Unraveling the Shocking Finale of We Were Liars: What You Didn’t See Coming!

If you’ve browsed BookTok, you might have come across videos discussing E. Lockhart’s “We Were Liars“. This young adult novel was already a best-seller when it was published in 2014, but its popularity skyrocketed during the early years of the COVID-19 pandemic as BookTok started to become more popular. The book’s hashtag now counts over 21,000 posts on TikTok.

Currently, a TV series adaptation of the novel titled “We Were Liars,” produced by Julie Plec (“The Vampire Diaries”) and Carina Adly Mackenzie (“Roswell, New Mexico”), has been released on Prime Video. This eight-episode series is perfect for summer binge-watching. Blending elements of teen romance, family drama, and psychological suspense, “We Were Liars” revolves around Cadence Sinclair Eastman (portrayed by Emily Alyn Lind), the eldest granddaughter of Harris Sinclair (David Morse), a wealthy matriarch of the prestigious Sinclair family. The Sinclairs are virtually American royalty, spending their summers at Beechwood, a private island in fictional New England near Martha’s Vineyard.

Harris and his wife, Tipper (Wendy Crewson), have three adult daughters: Carrie (Mamie Gummer), Penny’s mother, Cadence’s mom (Caitlin FitzGerald), and Bess (Candice King). Each year, their grandchildren come to Beechwood, making it a bustling place during the summer. Specifically, Cadence spends most of her summers with Carrie’s son Johnny (Joseph Zada), Bess’ daughter Mirren (Esther McGregor), and Gat (Shubham Maheshwari), who is Ed (Rahul Kohli)’s nephew. The group, known as the Liars due to their shared age and close bond, has been together since they were young. Gat started joining the annual trip to Beechwood when Cadence was 8 years old, a summer she calls “Summer 8.

Every summer spent at Beechwood seemed like a magical tale for Cadence, until Summer 16 turned everything upside down. That’s when Cadence and Gat admitted their love for each other, Tipper’s passing ignited the Sinclair family’s hidden grudges, and the season culminated in a catastrophe that left Cadence with a severe head injury, recurring migraines, and memory loss. Eager to recall the events leading to her accident on the shore, Cadence decides to revisit Beechwood during Summer 17, aiming to piece together the true happenings of that fateful night. However, upon her arrival at the island, she learns that her mother, following medical advice, has asked everyone to allow Cadence to uncover the truth in her own pace.

The television show generally adheres to the broader plot progression of the book, but tweaks certain aspects and introduces a fresh, climactic surprise towards the end. However, this latest twist pales in comparison to the story’s major, jaw-dropping climax that unfolds during the series finale.

What is the big twist in We Were Liars?

Last summer, Summer 17, Cadence struggled to recall events from the previous summer. Eventually, she understood that the complete renovation of her grandfather’s mansion, Clairmont, was a result of the fire set by her and the Liars during that summer. The teens decided to burn down the mansion as it represented all the problems in their wealthy family, hoping it would stop the endless squabbles between their mothers and with Harris over the family wealth and inheritances.

The idea was for every cousin to ignite a separate floor of the mansion, then exit the house and gather at the dock, where Gat would be stationed with the family’s boat afterwards. However, as expected, things soon took an unexpected turn. After lighting up the ground floor, Cadence managed to escape outside, but was met with the distressing sounds of the family’s dogs, who had been confined on a lower level for tranquility during dinner, calling out for aid. She rushed back inside in a bid to save them, but the fire had escalated beyond control and she was compelled to retreat or risk her life in the rescue mission, leaving the dogs behind.

As Cadence arrived at the beach, she discovered that none of the other Liars were present on the dock, prompting an uneasy suspicion. Moments later, the gas main detonated, causing Cadence to faint and tumble into the water. However, it wasn’t until Summer 17 that Cadence recalled this event, and upon reflection, she understood that all of the other Liars had perished in the fire. Tragically, Johnny and Mirren were trapped on the upper floors, while Gat had dashed into the house to rescue Cadence when she hadn’t arrived at the dock before midnight. Throughout Summer 17, Cadence believed she was spending time with the Liars, but it appears her mind created their presence as a coping mechanism for trauma or perhaps they were actual spirits—the distinction is hazy.

In a later conversation, Cadence confesses to ghost Gat that she believes she bears responsibility for his demise. The reason she took longer to depart the house initially was due to her decision to retrieve Tipper’s well-known black pearl necklace. This artifact had been a constant point of contention within their family. During this delay, Gat rushed inside in an attempt to save her. Nevertheless, he expresses that he holds no grudge against her and shares that they all have made mistakes.

In a discussion with Harris, it becomes clear that while most people attribute the fire to shoddy wiring, Cadence’s fully-awakened companion, Cadence, acknowledges the real truth. However, he discloses his intention to grant his final major interview, scheduled for a TIME Magazine cover story, as a means to silence talk about a family curse. He also wishes to designate her as his heir before departing from public life, but under this condition, she must continue the deception. Ultimately, Cadence chooses independence without her grandfather’s wealth or assistance, telling the journalist that she no longer finds fairy tales appealing.

What is the new twist in the show?

The unexpected development arises when Carrie goes back to her home on Beechwood and Red Gate, revealing that not only has she relapsed after a long time without alcohol, but also that she’s been communicating with the spirit of her son Johnny throughout the summer of ’17. She expresses her belief that he had departed, to which he responds, “I don’t believe I can.

Based on the acquisition of rights to both “We Were Liars” and its prequel “Family of Liars” by Plec’s My So-Called Company and Universal Television in 2022, it appears that the story might explore the Sinclair family’s past in a potential second season. However, we will have to wait for future updates to confirm this.

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2025-06-18 14:06