How Does 'Big Little Lies' End?

The finale of 'Big Big Lies' hits like a tidal wave. After all the tension and secrets, Celeste finally snaps and kills Perry during one of his violent outbursts. The other women—Madeline, Jane, Renata, and Bonnie—rally around her, covering up the crime by claiming he fell off a balcony. But the guilt eats at Bonnie, who confesses to pushing him. The courtroom drama that follows reveals Perry’s abuse and the women’s trauma, leading to a bittersweet resolution. The group fractures but finds strength in their shared ordeal. The last scene shows them walking their kids to school, a quiet nod to moving forward, together but changed.

Let me unpack the layered ending of 'Big Little Lies'—it’s masterful storytelling. The climax revolves around Perry’s death at the school’s trivia night. Initially, it seems accidental, but flashbacks reveal Bonnie pushed him after recognizing him as Jane’s rapist (and Celeste’s abuser). The women’s pact to lie unravels when Bonnie, burdened by guilt, confesses. The trial becomes less about legal consequences and more about exposing Perry’s monstrous legacy. Celeste’s testimony about domestic violence is raw and powerful, shifting public sympathy.

The show’s brilliance lies in how it handles aftermath. Madeline’s marriage strains under the weight of her lies, while Renata’s fury at her husband’s financial betrayal mirrors her earlier performative rage. Jane, finally free of Perry’s shadow, starts healing. Bonnie’s decision to turn herself in fractures the group temporarily, but the final moments—a beach walk with their children—hint at reconciliation. The ocean symbolizes both cleansing and permanence; these women are forever bound by their shared secret.

What lingers isn’t the crime but the emotional fallout. The series subverts expectations by focusing on trauma’s ripple effects rather than a tidy resolution. The soundtrack’s haunting cover of 'You Can’t Always Get What You Want' underscores this: survival isn’t pretty, but it’s theirs.

If you’re after closure, 'Big Little Lies' delivers—but not the kind you’d expect. Perry’s death isn’t just a plot twist; it’s a catalyst. The women’s cover-up forces them to confront their own complicity and courage. Celeste’s arc is particularly gutting. Her courtroom scenes reveal how abuse warps perception—she still loves Perry even while describing his violence. Jane’s relief at his death contrasts with her guilt, making her bond with Ziggy more poignant.

Bonnie’s confession adds moral complexity. Her backstory (hinted at earlier with her mother’s spiritualism) suggests she sensed Perry’s evil before anyone else. The finale’s quiet epilogue—no arrests, no grand speeches—feels truer to life. These women aren’t heroes or villains; they’re survivors navigating gray areas. The last shot of waves crashing mirrors their turmoil: relentless, unresolved, but beautiful in its chaos.