The Shocking Twist You Missed: Unveiling Luke's True Killer in Cruel Summer Season 2

Summary

Cruel Summer season 2 originally intended to reveal a different character as Luke's killer, which would have provided a more surprising twist.

Isabella, with her suspicious behavior and similarities to Jeanette from season 1, was somewhat predictable as Luke's killer.

Instead of opting for predictability, the writers contemplated the idea of making Megan's mother, Debbie, the killer. This unexpected twist would have brought depth to her character and prevented a repetitive pattern of criminalizing main characters.

Warning: This article contains spoilers for episode 10 of season 2 of Cruel Summer. Season 2 of Cruel Summer unveiled Luke's killer in its finale, but the creators nearly chose a more unexpected twist that could have improved the ending. Freeform's Cruel Summer became a sensation after its first season, which ended with the shocking revelation that one of its main characters, Jeanette Turner played by Chiara Aurelia, was much more deceitful than she appeared. The conclusion of season 2 of Cruel Summer similarly delivered a punch to the gut. At first, it seemed that Luke's brother was responsible for his accidental death, but it was later revealed that Isabella was the true culprit.

The final moments of Cruel Summer season 2 were meant to be surprising, and the red herring with Luke's brother achieved that. However, Isabella's guilt was not entirely unexpected. Previous episodes had hinted at her troubled past and even her decision to flee the country. Her behavior throughout the season was suspicious and reminiscent of Jeanette's in season 1 of Cruel Summer. This alone made Luke's killer somewhat predictable. The writers should have chosen one of their alternative plans, which would have introduced a more surprising character as the murderer.

Debbie Was Almost Luke's Killer in Cruel Summer Season 2

Isabella was the clear choice to be the killer in season 2 of Cruel Summer, following her failed romance with Luke. However, showrunner Elle Triedman revealed in an interview with Entertainment Weekly that there were other potential suspects considered. One surprising option mentioned was Megan's mother, Debbie. According to Triedman, they explored various avenues with different characters before settling on Isabella. Debbie's involvement in Luke's death would actually make sense, as he had caused pain for her daughter and had become like a second child to her. This gave her a motive for murder, and her relationship with Luke's father provided her with the opportunity as well.

Why Cruel Summer Season 2's Debbie Twist Would Have Saved the Ending

The creators missed an opportunity to improve the ending of Cruel Summer season 2 by not incorporating their Debbie twist, as pointed out by Triedman. While Megan's realization that Isabella killed Luke was uninspiring, revealing Debbie as the culprit would have been an unexpected plot twist. Debbie had a motive, even though it would have ultimately backfired on her once Megan was accused of murder. Making Debbie the killer would have broken the predictable pattern of criminalizing the main characters in the series, which is something that needs to change in Cruel Summer season 3.

Furthermore, making Debbie guilty would have aligned with Cruel Summer's underlying theme that everyone has dark secrets. Her willingness to let teenagers, including her own daughter, take the blame for her actions would present a sinister portrayal of the supposedly kindhearted mother. Additionally, her involvement in Luke's death would cast a shadow over her relationship with Steve, highlighting how she is capable of hurting and deceiving those closest to her. This would have made Debbie just as morally questionable as Jeanette, effectively continuing the thematic elements of Cruel Summer without replicating the formula of season 1.

Source: Entertainment Weekly