Summary
That Night delivers a characteristically unusual ending by framing all the prior events in a different point of view, tying up loose ends and delivering big emotional payoffs.
Characteristically for a show like That Night, which takes an unusual approach to what is ostensibly a crime thriller all throughout its runtime, its ending is also unusual and, in a sense, a little bit daring. Just like all the previous chapters have been framed in a particular perspective, this is also true of Episode 6 – however, the twist here is that it unfolds from Ane’s perspective, many years on from the events depicted in the previous five episodes. Ane’s present-day investigation into what happened, in order to determine whether or not to testify on her mother’s behalf pending her release from prison, allows us a peek at several key details that we were ignorant of before.
The big questions still remain. What exactly happened on the night Wil died? To what extent was Elena complicit? What happened in the past that so defined how these three sisters navigated their adult lives? And what will the consequences of all of this be, especially for Ane? Let’s unpack.
Yes, Elena Killed Wil
While it was always obvious from the beginning that Elena was responsible for Wil’s death, it was never made clear whether or not she purposely murdered him, or if the whole thing was just an accident. The finale makes it clear that Elena murdered Wil, unequivocally, by driving her car back and forth across his body.
Why? Well, Wil was threatening her. As Ane’s biological father, conceived during a one-night stand during the sisters’ previous visit to the Dominican Republic, he had some parental rights. But he was using those rights to threaten Elena, first trying to secure custody, and then pushing for bribes to stay away. In Elena’s mind, she was protecting her daughter.
Neither Paula nor Cris really knew the truth of what happened, and even by the end of That Night, they still don’t. They were protecting their sister at all costs, even though they were unknowingly protecting a murderer. Mileage may vary on whether Elena’s actions were justified or not.
Paula Had to Give Up Everything To Atone
Paula’s reflexive need to protect her sisters, especially Elena, is pathological. Again, it has been obvious throughout the series that this impulse stems from a childhood trauma, but it’s once again the finale that reveals the full truth of what transpired.
We already knew that the sisters’ mother, who suffered from a litany of mental health issues, took her own life. What we didn’t know was that she tried to take Elena and their brother, Roberto, with her. Only Elena survived her casting herself and two of her children from the apartment window into the street below, and Paula, who was outside instead of being in a position to intervene, always blamed herself. Javier blamed her and Cris, too, which he confessed to later in life.
This is the reason why Paula will always put Elena first, no matter what, even if that means losing everything else. This is why Luisa had to walk away. She recognised that Paula would always put her family first, even if that meant putting them above Luisa and, even more damningly, above their child. Hence the abortion. And hence the breakup.
Elena Put Ane First
When Elena was sent away for murder, Cris took Ane in and raised her in Barcelona, while Paula remained in the Dominican Republic, serving her own time and then eking out a living trying to support both herself and Elena while she remained incarcerated. Cris brought Ane up. In the present day, Ane calls her “mom” and refers to her biological mother as “Elena”.
But Ane has a decision to make, which is made more complex by the fact that Elena deliberately never had anything to do with her. She never tried to maintain a relationship with her while she was in prison; she never sent her letters or made calls. She sacrificed her daughter, essentially, so she could be raised responsibly and safely by Cris, without the trauma of Elena’s incarceration – and the scandal of the crime – following her around.
This is why Ane’s decision about whether or not to testify on Elena’s behalf requires a lot of investigatory legwork and a visit to the Dominican Republic to meet Paula. She wants to go over everything for herself to make the most informed decision possible, and in so doing, she sees the dysfunction first-hand. But she also sees the logic behind Elena’s sacrifice, and behind Paula’s, too, which informs her ultimate decision to testify on Elena’s behalf, securing her release from prison.
This isn’t a happy reunion, though – when Elena is released, her sisters are there for her, as ever, but Ane has already left. She does smile on her way through the airport, though, knowing the impact of what she chose to do. I wonder if she’d feel any different if she knew Elena was a murderer?
