‘Paradise’ Star Sarah Shahi on Torabi and Xavier’s Future After Sinatra’s Bombshell Reveal

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ATTENTION: This write-up unveils plot details from the sixth episode of “Paradise” on Hulu, entitled “You Asked for Miracles.” Please proceed with caution if you wish to avoid spoilers.

This week on Hulu’s “Paradise,” Dr. Gabriela Torabi, played by Sarah Shahi, is striving diligently to prevent Paradise from transforming into a living hell. In her informal role as intermediary between rebellious Secret Service agent Xavier Collins (Sterling K. Brown) and Paradise’s manager Samantha “Sinatra” Redmond (Julianne Nicholson), she finds herself struggling to maintain composure by the end of the episode.

In the style of Xavier and Robinson (Krys Marshall), as portrayed in a “Die Hard”-like scenario, Xavier’s mission was to retrieve Sinatra’s covert cache of weapons and expose Sinatra’s underhanded deals and deceit towards the inhabitants of Paradise’s bunker. In response, Sinatra disregarded Torabi’s advice and shut down the artificial sky, causing a commotion among everyone. Once the lights were restored, the town psychologist managed to persuade Xavier to listen to Sinatra. The private discussion, held without Torabi present, ended with Sinatra revealing that his wife was still alive, located somewhere beyond the bunker’s boundaries.

As I eagerly anticipate the concluding chapters of Dan Fogelman’s “Paradise” first season, I find myself grappling with Torabi’s complex predicament. Caught in a web of loyalty towards Sinatra, her romantic inclinations towards Xavier, and her unwavering concern for the well-being of the isolated town she’s vowed to protect – it’s a conundrum that promises to unfold some intriguing twists in these upcoming episodes.

Currently, Shahi shared with EbMaster that her character’s primary goal is maintaining the existence of Paradise. Given her significant role in its creation and her conviction that it represents what’s left of the world, she is deeply committed to preserving Paradise. Playing this character presents an intriguing challenge, as while others are largely connected to the president’s murder, she functioned more like a mediator within the town. Her main concern is fostering harmony among its residents.

She went on to say: “Essentially, I’m trying to arrange a meeting between our two antagonists, Xavier and Sinatra, despite the fact that Xavier isn’t truly an antagonist. They both value their families greatly and prioritize their safety. In order for their families to remain safe, we need Paradise to continue thriving.

Regardless of their enjoyable shower experience earlier in the season when Torabi shared limited details about President Cal Bradford’s (James Marsden) suspicions before he was killed, Shahi suggests that a significant revelation to Xavier from Sinatra will undoubtedly alter Torabi’s situation: “Independent of her relationship with Xavier, whatever form it takes, we learn at the end of Episode 6 that his wife is alive and she is out there.

In the grand scheme of things, Torabi remains unaware of this fact – and she’s completely oblivious to the reality that Sinatra not only suspects there are people alive beyond the bunker, but has even gone as far as to arrange the deaths of those discovered, in a bid to protect Paradise. This revelation will undoubtedly shape Torabi’s perspective on her superior, as at present, she holds more compassion for the tech magnate than anyone else.

Shahi explains that Torabi sees the humanity in Sinatra because they met at a particularly sensitive point in her life, during a time when Shahi was helping the wealthy tech mogul Sinatra deal with the loss of her son prior to their bunker days. Essentially, it seems that Torabi has access to a more personal and human side of Sinatra that many others don’t get to see, which is why she views Sinatra as being ‘human’ in Torabi’s eyes.

However, as we approach the final episode in two weeks, when “Paradise” creator Fogelman has hinted that all secrets surrounding Cal’s murder will be unveiled, this could shift things significantly. “In Episode 8, you’ll notice some revelations emerging that can’t be ignored, not even by Sinatra himself,” Shahi stated. “By then, the cat will be out of the bag.

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2025-02-19 23:18