The Afterparty Season 2 Finale Revealed: Shocking Twist in Edgar's Murder Case & Mind-Blowing Cameos

Spoilers ahead for The Afterparty season 2 finale.

Summary

The finale of season 2 of The Afterparty unveils the murderer of Edgar and exposes the true reason behind the killing.

By incorporating mind movies in every episode, the show delves into diverse genres and filmmaking styles.

In the shocking finale of The Afterparty season 2, Ulysses mistakenly poisons Edgar instead of the intended target, adding an unexpected twist to the narrative.

Ulysses Accidentally Killed Edgar In The Afterparty Season 2

Throughout the 10-episode season, the narrators of The Afterparty share their versions of events with Danner, creating "mind movies" that drive each episode to explore a unique genre or filmmaking style that aligns with the narrator's perspective. In the concluding episode titled "Vivian and Zoë," glimpses of the characters' mind movies are revealed: Zoë's section adopts the eerie atmosphere of a B-movie horror, while her mother Vivian (portrayed by Vivian Wu) reenacts the dramatic flair of an '80s soap opera. These cinematic portrayals hold vital clues that enable Aniq and Danner to unravel the mystery surrounding Edgar's murder and apprehend the perpetrator just as the local law enforcement arrives to make an arrest.

Following the arrival of local law enforcement at the Napa County estate of the Minnows, Aniq and Danner find themselves under pressure to swiftly solve the case within five minutes. Failure to do so would result in the wrongful arrest of Edgar's newlywed wife, Grace, for the murder. After dismissing any suspicion of Zoë's involvement, the investigative duo turns to Vivian, the mother of Grace and Zoë, to provide crucial details about the remaining gaps in the events of the wedding weekend. Multiple recollections from various perspectives reveal that Vivian had a meeting with Ulysses (John Cho), the girls' uncle (also known as their "funcle"), and her husband, Feng (Ken Jeong), by the lake on the evening prior to the wedding ceremony.

Earlier in the season, it was revealed that Vivian and Ulysses had an affair many years ago. This caused Ulysses to leave his family and travel the world. Edgar is now desperately searching for Grace's funcle in order to bring their family together for the wedding. Ulysses' vivid mental movie of their epic romance suggests that he met with Vivian to discuss the identity of Grace's father. In fact, a significant part of his story revolves around extracting some of Grace's DNA in order to secretly perform a paternity test.

However, when Vivian recalls their encounter by the lake, she completely omits any mention of the paternity conversation. This raises suspicion for Aniq and Danner, who begin to suspect that Ulysses killed Edgar. This shocking revelation surprises the entire cast of The Afterparty, as most of them were charmed by Ulysses and believed his motive for murder to be weak, at best. The plot thickens when it is revealed that Ulysses accidentally killed Edgar by mistakenly giving him poison meant for someone else, adding another unexpected twist.

Why Ulysses Tried To Kill Feng In The Afterparty Season 2

Even the most comprehensive ranking of potential killers in The Afterparty season 2 would not have suspected Ulysses for Edgar's death. This is why the reveal of accidental poisoning is so impactful. In Vivian's dramatic retelling of the conversation by the lakeside, reminiscent of an '80s soap opera, she rejects Ulysses' persistent advances. Feng, who is upset by the situation, confronts them, leading to a heated argument among the three. Unable to accept rejection, Ulysses, in a state of lovesick desperation, devises a plan to murder his own brother, Feng, in order to be with Vivian.

The well-traveled Ulysses notices devil's trumpets in the centerpieces of the rehearsal dinner and manages to obtain some of the highly poisonous plants. The following morning, Ulysses discreetly enters Aniq and Zoë's accommodation and takes an excessively long shower. In Aniq's humorous retelling of the events, Ulysses' shower becomes much more sinister: he uses the hot water to brew a deadly tea. During the wedding after party, Ulysses clandestinely prepares drinks behind the Minnows' in-library bar and hands a specific glass to Feng, hoping to poison him.

However, Feng is determined to impress Edgar and secure an investment for his food truck, so he sets his glass aside without taking a sip. As seen in social media footage, Edgar mistakenly grabs the incorrect glass and unknowingly consumes the poison intended for Feng. To test this theory, Vivian decides to take a sip from Ulysses' horn, which is known to store poison. However, it is no surprise to avid viewers of The Afterparty season 2 that Ulysses would never allow Vivian to consume the toxic substance. He intervenes just in time and confesses to the crime.

Why Zoë Thinks She Killed The Family Dog (& What Really Happened)

While Grace's episode alludes to the existence of multiple killers, none of the chapters provide any evidence to suggest that there were any additional deaths besides Edgar and Roxana's. However, before Aniq and Danner can unravel the mystery behind Edgar's murder, they have a momentary realization: they have yet to hear Zoë's perspective on the weekend of the wedding. To complicate matters further, her name never even crosses their minds when they mentally recap the events of the after-party. Initial suspicions fall on Zoë, as she confesses to unintentionally causing the death of "him" – although Aniq and Danner soon come to realize that Zoë is not referring to Edgar, but instead, the Minnows' beloved dog.

Aniq & Zoë's Proposals, Explained

The Minnows' matriarch, Isabel (Elizabeth Perkins), strongly dislikes Edgar's late father's cherished pet dog, considering it a constant nuisance. Throughout the series, Isabel frequently complains about the dog's ability to keep surviving and seemingly having multiple lives. In Zoë's imaginative mind movie, a comedic horror film, she innocently enters Edgar and Grace's bedroom only to be comically attacked by the (stuffed) dog. Though Zoë mistakenly thinks she accidentally killed the dog by tossing it out the window, it miraculously reappears unharmed, almost as if it was scripted.

In The Afterparty season 2's inaugural episode, Aniq provides Danner with his own rendition of the wedding weekend, taking inspiration from a romantic comedy sequel. In his quest to make a positive impression on Zoë's parents and secure their approval, Aniq continuously makes blunders. These blunders range from accidentally spitting fermented camel's milk onto Vivian to struggling to hoist The Afterparty's imitation-traditional wedding vow box over Edgar and Grace during the ceremony. However, Aniq's plans to propose are put on hold when Edgar's life is tragically cut short.

Even so, Aniq believes that solving the case and clearing Grace's name will help him win over Feng and Vivian. In the end, he isn't too far off. While walking around the Minnows' lake, Zoë surprises Aniq by proposing to him with a ring made from blades of grass. Amused, Aniq reveals that he had planned to ask her the same question during their weekend together. As they promise to continue surprising each other with proposals when the other least expects it, they both kneel down, adding an extra touch of sweetness to the conclusion of this amusing murder mystery.

Danner's Cameo-Filled Meta Movie About The Afterparty Season 1, Explained

In anticipation of its premiere, Chris Miller, the creator, expressed his enthusiasm for The Afterparty season 2's fresh genres. However, no one could expect the joyfully meta twist that concludes the second season of the show. Just before departing from the Minnows estate, Aniq makes a remark to Danner that alters her path after leaving the police force. "You know, I never quite understood," Aniq interrupts when Danner mentions her plans to write a book about the murder from season 1, "why are you writing a book when your true forte is creating mental movies?"

One year later, Aniq and Zoë, now happily married, pay a visit to director Danner on the set of her latest project—a feature film adaptation of The Afterparty season 1. In this new installment, Aniq attends his high school reunion with the hope of rekindling his connection with Zoë. However, their plans take an unexpected turn when Xavier, a former classmate and now a famous pop icon portrayed by Dave Franco, invites everyone to an after party at his mansion, which tragically ends in murder.

Adding to the excitement, Danner's meta movie about The Afterparty season 1 is brimming with impressive cameos. Keke Palmer takes on the role of Danner in the fictional film titled X Marks the Murder Spot, while Daniel Radcliffe, though only seen through his posters on set, portrays Xavier. Gemma Chan portrays Zoë, Elijah Wood plays Yasper, and Jaleel White, who is also Danner's fiancé, portrays Aniq. It is an homage that honors the desires of Brett, a character from season 1 played by Ike Barinholtz.