Big Little Lies: Who's Dead and Whodunnit

Updated on 4/3/2017 at 9:30 AM

Warning: spoilers ahead!

Big Little Lies is HBO's latest buzzy series, and it deserves the attention: it is based on the bestselling novel by Liane Moriarty and has a star-studded cast, including Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, Zoë Kravitz, and Laura Dern. Not only is the production quality predictably excellent (this is HBO, after all), but another reason we're obsessed is the show's murder mystery.

The finale aired on Sunday (can there please be a season 2?), and we finally discovered who died and who did it. Of course, the book Big Little Lies has been out since 2014, so book readers already know the answer, but for those of us who only watched the show, the biggest little secret is that Perry was accidentally murdered by Bonnie during the school's trivia night. After Perry tries to talk to Celeste to convince her not to leave him, he gets violent with her, Renata, Madeline, and Jane because Jane realizes that he's actually Saxon Banks, or Ziggy's father. When Bonnie sees this, she runs down and pushes him off the balcony and he falls to the stairs below and dies. While she confesses to police in the book, the women appear to keep quiet in the show and end up becoming a closer group of friends because of their pact (while being mysteriously watched by someone). Even though we finally know the answer, look back at our other possible theories that we had during the show below!

Jane and Renata

Murderer: Jane

Victim: Renata

The Motive: An obvious one: new-in-town Jane (Shailene Woodley) finds herself targeted by rich career woman Renata (Laura Dern) when Jane's son Ziggy is accused of assaulting Renata's daughter, Amabella. Renata is so livid that she actually threatens Ziggy, but given the mystery around Jane and her own mama-bear reaction, we'd say if it came down in a showdown between these two, it would be Jane as the assailant. Another reason to suspect Jane is that we see her handling her gun in a Chekhovian moment. There's also this: in the beginning of the pilot, one of the witnesses notes that if Madeline (Reese Witherspoon) hadn't fallen — the event that spurs Madeline and Jane to become friends — "nobody would have gotten killed." So does Madeline egg Jane on to kill Renata?

Madeline and Nathan

Murderer: Madeline

Victim: Nathan

The Motive: These not-so-friendly exes could take their dislike of each other to the next level. Lots of Madeline's issues have been bubbling up, like her insecurity over her (lack of) career and her insecurity over her ex, Nathan (James Tupper), and his gorgeous wife, Bonnie (Zoe Kravitz). Though Madeline reveals hostility toward Bonnie, especially when she finds out that Bonnie had signed a petition to have her play stopped (described as "a lifeline" for her by another character), it's Nathan she seems to want to take her aggression out on, especially now that Abigail has moved in with Nathan. Complaining to her current husband, Ed (Adam Scott), Madeline whines, "I just thought that one day Nathan would get his due." And maybe that day comes — at Madeline's hand.

Renata and Madeline

Murderer: Renata

Victim: Madeline

In episode two, we see an all-out social war when Amabella doesn't invite Ziggy to her birthday party, so Madeline plans a counter-attack by planning a competing event, whisking Ziggy, her daughter Chloe, and several other popular kids to Disney on Ice. Have you ever seen a person as mad about a child's birthday party as Renata is later? She is not rational, so could her anger lead to murder? I mean, she literally says "You're dead in this town!"

Ed and Nathan

Murderer: Ed

Victim: Nathan

Episode two also features a tense exchange between Madeline's current and ex-husbands, which starts out as a friendly connect about smoothing things over, but eventually, Nathan insults Ed's manhood, and it ends with Ed basically saying he's been waiting for an excuse to kick someone's ass. Sounds like it'll be Nathan, but could it be even worse than a fistfight?

Celeste and Perry

Murderer: Celeste

Victim: Perry

The Motive: Another clear one: we see Perry (Alexander Skarsgard) getting abusive with wife Celeste (Nicole Kidman), escalating to him actually slapping her and choking her. So the motive is there, and there are also a variety of hints that she's involved: toward the beginning of the first episode, when we're seeing flashes of Trivia Night just after the crime is committed, we see Celeste in costume, looking distressed and running hurriedly away. Then, in the last few moments of the episode, you can hear bits of recordings from the witnesses and a voice that sounds like Nicole Kidman says, "I'll just put my purse down here," both of which indicate that Celeste at least survives Trivia Night. Given that none of the other main characters are ever shown being interviewed in the police station, this seems like a big hint planted.

Madeline and Perry

Murderer: Madeline

Victim: Perry

The Motive: Orrrr . . . maybe Madeline will do the dirty work for Celeste when she finds out her husband has been abusing her? There's a lot of buildup about what Madeline is capable of, but the more we get to know her, the more she seems to really love her friends and family. I could totally see her going after Perry to defend Celeste.

Jane and Perry

Murderer: Jane

Victim: Perry

The Motive: Alternatively, it could be Jane who goes after Perry. See, Jane is out for blood after tracking down her rapist . . . and the guy she looks up online looks an awful lot like Perry. In a crazy twist, her rapist could be Perry — and even if he's not, she could still go after him because he looks similar and he abuses Celeste.