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The captivating series titled “The Stolen Child” unfolded a gripping tale brimming with unexpected plot twists and hidden, sorrowful truths. The narrative revolved around Elisa (Denise Gough), a mother whose child Lucia (Beatrice Campbell) was abducted by Rebecca (Holliday Grainger). However, it soon transpired that Rebecca—and ultimately, Elisa herself—were not as they seemed.

Despite the main mysteries in “The Stolen Girl” being resolved, there were several instances that left us puzzled. Ranging from an odd abduction scheme to certain dubious editorial choices, here are 10 key aspects of the series that left us perplexed.

10
The Kidnapping Plot Should Have Failed

Initially, Nina’s scheme to abduct Lucia appeared meticulously planned, necessitating substantial funds and many years to execute. However, upon closer examination, a significant portion of the plan hinged on pure chance. For instance, had Elisa’s flight not been delayed, causing her distress, or if her son hadn’t persistently honked the horn, it appears probable she would have refused Nina’s proposal to babysit Lucia. Furthermore, if Fred (Jim Sturgess) hadn’t dozed off, he might have discovered Lucia was missing much sooner, allowing the police to save her before she even left town.

A Crime of Opportunity

Without a doubt, Josie (Robyn Betteridge), Nina’s daughter, played a substantial part in persuading Elisa to allow Lucia to visit, given the circumstances. Moreover, it’s plausible that Nina was aware of Elisa’s past flight delays, which might have contributed to this situation. Nevertheless, this doesn’t account for why Nina would rely so heavily on luck. Typically, her plans wouldn’t work out on other days, increasing the risk of arousing Elisa’s suspicion. In truth, it seems more like a spontaneous act than an intricately planned and executed scheme.

9
There Was Zero Reason to Hire Matkovic

To abduct Lucia, Nina recruits a man named Matkovic, who transports the girl to France. During their journey, they pull over at a gas station, and Lucia makes an attempt to flee. This failed escape is what eventually helps the authorities find her. However, if Lucia had remained with Nina, she might not have attempted to run away, raising a significant question: why was Matkovic part of the plan in the first place?

A More Complicated, Less Effective Plan

Essentially, Matkovic posed a significant risk for Nina. His knowledge of her whereabouts and actions made him dangerous, especially when the police unmasked him and he demanded money at her home. Although this confrontation ultimately led to his demise, it could have just as easily resulted in Nina’s. It’s plausible that Matkovic might have been instrumental in helping Lucia reach France, perhaps by sneaking her onto a ferry, but if so, one may question why Nina (who also journeyed to France) couldn’t have accomplished the task on her own.

8
Normal Lives are Over

Following the abduction of Lucia, Nina’s behavior starts showing inconsistencies. She appears anxious when a neighbor visits, suggesting her desire to isolate the girls from others. However, she also assures them they will have opportunities to socialize, even taking them to the beach, seemingly trying to convince herself and them of this promise. This is puzzling as she later reacts strangely upon seeing Lucia’s picture in a newspaper – an unexpected response since it’s unclear what Nina expected would happen regarding Lucia’s whereabouts.

Lack of Common Sense

Indeed, if a person were to abduct a girl and claim her as their own, it might suggest some concerns about their mental state. It could be that Nina was so deeply engrossed in her imagined world that she found it difficult to discern the truth from fiction. However, considering her carefully orchestrated kidnapping plan, it’s reasonable to assume she had a long-term strategy or at least understood the need for prolonged concealment.

7
Faking Identity is a Reach

Ambika Mod’s character, Selma, was a journalist who suspected that Elisa might have played a role in Lucia’s disappearance. Right from the start, she voiced her opinion to her superior that Elisa seemed suspicious because she was always active on social media but had no online presence years prior. It turned out that Selma was correct: Elisa had indeed been part of a cult and began using social media only after leaving it. However, it was quite a leap to assume that the absence of an online presence meant that Elisa was pretending to be someone else.

Other Answers

It’s plausible that Elisa hadn’t been active on social media prior to the given timeframe, which coincided with her early motherhood years. She might have started using it later since she had more experiences and stories to share. Furthermore, Selma could have explored other feasible leads, like considering the kidnapper might be linked to one of Fred’s clients.

6
Putting Lucia at Risk

As I penned down my piece about Elisa, Selma appeared genuinely concerned that my article could place Lucia in harm’s way. She also seemed taken aback by the torrent of negativity that had befallen Elisa since my article. It leaves me questioning why she didn’t foresee this might happen. It seems apparent to me now that a critical piece would bring unfavorable attention upon Elisa, potentially jeopardizing her daughter as well.

Bad Journalism

It’s plausible Selma might be less experienced with writing about sensitive topics such as kidnapping cases, which could explain why she may not have foreseen the potential repercussions that her article might have, unlike a story about an aggressive pig. Alternatively, it could be that Selma was eager to break the news and didn’t ponder over the possible consequences. Either way, this indicates there’s much for Selma to learn in journalism if she intends to carry on in the profession.

5
How Does the Cult Function?

In her quest to understand more about Elisa’s involvement in a mysterious group, Selma travels to her hometown. There, she seeks insights into the inner workings of this enigmatic cult and the person Elisa had become within it. However, the narrative provides only scant details about the cult, revealing merely that they dress in red, barter goods instead of using currency, and claim to shun modernity. Yet, members are seen wearing or using modern items, and apart from the abusive actions of Elisa’s father (and her mother’s complicity), the cult appears relatively harmless. Considering its significant role in the narrative, it’s puzzling that we don’t uncover more about this enigmatic organization.

More To Explore

In essence, it’s not really a mistake of the show, but rather something intriguing we’d love to understand better. The story involving Elisa and the cult appeared to be a natural choice for an investigative journalist like Selma, yet after learning about Elisa, her curiosity towards the cult apparently waned—however, ours has only intensified as viewers.

4
Lucia’s Acceptance of Nina

As the show draws to a close, Lucia learns that Nina has been manipulating photographs to look like herself, causing Lucia to flee. Yet, it remains unclear why Lucia so readily fell for Nina’s deception from the start. Despite being a child and susceptible to influence, Lucia grew up with her parents. It seems odd that she didn’t exhibit more curiosity (or even show signs of missing them).

Strange Child Logic

It’s clear that Lucia isn’t to blame for being kidnapped, nor is it fair to hold her accountable for staying with Nina and Josie. She’s just a child and has been a victim throughout these events. Yet, it’s curious why she didn’t try harder to escape, considering Nina was often absent, creating an opportunity for Lucia to leave.

It could be that the photographs of the birthmark helped her believe Nina was truthful, or perhaps a type of Stockholm Syndrome developed, yet she had multiple opportunities to escape earlier and appeared uninterested. An alternative explanation is that she may have been unsure about her location initially, which might explain why she didn’t run, but her actions at the gas station contradict this since she did manage to flee there. So, what could be causing her reluctance now?

3
Elisa’s Connection to Marcus

Before Elisa got pregnant with George, she was involved romantically with Marcus (Xavier Samuel). He stood by her side during crucial moments, such as when she accidentally caused her father to fall down the stairs and when their car crashed into Nina’s husband and daughter. His unwavering affection for her became evident when he chose to serve prison time instead of revealing his involvement in these incidents. It’s puzzling that neither the police nor Elisa herself made a connection between Marcus and the events, despite the strong evidence suggesting their relationship.

An Obvious Lead

As a movie buff, I’d rephrase it this way: Marcus being in jail didn’t stop him from being a key figure in Lucia’s case. In hindsight, Elisa might’ve found herself in a tricky situation for revealing their connection, but she must have sensed its importance to the investigation. If only we had uncovered Marcus’ role earlier, the police could’ve traced him to Nina much quicker, potentially rescuing Lucia sooner. With the passage of time, Elisa might not have seen the relevance back then, but considering the gravity of the situation, she should have given it more thought.

2
How Did Nina Track Elisa to the Cult?

Following the tragic loss of her husband and daughter in a car accident, Nina sought explanations from Elisa’s religious group. It seems peculiar that she would turn to this cult, considering Marcus was blamed for the incident. Due to the accident causing Nina to be disoriented, she didn’t see another woman in the car at the time. Later, it became clear that she had no idea that Elisa was driving. Therefore, one might wonder why Nina went to the cult in search of answers about her family’s deaths when there was no reason for her to suspect that it wasn’t an accident or that Marcus hadn’t been driving alone.

Unsatisfactory Answers

It’s possible that the police discovered evidence suggesting someone else was with Marcus, yet this detail wasn’t disclosed to the audience. Furthermore, it’s plausible that only cult members were in the vicinity when the crash took place, making Nina eager to question them. However, it appears rather coincidental that Nina came across Elisa’s mother for interrogation purposes, and even more peculiar that she immediately suspected kidnapping instead of reporting the matter to the police after discovering Elisa’s ties.

1
Elisa’s Connection to Nina

The aspect of “The Stolen Child” that seems most puzzling centers on Elisa’s relationship with Nina. Despite the fact that Elisa was responsible for running over Nina’s husband and daughter, it appears that she never saw pictures of Nina. This could suggest that Elisa wanted to move past this incident without giving it much thought. However, this raises doubts about Elisa’s character because she seemed to neglect Marcus in jail, ignore the widow of her victim, and generally evade responsibility before attempting to resume her normal life. In essence, Elisa’s actions call into question her moral fiber.

Undermining the Whole Series

It appears there’s an inconsistency in the storyline that significantly alters its narrative flow. The character, Elisa, should have recognized Nina because her images were widely circulated during the trial and received media coverage. Similarly, it seems unrealistic that Nina didn’t anticipate this possibility. If Elisa had known Nina from the start, the kidnapping plot (and consequently the series) would likely have unfolded differently or even been resolved earlier.

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2025-05-22 04:13