The finale of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series season 2 sets up a number of new stories, and hints at plans for season 3, but leaves one important question unanswered. A spinoff from the movie franchise of the same name, HSMTMTS branched out in its sophomore outing. Rather than recreate High School Musical 2, as many viewers anticipated that the series might do, HSMTMTS merely gestures toward that direction for its premiere before charting a different path. The students of East High have been focused on staging a production of Beauty and the Beast instead, hoping to earn a nomination from the Alan Menken Awards for High School Musical Theater.
The top prize is $50,000, which goes to the winning school’s theater program, in addition to a college scholarship for one student. It’s acted as a big motivation for the students, and their drama teacher Miss Jenn (Kate Reinders), but it’s also given momentum to the second season of HSMTMTS as a whole. Showing it can move beyond its connection to the High School Musical movies, the Disney+ show examined its supporting characters more thoroughly during its second installment and it’s shaken up the core relationships that viewers have grown familiar with.
The finale of HSTMTMTS season 2, titled “Second Chances”, continues down that path. It solidifies the journey that the main characters have been on throughout 12 episodes, offering a tease of what season 3 might look like, but leaves one key open question for when the teen drama returns. Here’s how it all shakes out.
Why Did East High Bow Out Of The Competition? (Did North High Win?)
In the penultimate episode of HSMTMTS season 2, fans finally get to see the East High version of Beauty and the Beast. On opening night, with a judge for the Menken Awards watching in the crowd, Ricky (Joshua Bassett) is Beast and Ashlyn (Julia Lester) plays Belle. After weeks of setbacks and uncertainty, “Second Chances” confirms that the production ultimately goes off without a hitch. But when it comes to the question of whether East High got nominated over their North High rivals, the HSMTMTS season 2 finale stops short of any major reveal. Instead, when Miss Jenn and her students gather at an afterparty, they decide against opening the envelope which would divulge whether or not they were nominated. They all mutually agree that’s it’s enough of an accomplishment that opening night went so well.
While this might seem like an odd turn, given how much of season 2 has focused on the rivalry between East and North High, it lines up with what the characters have been through. Miss Jenn, in particular, has been driven by her personal feud with North High’s teacher Zack (Derek Hough). In the lead-up to the finale, the character grew increasingly stressed and, at one point, she even shouts at Ricky to “jump off something high” in order to salvage a key scene of the production. It makes sense that, after experiencing all this uncertainty and unease, Miss Jenn would be happy to take a step back. Especially since, as her students remind her, winning isn’t always the most important thing.
As for the students themselves, at the end of “Second Chances”, they all seem to come to terms with the fact that North High was probably nominated over them. Throughout season 2 of HSMTMTS, it’s been made clear that North High has an impressive advantage. Their students are more polished and prepared, in addition to the fact that their production values and budget are insurmountably high. But their victory isn’t confirmed, either. Even though Kourtney (Dara Reneé) takes the envelope from Miss Jenn to get rid of it, we never actually see what happens after that. So, there’s a chance that this dangling storyline will be addressed if the show is renewed.
What’s Next For Nini?
The penultimate episode of HSMTMTS features a guest appearance by Jordan Fisher in the role of Jamie, the older brother of Gina (Sofia Wylie). Jamie is also an accomplished music producer. In “Second Chances”, after they share a heart-to-heart conversation, Gina suggests that Nini (Olivia Rodrigo) should meet up with Jamie. This is a culmination of Nini’s arc throughout season 2, in which the character has found herself pulling away from Ricky and having to contend with what she wants for herself. In a way that parallels Rodrigo’s own popularity and acclaim as a singer-songwriter, Nini looks to be eying a career in the music industry. At the end of the HSMTMTS season 2 finale, Nini calls Jamie and the two appear to be setting up a meeting.
The development has big ramifications for HSMTMTS season 3. It allows Fisher to reprise his role, and possibly recur. More significantly, it could continue to shift the Disney+ series away from its relationship-heavy focus by putting the spotlight on Nini as she attempts to succeed at a young age in a difficult and new world. While viewers have seen that Nini has the necessary talent to make it big, she’s also experienced bouts of writer’s block and self-doubt. The show could explore that more deeply going forward, highlighting Nini’s difficulties and triumphs as she chases her dreams.
Gina and E.J.’s Relationship
Gina’s story also reached an optimistic ending note in the HSMTMTS season 2 finale. After growing closer for a number of episodes, and learning to lean on each other, E.J. (Matt Cornett) and Gina realize the romantic feelings they share in “Second Chances.” They rush over to each other, ready to have their first kiss (which would also be Gina’s first kiss ever) before the camera cuts away. It’s a big shift for both characters, who began the series in somewhat antagonistic roles. Fans have seen, especially in season 2, the way Gina has learned to open herself up to others even if it means that she might get hurt as a result. E.J., for his part, has continued to deal with questions over his future and the privilege that he’s been granted. HSMTMTS season 3 is poised to focus on the new relationship, specifically as E.J. is set to move on to college.
Will Ricky Find Out Lily’s Secret?
While most of the characters in HSMTMTS end the season in a more assured place than when it first began, the same may not be true of Ricky Bowen (played by Joshua Bassett). The character confesses to Miss Jenn, in the season 2 finale, that he’s not quite sure who he is. Ricky’s sense of ambivalence is fueled in part by his emotional breakup with Nini, which occurs earlier in season 2. The split occurs not because of any one thing that either Ricky or Nini do wrong, but rather because Nini finds herself focusing more on her career aspirations. Although he often struggled to accept this fact, not always handling Nini’s newfound success with grace, the couple eventually manages to amicably go their separate ways and they remain on good terms.
In the finale, Ricky takes a chance and calls Lily (Olivia Rose Keegan). Introduced in the second episode of season 2, Lily defects and joins North High’s production after she’s rebuffed by Miss Jenn for mocking her castmates. Since then, Lily has occupied the villainous role in HSMTMTS. Though she does seem to have a genuine interest in Ricky, which she makes clear in “Second Chances”, she attempts to sabotage East High’s opening night by stealing a key piece of equipment. This duplicity presents an interest opening for HSMTMTS in season 3, potentially challenging the largely positive and good-natured ethos of the series. What will happen if Ricky discovers Lily’s attempt at sabotage? She could come clean. Or, alternatively, she may choose not to apologize for her competitive spirit. Either way, it would continue to introduce morally gray subjects into the show’s world.
One last clue about season 3 of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series happens in the very last scene, as Natalie (Alexis Nelis) speaks to the camera in mockumentary style and says that “the summer is about to get hot.” This could indicate that the next installment of the Disney+ series might, at least partially, take place in the summer months. It would be a wise move since it allows for the characters to continue as high school students for longer than they otherwise. This would help in avoiding the common problem of what happens when teen drams move away from the high school setting. In any case, the show still has plenty of stories ready to explore.
