Paradise S2E4: Annie Dies in Childbirth, Entrusts Baby to Xavier

In the fourth episode of Hulu's post-apocalyptic drama Paradise season two, Shailene Woodley's character Annie dies during childbirth, entrusting her newborn daughter to Xavier, played by Sterling K. Brown, in a pivotal moment that deepens his quest through a ravaged America.

The episode, titled "A Holy Charge," unfolds as Xavier and Annie travel toward Atlanta, Georgia, in search of Xavier's wife, Teri, whom he long believed dead. Introduced in the season two premiere as a resilient survivor navigating the early chaos of the apocalypse, Annie had joined Xavier after rescuing him from a plane crash. A former medical student, she concealed health issues from her high-risk pregnancy, including signs of preeclampsia documented in her personal recordings. As contractions begin in an abandoned restaurant, Xavier defies Annie's deep-seated distrust of others to seek aid from a nearby group of survivors traveling in a makeshift horsedrawn vehicle.

The strangers rally to assist, forming a makeshift support network that delivers Annie's baby girl despite limited resources. Complications arise quickly, however, and Annie succumbs to severe blood loss, dying in Xavier's arms. In her final...