Top 5 “Orange Is the New Black” Backstories

Samira Wiley as Poussey Washington in Orange Is the New Black. Photo by JoJo Whilden/Netflix

There are lots of reasons why we love the Netflix original show Orange Is the New Black and the flashbacks to the pre-prison past of our favorite characters from the show is one of them. Some of them are sad, some are surprising, but almost all of them offer a new perspective on characters you thought you knew, but really didn’t. Here are five of the best.

Red’s rebellion, Season 5

We got quite a few glimpses of Red’s life in America before prison in the earlier seasons of OINTB. In the latest season, however, we learn a bit about her life in Russia and how she was part of an underground rebellion against Russia’s oppression of alternative Western culture. We love young, feisty and passionate Red.

Lorna’s obsession, Season 2

Lorna’s backstory is memorable because it made us totally rethink how we saw Lorna. Prior to the episode, we sympathized with a loved up Lorna, fantasizing about her fiance on the outside, Christopher. Her backstory reveals not a love story, however, but the truth that she is actually in prison for her obsessive stalking of Christopher. She went from sweet to psycho in under an hour, and we ended up loving her even more.

Poussey’s last night in NYC, Season 4

The scenes of Poussey’s last night in NYC after she loses her friends and finds herself in a crazy club before riding on the back of a monk’s bicycle are bittersweet. It made us smile watching one the show’s favorite characters caught up in the wonder of New York City, but made our hearts sink when we remembered her unjust fate.

Leanne’s rebellion, Season 3

Leanne’s backstory of her life in a strict Amish community took us all by surprise.

Rosa’s bank heist, Season 2

This is by far my favorite backstory. Prior to Rosa’s episode, we had only ever seen her looking weak and pitiful. As it turned out, before prison she was a bank robber addicted to the adrenaline of the heist. Young Rosa is passionate and wild and completely changed the way we saw prison Rosa for the rest of the season.