‘Anatomy of a Scandal’ Ending Explained: Is James Guilty? Why Does Sophie Betray Him?

Netflix‘s new thriller Anatomy of a Scandal delves into the grey areas of “he said, she said,” against the backdrop of contemporary British classism. When it comes out that dashing Tory MP James Whitehouse (Rupert Friend) has been cheating on his beloved wife Sophie (Sienna Miller) with a subordinate named Olivia Lytton (Naomi Scott), it’s a scandal. When Olivia accuses her former lover of rape, however, it becomes something explosive. Hotshot barrister Kate Woodcroft (Michelle Dockery) has the dubious honor of trying the case. What no one knows, though, is the ambitious Kate might have her own personal reasons for going after Whitehouse…

**MASSIVE SPOILERS FOR ANATOMY OF A SCANDAL**

Based on the best-selling novel by British journalist Sarah Vaughan, Anatomy of a Scandal blends ripped from the headlines-style storylines with some truly bonkers twists. The show is set in contemporary, post-#MeToo England, where society is still grappling with what sexual behavior crosses which lines. It’s obviously bad that James Whitehouse carried on a consensual affair with an employee, but it’s seen as forgivable. However the idea that he sexually assaulted this same person is what is beyond reproach. The problem is James insists the encounter was not only consensual, but conducted in the spirit of their affair. The grey area is, therefore, to explore at what point consent is implicit, and when is it revoked.

Adding to the mess is the revelation that Kate Woodcroft has history with both Whitehouses. She was Sophie’s tutorial partner at Oxford. Back then, she went by the name of Holly Berry, had a regional accent, and a mess of curly hair. She also had the misfortune to have a very similar encounter with James as Olivia alleges. Holly was first consensually kissed by an inebriated James and then raped by him. Her feelings on the case are naturally biased.

But what is the truth at the heart of Anatomy of a Scandal‘s trial? Did James sexually assault Olivia or was the jilted ex attempting a crude form of vengeance? More importantly: what does Sophie do at the end of the series to make Her Majesty’s government “implode”? And why does Sophie do it?

Here’s everything you need to know about Sophie’s choice at the end of Netflix’s Anatomy of a Scandal…

Anatomy of a Scandal: Did James Whitehouse Rape Olivia Lytton?

The big question haunting Anatomy of a Scandal is whether or not James Whitehouse raped his ex-lover Olivia Lytton in an elevator. While she maintained their impromptu kiss was consensual, her case was that he violently forced himself on her while she tried to push him away. She remembers him telling her, “Don’t be such a cocktease,” which would implicitly mean he knew she didn’t want to go further. Whitehouse and his defense claimed she never voiced that she didn’t want to have sex and in the past they had played rough. He also said he didn’t call Olivia a “cocktease.” The jury acquitted James, but does that mean he’s actually innocent?

Sophie confronts James after the trial about whether or not he did call Olivia that awful phrase. Her skepticism stems from the fact that it sounds like something her husband would say. He admits that he probably did and that he lied on the stand. He knew admitting to saying that would be tantamount to an admission of guilt. This revelation, coming on the heels of the realization that Kate Woodcroft is in fact Holly Berry (which we’ll get to), means that Sophie knows her husband is a rapist.

So what does Sophie do next? She brings the British government down…

Anatomy of a Scandal Ending Explained: What Does Sophie Whitehouse Choose to Do About James?

Rather than stand by her man, Sophie decides to leave James. Moreover, she weaponizes one of the two awful secrets she learns about their Oxford days. When James, Sophie, and the current Prime Minister Tom Southern (Geoffrey Streatfeild) were all at Oxford, James and his BFF found themselves in quite the shady predicament. While partying, young Tom had not only bought but supplied heroin to a friend of theirs. While young James stopped Tom from partaking in the hard drug himself, he didn’t stop Tom from jokingly encouraging their drugged up pal to jump from a building. When their friend dies from the fall, James covers up their involvement, thereby shielding Tom from criminal charges and considerable scandal. It is in the aftermath of this stressful incident that a drunken James crosses paths with Holly Berry and rapes her.

Sophie leaks information about the heroin, the wrongful death, and the coverup to the press, instigating the collapse of Tom Southern’s Tory government. Both Tom and James are arrested and their trial is tried by…Kate Woodcroft (which seems insane to me!).

Which is all to say, Sophie decides not to expose Kate as Holly Berry, but to ruin the men who have misbehaved and kept her in the dark her whole life. She tells Kate she’s doing it for “Course correction, perhaps, for the greater good.”

What Happened to Holly Berry on Anatomy of a Scandal? How is She Related to Kate Woodcroft?

Anatomy of a Scandal Episode 4 ends with the wild twist that Kate Woodcroft, the buttoned up and posh barrister who has been trying the Whitehouse case is in fact Holly Berry, the lower class nerd Sophie Whitehouse was tutorial partners with at Oxford. After an interaction with James became violent — a kiss became rape — Holly dropped out of Oxford and fell off the grid. She apparently went to Australia. There, it seems, she met, married, and divorced a man with the last name Woodcroft and started going by her middle name Kate. She returned to England under this new name and built a career for herself as a barrister. All was going well until a case popped up in her pigeonhole. Olivia Lytton’s case, which was eerily close to her own.

Kate, it seems, couldn’t resist the opportunity to bring her own rapist to justice. Unfortunately, doing so allowed her own emotions to compromise her game as a lawyer…and brought her (and her note-taking technique) to the attention of her former tutorial parter/pal Sophie. Luckily for her, Sophie covered for Kate and exposed James instead.

If you or someone you know believes they are the victim of sexual assault, you can reach out to RAINN at 800-656-HOPE (4673) for 24/7 support.