Virgin River season 6 is finally here and with it come some big revelations. As the small town’s residents love, laugh, find renewed meanings in their lives and shed a tear or two, here’s the Virgin River season 6 ending explained — a detailed look at the last episode titled “The Big Day” — and how it sets up the future seasons.
The 10-part instalment of the hit Netflix series picks up where season 5 ended and there is no dearth of romance and suspense. As anticipated, Melinda ‘Mel’ Monroe (Alexandra Breckenridge) and Jack Sheridan (Martin Henderson) finally say “I do” and their wedding is the prime focus of the Virgin River season 6. However, their journey is not as rosy as viewers might expect.
Besides an acute case of cold feet and a family health emergency, the drama leaves audiences on the edge of their seats with major cliffhangers — characters disappearing and even a surprise proposal.
Let’s decode all that and more as we dive into what happened at the end of Virgin River season 6.
Virgin River season 6 ending explained: Major highlights
Mel and Jack’s wedding and are they having a child?
Mel and Jack at their wedding (Image: Courtesy Netflix Tudum)
After riding off into the sunset, Jack tries to comfort Mel and takes her to the spot by the river they used to visit in season 1. They reminisce about their relationship and how far they have come since they first met. As Mel’s fears start to dissipate, she admits she was grappling with her past trauma, recent miscarriage and the thought of losing her future second husband.
They finally tie the knot in episode 10 but their fairytale wedding faces some hiccups first. Firstly, Mel’s biological father Everett (John Allen Nelson) has a heart attack. Everyone is panic-stricken and while it would be tempting to push the wedding, the couple decides to go ahead with the nuptials as Everett becomes stable. More issues surface as Mel begins to form a stronger bond with Everett and learns more about her late mother Sarah.
On the morning of their wedding, Mel receives a call from Marley (Rachel Drance) who visited her new birthing centre. Marley wanted to give away her newborn to a local couple but they backed out. She calls Mel to say that she would now like her and Jack to adopt the baby. Whether they will accept the child is left for another season.
Did Charmaine just disappear?
While the happy couple begins a new chapter, Virgin River season 6 shows a dramatic turn in Charmaine Roberts’ (Lauren Hammersley) storyline. Throughout the season, she remained in the background, raising her twins and getting engaged in a legal battle with Calvin (David Cubitt), but her disappearance in the finale episode raised many questions.
Although Charmaine struggled with her relationship with Jack as his former girlfriend and friend, she was supposed to get Mel ready for her big day. However, towards the end of season 6, her disagreement with Calvin escalates and her restraining order against him fuels his disdain for her. It was revealed that Calvin is the father of Charmaine’s twins, not Jack.
When she doesn’t turn up on the wedding day, Jack is worried. He immediately goes to her house and finds it completely raided with no trace of Charmaine or the kids. However, she left a cryptic note which expressed she was worried about her safety.
A new set of questions and speculations arise as this only implies that Jack, Mel and everyone in Virgin River would go against Calvin. Season 7 could probe into this matter.
Preacher’s fate and his relationship with Kaia
Preacher and Kaia in Virgin River season 6 (Image: Courtesy Netflix Tudum)
A Virgin River season 6 ending explained article would be incomplete without a look into Jack’s best friend John Middleton, aka Preacher’s (Colin Lawrence) fate. Jack’s lawyer sister, Brie (Zibby Allen) defends Preacher, in court for his involvement in a criminal case. Brie does an excellent job and Preacher finally gets rid of his legal troubles.
Meanwhile, his relationship with Kaia (Kandyse McClure) gets stronger. She is sure she wants to be with Preacher and stands by him throughout his trial but the trauma of her failed marriage still haunts her and she isn’t sure about making such a commitment again.
However, Preacher clarifies that he wants to be with Kaia in whatever way she is willing.
Hope and Doc Vernon’s relationship
Tim Matheson as Dr Vernon Mullins and Annette O’Toole as Hope McCrea in Virgin River (Image: Courtesy Netflix Tudum)
Earlier this season, Dr Vernon Millins, aka Doc, landed in a soup when he used an unconventional and risky method to save a patient’s life during a medical emergency while Denny (Kai Bradbury) assisted him. He also got his medical license suspended.
At the end of Virgin River season 6, Doc learns that Grace Valley Hospital is on the lookout to expand into town and wants to take over his clinic. They have been digging into his professional past for any record they can use against him. Together with his wife Hope McCrea (Annette O’Toole), he prepares for a court battle.
In the end, Doc settles a long-standing feud with Everett, which further strengthens his bond with Mel. Hence, when he walks her down the aisle, it couldn’t get more emotional.
Brady, Mike, Brie… and Lark
Virgin River season 6 also spotlights the story arc of Mike (Marco Grazzini) Brie (Zibby Allen) and Brady (Ben Hollingsworth). A poignant subplot, Mike and Brie’s relationship was going well until she makes matters worse by sleeping with Brady earlier in the season.
This happens after Brie reveals that Brady’s girlfriend Lark (Elise Gatien) was having an affair with a convicted criminal and the father of her daughter Jimmy (Ian Tracey).
Despite the complications, Brady and Brie continue to see their partners but are now torn between their feelings for each other. In the 10th episode, Brie weeps at Jack and Mel’s wedding before Brady, who admits he loves her. However, at night, Mike proposes to Brie and she tells him she slept with Brady.
Just when you thought it would cause chaos, he surprises her and says that he already knows.
Another last surprise awaits in Virgin River season 6 ending — Lark overhears Brie and Brady talking at Mel’s wedding. But when she tells Brady she saw him talking to Brie, he brushes it off.
Later in the night, Lark withdraws all of Brady’s money and flees from the town with her daughter.
What happens to Muriel’s health at the end of Virgin River season 6?
Teryl Rothery as Muriel Saint Claire (Image: Courtesy Netflix Tudum)
In the Virgin River season 6 ending Muriel Saint Claire (Terryl Rothery), who is recently diagnosed with breast cancer, gets back onto the dating bandwagon after breaking up with Dr Cameron Hyek (Mark Ghanime).
She even attends Jack and Mel’s grand wedding party with her new love interest and has a blast.
What to expect from Virgin River season 7
Netflix has green-signalled Virgin River season 7 and several plot points are ready to be explored in the drama.
Firstly, what happened to Charmaine would be a major issue. Her sudden disappearance, whether Calvin has a role in it and what happened to her kids would become an integral part of the new season.
Another plot point that can be explored is whether Mel and Jack adopt the child. They have a serious shot at parenthood and it would be great to see the couple on this new journey. Doc’s legal battle with Grace Valley Hospital would also be a significant aspect of the new Virgin River season 7.