What Happened To Bibi In Women Of The Night?

Netflix’s Dutch crime drama Women of the Night, originally known as Keizersvrouwen, is a window into Amsterdam’s world of legalized prostitution. The show’s provocative title lives up to its name as the 10-part mini-series covers the stories of various women associated with Amsterdam’s elite escort culture.

But the one woman whose story captured the imaginations of the fans was Bibi. As Bliss Escort Agency’s latest recruit, Bibi finds herself in a whole new world while on a break from her punishing piano training. Bibi’s towering height contrasted her naivety well, making her the poster girl for disasters in the making.

Throughout the show, we keep expecting in vain for something bad to happen to Bibi. But when it actually does, it is nothing short of a bomb drop.

In Episode 10, Bibi decides to give up escort work to live with an old art enthusiast who had hired her services. Bibi’s decision comes as a surprise because we are half-expecting the old man to abuse her in some way, but he doesn’t. She probably leaves of her own free will.

1. How Does Bibi Become An Escort?

Bibi enters Women of the Night mid-season as a piano player who is fed up with her demanding mother-cum-music trainer. It is Anne, a new recruit herself, who invites Bibi to a party along with a client. Anne does so without any intention of recruiting Bibi. She simply wishes for Bibi to blow off some steam and relax.

What Happened To Bibi In Women Of The Night?
Bibi Standbergen | Source: IMDb

However, the pub they all visit lifts up Bibi’s spirit. She realizes that Anne is an escort and has a great time dancing. Cut to Bibi sitting down at her piano, reminiscing the previous night. She is obviously fascinated by Anne and her life. Soon after, we find Bibi contacting Xandra, Anne’s boss, to become an escort.

As the youngest recruit, Bibi stands out among the seasoned women of Bliss. Her first client is none other than the corrupt government servant from Mayor’s office, Cees DeWolf. But the experience turns out to be a sour one after Cees has a dysfunction.

2. Who Is The Old Man Who Hires Bibi?

Towards the end of season 1, Bliss gets a rich new client who is willing to pay handsomely but has a condition. The girls are required to join him on his private estate on an island. He even arranges for a private aircraft for them to get to the island.

At the time, Bliss’ manager Xandra was busy rescuing her daughter Lulu from her monstrous mother Sylvia. So Christine is asked to replace Xandra as the manager.

Anne and Bibi are selected for the client and the young ones set out for the shark’s den. They enjoy the five-star treatment and even joke about the client’s insecurity for having such a huge property to just invite escorts. Things take a turn for the dark when they discover the identity of this mysterious client.

Staring down at the girls while they sunbathe by the pool is none other than Mattel, the elderly art collector we met earlier in the season. Mattel was introduced by Marina, the agent hiring Bliss, as “a man of peculiar tastes”.

True to his image, Mattel asks for all the girls to be lined up at the exhibition and singles out Bibi for his chief guest. Anne develops an instant dislike for Mattel while Bibi is simply amused.

Later in the episode when Mattel is entertaining his chief guest, Bibi is asked to perform with three other men. Everything goes smoothly except for a moment when Mattel notices Bibi’s unease during the act and has a weird expression. Was he worried or turned on is hard to point out.

Then Bibi goes back to faking a smile and the scene ends on that mysterious note.

3. Is Bibi Hurt By Her Client?

In Episode 10, after seeing Mattel at the estate, the girls are taken by surprise. Anne is immediately put off and refuses to work with him, much to Christine’s chagrin.

However, Bibi is up for the task and ‘accepts danger’. With Anne sitting this one out, Christine takes Bibi to the old man’s bedroom. Christine is immediately asked to leave and Bibi is left alone with Mattel.

Back to their room, Anne and Christine are unsure of leaving Bibi alone and call Xandra for help. Caught between a rock and hard place, Xandra is infuriated at Christine and asks her to not mess it up. She also confirms that Mattel is weird but safe. The scene cuts to Mattel releasing his pet dog before returning to Xandra.

The next morning, we see Bibi weeping in front of a toilet mirror, her hair wet from a shower, and wrapped in a towel. A fully dressed Mattel comes up behind her and asks her to stay. She agrees.

Bibi did not seem to be physically hurt after the night with Mattel but she was crying. The scene leaves everyone understandably confused and scared. What happened on that intervening night? What did Mattel releasing the dog mean? Was Bibi in danger?

What Happened To Bibi In Women Of The Night?
Bibi Stanbergen (2nd From The Right) | Source: IMDb

When Anne and Christine come to know that Bibi was not returning with them and staying back, they are just as confused. Anne approaches Bibi at the breakfast table and the dog is seen again, seated next to Bibi’s stool. In a fit of anger at Anne’s questions, Bibi shouts that she did not want to be an escort anymore and was quitting. Anne leaves and that is the last we see of Bibi.

Was this a set up for the next season of Women of the Night? Or was Bibi’s story concluded with her statement of not wanting to be an escort anymore? Only a second season can answer these questions.

What do you think? Is Bibi okay? Will she return in Season 2?

4. About Women Of The Night

Netflix’s Dutch crime drama Women of the Night, aka Keizersvrouwen, is based on the legalized prostitution business of Amsterdam. It follows the Keizer women whose matriarch Sylvia runs an underworld don, her daughter Xandra was a former escort and now lives a sanitized life as the wife of a government servant struggling to raise her own rebellious daughter Lulu.

It all starts when Xandra meets an old client from her escort years at her husband’s promotion party. Soon after, her old friend asks for help organizing an event for the Bliss escort agency.  

Unable to resists the charms of her old world, Xandra is pulled right back and finds herself surprisingly adept at managing men’s desires even after so many years. Things go awry when her friend is killed for being a government mole and Xandra has to take over her escort agency.

Vansh Gulati

Vansh Gulati

Meet our very own Hinata Shoyo! - There is no anime or manga that he’s not aware of. Also the go-to guy for all things Epic at EML. He’s on a journey to discover life one bottle of sake at a time!
Ps...anime is not a cartoon!

Comments

Leave a Reply