Blood & Water season 3 ending explained – how does Puleng escape the ship?

We recap the Netflix series Blood & Water season 3, episode 6, “A Tale of Two Sisters,” which contains spoilers and explains the ending.

After that dramatic and explosive penultimate episode, many questions ride on the finale of Blood & Water season 3. Will Puleng Khumalo (Ama Qamata) escape the boat and be saved from the human trafficking ring? Will Fikile Bhele (Khosi Ngema) survive the gunshot wound inflicted on her by Lisbeth? And finally, will the perpetrators inflicting all of this pain finally see justice? (or will there be a teased season 4). Well, there are plenty of answers at the end of Blood & Water season 3, but some questions too – let's recap episode 6.

Blood & Water season 3, episode 6 recap – how does Puleng escape the ship?

After the shocking end of episode 5, it is revealed that Lisbeth has shot Fikile amidst the chaos. Seeing how injured Fiks is, Chris and KB are in anguish. And then, to make matters worse, KB's father, Matla Molapo, is shot by one of Lisbeth's men. Lisbeth stands above them all and does nothing. She's a cold and calculated character, and the finale of season 3 shows the measures she's willing to take to avoid repercussions for her criminal actions.

Meanwhile, at the ship where one of the human trafficking cells is under full operation, Janet rings Detective Vaans secretly, asking for help. Amber and Puleng fear for their lives as the realization dawns that they will be trafficked. Puleng discusses with Amber desperate escape plans.

Fikile's condition is critical, and her stepfather, Brian Bhele, is told that she needs a liver transplant (by donor), which requires a matching blood type. As for KB's father, he survives. KB asks his father where Puleng is, and he manages to say “ship” before needing urgent medical care.

Wade and Lunga have been doing their own private investigating, and they locate the harbor where Puleng is suspected to be. At the shipping yard, they ring KB and Chris – there's an initial panic as the duo believes they have lost Puleng's trail. But “Wade being Wade” figures out that “Mayfair” is the ship, a name they have heard frequently shared, so they need to figure out which ship it is based on that name. This was hardly a lightbulb moment — Mayfair is a popular ship name.

Back on the ship, Puleng violently attacks one of the men and causes panic and distraction among the other women. Meanwhile, Detective Peterson learns of the ship from Chris and KB and rings her colleague Vaan, alerting him of the new information. However, he is involved in the human trafficking cell, so this is a lost cause.

Life hangs in the balance for Fiks as she is put on the transplant waiting list. Her only hope is her long-lost biological father, Anthony. He is her only chance. Thandeka meets Fikile's biological father, and she tells him the truth about how she came to be pregnant and how ultimately, she never told him that she gave birth to a child of his. However, Anthony feels resentment and tells Thakenda how unfair it is of her to come to him years later, expecting him to give away his liver. Thandeka tells Anthony not to punish her for what she did in the past.

And then we find out how Puleng escaped the ship in Blood & Water season 3, episode 6. She jumps off the ship in desperation and into the water while being shot at. The police arrive, so Detective Vaan covers up his criminal corruption by killing his acquaintances and alerting the authorities so Puleng can be saved.

Blood & Water season 3 ending explained

As we reach the final act of season 3, friends visit Puleng in the hospital. Puleng offers her apologies to KB, knowing he is feeling shameful for the action of his parents. And then, privately, Puleng grabs Wade and says “thank you,” offering her gratitude for everything he has done for her. Wade tells her they are “friends,” confirming that they have broken up, which hurts Puleng. However, Wade does not believe he and Puleng can work romantically. Meanwhile, Chris reconciles with Lunga.

Puleng visits Fiks' bedside. It's confirmed that Fikile's biological father, Anthony, accepted the liver transplant and saved her life. And then, the grief hits Puleng as it sinks in that her father is dead. Puleng blames herself and sobs.

As we reach the end of Blood & Water season 3, a lot of plot points are tied up, but a few story strands are left for a potential season 4:

Principal Daniels delivers a goodbye speech. She states that it has been an “incredible honor” being their principal. Reece leads the applause, which persuades a chorus of cheers.

Despite Detective Vaans seemingly covering his tracks, his colleague Peterson arrests him. She has a tape recording between him and Lisbeth. Meanwhile, Sam is found.

Wendy returns home, and she visits Chris. She wants to “make it work” between them, which puts him in a sticky situation, especially since he's developed a romance with Lunga.

Fikile visits Puleng's home, and Thakenda is overjoyed. They are celebrating the birthday of the deceased Julius, Puleng's father. Puleng's mother reassures her daughter that it is not her fault that her father died.

Blood & Water season 3 ends with the drug trafficking ring preparing to shut down the cell that Lisbeth ran. However, they are not too concerned as they have many more cells. On the computer screen, there's a photo of an unconscious Sam. What does this mean for season 4? 

Additional Plot Points for the season 3 finale

• Reece apologizes to the former Principal Daniels for the trouble she has caused. Daniels is disappointed in Reece and tells her to “get her s**t together.”
• Reece figures out who runs the Side Chicks Chronicles with help from Tahira. It's Pauline. Reece angrily confronts her.