Breaking Down the Mysterious Ending of Lazarus

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Created by Harlan Coben, the new Prime Video series Lazarus stars Sam Claflin as Joel Lazarus and Bill Nighy as his father, Dr. Jonathan Lazarus. The six-part thriller follows Joel as he investigates a network of old murder cases and family secrets after his father dies. As he digs deeper, he experiences strange visions and confronts both his father’s hidden history and the unsolved murder of his sister, Sutton, which happened 25 years prior.

Right from the start, the show puts you in Joel’s shoes as he deals with sadness, distrust, and a growing feeling that his father’s death wasn’t what it appeared to be. A mysterious note, supposedly from his father, features a drawing of a three-legged table and the message “It’s not over,” hinting at unfinished business. Joel’s doubts about the note – he doesn’t even think his father owned a gun – lead him to investigate, slowly revealing the hidden and troubling secrets of the Lazarus family.

Joel returns home and sees visions

Returning to his father’s house brings back a flood of memories and unsettling visions for Joel, pushing him to seek the truth. He quickly begins seeing images of his father encouraging him to reopen old, unsolved cases, particularly the disappearance of a patient named Cassandra. These visions eventually lead Joel to a shocking discovery: the body of Cassandra’s boyfriend, Neil, hidden in a secret compartment within her former apartment. This discovery suggests a disturbing pattern of hidden deaths linked to his father’s work as a psychiatrist.

Throughout the series, Joel has increasingly vivid visions, often seeing Sutton before she died. He repeatedly tries to change the past and save her, but fails each time. These strange experiences make it hard for him to tell what’s real, and they lead him to wonder if his father’s death wasn’t what he thought – and if someone else might have been responsible for the killings.

The three-legged table

The three-legged table, first seen in what appeared to be Jonathan’s suicide note, becomes a key symbol throughout the show. Joel keeps noticing it – in his father’s belongings, in written notes, and even in dreamlike visions – and it seems to represent both instability and a repeating pattern within the Lazarus family. When questioned, Billy, Sutton’s former boyfriend, reveals the table symbolizes a gateway to the afterlife, highlighting Jonathan’s preoccupation with death, repeating cycles, and questions about what it means to be human.

So, in the last episode, Jonathan finally lays it all out for Joel – that symbol isn’t just some random thing, it’s about how sons end up becoming like their dads, and history tends to repeat itself unless someone actively tries to change things. It really hit me because it brought everything full circle. The whole series wasn’t just about Joel solving crimes, it was about him facing the tough stuff his family had passed down – all the sadness, the violence, and the questionable choices they’d made. It was about breaking that cycle, you know?

Unraveling the murders

Joel’s investigation reveals a series of connected deaths. At first, suspicion centers on Billy, Sutton’s ex-boyfriend, particularly after Joel discovers Billy kissed Sutton’s sister, Jenna, hoping to make Sutton jealous. But as the investigation continues, it becomes clear Billy couldn’t have killed Jonathan because he was in rehab at the time, and he wasn’t responsible for Sutton’s death either.

Joel starts investigating his childhood friend, Sam Olsen, and quickly uncovers evidence – like old home videos and strange possessions – that suggests Sam was involved in Sutton’s murder. When Joel confronts him, Sam confesses to the killing, explaining it stemmed from an unhealthy obsession and his own mental health struggles. A fight breaks out, but Joel’s son, Aiden, arrives and stops things from escalating further.

The shocking truth about Jonathan Lazarus

The biggest twist of the story is that Jonathan Lazarus was behind most of the murders. He cleverly used Detective Alison Brown to hide his crimes and make other people look guilty, believing he was punishing his patients who deserved it. Recordings show he was cold, felt no guilt, and thought feeling guilty was harmful. In a final, calculated move, Jonathan even planned how he would die, acting on a suggestion Alison made before her death.

Joel discovers that the strange visions he’s been having were actually recordings made by his father. These tapes mixed up his memories, past trauma, and what he thought was something supernatural, showing how much his father’s actions still affected him. This discovery not only explains the unsolved cases but also forces Joel to face the truth about his father’s flawed character and the difficult inheritance he left behind.

Joel’s son and the next generation

Joel makes a shocking discovery: Aiden is his biological son, born during a brief reconnection with his former wife, Bella. This revelation highlights a key idea throughout the series – how trauma repeats itself within families. Aiden’s existence underscores that the decisions of parents impact their children, and harmful cycles of violence, secrets, and sadness will persist unless dealt with.

In the last scene, Joel visits Laura, who was originally scheduled to be treated by the late Dr. Jonathan Lazarus, but instead met with Joel. He finds her house in disarray, with furniture knocked over and belongings strewn about. Aiden stands in the doorway, holding a bloodied knife, and simply says, “I’m sorry.” This leaves Joel questioning whether the same dark patterns that plagued the Lazarus family are now beginning with Aiden.

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2025-10-23 01:07