‘Sepanx’: Liza Soberano bids goodbye to ‘Bagani’

MANILA, Philippines – Fantasy series Bagani ended on August 17 with a finale that hinted at the possibility of a sequel, spin-off, or some sort of continuance.

Whether or not that happens, Bagani star Liza Soberano, has said goodbye to her role, posting on Instagram just before the finale aired.

Sepanx is starting to kick in. I will miss playing Ganda. I Will miss living in this fantasy world we call Sansinukob, but most of all I will miss my family. I will miss you my brothers @makisig228 @mateoguidicelli @zaigj till our next project! P.S. We will always be Baganis!

A post shared by Liza Soberano (@lizasoberano) on Aug 17, 2018 at 9:28am PDT

“Sepanx is starting to kick in,” Liza wrote in the caption of a photo with her castmates in full costume. “I will miss playing Ganda. I Will miss living in this fantasy world we call Sansinukob, but most of all I will miss my family. I will miss you my brothers [Makisig Morales], [Matteo Guidicelli], [Zaijan Jaranilla] till our next project!”

“P.S. We will always be Baganis!” she added.

She also posted a photo of herself and Enrique Gil, saying “Paalam Lakas at Ganda (Goodbye, Lakas and Ganda),” referring to their characters.

Paalam Lakas at Ganda

A post shared by Liza Soberano (@lizasoberano) on Aug 17, 2018 at 10:40am PDT

Another photo includes Rayver Cruz, who played the character Kidlat.

With Kidlat!!! We will miss you @rayvercruz!!!!

A post shared by Liza Soberano (@lizasoberano) on Aug 17, 2018 at 11:49am PDT

The Bagani finale aired on ABS-CBN on August 17. In the episode’s final minutes, Zaijan’s character Liksi travels through time and ends up on a busy street in what looks like modern-day Manila.

He gets hit by a car, whose driver looks exactly like Ganda. As she tries to help Liksi, a man on a bike passes by. The man looks like – who else – Lakas. As Liksi calls them by their Bagani names, the two characters lock eyes and  seem to recognize each other, suggesting a future romance.

Bagani first aired in March 2018. Prior to its release, the series drew flak for casting actors with Eurocentric features to portray characters set in a fantasy world that includes elements of pre-colonial Philippine culture. It was also criticized by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples for misusing the term “bagani,” which refers to the peacekeepers of indigenous people in Mindanao.

The network then spoke to IP representatives, and said that they reached a consensus with them, the NCIP, and the Commission on Higher Education to retain the title of the show.

Despite the controversy, the show reportedly enjoyed a strong debut and high ratings throughout its run. – Rappler.com