Red Eye Season 2 ending explained: the mystery of Flight D-300 crash revealed

Red Eye Season 2 | Image Via: Hulu
Red Eye Season 2 | Image Via: Hulu

The entirety of Red Eye Season 2 is currently available via streaming on ITVX and Hulu, after kicking off 2026 with a bang. The key moment in the second season is the crash of Flight D-300 over the Atlantic, and it kicks off the central mystery of this season. The crash also also behind the lockdown at the US embassy in London. The synopsis for the Red Eye Season 2 premiere reads:

"As the murder of a diplomatic courier leads DS Hana Li to London's US Embassy, MI5's Madeline Delaney receives a call about a bomb on the jet she is travelling on."

Red Eye Season 2 ending explained:

Jing Lusi described Red Eye Season 2 as the "Perfect New Year’s Day binge-fest", and she was right. One of the earliest developments in this season is Ambassador Ronald Tillman lifting the lockdown at the US embassy. However, the series further reveals that Tillman was forced to do so to placate Fox, the assassin. By the time of the Red Eye Season 2 finale, we finally learn more about Fox.

But lifting the lockdown doesn't stop Fox from forcing "Charles Johnson" (Charles Clay Brody-Johnson is the real name) to shoot Tillman. Fox is the biggest thorn on the good guys' side this season. At the end of the fifth episode, Fox sends a text message to Defence Secretary Alex Peterson as the real mastermind who hired him.

We learn that Peterson was benefiting the most from the D-300 airplanes, and therefore, it is in his best interest that the details of the crash remain a secret. The voice recorder in the cockpit from the crashed D-300 flight would've revealed Peterson's link with the aeroplanes, and therefore, it is declared to the world that they couldn't salvage the flight recorder.

Both Tillman and Peterson supported the cover-up initially. At the time of the crash, Tillman was a low-level politician who was more popular as the CEO of AM Aeronautics, the manufacturer of D-300 planes. He was able to retrieve the recording from the crashed plane and kept it as a secret weapon against Alex Peterson.

After getting the prestigious position of the Ambassador with Peterson's support, Ronald Tillman decides to turn on the former. This is why the Defence Secretary hires Fox, who ultimately kills the ambassador in Red Eye Season 2 Episode 5. MI5 Director-General Madeline Delaney traps Peterson with Clay Brody's help. Brody disguises himself as Fox, and the Defence Secretary reveals everything.

But the biggest thorn on the good guys' side is Fox. We see him beat Hana Li in an early episode, in which he comes out on top. He spooks her particularly by intentionally shooting close to her head, making it look like she owes him. However, Li turns the tables on him in the season 2 finale by repeating the same move.

Hana briefly considers killing Fox, but the MI5 rushes to the scene and arrests him. This means that both Fox and Peterson are brought to justice.


Do Brody and Li share a history?

Brody and Li share a touching conversation in the last act of the Red Eye Season 2 finale. She apologizes for doubting him, and Brody, on the other hand, apologizes for emotionally traumatizing her by attempting to kill their trainer. The series also suggests that Brody had feelings for Hana, but neither brings it up, so it is unclear. Jing Lusi addressed Hana and Clay's history in The Hollywood Reporter interview:

"Yeah, we were lucky to be involved a little bit in the development process. The producers [said], “This is what we’re thinking. What do you guys think?” And at the beginning it was very broad strokes. It was like, “You guys have history.” And we were like, “OK, yeah. But, specifically, what? Was it romantic? Was it professional? How deep was it? He didn’t pay for a meal, he owes me 5 pounds, or he murdered my dog? What are we thinking?” We asked a lot of questions, and we got a bit more specific. And once we had the main bones of the structure, we could fill in the gaps for ourselves."

You can binge-watch the two seasons on Hulu. And if you are from the UK, you can watch them on ITVX.

Edited by Ravikumar N