1899 ending explained: What was the Prometheus and what happened to Maura in the fascinating historical drama?

Netflix released 1899, a brand new series on Thursday, November 17, 2022.  Fans have already binged the whole season of this very confusing show and have been completely bamboozled by the show's shocking ending.

The eight-episode series begins in 1899 with a migrant ship, the Kerberos, setting off west towards North America and away from the 'old continent'. The ship then changes course as they receive a strange signal from another boat, which they believe to be the Prometheus, another migrant ship that was lost at sea four months ago. 

The show focuses on the passengers of the Kerberos and how this change of course impacts each of them as their passage to the new world at the turn of the century turns into a horrific nightmare. But what is the significance of the twists in this show, what happened to the Prometheus, and what is really going on with Maura? Here's everything you need to know...

**Warning, there are spoilers ahead so please click away if you haven't finished the season!

What was the Prometheus?

At the beginning of the show, the Prometheus is a migrant passenger ship that has been missing for four months. After receiving a distress signal, the crew discovers the Prometheus floating in the sea with no passengers - except for one little boy. The captain decides to tow the ship back to Europe and some passengers begin a mutiny against the captain. 

Later, the audience is then led to believe that the Prometheus isn't a real ship at all, and that it is just another part of the simulation that was created to ignite issues within the Kerberos. 

However, it is later revealed that the Prometheus is a real ship, but not the kind we are expecting. The Prometheus is revealed to be a spaceship, and the place where the passengers who are part of the simulation, the Prometheus Project, live.

What happened to Maura?

Maura is the key character who is introduced to us as a doctor on a mission to find her missing brother who she believes is aboard the Prometheus. However, by the end of the show, it is revealed that her story is far more complicated than that.

Maura discovers that her life on the ship is an illusion and this pretend journey to New York on a migrant ship is part of a simulation that has taken place many times. Maura discovers that in real life, she is married to Daniel and their son is the boy found on the Prometheus, Elliot. It is revealed that the couple entered this simulation in order to stay with their son who was dying of an unknown illness.

It is revealed that Ciaran, Maura's brother has taken over the simulation and is now controlling the events on the ship. In an attempt to wake up from the simulation, Maura uses the pyramid that Elliot was found with as a lock and her wedding ring as the new key to wake herself up in reality.

The show ends with Maura waking up from the simulation aboard a spaceship. A computer reveals the spacecraft is called Prometheus and the 1,423 passengers and 550 crewmen are part of "Project Prometheus." Oh! and the date is October 19, 2099!

While this could be yet another illusion, this could also be the real timeline and place where this Matrix-esque simulation is taking place.

Will there be a season two of 1899?

The twist ending of the first season left a lot of room for the show to be developed into another season and many fans are desperate to learn more about the bizarre events that are taking place in the spaceship. 

Netflix has not yet confirmed whether the show will be picked up for another season, but given the immediate success of the first season, and the number of unanswered questions left after the finale, fans can be hopeful for another season!