‘A Murder at the End of the World’s Scariest Character Isn’t the Killer

Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for Episodes 1 – 5 of A Murder at the End of the World

The Big Picture

• A Murder at the End of the World skillfully builds suspense in a murder mystery set in a secluded area of Iceland during a dangerous snowstorm.
• The show tackles prevalent issues like artificial intelligence and the climate apocalypse while also serving as an “eat the rich” narrative.
• The show’s frigid setting and isolation increase the danger for the characters, who are trapped with no connection to the outside world and surrounded by untrustworthy acquaintances.

Each episode of A Murder at the End of the World, the latest collaboration between The OA‘s Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij, feels like it gives us more questions than answers. Starting with Bill’s (Harris Dickinson) death, the body count continues to climb as the series progresses, leaving the remaining characters on edge, limited only to each other’s company while under the watchful eye of the enigmatic billionaire Andy Ronson (Clive Owen). Marling and Batmanglij skillfully build suspense in the gradually unfolding murder mystery at the center of A Murder at the End of the World, which is cemented through the show’s primary setting in a secluded area of Iceland in the dead of winter. This scary setting raises the stakes even higher than they already were with a killer on the loose, as the characters are unable to escape as a dangerous snowstorm ravages the area.

‘A Murder at the End of the World’ Puts an Icy Twist on a Familiar Premise

Created by Marling and Batmanglij, the minds behind Netflix’s prematurely canceled series The OA, the first episode of A Murder at the End of the World introduces a premise quite similar to that of last year’s Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. A select group of people are invited by a reclusive billionaire to a private retreat in a remote location, soon evolving into a whodunit with a number of casualties that expose well-kept secrets along the way. The similarities end there, however, as A Murder at the End of the World is largely devoid of humor, and its dangerously frigid setting is a villain in itself.

The diverse group of guests includes Brazilian doctor Sian (Alice Braga), Chinese tech mogul Lu Mei (Joan Chen), and South Asian climatologist Rohan (Javed Khan), among others, along with our protagonist, 24-year-old hacker Darby Hart (Emma Corrin). When Bill, Darby’s former flame and partner in true crime investigating, arrives late to the party, they briefly reconnect before his untimely death, which is at first explained away as an overdose, but is soon revealed to be the work of a masked killer. Bill’s death takes place on their very first night at the retreat, hosted by billionaire Andy and his wife Lee (Brit Marling), but a sense of alarm doesn’t truly set in until Rohan unexpectedly drops dead from what appears to have been a heart attack but is soon revealed to be another coordinated attack.

Like Glass Onion and its predecessor Knives Out, A Murder at the End of the World updates the whodunit for modern sensibilities. Tackling prevalent issues like the ubiquity of artificial intelligence and the impending climate apocalypse, A Murder at the End of the World effectively uses the snowy Icelandic mountains as a backdrop for yet another “eat the rich” narrative. Despite being meticulously designed, staffed, and monitored by Andy, even his secluded, luxury resort in the middle of nowhere remains constrained by unpredictable inclement weather. As the body count increases, so do the dangers that come with being trapped in a snowstorm with no connection to the outside world, surrounded by a group of untrustworthy acquaintances.

‘A Murder at the End of the World’s Setting Is Essential to Its Storytelling

Upon their arrival in Iceland, we’re shown gorgeous sweeping shots of the snowy mountains as the guests are driven down a long winding road to the hotel, establishing their isolation from the outside world. In an interview with Collider for A Murder at the End of the World, Corrin detailed the many challenges of shooting in such a grueling climate with subzero temperatures, sharing, “It is really challenging, that environment, when you’re out in the frozen tundra with this biting wind and it’s subzero. There is so much stuff you have to actively do to try to keep yourself alive, like constantly hydrate even though you’re not thirsty when you’re cold and constantly making sure you’ve eaten. It’s a lot.” The dangerously low temperatures make it virtually impossible for anyone to escape on foot, by car, or even by snowmobile once the storm hits. Despite the high-tech amenities of the resort, which doubles as a bunker to be used during the predicted climate apocalypse, as the snow storm rages on, they’re forced to cut the heat in order to conserve energy.

The dangerously cold climate and intense storm also eliminate their ability to call for emergency services, which becomes imperative as the death count increases and Darby suffers a concussion after her covert expedition with Sian. The resort has a doctor on staff and a medical bay full of top-of-the-line equipment, but Darby can’t trust her either, as she and the rest of the hotel staff answer to Andy. Still grieving Bill’s death and recovering from a concussion, when Sian, Darby’s one remaining ally, dies at the end of “Chapter 5: Crypt,” the nature of her living conditions exacerbates her poor mental and emotional state, leaving her lonelier (and colder) than ever.

‘A Murder at the End of the World’s Present-Day Timeline Is Cold in Tone and Temperature

The pristine white snow and frigid temperatures of Darby’s present reality also clearly and intentionally contrast the flashbacks from Darby’s past, recalling her happier, warmer memories with Bill interspersed throughout the episodes. Several years prior, Darby and Bill traveled across the Midwestern United States in search of an unidentified suspected serial killer responsible for the deaths of scores of women. The warm colors and temperatures that serve as a backdrop for Darby and Bill’s love story provide a welcome reprieve from the literal and figurative coldness of Iceland, almost making you forget about the murder mystery altogether. Both settings evoke a sense of isolation, but in the past, Darby had a partner she could trust in their shared isolation, while in the present she is plagued by loneliness and memories of Bill, with no one to truly lean on.

With a number of twists and turns, betrayals and jaw-dropping reveals, there are just two more episodes of A Murder at the End of the World to piece together the killer’s true identity and Andy’s true intentions for inviting them to the retreat. And with no sign of the storm clearing, the guests and resort staff remain trapped in the snowy mountains, vulnerable not only to each other but to the whims of Mother Nature.

A Murder at the End of the World is available to stream on Hulu in the U.S.

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