Rivers of Fate (Pssica), a four-part series filmed in Pará and adapted from Edyr Augusto’s novel, depicts three interwoven narratives set against the violent backdrop of the Amazon’s waterways. Janalice (Domithila Catete), a 15-year-old whose personal life becomes public, is exposed to exploitation and ultimately caught in a human trafficking network. Preá (Lucas Galvino), compelled to lead a group of river pirates, faces internal conflicts while trying to reconcile his role with his moral compass. Mariangel (Marleyda Soto), a Colombian woman, seeks retribution after her husband and child are killed by the same gang.
From its outset, the series illustrates how various paths converge to ensnare individuals in cycles of violence. The climax unites these threads in a confrontation that seals the ultimate destiny of each primary character.
The story’s beginning
The narrative commences with Janalice at school, where a leaked intimate video results in ostracization from her peers and indifference from her parents. Sent to reside with her aunt, she endures abuse from the aunt’s boyfriend and forms friendships with Dionete and Miltinho, who reveals his sister Luzia was previously abducted. This context establishes Janalice’s vulnerability and foreshadows her entanglement in trafficking.
In a parallel plotline, Preá assumes leadership of the criminal group that uses jet-skis to assault boats along the rivers. His authority is challenged by Gigante, creating internal tension within the group. Meanwhile, Mariangel’s existence is shattered when her husband and child are murdered during one of the gang’s assaults. Seeking justice, she turns to law enforcement, but official channels fail to act, leaving her no option but to pursue vengeance independently.
Janalice’s abduction
Events intensify when Janalice calls her father to report the abuse at her aunt’s residence, but receives no assistance. Later that night, she is attacked again and, while attempting to escape, is kidnapped by Preá’s gang. Although he develops compassion for her, Preá is unable to prevent her delivery to trafficker Zé Elídio.
At Zé Elídio’s compound, Janalice and other girls are subjected to assault before being handed over to Philippe Soutin, who arranges their auction during the mayor’s birthday celebration. This marks the pivotal point where Janalice’s journey fully intersects with the world of organized trafficking.
Mariangel’s pursuit of justice
Still grieving her family, Mariangel decides to take matters into her own hands to dismantle the gang. Her path crosses with police officer Amadeu, who is investigating Janalice’s disappearance. Their alliance provides Mariangel with crucial clues, and together they close in on the traffickers’ operations.
As Mariangel’s vendetta intensifies, she systematically eliminates those connected to her family’s death and Janalice’s captivity. Tabaco becomes her first casualty, followed by Gigante, whose rivalry with Preá had been destabilizing the gang. These killings signify Mariangel’s transformation from grieving widow to active agent of retribution, pushing her closer to the heart of the conflict.
The progression to the auction
With the auction drawing near, various strategies emerge. Preá accumulates sufficient funds to attempt purchasing Janalice out of captivity, viewing this as his sole means to rescue her. Mariangel enlists a former associate to infiltrate the event and place winning bids as part of her scheme to secure the girl’s freedom.
Despite these endeavors, Janalice alters the outcome through her own actions. During the event, she overpowers Crisotbal, seizes his money, and escapes before either Preá’s or Mariangel’s plans can materialize. Her escape disrupts the elaborate schemes surrounding her and reasserts her autonomy within the narrative.
The ultimate confrontation
While on the run, Janalice encounters Preá. He insists on taking her away, but their interaction is interrupted by the arrival of Philippe Soutin. A standoff ensues, concluding with both men shooting each other. Their deaths signify the collapse of two opposing forces: one pursuing power through trafficking, the other seeking redemption while still embroiled in criminality.
Mariangel arrives shortly after the confrontation and escorts Janalice to safety. She takes her back to her mother’s home, but Janalice opts not to remain there. Instead, she chooses to stay with Mariangel, marking a definitive separation from her family environment and indicating a new phase in her life.
The significance of the conclusion
The ending highlights how each character’s journey culminates. Preá’s demise illustrates the futility of redemption while remaining connected to the criminal underworld. Philippe’s downfall represents the removal of one component in the trafficking chain, though the broader system persists. Mariangel’s transformation from victim to avenger and then to protector completes her arc, as she redirects her quest for justice into the guardianship of Janalice.
For Janalice, the conclusion signifies not only survival but a deliberate choice to depart from neglect and abuse. Her decision to stay with Mariangel reflects a search for stability outside of her fragmented family and underscores the series’ wider message: in a setting dominated by exploitation and dysfunctional institutions, survival often relies on forming unexpected partnerships.