Who ends up with who in Elite season 4? All the romantic relationships in the Netflix show

There are the intense romantic relationships for a start. Hedonistic parties range from a towel theme (yes, you just wear a towel) to fancy balls in the new eight episodes, and a gay nightclub gets added to the mix. These events and locations inspire passionate entanglements, arguments, and complicated dynamics.

The arrival of siblings Ari (Carla Díaz), Patrick (Manu Rios) and Mencía (Martina Cariddi), and Prince Phillipe (Pol Granch) has a major impact on the returning characters, with new couples emerging, friendships breaking down and plenty of angst to explore across the explosive season. It's hard to keep up with all the different pairings (and in some cases threesomes) on Elite so we have made it easier for you!

Here are the major relationships and the changes in status throughout the season. Every series of Elite is somehow raunchier than the year before, and this year sets a new bar!

Samuel, Guzmán and Ari

At the start of season four, Guzmán (Miguel Bernardeau) is in a long-distance relationship with Nadia (Mina El Hammani), who is studying in New York City — justice for Guzmán's ex Lu (Danna Paola) who is meant to be with Nadia in NYC and doesn't get a mention. In the Elite Short, the pair had a fraught experience and this continues in "The New Order."

It all comes to a head when Nadia video calls Guzmán while he is drunk at Samu's (Itzan Escamilla) and they get into another argument. After seeing Samu and Ari heading into his bedroom, a jealous Guzmán breaks up with Nadia so he can pursue someone closer to home. He has already been on a date with Ari, but that was part of a ruse to get her father to go easy on Samu and Omar (Omar Ayuso) to save their scholarship status. When she finds out the truth she is angry, but soon forgives Guzmán, and attends Phillipe's ball on Guzmán's arm. Samu is working at the bar at this event and the tension is palpable.

In the past, Guzmán and Samu were bitter enemies, but have since buried the hatchet. However their interest in Ari threatens this friendship. Guzmán acts like a brat around Samu, and uses his financial status to berate him. While Ari exhibits snobbish behaviour, it is clear she is into Samu beyond that drunken one nightstand. They are on the debate team together and Ari shares her painful history — her mother died in a car crash when she was looking for her sister the night she ran away.

Ari starts sleeping with both guys and cannot decide who she wants to be with, so she calls them both to dinner at the Lake Club. This is not going to be another thrupple situation and at the New Year's Eve party she appears to choose Samu. But tragedy befalls her, and he doesn't find out about the message she sent until the police tell him.

Luckily, she pulls through (Guzmán goes to see her in the hospital to say goodbye after the matter has been resolved) and he fixes his friendship with Samu (it helps form a bond when you cover up a murder). Guzmán chooses to go travelling with Ander at the end of the season, so does this mean smooth sailing ahead for Ari and Samu? Probably not.

Ander, Omar and Patrick

Omar chose not to go to New York with his sister so he could stay with Ander, no matter what his medical results were. The good news was that Ander (Arón Piper) was in remission and as the Elite Shorts revealed, Ander then decided to forgo travelling so he could do his final year at school with his boyfriend.

Patrick's arrival has a big impact on this couple, and there is heat between the new classmate and Ander from their first encounter in the shower. Light flirting over scars leads to comments about their sexual orientation and Patrick thinks he has lucked out before Omar shows up. Patrick persists and claims he always gets what he wants. His plan begins when he introduces Ander to the Madrid gay club scene. Some light groping follows before Ander stops it from going further, but he does suggest a threesome to Omar.

At the towel party, the trio gets it on but Omar wants it to be a one-time thing. Jealousy has a major impact and after Omar finds out that Ander slept with Patrick at the nightclub (after the threesome), he sees a text that is meant for Ander and goes to the room Patrick is waiting in. Here, he asserts some dominance and levels the playing field by also sleeping with Patrick. The problem is Omar thinks he now has feelings for Patrick and there is a lot of angst when Ander breaks up with Omar.

Patrick thinks Ander is now with him, but Ander just sees this relationship as casual sex and has been hooking up with other people. Patrick's anger bubbles, and in an act that was meant to put distance between Omar and Ander, it actually has the opposite effect and they reunite — he video calls Omar while confronting him about their dynamic.

Ander postpones his travel plans for a second time, but on New Year's Eve Omar convinces him he should go and he will wait for him (but they can hook up with other people in the meantime). They are the only couple happy when the clock counts down to midnight and there is still hope for them in the future.

Mencía and Rebeka

Rebe had her heartbroken by Samu and is not in a place to trust people, which is why she finds it hard to commit to Mencía when the new girl kisses her — this is also her first relationship with a woman. There is palpable chemistry, but after Rebe doesn't show up to meet Mencía at the bar, an attractive older guy pays for her drinks and a one-night stand follows. But Armando (Andrés Velencoso) thinks she is a sex worker and has left money for her. He treats her to lavish gifts and nights out, which is how she encountered Rebe's drug dealer mother (she claims she has given this illegal business up but she hasn't).

Trying to embrace this new relationship with Rebe is made impossible when Rebe's mother finds out who her daughter is sleeping with. She quits hooking up with Armando, and everything with Rebe is full steam (including a scene with a lot of chocolate) ahead. However, his nice-guy mask soon drops and he blackmails her. He threatens to ruin her life and Rebe thinks she has voluntarily gone back to sleeping with Armando.

It is all very fraught and Rebe risks any future with Mencía when she tells Ari about what has really been going on. This is when she spots Mencía arguing with Armando after he shows up uninvited to the New Year's Eve party. Rebe attacks Armando and the pair run off. Armando violently assaults Ari after she threatens to destroy his life.

It is unclear whether Rebe and Mencía are back together now that Armando is out of the picture, but Rebe has a big secret of her own, as she knows where Armando is. Mencía tells Ari she is terrified he will show up and Rebe can put her mind at ease with what she knows, however, she will be risking not only hers but Samu and Guzmán's future if she does.

• For the latest news and expert tips on getting the best deals this year, take a look at our Black Friday 2021 and Cyber Monday 2021 guides.

Cayetana and Phillipe

First, she was involved in a thrupple with a murderer and a drug dealer, and now Cayetana (Georgina Amorós) is romantically involved with a prince. This is quite the upgrade, but Prince Phillipe is not all that he seems and this fairy tale romance is too good to be true. After putting up with comments about being a janitor from the likes of Ari, Cayetana is stunned that Phillipe is into her, and they sleep together the night of the towel party in one of the raunchiest episodes of Elite (and that's a high bar). She is furious to discover Phillipe videoed them having sex without her consent and she cannot trust him. He explains this is necessary as a girl accused him of sexual assault and this is the only way he can prove his innocence.

Cayetana tries to go with the friendship approach, but in the back of his limo, a drunken Phillipe claims he misread the signs when he was kissing her. She points out that she said to stop repeatedly and only got away when she got out of the car — she realises that the other girl wasn't lying. Despite being offered the opportunity to flourish as a fashion designer (her dream job), she refuses to be part of the campaign to clean up his image and chooses to go to the party alone. Ari commissions her to design and make her a dress, which gets attention before the crime that occurs at midnight. Cayetana cannot be bought and her past desire to make it in this world no matter what it takes is no longer a factor. For the second season in a row she is single, and this time her ex is still breathing.

Seasons one to four of Elite are available on Netflix. Looking for something else to watch? Check out our guide to the best series on Netflix and best movies on Netflix, visit our TV Guide, or take a look at the rest of our Drama coverage.