The Ending Of Netflix’s Fair Play Explained

The relationship in «Fair Play» starts off promising enough. Emily (Phoebe Dynevor) and Luke (Alden Ehrenreich) are a happy and healthily frisky young couple. So frisky, in fact, that little things like Luke’s brother’s wedding reception and a certain time of the month can’t slow down their ardent urges. These two crazy kids can’t keep their hands off each other. Luke proposes, Emily accepts, and everyone ends happily ever after. Until the morning.

Luke and Emily leave their shared apartment only to reunite at their shared workplace, a hedge fund. There, their relationship is secret — as well as against the cutthroat company’s policy. Luke and Emily are both good at their jobs, supportive of each other, and ambitious. When Emily thinks Luke is up for a promotion, they celebrate with passion and champagne. Luke talks about how he’s sure to get Emily on his level soon. It looks like these two are poised to take the New York finance world by storm as a team. That is, of course, until Emily gets the promotion instead of Luke.

The truth is, Emily is even better at hedge funding than Luke, and way more dedicated. Luke is initially supportive but clearly hurt, and Emily feels bad for her success. Emily tries to help Luke get promoted, which ends up backfiring on her. In fact, the more Emily’s skills are recognized at work, the more unhinged and jealous Luke becomes. He withholds affection, and turns sour and violent. Emily’s world falls down around her, fast. By the end of «Fair Play,» she must decide who is truly worth investing in: Her psychotically jealous fiancee, or herself.