Where The Crawdads Sing ending explained: Chase’s death and Kya’s fight for justice

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for Where the Crawdads Sing. Reader discretion is advised.

Written by Lucy Alibar and directed by Olivia Newman, Where the Crawdads Sing is a 2022 mystery drama film about a woman who lives in an isolated marshland in the Deep South of the US. Based on Delia Owens' novel by the same name, the film follows the journey of her resilience to survive after her family abandons her.

On the surface, Where the Crawdads Sing may seem like an investigative thriller about a woman who gets accused of the murder of a man she once was in love with. However, it slowly reveals itself as a delicate portrait of her mental strength and courage.

Daisy Edgar-Jones stars in the central role of Kya (Catherine Clark), who finds herself in this predicament. At the end of Where the Crawdads Sing, Kya is proven not guilty of Chase's murder. However, the final moments hint at the culprit behind this crime.

What do we learn about Kya?

Kya lives an isolated life in the Marshland after getting abandoned at a very young age. As a kid, she had to live with her abusive father, who compelled her mother and her older siblings to leave the marsh for good. However, that left her alone with him. A few years later, he abandons her as well.

These events keep her in a shell, with no help from the locals either. They ostracise and tease her as the "Marsh Girl" without thinking about how their words affect her. They overlook the fact that she did not choose the circumstances she grew up in.

After being left to fend for herself, Kya grows fond of a couple from a local general store, who become her guardians. They help her with the education she couldn't formally receive. Tate (Taylor John Smith), an older friend, also becomes a part of this journey.

Why does Kya get accused of Chase's murder?

A still from Where The Crawdads Sing (Image via YouTube/@sonypictures)

Kya and Tate fall for each other, but unlike her, he hopes to grow past their marshland. He decides to move away for studies and promises to return on the 4th of July. However, he breaks that promise.

Five years later, Kya crosses paths with Chase (Harris Dickinson), who woos her in no time. So, even when Tate returns, Kya chooses Chase over him. Soon, Chase shows his true colors. He uses her for sexual favors while being engaged to someone else.

Kya stops showing him any affection. So, he tries to r*pe her. She fights off the attempt and says that she will kill him if need be. A fisherman overhears that comment, which, after Chase's death, leads to her arrest.

Most of the town presumes that Kya killed Chase because of their prejudiced opinions against her. However, lawyer Tom Milton (David Strathairn) defends her against all the accusations.

Then, who killed Chase?

The prosecution claims that Kya returned from her trip out of town overnight to commit the crime. However, with the lack of substantial evidence, along with Milton's persuasive arguments, Kya is proven "not guilty."

Once the charges are dropped, Kya enters a relationship with Tate and grows old with him. The film's final beats show Kya imagining a meeting with her late mother, only a few moments before she takes her last breath.

After Kya's death, Tate finds her journal, which includes a written passage along with a hand-drawn sketch of Chase. The passage talks about how a prey sometimes needs to kill its predator. Behind that, Tate finds the shell necklace that was missing from Chase's dead body.

What is Where the Crawdads Sing really about?

The ending of Where the Crawdads Sing hints at Kya's potential involvement in Chase's murder. However, the film isn't simply about finding the culprit. Instead, it is about Kya taking charge of her life, whether it is from her abusive father or from Chase. Hence, it is representative of her escaping this cycle of torture.

Much like Anatomy of a Fall (2023), the film is less about whether the woman killed the man or not, but how quickly people resort to judgments based on their preconceived and bigoted notions.