Mindhunter Season 2 ending explained: Tench and Holden discover hidden case files of missing black boys

Mindhunter Season 2 ended with quiet devastation, depicting how the burden of work, the failure of institutions, and the emotional toll of the job are slowly breaking people at the Behavioral Science Unit.

The final episodes reveal that the investigation into the Atlanta Child Murders is politically controlled.

Wayne Williams is charged with two murders because the city needs a suspect. Meanwhile, Tench and Holden discover a pile of case files of missing black boys intentionally kept hidden. This highlights the systemic racism prevalent in society.

Read on to know he complete ending of Mindhunter Season 2.

Here is the complete ending of Mindhunter season 2

By the end of season 2, Tench and Holden discover how several black boys' missing cases were never taken seriously, and the files are still hidden. In all the cases, sometimes the police ignored the reports or didn't follow important leads. This suggests the years of systemic racism and neglect towards a race.

Holden concludes that truth will never matter, no matter how hard they work, if the institution doesn't want to see it. He meets the families of the boys murdered, and though he promised to answer their questions, he also sensed that deep down, the families knew that the police wouldn't reopen their cases. There was a sense of hopelessness and defeat on their face, which further breaks Holden.

While Holden was going through institutional failure, Bill was dealing with personal collapse. The entire season, Brian didn't speak and isolated himself. He becomes fearful and withdrawn after being involved in a horrifying murder incident, which he witnessed and didn't do anything about.

Breaking point in Mindhunter season 2

While Bill is in Atlanta, Nancy moves out and takes Brian with her. She leaves a brief, emotionless note explaining she cannot do this alone anymore. There is no dramatic scene, but just a home that is suddenly empty. By the end, Bill loses that one thing he always thought he could protect.

On the other hand, Wendy's arc is quieter but equally important, being the intellectual engine of the BSU. She is constantly sidelined because she is a woman and queer in the 1970s FBI. This is the reason why her work is never given real authority or visibility.

She opens up emotionally in a new relationship, but ultimately, she chooses her work over intimacy. This mirrors the emotional isolation that Holden and Bill also experience. Wendy ends the season silently acknowledging that the FBI needs her mind but will never fully accept her.

Who is the BTK killer? Mindhunter Season 2 ending reveals his identity

The season, as the episode progresses, shows BTK evolving into a more dangerous killer. It is revealed that BTK is actually Dennis Rader, which the audience suspected since season 1. Throughout both seasons, the series has shown Rader in glimpses. He is shown as a man drawing some disturbing sketches in his office at night. He also practices knots and keeps strange souvenirs. These scenes were warning of a predator growing in the background while no one notices.

The season 2 finale of Mindhunter unveils some absurd rituals of BTK and his obsession with bondage. While Holden, Wendy, and Bill fight their battles in Atlantis and at home, Rader is evolving into something more sinister while BSU still doesn't know he exists.

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Mindhunter Season 2 premiered in August 2019.

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