Wake Up Dead Man Ending Explained: Knives Out’s Weirdest Killer Twist Yet

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Benoit Blanc’s latest case is shaping up to be his most unusual yet. As with other mysteries by Rian Johnson, the story is packed with unexpected turns as Blanc tries to solve the seemingly impossible death of a priest, aided by a key suspect, Reverend Jud Duplenticy. What makes this mystery even more unique is the killer, who defies expectations set by previous cases in the series.

Both Knives Out and Glass Onion featured a single murderer motivated by greed. However, Wake Up Dead Man is different – it reveals multiple killers. Plus, the central murder is just one piece of a much bigger, more complex plot than Benoit Blanc has faced before.

Who Is the Killer in Wake Up Dead Man?

Okay, so things get really twisted in Wake Up Dead Man. Just when you think you have a handle on the case, it throws you for a loop. I was watching, and Jud actually sees Wicks come back – seemingly from the dead! – and gets knocked unconscious trying to stop him. Then, he wakes up next to a dead body – the groundskeeper, Samson. But hold on, it doesn’t end there. Later that night, Blanc and Jud discover another dead Wicks, and alongside him, the completely dissolved remains of one of his followers, Dr. Nat Sharp. It’s a wild ride, I’m telling you.

Blanc assembles the townspeople and the police chief to reveal what happened: Nat poisoned Wicks’ drink, causing him to lose consciousness and collapse into the closet. Nat staged the scene to appear as though Wicks had already been stabbed before Jud found him. Then, while pretending to inspect the body, Nat secretly stabbed the priest, killing him.

Blanc stops there, making everyone think he doesn’t understand how the person came back to life or who committed the other killings. But really, he was waiting to see if the actual killer would reveal themselves and admit what they’d done.

Even though Martha was a devoted follower of Wicks in Wake Up Dead Man, she began to plan his murder after telling him she knew where his family’s hidden treasure—a diamond called Eve’s Apple—was located. The diamond had been swallowed by his grandfather, Prentice Wicks, to keep it from his daughter, Grace, and ultimately led to his death. Realizing Wicks intended to recover the diamond and use it to spread hateful messages, Martha decided she needed to fix her earlier actions.

Martha not only plotted with Nat to murder Wicks, but she also tricked her husband, Samson, into taking Wicks’ place in a tomb. Her plan was for Samson to steal a diamond and, disguised as Wicks, make it appear as if Wicks had come back to life, thereby renewing faith in the church. However, while Martha intended to discard Eve’s Apple, Nat betrayed her and stole it, hoping to win back his wife.

Nat killed Samson after subduing Jud, then returned home and encountered Martha. He attempted to poison her, but she cleverly swapped their drinks, and he ended up drinking the poison instead. After he died, Martha dissolved his remains and planted Wicks’ body in the same place to hide her crime. She then poisoned herself just before confessing, becoming the last character to die in Wake Up Dead Man.

Martha Delacroix Is Knives Out’s Most Sympathetic Murderer Yet

Martha, the killer in Wake Up Dead Man, differs from the typical Knives Out villain in a few important ways. Previous killers like Hugh Ransom Drysdale and Miles were both privileged and driven by personal gain – Ransom sought revenge for being disinherited, and Miles prioritized his risky Klear fuel project. While Nat shares similar characteristics, Martha’s reasons for killing and her overall moral ambiguity make her a unique character.

Martha is unique among the killers in Knives Out not just because she’s the only woman, but because she wasn’t motivated by personal gain. She recognized that Monsignor Wicks would misuse his wealth, so she prevented him from getting it. She also wanted to protect the religious organization she’d dedicated her life to, even if her methods were complicated. While she certainly did wrong, it’s fair to say Martha had good intentions, unlike the other killers.

Martha stands out as the only one who fully acknowledges and takes responsibility for her actions. Unlike Ransom and Miles, who show little remorse, and Nat, who attempts to rationalize his betrayal while believing his secrets will be buried with Martha, she freely admits her wrongdoing. Martha confesses because she genuinely believes she was wrong and wants to be forgiven.

It’s powerful that Martha’s last act is seeking forgiveness from Jud. As she dies, she reflects on her life, and even manages to forgive Grace for hurting her, realizing she didn’t deserve it. This change in Martha’s heart reinforces the core message of Wake Up Dead Man: choosing love over hate. While she may not be completely redeemed, she shows a desire to change that other killers in the Knives Out series haven’t demonstrated.

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2025-12-13 04:08