On January 6, Netflix debuted The Pale Blue Eye, its newest entry into the realm of investigative drama. The film, which starred Christian Bale, was an atmospheric drama that explored the possible connection between a series of cadet killings and a mysterious ritual.
Another cadet, Edgar Alazn Poe (Harry Melling), a literary icon, supported Augustus Landor (Christian Bale) with his mission.
This beautifully gothic voyage, adapted from a book with the same name by Louis Bayard, took many turns before it found its conclusion. Bale gradually revealed the culprit in a style reminiscent to Knives Out, but there was more to the mystery than met the eye.
This chilling story seems to reach a final resolution, but then director and writer Scott Cooper throws a lethal twist into the mix. You may find yourself wanting to watch it again, but if you don't feel like it, we can assist.
Let's examine the surprising climax of The Pale Blue Eye and discuss why it's not as far-fetched as it seems at first. You should probably stop reading here if you haven't seen the movie because there will be huge spoilers in the next paragraphs. Also don't forget to watch the Big 4 ending explained.
The Pale Blue Eye Ending Explained
There are a series of shocking revelations that are made in the last moments of The Pale Blue Eye that completely take the audience by surprise. The young Lea Marquis (Lucy Boynton), who is unwell, is shown to have removed the hearts of cadets Fry and Ballinger in an occult attempt to heal herself. The second shoe drops just after Landor saves young Poe from Lea and her brother Artemus. Scott Cooper, the film's writer and director, tells Tudum, “My hope is that no one sees this coming,”
In the last moments of the film, Poe uncovers a new layer of mystery: Lea and Artemus did, in fact, take the hearts out of the dead cadets. Although Augustus Landor perpetrated the murder, it was not committed by them.
Who is the Real Killer?
Poe goes to see Landor to tell him about what he learned about Landor's daughter Mattie after he recovers from some blood-letting during the ceremony (Hadley Robinson). In the film, we are led to believe that she simply fled away, but this is obviously not the case.
Unfortunately, the truth is much worse: two years ago, on her way home from the Academy Ball, three unknown intruders raped Mattie. Despite Landor's best efforts, she never got over the trauma and ultimately took her own life.
A note from Landor had been left for Poe, and he compared the fragment he found in Fry's hand to it and decided that the writing was “nearly identical.” Landor was responsible for both Fry's departure from the academy and his murder. Lea and Artemus took advantage of the situation and stole Fry's heart from his body while it was at the mortuary.
Because his daughter had stolen Fry's dog tag during the attack, Landor knew that Fry was one of the three men responsible for raping his daughter. Upon learning that Fry's heart had been removed, Landor mutilated a sheep and a cow in an effort to divert attention away from his ritualistic murder and onto the slaughter of the animals.
After reading Fry's diary, Landor learned that Ballinger was also a perpetrator that night. Because he “had to make it look like the work of Satanists,” he killed him as well and then mangled his body.
Landor was unable to catch up with Stoddard, who had indeed fled, and now lacks “the power or inclination to hunt him down.” Poe, Landor tells you that he hopes the man spends the rest of his unhappy life in constant fear of being followed.
The note could lead to the truth being found, and Poe (and you) are both mystified as to why Landor sought for his assistance in the first place. It turns out it was part of Landor's master plan the whole time: “All along, you were the one to whom I was supposed to present myself. From the moment I laid eyes on you, I knew we'd end up here.”
Poe decides not to turn Landor in for the murders, destroys the evidence, and bids farewell to his friend. Landor goes to the rock where Mattie was killed and releases her ribbon, symbolising the end of his search for revenge.
You may still be confused about Landor's behaviour during the investigation, even after reading this explanation. It was Landor who found the note in Fry's hand and revealed that he had not committed suicide. Most, if not all, of your doubts about the story's logic will disappear after a second viewing. Moreover, Why Rose Kuehni Murdered Her Boyfriend is gaining trend now. So don't forget to know the reason.
What Does the Eyewitness Saw?
When Landor, knowing he is the murderer, questions the eyewitness who discovered Fry's body, he is doing so in order to determine whether or not the eyewitness actually saw him.
Perhaps he saw an opening to deflect suspicion away from himself by announcing that Fry had been murdered. It would appear that Landor is trying to avoid capture, as evidenced by his mutilation of Ballinger's body and his use of Poe to decipher the note and shift suspicion to a female suspect.
Considering the lengths Landor goes to in order to cover up Ballinger's murder, his confession that he always intended to hand himself into Poe doesn't quite make total sense.
Maybe all he wanted was to be let go for long enough to get even with Mattie's three rapists, knowing full well that Poe would figure it out in the end. Landor loses all hope when Stoppard flees, and he may have voluntarily gone to his death.
Given the gravity of the threat to Poe's life, Landor would never have allowed the Marquis family to carry out the murder. Landor would have let Poe expose his crimes if he knew Poe was safe, clearing Lea and Artemus of murdering Ballinger (even if they were already dead).
Regardless of your final thoughts on The Pale Blue Eye, you can agree that it raises many intriguing questions and topics for discussion. If you are fond of watching tv shows on Netflix then must check our top 10 list.