North of North Ending Explained: Siaja’s big Choice, Neevee’s Secret, Family Revelations, & What’s next

It turns out falling into the Arctic Ocean during a seal hunt with her clueless husband Ting was just the beginning for Siaja, the plucky and determined heart of North of North. Across eight episodes, she tears apart her life and slowly pieces it back together — one awkward kiss, town blunder, and heart-to-heart at a time.

But by the finale, Siaja (Anna Lambe) isn’t just picking up the pieces — she’s building something entirely new. Set in the fictional Arctic town of Ice Cove, North of North follows Siaja, a stay-at-home mom turned community worker, as she juggles motherhood, romantic chaos, workplace disasters, and intergenerational trauma. 

Created by Inuit filmmakers Stacey Aglok MacDonald and Alethea Arnaquq-Baril, the series captures both the hilarity and heartbreak of starting over. And the ending? It's as messy, hopeful, and deeply human as Siaja herself.

Why did Neevee Never tell Alistair About Siaja?

The season’s emotional core is Siaja’s relationship with her mother, Neevee — a bond shaped by silence, grief, and ultimately, healing. For years, Siaja believed her father had abandoned them. But when Alistair (Jay Ryan) reappears in Ice Cove, it becomes clear he never knew she existed.

Neevee’s secret is rooted in trauma. As a teen, she lost her first child to an older white priest who took the baby and vanished. Fearing it could happen again, she chose to raise Siaja alone and cut Alistair out completely. Their confrontation hits hard, but it finally breaks open their wall of silence. Siaja forgives her mother — and is stunned to learn she has a sister.

“One of Siaja’s challenges is that she has so much history with her mother and so much of that hurt from when she was a child stops her from moving forward. Neevee’s own trauma stops her from opening up to Siaja and letting them heal together,” said Anna Lambe, who plays Siaja. (via Tudum)

“The producers and I talked a lot about the family dynamic and how the relationship from Neevee to Siaja to Bun works. It’s representative of how intergenerational trauma is passed down, how we work on ourselves to create better futures for our children. We see so much hurt, coldness, and almost a resentment between Neevee and Siaja because so much of Neevee’s trauma was passed down to Siaja,” she added.

What Happens with Alistair and Neevee?

Alistair returns not only to work but to find connection — with Neevee, with Siaja, and with his granddaughter Bun. While he and Neevee share quiet, tender moments, their history proves too painful to rewrite.

“Her relationship with Alistair is very hard and tumultuous, and the relationship she has with Siaja is so guarded from that life, so it’s cool to see the more personal part of her open up,” said Maika Harper, who plays Neevee. “When Alistair returns to Ice Cove, it’s the first time that Neevee’s had to really be accountable,” she added. (via Tudum)

“Alistair has a wounded soul from being kicked out of Ice Cove all those years ago as a young man. He knows Neevee’s backstory, and he’s sensitive to what she’s been through. But he’s also quite sensitive himself, which creates a clash between them,” said Ryan.

By the end, Alistair chooses to stay in Ice Cove — not for Neevee, but for Siaja and Bun. As Lambe put it, “He becomes a rock for Siaja to lean on, talk to, and learn from. It’s such a beautiful relationship, and he creates space for Siaja and Bun to grow and feel held.”

Does Ice Cove get the Research Center?

Siaja finally gets her shot to pitch Ice Cove to a government committee for research center funding — but not before skipping the first attempt to help her mom during the store flood. Despite a late arrival, she abandons her polished script and speaks from the heart.

“For too long, people have been coming to the Arctic to try and change us, but I’m asking you to let this place change you. We’ve been doing our own research for the past 20,000 years,” (via Tudum) she says, delivering one of the show’s most powerful lines. 

While the main funding goes to the more established Tuktukalik, Ice Cove receives a smaller satellite station — and Alistair volunteers to lead it, giving the town a win and keeping him close to his new family. “We touch on a lot this season, and the nice thing about this being a comedy is how we get to talk about so many difficult issues within our community while doing so with humor,” said Lambe. 

“It exposes an audience to many issues they haven’t experienced but that are so common in the North, from the housing crisis to substance abuse or residential schools and difficult family dynamics. I hope that talking about these things openly — yet in a way that can be silly at times and full of joy and love — brings them to a wider audience,” Lambe added.

Do Siaja and Kuuk end up Together?

There’s no clean-cut romance for Siaja — and that’s part of what makes her journey so compelling. Though she and Kuuk (Braeden Clarke) share chemistry, she keeps getting pulled into bad patterns, including a brief reunion with Ting.

Kuuk, meanwhile, has his own drama: his ex-girlfriend Alexis (Taylor Hickson) returns, and she’s not planning to leave anytime soon. “There are some sparks, some butterflies in his basket. There’s some friction there,” Clarke said. “He recognizes that she’s a genuine, down-to-earth individual, and he’s craving that connection,” Clarke added. (via Tudum)

Siaja finally confesses her feelings to Kuuk — only to find him caught in a complicated triangle. For now, her love life remains up in the air.

Does Siaja Reconcile with her Mother?

Yes — and it’s the show’s most heartfelt moment. After Neevee’s store floods, she breaks down and reveals the full truth about her past. The confession becomes a turning point in their relationship. “Neevee is such a complicated character... she’s modeled off of our own mothers,” said Aglok MacDonald. (via Tudum)

The hug that follows isn’t just a moment of forgiveness — it’s a breakthrough that allows both mother and daughter to finally move forward. “At the start of the season, Siaja is isolated... By the end, her world expands in the most beautiful way,” Aglok MacDonald said.

What’s next for Siaja?

By the final episode, Siaja may still be single and uncertain, but she’s more grounded than ever. She’s forging a stronger bond with Bun, her mother, and her father. She's making space for herself in a town that once judged her — and carving out a future that feels like her own.

“When we see Siaja in the beginning of the season … we see her make some large and life-changing decisions that cause her to fall flat on her face in front of her entire community and force her to reevaluate her life and try to make it better,” Lambe told Netflix.

The season ends with a nod to Nuliajuk, the sea spirit Siaja hallucinates after falling into icy water — a spiritual wake-up call that kickstarts her transformation. She jokes about it now, but it’s clear something changed in that moment.

Will There be a Season 2?

Netflix hasn’t confirmed a renewal yet, but there’s plenty of story left to tell. Siaja still has a sister to meet, a love life to figure out, and a cultural identity she’s just beginning to reclaim.

With humor, heartbreak, and deep community ties, North of North has proven it’s more than just a small-town dramedy — it’s a powerful story about healing, identity, and second chances.

North of North is now streaming on Netflix.