Long Bright River Ending, Explained: Who is the Killer?

At the end of Peacock’s ‘Long Bright River,‘ Mickey and Kacey finally figure out the identity of the killer who is targeting the women from the homeless community. After worrying about her sister’s whereabouts for days, the former finally finds some solace when she learns that Kacey is doing alright. However, the information about the murderer arrives in such a manner that Mickey severs her tie with a close ally due to a misunderstanding. Meanwhile, we also learn some shocking secrets about the protagonist’s past and present, including her complex relationship with her ex-partner, Simon. Matters get complicated when the police officer believes that he may have something to do with the recent murders. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that the local authorities continue to sweep the case under the carpet for reasons that become clearer much later. SPOILERS AHEAD.

Long Bright River Plot Recap

The show begins with a brief montage of a homeless girl living on the streets of Kensington, Philadelphia. The girl enters the car of an unknown stranger who locks her passenger side door. Her muffled screams are unheard by the passing crowd. We cut across to Mickey Fitzpatrick, a local cop who has strong ties to the homeless crowd around the place. She has recently been assigned a new partner, Eddie Laferty, who is a newbie who is replacing her former partner, Truman. Mickey and Eddie respond to an overdose death case involving a homeless girl with pink hair whose body is found next to some train tracks. Although the precinct believes that it is a simple case of addicts making bad choices, Mickey is unsure about the whole thing. She digs a little into the case and realizes that there have been other cases of overdose in the region involving homeless women recently. She believes there is a pattern to the whole affair.

After an autopsy, Mickey learns that the homeless women were all killed by insulin overdose. The cops realize that there is a killer on the loose hunting down vulnerable victims. With news of this dangerous crime spreading, Mickey grows worried that she is unable to locate a homeless girl named Kacey, who she helped in the past. We eventually learn that the girl is actually her younger sister. The police officer tracks down a homeless girl named Paula, who is Kacey’s close friend. Paula tells her that Kacey has been missing for a while, ever since she got in a car with a customer. After reviewing some CCTV footage, the protagonist figures out that Kacey was driven away in a red truck. That same red truck was visible outside her house not so long ago. Worried that someone is out to harm her and Thomas, Mickey takes her son to Truman’s house for safekeeping.

Truman and Mickey join forces in trying to find Kacey’s whereabouts, which also forces them to investigate the mystery behind the Kensington murders. A new detective named Danjarat joins the police force to unravel the pattern behind the killings and hopefully find a suspect. Mickey acquaints herself with the detective, sensing good intentions in his words and actions. While the protagonist continues her search for Kacey, we learn about the childhood relationship between the two siblings via numerous flashbacks. These flashbacks showcase how Mickey and Kacey drifted apart after the former started dating a cop named Simon Cleare. Eventually, Kacey was phased out of the protagonist’s life and receded into substance abuse. Their grandfather, Gee, also ostracized the younger sibling, allowing only Mickey to thrive in the house and carry on with a stable profession.

Long Bright River Ending: Who is the Killer?

The biggest mystery of the season undoubtedly revolves around the identity of the killer. After traveling down a variety of avenues, Mickey finally figures out that the person behind the Kensington murders is her recent partner, Eddie Laferty. While the revelation comes out of left field, it somewhat fits into what we learn about the character earlier. In the opening episodes, Eddie showcases a disdain towards homeless people that irks Mickey. We also learn that he is a rookie who transitioned into police work after a career in construction. He even reveals to Mickey that he has some ties with Sergeant Ahearn. At the time, these connections seem frivolous and incidental to the story. However, by the end, they help build a comprehensive picture that aids the investigation. Mickey and Kacey are the first people to figure out his identity.

Early in the narrative, Mickey learns from Paula that the killer is likely a person from the police force who uses his badge to extract sexual favors from vulnerable girls on the street. Armed with this knowledge, Mickey first believes that Simon may be the actual killer. However, after confronting him with the accusation, the protagonist learns that he has no connection to the crimes despite his questionable attitude. The second likely suspect is Truman. After Kacey meets up with Melissa to talk about who the murderer might be, she learns that the killer is someone who is Mickey’s partner. Kacey relays this information to Mickey, believing that Truman is her partner and, as such, the murderer. It leads to a mix-up, which only creates a rift in Mickey’s bond with Truman, who she hurts. He cannot believe that she would even consider him the killer after knowing him for so long.

Later, Mickey hears Kacey recite the exact words spouted by Melissa, which makes it evident that there was a misunderstanding in the messaging. When Melissa was talking about a partner, she was talking about Truman. As Kacey has been out of Mickey’s life for a while, she has no idea that her sister has been assigned police duty with a new partner. The two sisters immediately begin concocting a plan to take down Eddie. Kacey disappears to deal with him by herself while a worried Mickey tries to find her sister and end Laferty’s exploits before something bad happens. The latter tracks him down to a building, where she finally corners him. As she hesitates to shoot him, a bunch of homeless women, including Kacey, emerge from the shadows and shoot Laferty. After witnessing Laferty kill so many of their friends, the homeless women rose up to serve justice their own way. Mickey sees their effort and decides not to arrest them.

How Do Mickey and Kacey Reconcile?

After Laferty’s demise, Mickey and Kacey can finally focus on healing their relationship scars and years of psychological hurt. The two make some big strides toward understanding and accepting each other back even before Laferty’s death. The change happens when Mickey realizes that Kacey is living with their biological father, trying to get sober after years of substance abuse. It opens Mickey’s eyes and makes her feel upset about everything that transpired before, as she feels responsible for her sister not being able to communicate and rely on her anymore. Much of this trauma stems from the protagonist’s former relationship with Simon. He drove a wedge between the two sisters, gaslighting Mickey into believing that somehow she was the better of the two. However, it all turned out to be a ploy as her boyfriend forced himself on Kacey and got her pregnant.

We learn that Thomas is not actually Mickey’s son; he is Kacey and Simon’s child. Hurt by the turn of events, the protagonist grew envious of the fact that her sister was now bearing the child of her lover. She broke off an engagement with Simon and later absconded with Kacey’s baby. While some of the reasons were personal, Mickey also felt that her sister was incapable of being a mother in her constant state of withdrawal. She did not want Thomas to go through the same thing and left with him. It hurt Kacey a lot, but she managed to get over the pain, accepting it as the greater good. Still, the relationship was broken, and Mickey had no way to mend it again, especially as she became Thomas’ mother. Meanwhile, Kacey continued languishing in her perennial problems of substance abuse, which Mickey later learns are not something she can be blamed for.

It turns out that the sisters’ mother was suffering from withdrawal herself when she gave birth to Kacey. As a result, the latter likely picked up on a lot of biological cues from a stage of infancy. The realization hits Mickey hard because it means that her sister never had a fair start to begin with. Her opioid problems are likely out of her control entirely and something she cannot be judged for directly or indirectly. Despite the overwhelming odds, Kacey still manages to get sober by the end of the season. With a new baby on the horizon, the young woman wants to ensure that her second child is reared by her, unlike Thomas. It propels her to make numerous positive changes in her life and reestablish her connection with her sister in a much healthier manner. The same happens for Mickey, who profusely apologizes for giving up on Kacey. As her elder sister, she feels guilt and remorse for her actions but wants to atone for them as a sibling duo moving forward.

What Happens Between Mickey and Truman?

While Mickey and Kacey manage to patch up their broken relationship, the same does not apply to the protagonist’s bond with Truman. Near the final parts of the season, they form an intimate relationship built on trust and respect, showcasing all the signs of a healthy romance in the future. However, it all goes pear-shaped when a doubtful Mickey, who is informed by Kacey that Truman is the killer, points the gun at her new lover. The act breaks Truman’s trust and makes him feel insecure around her. More than anything, he is hurt that she would even entertain the thought that he might be the murderer. Mickey explains that her reasons were personal, as she wanted to trust Kacey after doubting her for so long. Truman understands her situation but states that while she has gained her sister’s trust, she has lost his in the process.

Following Laferty’s death, Mickey visits Truman’s house to apologize yet again. He hears her case, but it still does not change the fact that she doubted him, particularly the fact that a gun was pointed at him. She realizes that their relationship is likely no longer possible. She tells Truman that she will always regret the choice she made with him for years to come. Although their final conversation ends bittersweetly, Truman offers her a final word of consolation, congratulating her decision to leave the force. He tells her that she was always more suited to be a music teacher. She is happy to hear his words and goes back to her car. While the relationship ends on a note of sadness, they both may manage to get over their differences in the future. If nothing, it may even be explored in a future season.