Selah and The Spades

Selah and The Spades

Year: 2020

Runtime: 97 min

Language: English

Director: Tayarisha Poe

Echo Score: 65
Drama

At the prestigious Haldwell Boarding School, a delicate balance of power exists between five rival factions. Selah Summers leads the Spades, a powerful group known for providing students with illicit goods and catering to their desires. Her authority is challenged when Paloma, a talented newcomer, quickly rises within the Spades, displaying a natural aptitude for the group’s operations. As Paloma’s influence grows, Selah’s carefully constructed empire begins to crumble, forcing her to question her position and sense of self.

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Selah and The Spades (2020) – Full Plot Summary & Ending Explained

Read the complete plot breakdown of Selah and The Spades (2020), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.

Selah Summers is a senior at the prestigious Haldwell Boarding School in Pennsylvania, where she leads a drug-dealing faction known as the Spades. In a stark contrast to the school’s other four factions—the Sea, the Skins, the Bobbies, and the Prefects—the Spades have yet to nominate a successor for Selah as she approaches graduation.

As the authoritative figure of the Spades, Selah has orchestrated a highly efficient operation alongside her loyal ally, Maxxie. However, everything changes with the arrival of a new student, Paloma. Upon capturing Selah in action during Spirit Squad practice, Paloma’s keen insight and impressive skills catch Selah’s eye. Selah quickly assigns Paloma to photograph her rival Bobby—the leader of the Bobbies—cheating on her boyfriend with Two Tom, the Prefects’ leader, thrusting Paloma into the tumultuous dynamics of the factions. Selah sees a reflection of herself in Paloma and decides to mentor her as the future head of the Spades.

Things take a dark turn when Tarit, from the Sea faction, warns Selah of a potential traitor within her group. Meanwhile, a confrontational call from Selah’s mother demands her return home, where she is reproached for ignoring a college acceptance letter. Her mother recounts the cautionary tale of The Scorpion and the Frog, hinting at her awareness of Selah’s darker inclinations that may need to be curbed.

Back at Haldwell, Bobby confronts Selah regarding a botched drug order. As Selah investigates, she discovers that Maxxie was negligent, allowing the rat to pilfer the Spades’ ledger. In a fit of rage, Selah interrogates the traitor and coerces Paloma to mete out punishment.

The school’s Headmaster declares the cancellation of the prom due to rampant misconduct. In an emergency meeting filled with tension, Selah and Bobby engage in heated accusations until Paloma proposes an alternative: a secret prom off-campus. The factions, momentarily setting aside their differences, agree to collaborate on this underground celebration.

In a private moment, Bobby warns Paloma of Selah’s dark past involving her previous protégé, Teela. Bobby reveals that Selah drugged Teela, leading to a car accident and her subsequent expulsion. When Paloma questions Selah about Teela, she is met with evasion and silence.

As the night of the underground prom unfolds, Selah slyly slips pills into a bottle of alcohol and presents it to Paloma, who subsequently succumbs to nausea and becomes unresponsive. Alarmed, Selah seeks Maxxie for advice on the pills, leading both of them to worry when they realize Paloma is missing. They find her disoriented in the woods, and in a dramatic turn of events, she nearly falls from a cliff’s edge. With urgency, Selah and Maxxie pull her to safety, adding another layer to the complicated web of loyalty and betrayal that defines their lives at Haldwell.

Last Updated: November 16, 2024 at 15:50

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Ruthless Power Struggles in Claustrophobic Worlds like Selah and The Spades

Intense stories of ambition and control within isolated, high-pressure environments.If you liked the tense power plays and toxic control in Selah and The Spades, explore more movies about ruthless ambition in secluded settings. These films feature similar high-stakes social dynamics, manipulative characters, and a claustrophobic atmosphere that makes every interaction feel like a battle for dominance.

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Narratives in this thread often center on a powerful figure whose authority is challenged, leading to a series of psychological maneuvers, alliances, and betrayals. The journey typically involves the corruption of innocence, the heavy toll of leadership, and an ending that questions whether the cycle of power will continue or finally break.

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Movies are grouped here for their shared focus on micro-societies, intense psychological warfare, and a dark, domineering tone. They create a similar viewing experience of high tension and emotional weight, driven by complex characters navigating toxic systems of control.

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Dark stories where a guide figure leads a protégé down a dangerous path.For viewers who found the twisted dynamic between Selah and Paloma compelling, this section highlights movies with similar toxic mentorship arcs. These films explore the seductive nature of power, the corruption of innocence, and the psychological fallout when a student either surpasses or betrays their teacher.

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The narrative pattern follows a talented but naive individual who is taken under the wing of a powerful, flawed figure. The protégé's rapid ascent and natural aptitude begin to threaten the mentor, leading to jealousy, manipulation, and a climactic power shift. The journey is defined by moral ambiguity, the loss of innocence, and an emotionally heavy conclusion.

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These films are united by their deep dive into the dark side of mentorship. They share a steady pacing that allows the toxic relationship to develop, a high intensity from the psychological conflict, and a consistently dark tone that explores themes of identity, power, and corruption.

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Selah and The Spades Timeline

Characters, Settings & Themes in Selah and The Spades

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Selah and The Spades

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More About Selah and The Spades

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