Esme Song: The Unfairness Of Not Seeing Her Redemption Arc Following Her Mental Breakdown On Netflix’s Degrassi: Next Class Season 4 – And All The Reasons Why It Matters More Than You Think

Degrassi is a long running franchis that consists of several different generations of high school students. Its arc officially ended in 2016 after decades worth of development and endless amounts of stories about life and their adventures and struggles. The final series, Degrassi Next Class originally premiered in 2016 on Netflix. It ran for four seasons until 2017, with a total of 40 episodes. I was personally so pissed off it ended, because the stories truly didn’t feel complete, especially of those students that didn’t graduate high school.

The new generation of kids attending Degrassi faced different challenges that were once seen as taboo such as discrimination, sex, teen pregnancy, bullying, gender identity, date rape, drug abuse, mental health, self-image, sexuality, self-injury, suicide, abortion, domestic violence, death, racism and social media. Some students who were shown in Degrassi: The Next Generation came back for their final years at the high school before moving on to bigger, better things. Notable returning characters included Principal Archie “Snake” Simpson, Maya Matlin, Zoë Rivas, Grace Cardinal, Zigmund “Zig” Novak, Tristan Milligan, Miles Hollingsworth III, and Lola Pacini. The latest series also saw numerous newcomers to the school as well.

One student that was a brand new addition was Esme Song, played by Ginny & Georgia’s Chelsea Clark. She was mainly known for being a manipulative and thrill-seeking student at Degrassi, being characterized as a “master manipulator” who was bold, daring, and often a bad influence, but also a compelling and complex character. She was in the same class as Maya, Zig and Tristian, but the final weeks of school became too much for to bear that she was held back another year. We didn’t get to see her healing journey. We didn’t get a happy ending to her story. That in itself was truly, so heartbreaking. Some viewers found her to be insufferable, while others saw her as a compelling villain or an accurate portrayal of certain personality disorders. 

Personally, I saw Esme as being neither this nor that. She was truly just a troubled soul. The last thing she ever needed was to be in a relationship. What she truly needed instead was to work on herself and how she viewed her own self worth. Her most significant relationship in the series was the one she shared with Zig following him cheating on Maya with Zoe. She was previously linked to Miles, but he quickly realized how troubled she truly was after she pretended to self-harm to keep him, and he ended things with her and got himself out of her equation as soon as that realization was made.

Zig, on the other hand, wasn’t as lucky. He and Esmee were together for an entire year. They had a relationship that had a tumultuous, often toxic, dynamic characterized by Esme’s intense jealousy (especially of Maya), manipulation, and controlling behavior, leading to a complex portrayal of emotional abuse, though some fans felt it was a nuanced look at mental health struggles (like Esme’s possible BPD) and difficult pasts, ultimately ending with a violent confrontation where Esme pushed Zig, leading to their breakup and highlighting Zig’s need to prioritize himself over Esme’s volatile needs. To break it down more thoroughly:

Key Aspects of Their Relationship:

• Abusive Dynamics: Esme was often violent, manipulative, and possessive, constantly trying to control Zig and isolating him from friends like Maya, leading many viewers to identify it as an abusive relationship.

• Love Triangle: Their relationship was deeply intertwined with Maya Matlin, with Esme frequently acting out due to jealousy and fear that Zig would leave her for Maya.

• Esme’s Mental Health: Esme struggled with abandonment issues and possible Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), which fueled her erratic and dangerous actions, like faking an allergic reaction or trying to force a threesome with Frankie.

• Zig’s Role: Zig often defended Esme and tried to help her, even going to counseling with her, but eventually grew tired of her controlling behavior and the drama, especially after her violent outburst at prom.

• The Breakup: Their relationship ended after Esme’s intense reaction to Zig choosing to go to prom with Maya, culminating in her pushing Zig down a hill, which resulted in a serious injury and a definitive split. 

As a viewer of the show myself, I couldn’t help but wonder why THE FUCK Esme was the way she was and exactly what made her be that way. She was confident, but also completely broken inside. She’d done some real shady things. Not just to Zig or even Miles, but to others who tried to be nice and help her. We later learn that she’d witnessed her mom go through a severe depression, and that she was the one who’d found her body following her suite when she was still a child.

This in itself didn’t excuse her behaviour, but it certainly explained it. A parent’s suicide has profound and potentially lifelong effects on a child, significantly increasing the risk for mental health challenges, social difficulties, and even suicide later in life. The impact can manifest across various aspects of an individual’s development and adulthood. We saw all that in Esme. Not only did her mother commit suicide, but she found her body at a young age and couldn’t save her life. She’d felt betrayed by life itself. Having a parent commit suicide is a lifetime of pain. It’s one that sees years of suffering and psychological and effects, as well as impacts in adulthoodThese include:

Long-Term Psychological and Emotional Effects

• Increased Suicide Risk: Children who lose a parent to suicide are approximately three times more likely to die by suicide themselves compared to children with living parents. This heightened vulnerability may be due to a combination of genetic, environmental, and trauma-related factors.

• Mental Health Disorders: There is an increased risk of developing psychiatric conditions such as depression, anxiety disorders, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and bipolar disorder in adulthood.

• Complicated Grief: The unique nature of suicide, involving shock, a sense of “choice” rather than chance, and often traumatic circumstances, can lead to complicated grief that persists and interferes with daily functioning if left untreated.

• Guilt, Shame, and Self-Blame: Children often internalize feelings of blame, believing they could have prevented the death, and experience intense shame due to the social stigma surrounding suicide. These feelings can linger for a long time and affect self-esteem and identity.

• Rejection and Abandonment: The feeling of being intentionally abandoned by a primary caregiver can lead to a pervasive sense of rejection and difficulty forming secure attachments and trusting relationships later in life. 

Social and Functional Impacts in Adulthood

• Relationship Difficulties: Adults who experienced parental suicide as children may struggle with unstable personal relationships and a lack of trust in others, sometimes withdrawing socially to avoid potential abandonment.

• Academic and Occupational Challenges:The trauma and subsequent emotional distress can negatively impact a child’s academic performance, and in the long term, lead to diminished educational accomplishments, job satisfaction, and stable employment in adulthood.

• Substance Abuse: There are increased rates of alcohol and drug use, often as a maladaptive coping mechanism to numb the pain of the loss.

• Physical Health: The prolonged stress and potential for mental health issues can also contribute to poorer physical health outcomes and a higher risk of premature mortality from preventable causes like accidents or addiction.

• Anniversaries and Triggers: Painful reminders such as birthdays, holidays, or the anniversary of the death can trigger intense emotions even years later. 

Mitigating Factors

With appropriate support and intervention, many children demonstrate resilience and can navigate the grieving process to lead healthy, fulfilling lives. Key protective factors include: 

• Open, honest communication about the death in age-appropriate terms.

• A strong, supportive relationship with the surviving caregiver or other trusted adults.

• Professional help, such as individual or family therapy and support groups, which can provide a safe space to process complex emotions and combat isolation.

• Early identification and intervention for children at high risk of mental health issues is paramount to preventing long-term negative outcomes. 

Clark’s portrayal of Esme was absolutely phenomenal. Perhaps it was at its peak in season 4, which is mostly likely why it was my favourite part of the entire Degrassi franchise. Her raw energy all throughout was sensational. I couldn’t help but feel every single moment of hers. The thing about her was that she was never a bad person. She was a flawed person; a misunderstood person; an emotionally damaged person. It wasn’t all in her control. Even those who hated the character itself often praised Clark for her phenomenal talent in playing such a difficult and complex role convincingly. I think most of the people watching Degrassi who didn’t like Esme didn’t really understand her depth.

Esme served as Degrassi’s most realistic and uncut depictions of a character suffering from significant, untreated mental illness. But more so, Esme served a realistic portrayal of a mistreated mental illness and what it can do to not only the ones struggling with a mental illness, but their loved ones too. Say what you want about his shitty treatment of Maya, but he was a good boyfriend to Esme. In losing Maya, he became a much better person than he himself expected. He became an empath and a better version of himself. He’d previously cheated on multiple girlfriends; and he was known to blame on each of them to cover his own insecurities. Particularly in his relationship with Maya, he acted as if he’d owned her.

But not with Esme. Zig was the only person in her life that truly believed in her and the person she could be. Others saw her as a troubled, manipulative, and often unlikable antagonist. Classmates who were less aware of the extent of her issues dismissed her as a “messed up druggie” who had problems, but whose issues seemed manageable on the surface. The thing about Esme is that She’s confident, knows what she wants, and isn’t afraid to manipulate others in order to get it, no matter who it hurts. These antics were rooted in her desperate need for attention, so when things didn’t go according to her plan, Esme lashes out irrationally. When it came to her relationship with Zig, Esme exhibited possessive and manipulative behavior, fueled by jealousy over Zig’s friendship with Maya. After Esme faked an anaphylactic shock, Zig broke up with her. He ultimately chose to go to prom with Maya.

In order to keep Zig, Esme initiated a thruple with Frankie. That way, Esme felt more in control. But it led to even more conflict, which then led to more trouble. After falling out with Frankie at a camping trip, Esme abandoned Frankie in the woods, forcing Frankie to find her way back. In the aftermath of her abandoning Frankie and taking a bee sting, Zig broke up with her. He couldn’t handle being with her anymore. He couldn’t continue defending her to his friends anymore and pretend like everything was fine between them when they obviously weren’t. She needed the kind of help that Zig couldn’t give her; not anymore.

Breaking up with Esme was probably the best thing Zig could’ve done. Esme, however, didn’t see it that way. She didn’t take the breakup too well. Following the breakup, she began to stalk Zig; harass him. She couldn’t handle the fact that she wasn’t in control anymore. This very fact led to further emotional breakdowns and hospitalizations as she struggled to cope with losing Zig and her control. After he didn’t answer any of her texts or calls, Esme went to prom to see Zig. When she saw him dancing with Maya, she went into complete rage. She was at a breaking point and pushed him off a cliff. She knew he wouldn’t forgive her after that, but even then, at his graduation at school the following day, she showed up with a motorcycle, begging him to forgive her. When he still refused, she began to hit him. Help was called in and teacher came to stop the situation from escalating further. Esme, feeling defeated and unable to speak, broke down in tears.

That was the last we saw Esme, and honestly, it was a complete and utter disservice; a disgrace, more like. We saw that both Zig and Maya get their ‘happy ending’. Whether they were back together romantically or just friends was left open-ended, but nevertheless, they were both in a good place. Maya was in a healthy place following a severe case of depression and anxiety following the bus crash that almost claimed Tristian’s life, which led to a suicide attempt. She allowed Zig back into her life, and whether it was as a friend or a boyfriend didn’t really matter. The series concluded with them together, driving off, suggesting a positive future for the couple after all their trials. Executive Producer Stephen Stohn confirmed they were “endgame,” meaning they were meant to be together by the end of the series.

Personally, in my mind, I’d like to think that Zig and Maya DIDN’T get back together. The two had a long, complicated history together. They met in middle school and were best friends before developing romantic feelings. Their journey included many challenges even before they became an official couple, including the suicide of Maya’s boyfriend, Cam. I wholeheartedly believe that the two of them should’ve moved on from each other. Sometimes it’s okay for two people to not get back together after a breakup. Sometimes it’s okay for two people to agree that they weren’t right for one another but still be in each other’s lives as friends. And I’m not the only one who thinks so. Many fans feel their platonic relationship offered more positive support than their romantic one. They were bandmates in WhisperHug and often were there for each other in non-romantic capacities, such as when Zig supported Maya after her suicide attempt. As friends, they provided genuine care and a positive influence on each other, especially when Zig was getting out of gang involvement. The constant drama and emotional turmoil of their relationship overshadowed any positive aspects, leading to the conclusion that they functioned better and were more supportive in a platonic capacity.

While Maya’s ending was clear and compelling, Esme’s wasn’t. Her story lacked a full, on-screen resolution, as Next Class ended before fully exploring her recovery or future beyond her destructive cycle, leaving her fate open-ended, and I wish it wasn’t. It deserved more; a lot more. Some fans of the Degrassi franchise have suggested that following the finale, Esme began therapy, worked on apologizing to Miles, Zig, and Maya, and was trying to rebuild her life, finding some forgiveness from others.

Healing depression after a mental breakdown involves professional therapy (like CBT), lifestyle changes (exercise, diet, sleep), stress management (mindfulness, relaxation), and building support systems, focusing on identifying triggers, developing coping skills, challenging negative thoughts, and regaining control through small, manageable steps, while recognizing that combining therapy with medication often works best. To break it down more thoroughly:

Professional Support

• Psychotherapy (Talk Therapy): Essential for addressing root causes, learning coping strategies, changing negative patterns (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Interpersonal Therapy), and processing trauma.

• Medication: A mental health professional might recommend medications to help manage symptoms alongside therapy. 

Lifestyle & Self-Care

• Exercise: Regular, moderate activity (like brisk walking) boosts mood and reduces isolation.

• Nutrition & Hydration: Eat well-balanced meals and drink plenty of water; avoid excessive caffeine, alcohol, and drugs.

• Sleep Hygiene: Establish consistent sleep habits.

• Mindfulness & Relaxation: Practice deep breathing, meditation, yoga, or progressive muscle relaxation to calm your nervous system. 

Daily Strategies

• Structure Your Day: Create to-do lists, set priorities, and take short breaks to build a sense of accomplishment and control.

• Gentle Activities: Engage in enjoyable activities, even if briefly, like listening to music, gardening, or helping others.

• Limit Negative Influences: Reduce exposure to stressors and avoid using substances to self-medicate. 

Healing is a process of small, consistent steps, focusing on building resilience and healthy coping mechanisms over time. The journey to getting better looks different for everyone. What works for one person might not work for another, and vice versa. In my own experience, for instance, therapy didn’t work. What works for ms is daily exercise, healthy, nutrition, and the intake of antidepressants. I’m not ashamed to say this whatsoever. On the contrary, I’m proud to say it. I’m proud of my progress. It took me a long time to get myself to healthier place, but I did it – in my own time and my own way. I found it after my own case of a mental breakdown that almost cost me my marriage.

We got to see that Maya’s healing journey involved therapy, music, as well as the support of her family and friends. We didn’t get to see any of that in Esme’s story. We only got to understand why she was the way she was. We got to get a full picture of her past, but not her future. And THAT is the real tragedy of Esme’s time on Degrassi. We got to see her be the villain and the “problem” in everyone else’s story, but we didn’t get to see her face her mental illness face-to-face like Maya did. Esme deserved to win the same way Maya did, if not more. Instead of being known to be a sociopath and a psychopath by her peers, we deserved to see the good, funny, sarcastic, empathetic side of her that only few, if any at all, got to see. In fact, I’d say we DESERVED to see it. Not only that it’s for the fact that we deserved to see a different side of her, but in that we deserved to see different ways of healing through trauma and depression; one that’s different than Maya’s or any other characters on the show rather than just vilifying her and forgetting about her.

In my head, as an alternate Esme Song redemption arc, she’s thriving. She begins to fully work on herself following her mental breakdown at school. She rebuilds the connection she shared with Frankie. They’re not as close, of course, but at least they’re civil and on good terms. They don’t see each other that often because seeing Frankie can be a trigger for Esme, and that’s something she recognizes fully. She focuses on her school and hobbies. She goes to counselling. She makes new connections and friendships with people who don’t know of her past; those who didn’t see her at her worst. She never sees Zig again and doesn’t communicate with him. She stays single for a while following her breakup with Zig because she knows she needs to work on herself first, and exactly when she’s ready to let someone in her life, she meets that person who’s fully there to accept her and support her. She embraces the new version of her as someone who’s WILLING to do better and be better every single day of the rest of her life… The End.