big Door Prize‘s Season 2 finale picks up right where we left off — with Dusty screaming at the machine and the two wondering what “guide” they need to find to get the machine back up and running. And a whole lot of drama goes down on Deercoming day — from Dusty and Cass finally confronting each other to Hana and Father Reuben getting out of town for an adventure that could change everything.

Curious what happens in The Big Door Prize Season 2 finale? Decider’s Season 2 Ending Explained recap has you covered.

The Big Door Prize Season 2 Ending Explained: Season 2, Episode 10 “Deercoming” Recap

The Big Door Prize‘s big Season 2 ending begins with a bang, and by that, we mean Rusty is still stubbornly banging on the Morpho machine, extremely flustered over the fact that it’s now asking him to consult a mysterious guide. What could make this moment better? Trina and Jacob walking in to ask him if they can move in together, of course! Luckily, the teens read the room, see that he’s stressed, and decide to hold their news. Rusty explains the situation at hand, and Jacob assures him the machine didn’t come with a guide. Before the group can collaborate on a solution, however, Trina asks Jacob to lie to Beau and say her parents gave the green-light for them to live together. Meanwhile, she suspiciously races out of the store and sprints to Jacob’s house to retrieve Kolton’s Morpho card, which — you guessed it! — says GUIDE. It’s all connected!

In town, the Deercoming Parade is in full force with a high school marching band performance of Ace Of Base’s “The Sign” and is Izzy decked out in her deer costume ready for her big moment. As Hana and Father Reuben gear up to ride the “pathetic” Bedford Bar float in the spirit of tradition, Hana tells him it’s funny that everyone thinks there’s no deer left in Deerfield, because she saw a white one the night she was trying to leave town. She explains that she’s not sure why she came back, since she’s the only one who can’t get a vision despite having lived in two Morpho towns. And Father Reuben asks how she knows the machine followed her here and isn’t still at her old bar. HMM…

When the episode kicks off, Izzy thinks she’s the star of the show. But as Cass and Nat emerge in meatball costumes it’s clear that Giorgio’s float is destined to steal the spotlight. In true Cass fashion, she tries to make the most of the moment and proposes they make a major announcement to give Giorgio’s float some extra pizazz: a meatball truck that delivers door-to-door. Giorgio instantly approves the meatball mobile, and his belief in Cass helps her put her relationship with Dusty into perspective. She doesn’t have long to think about her marriage, however, because Giorgio — caught up in the heat of the meatball moment — asks Nat to marry him on New Year’s Eve! A Big Door Prize wedding? Count us in!

Back at the general store, Trina tells her dad she found the guide and gives him Kolton’s card, explaining that doesn’t know what it says. Just then, Jacob walks in, Trina comes clean, and he leaves heartbroken. Trina goes after him, leaving Dusty alone with the Morpho. But before he inserts the card, we watch Mr. Johnson the magician perform a Morpho-inspired escape act (complete with a replica blue box and a butterfly-themed straight jacket) in front of parade-goers — including Trina and Jacob, who break up in the crowd so Jacob can follow his “one player only” vision.

In a last-minute switch up, Nat reveals she lost her voice screaming over her wedding plans, which means Cass is on her own in the parade performance. As she’s gathering her thoughts, Dusty appears with an apology. He admits he’s given the machine too much power and has been distracted, but just when it seems like they’re finally on the same page, he reveals he was confused about being in Alice’s vision. Cass is upset, but she’s willing to put a pin in the conversation. She excuses herself for float duty, but when Dusty makes another snarky remark about her career, she turns back and stands up for herself, saying, “I’m not going to allow you or your stupid little remarks to hold me back any more.” SLAY, Cass! (And naturally, she does! Someone give The Big Door Prize a prize for this iconic parade production!)

While Giorgio’s float is a soaring success, Izzy’s day takes a turn when Freya shows up to support her and she dodges her kiss in attempt to maintain her political appearance. In an unexpected twist, however, Izzy abandons her float to spend time with Freya and salvage their relationship.

Outside of Deerfield, Father Reuben and Hana reach the now abandoned bar and grill, Whistle Stop, where Hana used to work. The old Morpho machine is gone, but Hana — whose blue back dots are on full display — reveals she never got her card because the word “potential” spooked her. She tells Father Reuben that one of the only things she remembers about her dad is that he was always talking to her about her potential, but didn’t care enough to help her reach it. “He really fucked me up,” she says, “But hey not everyone’s meant to be a dad.”

Her words clearly strike a nerve with Father Reuben, who walks to the door and finds a Morpho-blue package addressed to Hana containing a tape player. When Hana asks him to give her a minute alone to listen to it, he heads outside, grabbing a bottle of booze on his way out. (Father Reuben, no!!!!)

When the parade wraps up, Beau rushes to congratulate Cass and tell her how excited he is for Trina to move in with them. Rather than fighting back, a heartbroken Cass frantically searches for Trina, tells her she can’t be with Dusty anymore, and asks her not to leave her to move in with Jacob. Trina agrees and the two embrace, with Cass and her own mom’s relationship clearly in the back of her mind. Dusty, standing alone in the middle of the street, flashes back to key moments in his relationship with Cass, the Morpho machine, the town, and Alice. Suddenly, it starts snowing and he notices a white dear standing outside the general store, beckoning him inside. He pulls the GUIDE card out of his pocket and accepts his next mission.

Dusty hops inside the machine, inserts the card, and unlocks the next phase of the Morpho. His little avatar appears on-screen alongside the avatars of Deerfield’s residents. Then, darkness! The machine asks if he wants to continue, he selects yes, and a blue butterfly appears onscreen and opens its wings. Before we see what happens, the finale cuts back to Hana who presses play and starts listening to the tape. It’s a recording of her and her dad from her childhood that moves her to tears. On the tape, Hana’s dad says “let’s play our song” before introducing her, and the next thing we hear is the classic theremin Morpho tune.

As the song plays in the background, we check back in with Dusty where the Morpho butterfly is swiftly flapping its wings on screen. Next thing we know, he’s transported somewhere dark, with a blue glow behind him. At first, it seems as if The Big Door Prize pulled a “Honey I Shrunk The Dusty” and somehow trapped him inside the machine’s screen. But as he presses his hands against the blue glow he sees a mysterious shadowy human-looking figure walking towards him on the other side of the glass, so what gives?! After he lets out a terrified “HELLO?” The Big Door Prize rolls the end credits (set to Ace Of Base’s “The Sign” of course) and we’re left to wonder what fate awaits Dusty and Deerfield’s finest once more.

So will The Big Door Prize return for Season 3? Here’s everything we know about the future of the series so far.

The Big Door Prize Seasons 1 and 2 are now streaming on Apple TV+.