A Mexican thriller drama, Unspeakable Sins is a show from Netflix that premiered on July 30, 2025, and has steadily become one of the most-watched shows on the platform. Written by Leticia López Margalli and Guillermo Ríos, the show is directed by Pablo Ambrosini and Felipe Aguilar Dulcé. Unspeakable Sins features Zuria Vega and Erik Hayser, and focuses on a woman, Helena (Vega), who is in an abusive marriage with Claudio (Hayser). However, she falls for a charming man called Iván (Baida), and the two begin a steamy romance. Their romance, however, causes problems as they end up in a game of deceit and betrayal. The show subverts viewers’ expectations of a power couple, as Helena and Iván have to go through a lot to be together and are not the ideal, successful couple. Here are 7 moments that showcase this.
Disclaimer: The article contains spoilers about the show.
Helena and Iván’s relationship, staying together through the public fallout, and other moments that redefine what it means to be a power couple in Unspeakable Sins
1. Helena Seeks Iván’s Help

In Unspeakable Sins, Helena is introduced as being married to Claudio, who is wealthy but abusive. She is trapped in a violent and controlling marriage to Claudio, who beats her, emotionally manipulates her, and keeps her stuck because they both have a son. Therefore, Helena is on the verge of a breaking point. The viewers know that Helena is seeking escape. Amidst all this, she matches with Iván on a dating app. He is young and charming. The initial flames of a power couple soon begin to blossom. Helena begins an affair with Iván, who turns out to be a younger escort, and the two have immediate physical chemistry. What begins as physical attraction evolves into emotional reliance, as Helena leans on Iván for both affection and aid, and Iván also understands Helena’s turbulent life. Their Thursday night meetings deepen their connection beyond simple attraction—it becomes a bond forged in desperation. Helena and Iván subvert audiences’ expectations and showcase an extramarital affair and an unlikely couple as the power couple in Unspeakable Sins. Together, they hatch a plan. They decide to record a s*x tape to blackmail Claudio into letting Helena go. This moment marks the transformation of their relationship from secret meetings over attraction to strategic alliance. Iván becomes both lover and accomplice, while Helena shifts from being a victim to a planner. Their power couple status emerges through shared risk and mutual dependency.
2. The s*x tape plan goes awry

Another way in which Helena and Iván subvert the expectations of a power couple in Unspeakable Sins is by being together in pain and tragedy. Power couples are usually shown as being successful, but Helena and Iván are a power couple because they go through hardships together. When the two decide to blackmail Claudio through a s*x tape, everything seems to be going fine. However, the initial blackmail plot turns catastrophic. Just as Claudio begins to be lured into their trap, tension develops, and everything spirals out of control. Claudio disappears rather than complying, and Helena becomes the prime suspect. She finds herself in deep trouble. Iván also finds himself being pulled deeper into criminal suspicion and intrigue. However, he does not leave Helena’s side. Even when their affair becomes public, the two remain together. What Helena envisioned as control over her life becomes chaos that fuels a criminal investigation. Throughout all this, Iván is by her side. That shared misstep of the tape plan gone wrong cements their bond under pressure. The relationship between Helena and Iván now hinges on navigating secrecy, fear, and suspicion together. They are a power couple in Unspeakable Sins, and their bond is forged in crisis rather than harmonious strength.
3. Uncovering Claudio’s blackmail web

In Unspeakable Sins, Helena and Iván decide to take down Claudio through blackmail. However, their plan is meant to weaken Claudio and give Helena the power to leave him. But Claudio goes into hiding, and everything becomes a nightmare for Helena, who is now a suspect. While Iván is with her, Helena’s dream of living a simple life goes awry. Things take a turn when it is revealed that Claudio is not dead but in hiding—and he actually used to blackmail powerful men like politicians and businessmen through a hidden ring of s*x parties. He had hidden cameras and blackmailed these men over their illicit relations. Claudio’s obsession emerges as a tool of control, including over Helena. When Helena discovers he’s been filming her and others to threaten compliance or expose scandal, the stakes of Helena and Iván’s alliance escalate. Now it’s no longer just personal revenge—it’s the exposure of systemic corruption. Iván and Helena bond through shared outrage and purpose. Together, they must dismantle Claudio’s empire. Their unity over this revelation redefines them as a power couple in Unspeakable Sins.
4. Helena Murders Claudio

Another way the power couple bond between Helena and Iván is subversive is when Unspeakable Sins reveals, in a late flashback twist, that Helena was the one who killed Claudio. She sneaks into Claudio’s house, deletes the backup s*x tapes, and stabs him while he’s asleep. The whole scene is composed and clear, and Helena ends her misery by killing Claudio with her gloves on. Ultimately, Iván arrives to find the body. He is shocked but then understands why Helena did it. Claudio had threatened Iván’s son as well, and this time, Claudio was finally dead. The couple bond through this shared secret, and Iván assists Helena in covering up the murder. He burns clothes, cleans the scene, and stays silent. Their alliance reaches its darkest moment. Through this shared dark secret, Helena and Iván redefine what it means to be a power couple in Unspeakable Sins. The power shift is total—Helena seizes control through brutal agency, and Iván partners in the crime. Their bond is now both intimate and defined by secrecy.
5. Iván Becomes Helm in the Aftermath

In Unspeakable Sins, Helena is at the center of everything that goes on. She is the one married to Claudio and trapped in abuse. When Claudio disappears, she must uncover his secrets and keep herself, Iván, and her son safe. Even toward the end, she kills Claudio and tries to find a new and free life. However, throughout all of this, Iván stays like a rock by her side. Following the murder, the world still believes Claudio died because of his blackmail business. Amidst all this, Iván plays a key role in shaping the narrative and protecting Helena. He hides the evidence, removes his own involvement, and maintains calm with Helena as they navigate the fallout. The two relocate to Los Angeles with Helena’s son, attempting a fresh start. Iván’s shift from being an escort to being a protector and co-conspirator elevates him to Helena’s equal. He is not just a lover but a strategic partner. The two become a power couple in Unspeakable Sins, bound together through shared deception and protective solidarity. Though their love is born of trauma, it’s also reinforced through survival.
6. Media Leak Recasts Their Public Image

Ultimately, even when Helena destroys most of the tapes in Unspeakable Sins, some are leaked to the press and the affair between Helena and Iván becomes public. Interestingly, instead of condemnation, Helena receives sympathy. She is framed as Claudio’s abused wife who is now fighting back and trying to build a life for herself. Iván also stands by her publicly and reinforces their bond. This couple is a power couple that subverts all expectations—an extramarital affair becomes strong, even in the public eye. The media captures them as a tragic duo who are victims of abuse and scandal. Their relationship gains power in the public eye not through domination, but through shared oppression. They become a symbolic couple. Helena and Iván are a power couple because they are survivors of systemic corruption. Their bond gains legitimacy beyond clandestine secrecy. They become a power couple in Unspeakable Sins. The show changes the perception of what viewers see as a power couple, as Helena and Iván overcome various struggles to become a solid couple. They are not successfully together from the beginning.
7. The Final Surveillance Twist

In the final sequence of Unspeakable Sins, a twist happens. Helena and Iván appear calm in Los Angeles and are ready to start a new life. However, it is soon revealed that they are under surveillance, as a feed activates in their bedroom. This reminds the viewers that someone is still watching them. That final shot reframes their power. Even in freedom, they’re vulnerable. Claudio may be dead, but the network he orchestrated is not. This twists the power couple image of Helena and Iván. While they are still powerful together, and even if some harm happens they will be together, they aren’t in full control. The couple is still being surveilled and hunted. It forces the viewer to recognize that their safety is fragile and their agency is incomplete. The dynamic shifts. The power couple is now in flight, not dominance. It’s a haunting reminder of the limits to their control and a setup that their relationship remains contested territory. Once again, the power couple narrative is subverted at the end of Unspeakable Sins.