Season 1 of Deadloch‘ reaches its long-awaited conclusion, delivering an exceptionally intriguing episode that finally uncovers the mystery surrounding the killer and his motives. Episode 8 introduces a lot of conflicting nuances, intensifying the complexity of the investigation for our brilliant detectives, Eddie Redcliffe and Dulcie Collins. But even in the face of adversity, they emerge as the ones who ultimately crack the case. In the previous episodes of Deadloch, Dulcie and Eddie come to the realization that they had been misled all along, as the serial killer is revealed to be a man seeking notoriety rather than a woman. The season 1 finale ultimately discloses the identity of the killer, introducing a mind-boggling plot twist that we hadn’t seen coming.
Spoilers Ahead
Where Was The Bus Full Of Deadloch’s Men?
Episode 8 opened with a naked man fleeing from the hills towards the town of Deadloch. Inside the town’s football club, all the suspected women of the town were gathered since the precinct was too small to accommodate them. Hastings remained convinced that Skye O’Dwyer was the killer, especially after she managed to evade police capture that morning. Nadiya, Skye’s girlfriend who revealed she was pregnant, confided in Dulcie that she and Skye had had a fight which led Nadiya to leave in her car. Dulcie and Eddie questioned Victoria about the night she went to the hospital, leaving her boots in the car that was later found in Deadloch. The car was registered under the name of William Carruthers, which surprised Margaret as she believed her brother, who had left Deadloch long ago, was in Ubud. Victoria couldn’t remember who was driving the car that night, but she recalled a song playing in the vehicle. Hastings discovered Dulcie and Eddie interrogating the women, breaking protocol, prompting him to suspend them from the case. This left Dulcie and her team with no choice but to conduct their own investigation.
The naked man running outside was identified as Phil McGangus, who had somehow escaped the killer’s clutches and made his way to the police station. His tongue had been cut in the same manner as the other victims, preventing him from revealing what he had witnessed. Hastings believed it to be another diabolical act carried out by Skye, prompting him to trace her and the men’s phone locations, which were discovered in the ocean near the Bass Strait ferry route to Melbourne. Overhearing this information, Dulcie and Eddie decided to head to the location themselves. Meanwhile, Sven discovered that the license registered under William’s name hadn’t been used for years. Abby interrogated Tammy’s mother, Faye, who was involved in a dispute over land ownership with Margaret, who was being an obstacle. Through the questioning, Abby learned that William had no problem returning the land to Tammy’s family, who rightfully owned it, but Margaret had intervened. Abby deduced that William might not be the killer they were searching for. She also conducted a search and found out that William was neither in Deadloch nor in Ubud. When Abby informed Margaret about William’s absence in Ubud, she showed little concern.
As Dulcie and Eddie questioned a local gas station owner named Mona, she revealed that the bus driver was wearing a gas mask. This suggested that the driver had incapacitated everyone on the bus and then driven towards the ocean. However, Mona disclosed that the bus was not coming from Deadloch but heading towards it. Returning to Deadloch, Dulcie and Eddie discovered tire marks on the road, which they followed until they eventually found the bus had been pushed into the river from a cliff, potentially killing all the men inside. Eddie mourned Ray’s death, as he was on the bus too. But just then, Abby, who managed to get the CCTV footage from the gas station, sent the footage to Dulcie, revealing that the bus was empty. This meant that the driver had emptied the bus and relocated all the men before disposing of the bus in the river. It indicated that the men were still alive and being held captive.
What Happened To Margaret Carruthers?
Tammy and Miranda overheard the conversation between Faye and Abby, which revealed a connection between the suspected killer, William, and Carruthers Island. Intrigued by this revelation, Tammy and Miranda went on an adventure to the island. While exploring the island’s graveyard, they were startled to find Margaret, who had been bitten by a snake and was near death. As Miranda rushed to help her out, she discovered Margaret sitting next to a freshly dug grave, where a skeleton wearing William’s shoes had been unearthed. Tammy and Miranda concluded that Margaret was responsible for her own brother’s death because he was willing to give Tammy’s family the land they rightfully deserved. Leaving the injured Margaret behind, when Tammy and Miranda attempted to leave the area, Margaret suddenly reached for her gun and aimed at them. However, the bullet missed its target and struck another grave, allowing Tammy and Miranda to escape unharmed. Unfortunately, Margaret, bitten by a tiger snake, took her final breath on the spot.
Did Dulcie Survive? Who Was The Deadloch Killer?
Meanwhile, Sven received help from a woman who charged his phone. From her, he learned that she had been air-tasked by someone to deliver Skye’s car to the ferry, where all the men’s phones were found. Sven realized it was a plot to frame Skye as the killer, but he had evidence that someone else had placed the car on the ferry. He quickly informed Dulcie and Eddie, revealing that the Airtasker was booked by Louise McEwan, a prostitute from Sydney who had been killed seven years ago. Dulcie recognized the name as she had investigated the case with Hannah, another lead investigator, and her past extramarital affair.
Dulcie headed toward Deadloch Hill, which was the potential spot where the killer was holding the captives. She asked Hannah to send her the remaining description they had of the killer in Sydney. Meanwhile, Dulcie deduced the connection between the murders in Sydney and Deadloch, realizing that the killer targeted society’s undesirables. Initially targeting prostitutes, the killer had evolved his mindset and now shifted his focus to the abusive men of Deadloch.
Meanwhile, Eddie received a call from her friend Holly in Darwin, who informed her that Eddie’s previous partner in the investigation, Bushy, had been found dead with a gunshot wound. Eddie had suspected foul play in Bushy’s death and was determined to investigate further, but during that time, she had repeatedly been stopped from doing any investigation of Bushy’s murder. However, this time, she believed that she and Dulcie were on the right path to finding the killer. In a surprising turn of events, Eddie heard a noise and discovered Ray’s supposedly deceased donkey. Ray had claimed the donkey had died, but it was clearly alive. Hannah finally sent Dulcie the description of the killer, and it turned out to be Eddie’s boyfriend, Ray Pies.
During Deadloch’s ending, it is revealed to us that Ray is the serial killer. He held Skye, James, and several other men captive in a stable. James, unable to remain silent, had caused some chaos, leading Ray to cut his tongue out in a menacing manner. In the Deadloch hills, Dulcie, Eddie, and Abby found the stable and confronted Ray. Dulcie attempted to apprehend Ray at gunpoint but was stabbed in the stomach.
Meanwhile, Cath and the other women arrived in the stable and discovered Dulcie in critical condition. Cath, as a medical professional, managed to treat Dulcie’s wound, but while doing so, she and Dulcie came closer to each other, finally reconciling with each other. Meanwhile, Eddie chased after Ray, and they ended up at the lakeside. Ray held Eddie at knifepoint and revealed his motives for killing the men, believing he was avenging the oppressed and helpless women of the town. However, Eddie corrected him, stating that women didn’t need to be saved in such a violent manner and knew how to protect themselves. Dulcie arrived just in time to save Eddie, and together they pursued Ray. Ray jumped into a stream to escape but was impaled by a branch and killed.
Ray had been the killer since the Sydney murder investigation. He had met Skye in a pastry club and was inspired by her feminist talk, which led him to move to Deadloch and target abusive men. With Ray and Margaret gone, the Deadloch Killer and the evil racist land grabber of the town were eliminated for good.
The episode jumped two months ahead, where we see that Tammy has achieved her long-desired goal of becoming the captain of the football team. In the past, she couldn’t achieve this because the boys in the club were arrogant and had a negative attitude toward women and people of color. Towards the end of the episode, Abby appeared as a strong and independent woman. She had a phone conversation with Kate from the forensics team, giving the impression that she had either joined the forensics department or become the new detective in town since Dulcie and Eddie were no longer around. Men like Phil McGangus and James, who had been silenced with their tongues cut out, were no longer arrogant. Dulcie and Cath reconciled their differences and moved to Darwin. However, Bushy’s death remained a mystery, prompting Dulcie and Eddie, the lead investigators, to embark on a new journey to investigate the case in Darwin. The detective duo had developed a closer friendship, and Cath had resolved her doubts about Eddie and Dulcie, becoming more open and accepting. The series ended on a positive note, subtly hinting at the possibility of “Deadloch” being renewed for a second season.
