In the previous episode of The Clearing, Freya, also known as Amy, bravely confided in Joe Saad about Adrienne’s false claim of having dementia. She revealed how she had remained silent all these years because Adrienne had threatened to take her child away. However, Joe Saad, under the influence of alcohol, made a disastrous choice by erupting in anger at the wedding of an ex-member of The Kindred. Amy knew that Adrienne would seek revenge, leaving her worried about the safety of her son, Billy. The seventh episode ended with Billy going missing, prompting Amy to take immediate action to find him. Now, in the final endgame of The Clearing, Amy’s journey becomes even more treacherous as a dark and horrifying twist unfolds in her life.
Spoilers Ahead
What Did Henrik Reveal To Amy?
Episode 8 opened with Amy’s desperate search for Billy. The police intervened, but instead of aiding her, they further complicated the matter. During the interrogation, the investigator seemed to have been well aware of Amy’s past, including her abandonment of her firstborn, Maxine, in a car. Despite this, Amy discovered a clue that made her suspect Henrik was involved in her child’s abduction. Within a treehouse on her property, she found a tape recorder playing a song reminiscent of the prayer melody she had heard in Blackmarsh. Concurrently, the police investigation uncovered evidence suggesting the presence of a Kombi van in the area.
Amy deduced that Anton might have been behind the plot. Amy was determined to confront him, but she was strictly prohibited by the investigator from leaving the house. Fortunately, Christine came to her aid, enabling Amy to sneak out and reach Adrienne’s residence. However, to her shock, she found the entire place empty. Mo, the caretaker who had just arrived, was surprised to see Amy in distress. But he wasn’t taken aback when Amy disclosed that Adrienne was not suffering from dementia. Mo had been aware of this facade long ago. Therefore, he assisted Amy by showing her a copy of Adrienne’s writings, which contained the names of various birds. One of them was Korela, which initially held no significance for Amy. However, Amy thanked Mo, but disregarding these details, she went straight to Joe’s boat, where Joe suggested she lay low for a while. But Amy had no intention of remaining there. In the evening, she escaped and headed to the lodge where Adrienne used to preach.
Upon her arrival, Amy discovered Henrik in the basement. Driven by anger and shock, she confronted him, holding a wooden object as if to attack. Henrik, however, revealed that he had no involvement in Billy’s disappearance. He confessed to living in the treehouse but assured Amy that his intentions were to watch over them, not harm them. Henrik further disclosed that he came to the lodge in search of something significant to him, supposedly Amy’s tape, which he didn’t mention to Amy. He did confess to being swayed by Adrienne’s allure and manipulated by her, leading him and Hannah to surrender their children to the cult. When Amy inquired about their children’s identities, Henrik’s silence conveyed that they were Amy and Anton, whom they had handed over to Adrienne in an attempt to protect them. However, blindly following Adrienne, Henrik, and Hannah destroyed their children’s futures. Amy could only show her resentment toward Henrik for this revelation and fled the lodge, determined to continue her search for her son. Meanwhile, Wayne, Billy’s father, was taken into custody for questioning without any apparent cause. The investigator insinuated that Wayne might have abducted his son due to a lack of trust in Amy.
Who Killed Asha?
Amy stumbled upon a paper containing various locations, including “Corella,” which seemed to be connected to Adrienne’s mention of the bird name “Korelea.” Amy gathered the pieces of the puzzle and drove straight to Corella to unravel the new headquarters of The Kindred. After crossing a canal by boat, she discovered the Kindred’s sanctuary, where children dressed in white played while Dr. Latham delivered a speech about an alternative world. Amy managed to sneak inside but was caught red-handed by Adrienne. With her was Tamsin, who was once again forced into rejoining the cult. Desperate to know Billy’s whereabouts, Amy confronted Adrienne, only to be gaslighted once more, with Adrienne claiming that Amy herself had lost her child and was unjustly blaming her. Overwhelmed by trauma and fear, Amy entered a hallucinatory state, perceiving the new lodge as the old one where she had endured various forms of torture. Visions of Asha haunted her, causing her to question herself. Finally, a poignant moment arrived when Amy laid her hands on the sought-after tape recording that Henrik had been searching for.
Amy played the tape, and in an instant, one of the most horrifying and darkest moments of her life resurfaced in her memory. She vividly recalled the location where Adrienne and Tamsin had subjected Asha and her to abuse, forcing their heads underwater. She could recall that particular moment of the day when she had been tasked with drowning Asha repeatedly until Adrienne commanded her to stop. Tragically, the young child succumbed to the torture, leaving Amy burdened with the responsibility for her death. Adrienne had brought Amy to her room, where a camera recorded their conversation. Driven by intense fear, Amy confessed that she had killed Asha.
As Amy listened to the tape, the truth surrounding Asha’s disappearance became painfully clear. For years, she had been in denial, forgetting that Adrienne had manipulated her into killing Asha. Overwhelmed by the weight of this realization, Amy broke down in tears, making it even easier for Adrienne to manipulate her fragile state of mind. Adrienne insinuated that just as Amy had forgotten her involvement in Asha’s death; she might have forgotten how she drowned Billy in a similar manner. This revelation shattered Amy’s grip on reality, pushing her further toward insanity.
Meanwhile, Joe Saad enlisted the help of Collin Garrison to investigate Adrienne’s finances. Joe discovered that Adrienne had been funneling money out of the country and into various fake accounts. It became evident that running the cult was merely a means for Adrienne to exploit and manipulate people into investing in her personal gain. Latham and the other followers had fallen into her trap, believing they were contributing to a greater cause, while Adrienne was taking advantage of their faith.
During this time, Henrik approached Joe and revealed information regarding Amy’s tape, which held crucial evidence regarding Asha’s killer. In a bid to protect his daughter, Henrik agrees to take responsibility and confess to kidnapping Asha. However, upon his return, he discovered that the tape, promised to be returned by Adrienne, had gone missing. Faced with this setback, Henrik decided to share the truth with the police, hoping to lighten his burden.
What Happened To Billy? Is Henrik Alive?
Anton was assigned the task of preventing Amy from leaving the island of Corella to avoid her going to the police again. He brought her a glass of milk laced with a drug to incapacitate her. During their conversation, Anton revealed how he had enticed Maxine into joining the cult. He confessed that he had given her his Kombi to bring her to the island. Amy was taken aback to learn that the Kombi was in Max’s possession, suggesting that Max was the one who had taken Billy. Relieved that she had not caused any harm to her child, Amy attempted to escape but felt the effects of the drug-infused milk, causing her to feel dizzy. However, before losing consciousness, she managed to inform Anton that Adrienne was not their real mother and that Henrik and Hannah were the ones who had given them up.
When Amy woke up after a while, she tried to flee, but Tamsin initially stood in her way. However, Amy shattered Tamsin’s illusion, making her realize that she would never receive the same amount of love from Adrienne that she had given. Tamsin, understanding the consequences of her actions and the death of a child, decided to let Amy go to protect Billy. Amy rushed to the canal but found no boat near the shore. As she attempted to swim away, Anton confronted her, pointing a firearm. However, he couldn’t bring himself to shoot his sister due to the lingering affection he had for her. Just then, Joe Saad arrived in a rescue boat, saving Amy’s life. Amy believed she was the one who had killed Asha, but Joe corrected her, stating that it was Adrienne who was responsible.
At the concluding moment of The Clearing season 1, Henrik, after confessing everything to the police, goes to the location near a tree where Asha had been abducted. He marked the spot where he had buried Asha’s body and hanged himself from the tree, killing himself. Wayne, who had been released by the police, took Amy to Max, who was with her brother Billy. Both were found safe and unharmed and subsequently reunited with their parents.
Meanwhile, on the island of Corella, where the new Kindred was located, the cult members heard the sound of a helicopter approaching. Latham and Adrienne went outside, with Latham believing that Adrienne, as a divine spirit, would rescue them from this dangerous situation and transport them to an alternate dimension free from worldly chaos. To his shock, Adrienne attempted to flee the scene, trying to save herself from the police. However, the helicopter landed right in front of her, exposing her true identity as her blonde wig flew off, revealing her bald head to everyone.