Jaw-Dropping Twists Unveiled: Complete Recap of Cruel Summer Season 2 Episode 5

Warning: The article ahead contains spoilers from episode 5 of Cruel Summer season 2. While this episode did not provide many new leads regarding Luke's murder, it did shed some light on Isabella's enigmatic history. Isabella entered Chatham in the summer of 1999 as an exchange student, residing with the Landrys. She claimed to be the daughter of diplomats who constantly relocated, desiring to spend her final year of high school settled in a small town in Washington.

However, as the episodes progressed, it became evident that there were inconsistencies in Isabella's past. Following the discovery of Luke's body in the summer of 2000, Isabella's lawyer referenced an incident in St. Barts during the winter of 1998. Isabella occasionally mentioned her best friend Lisa, disposed of a bottle of pills, and Sheriff Myer hinted at a tendency for trouble to follow her. Consequently, in episode 5 of Cruel Summer season 2, some aspects of Isabella's past were finally unveiled.

9 Isabella's Lawyer Leaked Megan's Pregnancy In Cruel Summer Season 2

In Cruel Summer season 2, episode 4, the sheriff confronted Megan regarding her pregnancy with Luke's child in 1999. However, Megan lost the baby and kept the pregnancy a secret from everyone, including her mother. Isabella only discovered the truth by going through Megan's trash and finding a pregnancy test on New Year's. Moving forward to the summer of 2000, Megan confided in her lawyer, Rebecca, who then leaked the information to the police.

During the episode, Isabella told many lies, but revealing Megan's pregnancy wasn't one of them. Megan didn't believe her, causing their already fragile friendship to further deteriorate. However, Isabella reminded Megan that their connection was strong due to their involvement in Luke's disappearance. This solidified the audience's belief that both teenagers played a role in Luke's death.

8 Isabella Claimed Someone Planted Her Bag At The Cabin

Rebecca's motive for revealing Megan's pregnancy to the Chatham police in episode 5 of Cruel Summer season 2 was solely to divert attention from the discovery of Isabella's bag at the cabin. Isabella claimed that her bag of money was originally in the Airstream at the Landry house before Luke's body was found in the water, suggesting that someone planted it at the cabin to frame her. However, given Isabella's history of incessant and skillful deception throughout the episode, including fabricating lies about her correspondence with Lisa, her past with Trevor, kissing Trevor, her intentions to leave Megan and Debbie's house, etc., it is challenging to believe anything she says. Until further supporting evidence emerges regarding the origins of Isabella's bag, it is reasonable to presume that she was the one who brought it to the cabin in Cruel Summer season 2.

7 Megan Changed Her Grades

Cruel Summer season 2, episode 4 exposed Megan's academic decline from an A to a C during the winter of 1999. Surprisingly, she employed the extravagant monitor gifted by Isabella for Christmas to manipulate her grade back to an A in episode 5. The connection between this seemingly insignificant storyline and the show's overarching mystery remains elusive. Nevertheless, it is worth noting that the compromised grade pertains to AP European History, with Hutchinson serving as the teacher.

6 Isabella's Ex (& Lisa's Brother) Visited Chatham In Cruel Summer

In Cruel Summer season 2, episode 5, Isabella had an unexpected visitor during the summer of 1999 — Trevor, Lisa's brother and Isabella's ex-boyfriend. Both Isabella and Lisa had attended boarding school in Switzerland, where Isabella first met Trevor when she accompanied Lisa back home for fall break. Trevor claimed that his layover in Seattle prompted him to pay a spontaneous visit, but it was clear that Isabella didn't welcome his presence. As the hour progressed, Trevor disclosed that he had been relentlessly trying to locate Isabella for several months, but she had intentionally evaded being found, especially after the events of the previous winter.

When Trevor broached the subject of their past, Isabella confessed to being arrested for public intoxication in Ibiza and being expelled from school. However, upon being privately confronted by Trevor, the truth was unveiled to the viewers. Isabella admitted, "Things got out of control last winter. We should have been honest with Lisa." Subsequently, Trevor cryptically referred to rumors circulating and the police's inquiries about "that night." In an attempt to divert and manipulate Trevor, Isabella professed her love and engaged in kissing, but Trevor remained resolute. He insisted on "getting an answer," yet Isabella compelled him to leave before he received one.

5 Megan Had A Secret Relationship With Ned (The Creepy Neighbor)

The unsettling figure known as Ned, who resides in the nearby woods, made a surprising appearance in episode 5 of season 2 of Cruel Summer. This particular episode shed light on the unexpected depth of his connection with Megan. In the closing moments of the first episode, a seemingly suspicious exchange occurred between the two as they witnessed the retrieval of Luke's lifeless body from the water. However, in episode 5, glimpses of their intricate relationship leading up to the summer of 2000 were unveiled for the viewers.

4 Debbie Kicked Isabella Out

Once revered as a hacker prodigy, Ned played the role of an influential mentor in Megan's life. Curiously, Megan decided to conceal their connection from Isabella, without any apparent justification. To maintain her cover, she deceitfully claimed that she would be spending Christmas at Ned's cabin. However, Isabella grew suspicious and shadowed Megan, inevitably forming her own misguided assumptions about the nature of Megan and Ned's bond. Time alone shall reveal the truth, but based on the events of episode 5, it appears that Megan and Ned shared a close camaraderie rooted in their shared passion for hacking. Furthermore, this revelation confirmed that Ned was, in fact, the enigmatic CBABBAGE5 — the mysterious online username responsible for guiding Megan on her hacking journey.

In Cruel Summer season 2, episode 5, after Megan's pregnancy was leaked, she demanded that Debbie kick Isabella out of their house. Reluctant to take sides, Debbie was reminded by Megan that she was her daughter, not Isabella. Consequently, Debbie proposed that Isabella should leave. Unsurprisingly, Isabella refused to exit without revealing another one of Megan's secrets. She deceitfully claimed to already be packed, but suggested that Debbie should look under her bed for something Megan wished to dispose of. The actual item was not disclosed in this episode, but it is likely to be the bloody sheets that Megan disposed of.

3 Luke & Isabella Had Sex In The Summer of 1999

2 Isabella Backed Off After Megan Confessed Feelings For Luke

After Isabella kissed Trevor, instructed him to depart, and then deceived Megan regarding her infidelity with Luke, she and Luke retreated to the cabin and engaged in intimate relations during episode 5 of Cruel Summer season 2. Given that it was Luke's inaugural experience, it held significant significance for him. Nevertheless, Isabella was not as affected by this new development in their relationship during the summer of 1999, mainly because she had an inkling that Megan harbored feelings for Luke. It remains intriguing to ascertain whether Megan ever discovered that Isabella was the one who took Luke's virginity and if that played a role in the demise of their friendship.

After sleeping with Luke in episode 5 of Cruel Summer season 2, Isabella made her way back home. It was then that Megan decided to confess her feelings for Luke, prompting Isabella to end her relationship with him. Isabella explained that she wasn't ready for another commitment after her recent break-up with Trevor and believed that Megan and Luke were meant to be together. Now, viewers have a clearer understanding of how Isabella and Luke's romance came to an end and how Megan and Luke's story began. However, the dynamics among the three of them remain tangled and confusing.

1 Lisa Drowned In The Winter Of 1998

Isabella and Trevor's comments in Cruel Summer season 2, episode 5 implied that something terrible had happened to Lisa during the summer of 1999. Debbie's discovery of Isabella's unsent postcards to Lisa provided further evidence of Lisa's likely demise. However, the confirmation and details surrounding her death were incredibly shocking.

In the summer of 2000, Trevor informed Megan about Luke's drowning by sending her a letter with newspaper clippings. Trevor expressed regret for not revealing the truth about Isabella's past to Megan earlier, but he felt compelled to do so after Luke's passing. As it turned out, Lisa tragically died in St. Barts in the winter of 1998. Similar to Luke, her cause of death was drowning, but it is believed that her death was considered an accidental occurrence unlike Luke's case.

The new information strongly suggests Isabella's guilt, particularly with her previous claim of diplomatic immunity following Lisa's drowning incident, which likely made her a suspect. However, it is premature to conclude that Isabella is responsible for Luke or Lisa's deaths. With five episodes remaining in Cruel Summer season 2, further developments are yet to unfold.