Summary

• Ethan and Olivia's divorce allowed Ethan to reconnect with his family and find .
• Ethan and Olivia's marriage prevented Ethan from finding himself and experiencing life independently.
• Ethan's divorce presents an opportunity for him to grow, find happiness, and pursue new ions.

Ethan Plath’s divorce from Olivia Plath may be the best thing that ever happened to him. After years of struggling, Ethan and Olivia, both 26, divorced at the end of Welcome To Plathville season 5. As season 6 begins, Ethan is depressed over the end of his marriage and second-guessing whether they can make it work. Olivia is clearly ready to move on, and Ethan would benefit from doing the same.

Ethan and Olivia married young, and their marriage was plagued by drama surrounding Ethan’s parents, Kim Plath and Barry Plath. Kim and Barry raised their children in an ultra-conservative, religious environment. Olivia had been raised in a fundamentalist household herself. Marriage allowed Ethan and Olivia to seek independence from their families, but their personality clashes and disagreements about their future outweighed their shared history.

Ethan Never Had The Opportunity To Find Himself

Ethan Got Married Before He Had Experienced Life On His Own

Ethan married Olivia in 2018 when he was only 20 years old. As the oldest of the Plath family’s nine children, Ethan had little worldly experience outside the family’s farm in Cairo, Georgia. Ethan and his siblings were homeschooled, and they only socialized with other conservative families. They were discouraged from using technology. Olivia was Ethan’s first relationship, and getting married at such a young age did not allow him time to discover who he was as an individual.

In Welcome To Plathville season 1, Ethan was still discovering simple pleasures like drinking soda. He had little knowledge of sex or pop culture. Ethan shared all of his new experiences with Olivia, which framed his exploration of the outside world. Ethan’s marriage to Olivia freed him from his restrictive upbringing, but it also meant he never had the chance to live on his own.

Ethan And Olivia’s Marriage Was Unhealthy

They Each Grew In Different Directions, Which Created Resentment

Ethan and Olivia bonded over their desire to leave the strict rules of their families behind. Their marriage allowed them to live independently, and at times, they acted like two children playing house. However, Ethan and Olivia soon disagreed about what their future together looked like.

Although Ethan and Olivia were both processing their conservative upbringings, they had very different approaches to healing. Olivia wanted to analyze and deconstruct her experiences, while Ethan was simply interested in living without restrictions. As a photographer, Olivia sought out travel and adventure, while Ethan was a homebody. He enjoyed simple pleasures and childish jokes, which Olivia did not always appreciate. Ethan and Olivia’s diverging paths led to a separation early in their marriage, and despite reconciling, they never fully recovered.

The final blow to Ethan and Olivia’s marriage was their disagreement about raising a family. As Olivia continued on her path of growth, her values began to conflict with Ethan’s. He expressed reservations about having children with somebody whose beliefs did not align with his own, which Olivia viewed as an ultimatum. Because they married so young, Ethan and Olivia’s growth trajectories quickly became incompatible. When they realized neither was willing to compromise, they were finally able to let go of their resentment.

Ethan’s Divorce Allowed Him To Reconnect With His Family

Olivia Had Discouraged Ethan’s Relationship With His Parents

Ethan’s relationship with his family was a source of conflict in his marriage. Olivia was deeply hurt by some of Kim’s actions toward her and Ethan, and she refused to have a relationship with Ethan’s parents. Ethan respected his wife’s wishes, and he distanced himself from his parents, which also required him not to see his younger siblings. However, it seemed that nothing was good enough for Olivia. She continued to hold on to her anger toward the Plath family. Eventually, Olivia's once-close relationships with Ethan’s siblings, Micah Plath and Moriah Plath, also fell apart.

As Ethan’s marriage neared its end, he began to reconnect with his family. In Welcome To Plathville season 5, Ethan ed his father and siblings for a vacation in California, even sitting down with Moriah to resolve their differences. Following his split from Olivia in season 6, Ethan opened up to Barry about his difficulty processing the end of his marriage. Barry was able to offer Ethan , as Barry was in a similar position amid his divorce from Kim. Ethan also met with Kim and his younger sisters for the first time in years, with Kim breaking into tears upon receiving a hug from her oldest son.

Ethan Will Be Forced To Grow Up And Find Himself To Move On From Olivia

Single Life Will Allow Ethan To Discover What Makes Him Happy

As Ethan recovers from his heartbreak, he is exploring new ions and hobbies. He ed his father and brothers at the gym, which would have been unimaginable in the show’s early seasons. Ethan broke out his guitar and played a heartfelt song inspired by his divorce, hinting that his musical upbringing may provide a coping mechanism. Ethan will also now have more time to spend on his hobby of working on cars, something that often caused friction in his marriage.

Most importantly, Ethan’s divorce will force him to discover what makes him happy. He can pursue a new relationship that is based upon shared values, unlike his marriage to Olivia, which often seemed like a means to escape his parents’ house. Ethan is a playful, free-spirited person, and he deserves to find a partner who encourages those traits.

Ethan’s journey, as he moves on from his marriage to Olivia, promises to make Welcome To Plathville season 6 one of his new beginnings. Viewers have never seen Ethan single or enjoy a close bond with his family. As the Plath family continues to evolve, Ethan’s divorce allows him the opportunity to finally find true happiness.

Welcome To Plathville is available to stream on Discovery+