‘The Sinner’: Investigating All The Various Theories About USA’s Summer Hit

Last Wednesday marked the fourth episode of USA’s late summer hit, The Sinner, which means that we’ve officially reached the midpoint of the limited series’ run. Despite being halfway done with the show (assuming there won’t be another season a la Big Little Lies), we know pretty much nothing about what happened to Cora (Jessica Biel) during those two months in 2012 and why she killed a man on a sunny afternoon at the beach five years later.

Each week, we’re given a promising piece of the puzzle only to learn that this new information is a lie or a false memory, and after four weeks of dedicated watching, the only thing viewers know for sure is that nothing in the world of The Sinner is as it seems.

As the show gets twistier and answers seem few and far between, die hard fans are turning to Reddit to share their theories about Cora’s repressive religious upbringing, her sudden murder spree, the lead detective’s BDSM fetish, and how all these story lines tie together. Much like Reddit became part of the Westworld viewing experience this past fall, the discussion site is quickly becoming the place for fans of The Sinner to figure out the show’s many mysteries for themselves.

While some of these theories may end up being right and some may be totally off the mark, we feel that it’s our duty to bring the most creative to your attention. If The Sinner ends up being anything like Westworld, the craziest of theories may end up being the most accurate.

**Spoilers ahead for Episodes 1-4**

Of all the theories out there, the most popular are the ones that attempt to guess why Cora killed Frankie Belmont at the beach that day. The different characters in the show don’t even seem to agree on this one–is she a drug addict? A jilted lover? A mom who just lost her cool? We can generally assume that Frankie had something to do with her past and that he was present at some point in the two months that Cora can’t remember. Usually, theories on this question run along the lines of “Frankie abused Cora at some point during those two months,” but one Reddit user has a different idea:

Interesting, bitwedge. I’m still putting my money on Frankie as an abuser rather than victim, but I can see where you’re coming from. As we’ve seen in the last few episodes, Cora’s parents are honestly terrifying, and it’s definitely possible that they could be involved in culty activities.

Many of the best fan theories revolve around Cora’s uber-religious parents and the mental and physical abuse they may or may not have inflicted upon her (remember, Cora isn’t an entirely reliable narrator, no matter how much we sympathize with her). Cora’s parents said that their daughter ran away from home on Fourth of July weekend in 2012, marking the beginning of the two month span Cora can’t remember, but Redditers think otherwise.

WOAH. Not only did Cora’s mom maybe have something to do with her abduction, but she also suddenly acquired the medical knowledge to perform routine stem cell procedures? These may be a little out of left field, but it is interesting that Cora’s parents seem to care so little about her. Their primary concern is Phoebe, which makes sense considering that she’s very sick for her entire childhood, but it’s definitely not cool that Cora’s well-being is so often sacrificed at the expense of her sister’s. Do they care so little for Cora that they’re willing to take her stem cells in order to save Phoebe? They probably care about their first-born daughter enough not to maim her, but what if she’s not their actual daughter?

Well, you can’t have fan theories without incest. Could this be why Cora’s parents DGAF about her? It doesn’t seem likely: Cora’s parents were present at her arraignment, and her aunt seems to have played a very small part in the missing-two-month intrigue. But, as we’ve learned, nothing is as it seems in The Sinner. Could Cora’s parents have just been keeping up appearances in the courtroom? If this theory ends up being true, I’ll feel extra bad for Cora, because her relationship with her sister Phoebe in flashbacks is really the only tender part of the show.

And of course, the murder mystery and the mysterious family drama are supposed to tie in with Detective Ambrose’s (played by Bill Pullman) steadfast commitment to proving Cora’s innocence. Other than the obvious “he’s damaged goods and so is she” argument, it’s not really clear why he cares so much about Cora’s case, and it’s even less clear why his penchant for bondage is an indication that he’s messed up–it’s 2017, you do you, man, we ain’t judging.

We haven’t learned why Ambrose’s mistress is important to the story, but most Reddit users are thinking that we keep seeing her because she’s some sort of physical representation of the detective’s fucked-up-ness. However, one Reddit user has a different theory:

This one is really just all over the place. RedGiant17’s theory would require that Ambrose’s mistress knows Cora, which doesn’t seem likely considering how sheltered Cora was for her entire life minus those two missing months. Also, does she “sell herself?” Just because she’s a boss ass bitch who likes sex–whether or not she’s playing the role of mistress–doesn’t mean she’s a prostitute. There may be something in the “personal relationships can’t interfere with work” comment, but that’s probably more of a hint that Ambrose is getting too involved with the case rather than an indication that his mistress is involved in the culty-sex-trafficking-incest drama that other Redditers are peddling.

These may be some of the craziest theories about The Sinner, but they’re by no means the only ones. If you’re interested in debunking more theories or spreading your own, check out Reddit after (or during) tonight’s episode. You won’t be disappointed.

 

Where to Watch The Sinner