‘Big Little Lies’ Season 2 Finale: From Mary Louise’s Death to Renata Losing It, Our Wildest Theories

The most fabulous show of the summer is sadly coming to an end. This Sunday, July 21 marks the final episode of Big Little Lies Season 2. We’ve watched every slap, scream, and scone from these fabulous ladies, and though we have no idea how this new season will end, we have some theories.

Giving Big Little Lies a second season was always a bit bizarre. Originally constructed as a limited series, the show from David E. Kelley and Liane Moriarty told a tight and gorgeous tale of abuse, anger, murder, and secrets starring some of the biggest actresses of our time. There was only one way Season 2 could compete: by booking Meryl Streep. And that’s exactly what it did.

We’ve loved watching our Monterey favorites berate and belittle each other while avoiding the murder they definitely committed. But the time for passive aggressive comments has passed and the time for serious speculation is now. Here’s what we think Big Little Lies‘ last episode has in store.

Celeste keeps custody of her twins

It’s all coming down to an in-court face-off. Halfway through the season, Mary Louise (Meryl Streep) made it clear she wanted to sue for custody of her two grandchildren, and she’s been steamrolling everyone with that plan ever since. But in the last episode, Celeste (Nicole Kidman) flipped the script on her mother-in-law. After being questioned by Mary Louise’s attorney about whether or not she’s a competent mother, Celeste insisted that she cross examine Mary Louise to see if she would make a good caretaker. Celeste can do that because she’s a lawyer and this show plays fast and loose with legalities.

The best case scenario with this court case would involve Celeste and Mary Louise exchanging some catty one-liners before the judge declares that Celeste is a good parent. But between the evidence Mary Louise presented and the general tone of the show, that feels a bit too easy, doesn’t it? As much as we want Celeste to get her kids back, a cut-and-dry court case seems like too big of an ask.

…Or Mary Louise gets custody of Celeste’s twins

Alternatively, Mary Louise could emerge the legal victor of this specific battle. So far, she has managed to prove that Celeste has invited a variety of strangers into her home while her children are around, driven under the influence of Ambien, and has been violent with one of her sons and Mary Louise. In the words of Mad Men: that’s not great, Bob. As insufferable as she is, Mary Louise has constructed a pretty solid case against her daughter-in-law.

What will likely happen — if Big Little Lies actually gets to the twins’ fate — is a compromise. It’s possible that the twins will be temporarily put in the custody of their grandmother or that Celeste and Mary Louise will be forced to share joint custody. But all of that depends on if Big Little Lies gets around to this season’s big court case, because there’s another sticky legal situation to consider…

Bonnie admits to pushing Perry

It’s not just the fate of Celeste’s boys that this season has to worry about. It’s the legal guilt of the Monterey Five. Because Perry Wright’s (Alexander Skarsgård) death is so closely tied to this custody case, it’s plausible that Celeste, Madeline (Reese Witherspoon), Jane (Shailene Woodley), Renata (Laura Dern), and Bonnie (Zöe Kravitz) will be called to testify in court. After all, they were the five who were present the night of Perry’s death. If any one of them is caught lying under oath, that’s perjury. And perjury can also spell out jail time.

Jane’s new boyfriend has already made it clear that the police are willing to work out a deal with these women. If someone comes forward, that person will get a lighter sentence than the rest. Since Bonnie has been having nightmares about pushing Perry all season it seems pretty obvious that she’s the weakest link. There’s a very good chance Bonnie’s conscience gets the better of her, jeopardizing the fate of the Monterey Five before the judge decides anything about Celeste’s twins.

…Or Someone else confesses to Perry’s death

Though Bonnie is the most likely option, this deal to screw over everyone is all about equal opportunity. If any member of the Monterey Five admits that Perry’s death was more than an accident, then the four others will be facing serious criminal charges. We’re looking at you and your shifty bangs, Jane.

Perry never died

This isn’t just a bonkers fan theory. This insane detail comes straight from Woodley. During a recent interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the actress spilled on the one spoiler she was allowed to share with audiences. “In the beginning of the next episode, it’s a little bit of a cliffhanger, but all of the women go to visit Perry’s grave and his body’s missing,” Woodley said.

So what could this missing body mean? The easiest and most chilling explanation is that Perry Wright never actually died. That would certainly heighten the drama, but in this relatively grounded show an undead or wrongfully buried aggressor seems a bit farfetched. It seems more likely that someone *cough* MARY LOUISE *cough* moved Perry’s body à la Psycho or that Perry’s corpse has been moved for medical examination purposes. But sure: for the purposes of wild speculation let’s throw out the theory that Perry somehow survived his graphic fall, faked his death while surrounded by medical professionals, and has been hiding for almost a year.

Ed hooks up with Tori

This isn’t a major plot point, but it is pretty big in the context of Madeline’s marriage. All throughout this season Steady Eddy (Adam Scott) has been faced with a choice. He can either forgive his wife’s infidelity or he can hook up with Madeline’s former lover’s wife Tori (Sarah Sokolovic). Last episode Tori made it abundantly clear that she wanted that extramarital D, and despite Madeline’s best wedding dress efforts that offer is starting to look more and more appealing. Typically sweet, loyal Ed is too good of a person to ever consider cheating on Madeline. However, discovering his wife is kind of a murderer may be juuust the push Ed needs to force him into the arms of another woman.

Renata leaves Gordon and somehow gets all her money back

Do we think this possibility is likely? Absolutely not. But are we going to use every ounce of energy to praise the goddess that is Renata Klein? Absolutely. Early on, Renata said that she would not NOT be rich, and though her husband’s bankruptcy and legal scandals are making that difficult, Renata is a smart lady. If anyone can figure out how to untangle herself from financial ruin and climb back on top, it’s her.

…Or Renata kills Gordon

Look, if one Big Little Lies husband has to die, it should be Gordon Klein (Jeffrey Nordling). Sure, he’s not emotionally or physically abusive, which is a big win for this show. But his love of insider trading cost him and his wife their savings, house, and reputation. He single-handedly ruined the financial empire Renata built for herself, and he did it while cheating on her with the nanny. That’s not just deplorable. It’s cliche.

Murder is never the answer. But if Gordon and his insanely expensive trains happened to have an “accident” no one would be too upset.

Someone kills Mary Louise

If Big Little Lies Season 2 ends on a death, it better be a big one. And to that we ask you, who is bigger than Meryl Streep? This entire season has been one drawn out excuse to mock, slap, and scream at Streep’s Mary Louise. We’ve seen her get cursed out, hit, insulted, and more. (But, sadly, not hit by a fast-moving ice cream cone.) Mary Louise Wright is undoubtably the most hated woman in Monterey and possibly the most hated woman on this show. If someone was to go missing at the end of this season, it would only make sense that it would be the one woman everyone seems to despise.

New episodes of Big Little Lies premiere on HBO Sundays at 9/8c.

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