The app Red Rose starts as a deadly force, driving Bolton teen Alyssa to her death in the opening moments. After this tragic event, the same app torments Rochelle six months later. But how did this dangerous app make its way into the hands of innocent teens?
In the finale, we learn that Jacob, a classmate of Rochelle’s, created the app. He also set up a Red Room for his virtual friends, hoping to impress his crush, Alyssa. By manipulating the app’s code, Jacob gained access to Alyssa’s life—her house’s speakers and phone camera.
The Red Rose app starts with love but ends in tragedy (Photo: Red Rose/Eleven in collaboration with eOne)His goal was to win her affection. However, when things went wrong, he handed control over to someone he thought was a friend, who was the malevolent Gardener. The Gardener then took charge of Red Rose, using it to torment unsuspecting teens, with Alyssa becoming its first victim.
This plot highlights the dangers of technology being misused, something that show creators Michael and Paul Clarkson discuss. According to Paul, “We live in an age now where a lot of the issues of society can be solved with technology, and yet a lot of issues in society are being caused by technology.”
Jacob’s actions reflect this misapplication, showing how easily technology can be turned to malicious purposes.
Michael elaborates, saying that technology often mirrors a person’s emotional state, pointing out, “If you’re scrolling all the time and looking online to fill the void that you can’t fill – that’s when you’ve got an issue.”
Who is the Gardener?
After discovering who created Red Rose, the next burning question is: Who is the Gardener, and why is this figure targeting teenagers? Initially, viewers are led to believe Simon, Wren’s mother’s boyfriend, is behind the app’s havoc when he aggressively chases Wren.
But after Simon dies, it’s clear that he was merely another victim of the true Gardener. In the final episode, “The Gardener,” the show seems to reveal the villain’s identity when Wren confronts the person who kidnapped her father. She kills the kidnapper, and all seems resolved.
What begins as a teenage obsession becomes a tech-fueled horror (Photo: Red Rose/Eleven in collaboration with eOne)However, just before the series ends, a mysterious woman approaches Jaya, hinting that she may be the true Gardener. She explains that she wanted to see how far she could push people. Though the teens destroyed the app, she cryptically remarks, “You can’t destroy an idea,” as Oasis’ The Masterplan plays in the background.
With all these twists and turns about the Gardener’s identity, Michael and Paul Clarkson provide clarity. “Who is the real Gardener? We’re the real Gardener,” Michael reveals.
Paul adds that the show is “quite meta,” with them being from Bolton, creating a show about people from Bolton being exploited for the entertainment of others. He continues, “Technically, everyone who’s now seen this show is a member of the Red Room.”
This, they say, emphasizes the show’s underlying message: Red Rose is about how those in power often manipulate the vulnerable for their own amusement, and how it’s time for the underdog to fight back.
Paul agrees with this interpretation, suggesting that the series not only serves as a warning about online life but also highlights the power of faceless figures who remain detached from the people they control.
How Does Rochelle Die?
Rochelle’s unexpected death in episode two left viewers shaken, and for much of the series, there was doubt whether she took her own life or was killed by someone connected to the Red Room. The final episode clears up this mystery for good. Wren watches footage from the moments leading up to Rochelle’s death.
Although the clip plays off-screen, it confirms that Rochelle was murdered, proving Wren’s suspicions correct all along.
