Seeing Samira Wiley in new roles on You're the Worst and The Handmaid's Tale has made it easier to deal with Poussey's death on Orange is the New Black, but the show's fifth season is honoring the character's memory in a few ways. There are spoilers for Orange is the New Black Season 5 ahead, you have officially been warned. Surprise! Poussey is in Orange is the New Black Season 5 after all, in one of Taystee's flashbacks.
The scene, which is only a tiny moment, shows Taystee and Poussey meeting for the first time. They meet doing those rich white lady impressions that became a major inside joke between the two friends, which is perfect. This was the origin of Amanda and McKenzie. It's definitely a scene that we haven't seen before on Orange is the New Black. Taystee is wearing an orange jumpsuit, having just arrived at Litchfield. It establishes that one of Poussey's favorite books is Alice in Wonderland, which was touched upon in Season 2, Episode 2, "You Also Get A Pizza."
It's really a treat, because as far as fans know, this wasn't happening. In an interview with Bustle in June 2016, Wiley described her last day on set in Season 4 with an air of finality. "I had to say goodbye to the set," she said. "I had to say goodbye to wearing those clothes for the last time. They let me take my clothes home, which was really nice."
Is she a Jon Snow-level liar? I'll give Wiley the benefit of the doubt. It's possible that this scene was shot while they were filming Season 4 as a sort of secret goodbye. I can see her and Danielle Brooks sticking around to do one last scene together in 2015. It might even be a deleted scene from another episode, like "You Also Get A Pizza," which also featured Poussey's love of Alice in Wonderland.
However, Wiley's hair in the Season 5 scene is just a little bit longer than we're used to seeing on Poussey, though her 'do did vary a bit from season to season. She's looking more like Moira on The Handmaid's Tale if you ask me. I'm not 100 percent convinced that Orange is the New Black didn't pull a fast one on fans and sneak the actor in for this Season 5 scene.
Taystee is someone who has always longed for a family, and while it was nice to see this last Poussey moment on Orange is the New Black – the scene is ultimately bittersweet because it just goes to show that Taystee has lost the closest thing she ever had to a family once again. It's nice to have that added bit of closure, and it's nice to see how Poussey lives on at Litchfield, but the cute and funny scene is still deeply sad.
