Dept. Q Ending Explained: Why did Merritt feel guilty?

Netflix just dropped Dept. Q, and honestly? It’s exactly the kind of crime drama Netflix needed. Gritty, emotional, packed with twists, and set in the misty, moody landscape of Scotland.

From the first minute, it hooks you in. We meet a detective still healing from a recent gunshot, a missing woman who vanished four years ago, and a cold case full of secrets. Ready to find out what really happened to Merritt? Let’s break it all down, simply.

The show Dept. Q follows DCI Carl Morck, a detective struggling physically and mentally after being shot. He’s placed in a forgotten office in the basement, called the Dept. Q, where he’s asked to go through old cases no one cares about anymore. But when one file about a woman named Merritt shows up, Carl dives in deep.

Set in stormy, isolated parts of Scotland, the vibe is cold, mysterious, and slightly haunting. Think Mindhunter, but Scottish.

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The mystery around Merritt’s disappearance in Dept. Q

In Dept. Q , Merritt was a smart and fearless criminal prosecutor. She had enemies. Lots of them. One day, she simply vanished. No clues. No body. Just silence for four years. Everyone assumed she was dead until Carl reopened her file and slowly uncovered the dark truth.

Here’s where it gets juicy. There were so many suspects, and each had a reason to hurt her:

• Graeme Finch – A criminal she tried to put behind bars.
• Steven Burn – Scotland’s Lord Advocate with shady secrets.
• Kirsty Atkins – A woman Merritt promised to help but abandoned.
• William – Merritt’s own brother, hinted as unstable.
• Sam Hey – A journalist and Merritt’s lover… who supposedly died a day before she disappeared.

So, who really took her?

Turns out, “Sam Hey” wasn’t actually Sam Hey. He was Lyall Jennings, a man who looked just like Sam. They met in a psychiatric facility called God Haven. Lyall killed the real Sam and pretended to be him so he could get close to Merritt. Why?

It was all revenge in Dept. Q.

Years ago, Merritt was dating Lyall’s brother, Harry. She wanted to escape her tough life and came up with a plan to steal some of her father’s jewelry. Harry broke in to steal it, but things went horribly wrong. Merritt’s brother, William, was home. He got badly hurt, and Harry died while trying to escape. Even though Lyall was involved in the beating, Harry took the blame.

So, Lyall and his mother, Elsa, blamed Merritt for everything.

In Dept. Q, Lyall’s mom, Elsa, wasn’t any less dangerous. She also wanted Merritt to suffer for what happened to her son. So the two of them, mother and son, planned to take Merritt away, hide her, and make her pay.

And they did. For four years, Merritt was held captive in a chamber, breathing recycled air, and forgotten by the world.

Merritt wasn’t innocent. She started the chain of events that ruined her brother’s life and killed Harry. And she knew it. That guilt haunted her. That’s why she kept trying to help William, because deep down, she blamed herself for his injuries.

In the last episode of Dept. Q, Carl and his partner Akram discover where Merritt is being held. They race to save her from a chamber that’s about to become toxic. Just when it seems too late, Lyall shows up with a gun, ready to kill again.

In a powerful scene, Akram uses his quick skills, throws a blade, grabs a gun, and kills Lyall just in time. Merritt is saved.

As for Elsa, when cornered by police, she turns the gun on herself instead of facing justice.

Merritt is recovering. She thanks everyone for saving her, except Carl. Then, one day, she walks out of an elevator and runs into him. She doesn’t even recognize him. Carl just lets her go.

Why? Because Carl isn’t in it for praise. He’s a true detective. He solves cases because he cares, not for recognition.

The very first scene of Dept. Q shows Carl getting shot, but we never find out who did it. It’s left hanging.

There’s a theory that PC Anderson, a fellow officer, was involved in criminal activity. Maybe he was the real target. There’s also a shady criminal named Eugene Arrington who ran crime in Leath Park. Was it connected? We’ll have to wait for Season 2 to know for sure.

Dept. Q is a smart, chilling crime drama that’s worth watching. If you love shows with cold cases, deep emotional layers, and strong detective work, this one's for you. Netflix finally delivered a crime show that feels real, raw, and addictive.

Netflix’s Dept. Q isn’t just another detective series. It’s about redemption, guilt, family, and the cost of silence. With strong writing, intense performances, and a compelling story, it keeps you on edge from start to finish. And with a new cold case being opened in the last scene, there’s definitely room for more.

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