Welcome to Plathville: 8 Ways Olivia Pushed Ethan Into Another Woman’s Arms (Are The Cheating Rumors True?)

Welcome to Plathville‘s Ethan Plath was holding hands with a mystery woman at a bar, and while he’s being criticized, it’s possible that his wife Olivia Plath pushed him away. On the surface, he seems like the villain, but there may be more to the situation than meets the eye. For years, Ethan and Olivia have had problems, and now, it looks like those issues have reached critical mass. It’s not impossible that Ethan and Olivia are separated right now, although they haven’t confirmed that. In fact, Olivia said that the divorce rumors are false. Nonetheless, there are good reasons why the pair might’ve secretly called it quits.

During Welcome to Plathville season 5, the feuding’s out of control, and Olivia’s right in the middle of things. She’s always the catalyst for the drama on the popular series. However, that doesn’t mean that everything’s her fault. When she became a part of the Plath family, she probably had no idea what she was in for. Kim and Barry didn’t exactly greet her with open arms. In fact, they actively sabotaged her from day one. While she was really in a no-win situation, she tried to keep her marriage alive, and even befriended Moriah Plath. Now, in the new installment, her relationships are falling apart.

8Olivia Always Wants Her Way

Olivia’s extremely strong-willed. In fact, that assertiveness is one of her most noticeable traits. Ethan’s a gentler person. He’s just not as demanding, and over the years, he’s been pushed around. In earlier seasons, he seemed quite content in Cairo, Georgia. He had buddies to work on cars with, and relatives were close by. He appeared to be mostly content with his life, aside from the issues between Olivia and his parents. However, Olivia hated Cairo, surely due to its proximity to Kim and Barry. She pushed for change, and Ethan seemed uncomfortable with that. Nonetheless, he loved her enough to do what she wanted.

While it’s admirable that he was willing to make a sacrifice for the sake of his marriage, he’s invariably the one who’s making the sacrifices. That probably seems fair to Olivia because she has those unbearable in-law issues with deal with. However, those problems aren’t really Ethan’s fault either. At times, Kim and Barry have been extremely unkind to Olivia and Ethan. He’s gotten the brunt of it too. Really, Kim’s far too stubborn to respond to constructive criticism, and Barry’s Kim’s “yes man.” No one can change them unless they want to change. Ethan could do nothing to influence them.

Ethan and Olivia did move to Tampa, Florida. That was such a big change for Ethan, who really bloomed in a rural environment. Olivia’s the big-city explorer, and is probably meant to live in an urban locale. However, if Ethan and Olivia do split up, it won’t be a surprise if Ethan ends up back in Cairo or another small town. That slower lifestyle seems to fit his personality. Onscreen, Ethan and Olivia are preparing for another move to Minnesota. Maybe this move is more about both of them, since Ethan’s grandparents live there, and they’re both very supportive of Olivia.

Despite the relocation plans, offscreen, Ethan was spotted with a brunette. As previously mentioned, they danced together and held hands. So, something’s up. If Olivia had found a way to navigate life in Cairo, maybe things would be different. However, it’s hard to blame her for wanting to escape. That being said, she does push Ethan to do things he doesn’t want to do. At some point, the other person’s going to push back.

7Olivia Pushed Ethan Out Of His Comfort Zone

Ethan’s always looking for peace – he’s not a warlike person. He needs to be provoked pretty intensely before he loses it. While he’s gotten more irritable over the years, his default setting isn’t bombastic. Ethan prefers a calm and conventional lifestyle. Olivia opened up his world a lot, but maybe too much. While she introduced him to fun guilty pleasures like sugary treats and booze, she also introduced him to new kinds of stress, and he had plenty of problems already.

Olivia’s said that Cairo wasn’t stimulating enough for her. She wanted to feel the energy of a city. Olivia’s wired so differently from her partner. Sometimes, opposites attract, but not for long. While Ethan surely enjoyed some of their adventures, there may have been times when he wanted life to be simpler. For that reason, the two might not be compatible.

6Olivia Started Clashing With Moriah

From Ethan’s perspective, it must have been so soothing when Olivia found a Plath family member that she could actually get along with. Moriah and Olivia really bonded. In fact, Olivia was like a true sister to Moriah, not just a sister-in-law. Chafing at the restrictions imposed by Kim and Barry, Moriah was suffering in Cairo, and wanted to branch out. She had so little freedom. By taking Moriah under her wing, Olivia added joy to her life. Olivia took her sister-in-law on a trip, and Moriah was so excited. They didn’t do anything “bad” – they just had fun away from Kim and Barry’s disapproving stares.

Now, all of that is ashes, and it’s really sad. What happened? Maybe Olivia and Moriah are too much alike. Maybe they spent too much time together. They grew apart, and now, they’re really at each other’s throats. Moriah didn’t like it when Olivia accused her mom Kim of misusing Ethan’s credit card. Moriah claims that Olivia’s been making up stories about her parents for years, to paint them in a negative light. Also, Moriah says that Olivia stole proceeds from her music.

This feud is shockingly nasty in light of how close they once were. Now that they’re both more mature, it seems like it would be easier for them to get along, but both are acting like children. Hopefully, at some point, they’ll recognize how much they’ve lost by clashing. Maybe they can make up. In the meantime, Ethan has to live with one more feud, and it could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.

5Ethan Won’t Forget That Olivia Wanted A “Temporary Break”

Now, it’s possible that Ethan left Olivia, or that he left her, or is cheating on her. However, if past experience is any predictor of the future (and it so often is), Olivia may have left Ethan. Perhaps they’ve formally separated, but are waiting for the right time to share that information. In that case, Ethan’s date might not have been cheating. It could have been an attempt to move on, which, in light of all he’s been through, is not a bad thing.

In the past, it was Olivia who wanted a “temporary break,” as per the show. That might have been the right decision, but when that kind of decision’s made, there’s no going back. Yes, people who’ve had breaks can reconcile, but is it ever the same? Not completely. Someone broke the bond in a pretty dramatic way, and that’s always there. If the pair have split up, maybe it’s a good thing. While every relationship has problems, they just didn’t gel that well at times. They had trouble connecting, and so much of their relationship felt stressful, rather than romantic.

4Olivia Made Ethan Change

By introducing him to new things, and asking him to adjust his lifestyle (and by fighting with his family), Olivia made Ethan different. At the start of his Welcome to Plathville journey, he was so soft and sweet. He wasn’t angry or bitter. He just seemed hurt by the situation with his parents. However, soon, the anger that he’d been repressing for so long began to seep out. Marriage-wise, it may have poisoned the waters.

When he clashed with Barry out in the driveway, his rage was at a peak, but that anger didn’t dissipate. It smoldered, and Ethan didn’t really seem like the same person. The strong personalities around him, including Olivia’s, were shaping him and hardening him. It’s sad that he had to become a bit jaded, as he appeared so innocent at first. He still has his softer side, but he has issues too. While Olivia can’t be blamed for all of his problems, she has raised his stress levels on many occasions. She will speak her mind, and doesn’t always know when to pick her battles.

Dealing with warring family members, a demanding wife who takes center stage, and the typical ups and downs of life made Ethan retreat into the garage. That’s a place where he could escape from his problems. He probably went there too much. It’s not really his way to be extremely outspoken. When he has to argue, it always seems like he’d rather be anywhere else. However, he’s been forced to stand and fight, and he may resent that if it’s his own wife who puts him in that position. He’s had enough of that with Kim and Barry.

3Olivia Is Too Much Like Kim Plath

Some people tend to end up with partners who are a lot like their mothers or fathers. At first glance, Kim seems very different from her daughter-in-law, but on closer inspection, it’s clear that the two women have a lot in common, especially now that Kim’s in her wilder phase. Both females are bold, with steely confidence. Both are stars, rather than people who sit on the sidelines. Both are stubborn, willful, and concerned about pleasing themselves. Sometimes, they put themselves first in ways that are almost shameless. There are times when Kim and Olivia seem quite selfish.

Ethan probably wasn’t looking for a wife who’s like his mother, but subconsciously, he may have felt the similarities, and possibly been comforted by them. He’s used to monster-in-law Kim, even though she’s so annoying at times. Kim’s his mother. However, from a romantic standpoint, a partner who’s too much like a parent can exacerbate “mommy” or “daddy” issues, if they exist. There’s no doubt that Ethan has “mommy” and “daddy” issues. How could he not?

2Olivia May Be Too Ambitious For Ethan

Olivia’s a go-getter. Ethan’s a hard worker, but doesn’t seem to have that drive that pushes Olivia to move forward in her career. She’s a reality TV show star, but she’s also a wedding photographer. At Instagram, she frequently adds wedding photos and talks about her clients, as seen in Olivia‘s post above. That’s not unusual for a photographer, but she’s pretty aggressive about marketing her business.

She’s also quite outspoken on IG, more than her husband is. She will let people know which types of people she likes and doesn’t, and set goals for herself that she shares with the world. Ethan’s more laid-back. Again, these two are quite different, even though both are born under the sign of Taurus.

1Olivia’s A Taurus Like Ethan (This Might Not Be A Good Thing)

The Taurus Sun sign has many beautiful qualities. For example, a typical Taurus will be patient, persevering, sensual and warm. However, on the flip side, a Taurus can be the most stubborn human being on earth. Once a Taurus gets locked into a point of view, it’s almost impossible for them to change their thinking. Also, this sign can be overly concerned with money and creature comforts. Most Taureans thrive on routine. They don’t mind doing simple things like watching TV. They’re sociable and easily contented.

Ethan has quite a few typical Taurus traits. He likes to work with his hands while he’s fixing cars. He’s earthy enough to not mind getting covered in oil and grease, and Taureans are earthy, grounded people. However, it’s Olivia who really seems like the stubborn one. She embodies the downside of this sign. When she sets a goal, she will achieve it, no matter what. Sometimes, there’s collateral damage. Ethan is willing to sacrifice, showing more Taurus gentleness than Olivia.

Any two signs can be happy, but this is a lot of Taurus energy in one relationship. Each person might do better with a Water sign, such as Cancer, Scorpio or Pisces. Earth and Water signs blend well. The Water signs are emotionally acute enough to understand Earth sign partners. They can make them feel safe, and Earth signs really want security, emotionally and materially.

Overall, it’s not looking good for Ethan and Olivia right now, thanks to his “cheating” scandal. Perhaps they’re on another break. Taureans hate giving up on relationships. They’re some of the most loyal people out there. Quite often, they hang on too long, but there’s something noble and romantic about how hard they try. Hopefully, these Welcome to Plathville season 5 stars can make things work.