‘The Undoing’ is the show everyone is talking about, and the finale has finally arrived. So, who killed Elena Alves? There are a number of theories to investigate before the killer is revealed.
Everyone, and we mean everyone, is obsessed with The Undoing. Nicole Kidman’s limited series has kept us on the edge of our seats over the past 5 weeks as we have tried to figure out who killed Elena Alves. Elena was found bludgeoned to death in the first episode, and while it seems most likely that Jonathan killed her, it may not be so cut and dry.
The day before the Nov. 29 finale, airing on HBO, Travis Scott tweeted what we’ve all been thinking: “I can’t be the only one waiting for the last episode of the undoing.” He’s taking all opinions, so HollywoodLife has been rounded up all the top theories you need to know before the killer reveal.
Elena’s murder mystery has been at the center of the series. (HBO)
Jonathan
Throughout the entirety of the show’s run, Jonathan has been the prime suspect. He had sex with Elena just before her death and claimed he left before her murder. At the end of the penultimate episode, Jonathan is still on trial for her murder. He swears he loved Elena and did not kill her, but he’s known to be a liar. Grace discovered that Jonathan did not actually kill the family dog as a child. He was actually responsible for his sister’s death when he wasn’t watching her carefully enough.
Jonathan Fraser is the prime suspect in Elena’s murder. (HBO)
In Jean Hanff Korelitz’s novel, You Should Have Known, which the show is based on, Jonathan is the killer. He confessed to killing Malaga, Elena’s name in the book, in a letter. He killed Malaga after she revealed that she’s pregnant with his second child.
Henry
Henry became a top suspect when Grace discovered the sculpting hammer that was likely used to killer Elena in his violin case. The weapon used to kill Elena hasn’t been officially found yet, but the fact that Henry has it is not good for his case.
Over the past few episodes, Henry’s behavior has been a little shifty, to say the least. Henry revealed to Grace that he saw Jonathan and Elena talking intimately outside of his school before she was killed. He admitted that he “knew” they were together, even though they weren’t kissing or anything. Henry also noted that Jonathan “smiled” at him when his dad caught him looking.
Noah Jupe stars as Henry Fraser. (HBO)
Later, while at dinner with his parents, Henry was adamant that their family could remain intact despite Jonathan’s cheating, Elena’s murder, and the trial. He didn’t seem to think those obstacles were too tough to get over. Maybe he killed Elena because he saw her as the one thing preventing his family from staying together. It would have been tough for him to kill Elena by himself, but in a blind rage, it wouldn’t be impossible.
However, the sculpting hammer in his violin bag is probably a red herring. It now seems way too obvious that Henry killed Elena. Henry could have found it and hid it to protect his father.
Grace
Grace isn’t the most unlikely candidate if we’re being honest. She was seen walking around the area of Elena’s studio the night of the murder. When Grace was shown footage of her near the scene of the crime, she swore she had nothing to do with Elena’s death.
Grace allegedly met Elena for the first time during an auction committee meeting, and there was an immediate connection between them. At one point, Elena even kissed Grace. When she found out Elena was killed, Grace seemed genuinely shocked by the news. However, she could be faking her reaction or doesn’t even remember that she murdered Elena. It seems like we don’t know the full story of Grace and Elena. It’s possible that Grace had a psychotic break, and we’re only getting glimpses of her memories before the murder.
Franklin
It’s clear that Franklin would do anything to protect his daughter and his grandson. That could have led him to murder Elena. He could have discovered Jonathan and Elena’s affair and sought to save his daughter’s marriage and reputation by eliminating Elena from the picture.
Donald Sutherland and Nicole Kidman in a scene together. (HBO)
But given the fact that Franklin is super-rich, it’s hard to imagine that he’d do the killing himself — unless he had an emotional tie to Elena. He could have easily hired someone to kill Elena, which wouldn’t make sense if you look at Elena’s reaction to her killer just before she was murdered. She knew the person who killed her. Just throwing this out there… Elena could have been having an affair with Franklin. After all, he is an art collector, and Elena was an artist. This could have been a “crime of passion” if Franklin had discovered Jonathan and Elena’s affair and killed her out of revenge.
But Franklin did go to see Jonathan while he was in prison and said to Jonathan, “I think you’re guilty. I believe you killed that woman.” Franklin could have been alluding to something else than just the act of murder. He could be saying that Jonathan’s affair with Elena is what ultimately led to her death. He also threatened to kill Jonathan if he ran. Later, he visited Henry in his room and talked about Henry playing the violin. Just a few episodes later, the sculpting hammer was found in Henry’s room.
Sylvia
Stick with us here. Sylvia has been in the midst of the chaos from the very beginning — but solely as Grace’s friend. However, she always appears to have information about everyone, and she’s been acting a little sneaky. Jonathan did admit to his therapist that he slept with another woman in addition to Elena, and it’s possible that woman was Grace.
Lily Rabe stars as Sylvia. (HBO)
Sylvia could have planted the sculpting hammer in Henry’s violin case to shift the blame towards Henry. She could be in love with Jonathan and complicit in covering up Elena’s murder. Maybe Jonathan told Sylvia that he would leave Grace for her if she helped him get off. When Grace called Sylvia and explained what she learned from Jonathan’s mother about how Jonathan didn’t show guilt nor grief about his sister’s death, Sylvia said that would make Jonathan a sociopath. After Grace and Sylvia’s call ended, the look on Sylvia’s face was one of shock, like she had done something terribly wrong.
Fernando
When someone is murdered, the prime suspect is usually the husband or wife if they have one. Elena’s husband, Fernando, was a top candidate for the murderer right out of the gate, but he’s become less of a suspect over the show’s run. Jonathan’s lawyer is trying to frame Fernando as the killer, but he’s got a solid alibi. Unless he’s a master manipulator and planned Elena’s murder immaculately, it’s very likely that Fernando did not kill Elena.
Sourse: hollywoodlife.com
