'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wAARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUH/8QAHxAAAQQCAgMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDBREAIQQSFDPS/8QAFQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgT/xAAWEQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABABH/2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/AMQkJp6Yj2nH0NN9yON0bboBDSEhO7uzezk9UVxEqI8h/Rr1J+sYxoFNrf/Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Absentia begins as a missing person's tale and quickly escalates into a psychological thriller that reshapes every assumption viewers make about guilt, innocence, conspiracy, and survival.
From the very first episode, Absentia makes the Conrad Harlow case the spine of its narrative: the court conviction, the circumstantial evidence, the mutilated victims with missing eyelids, and the tragedy that spirals out of Emily Byrne’s disappearance.
But the finale of Absentia Season 1, particularly the revelations about Harlow and Logan Brandt, rewrites the entire landscape of truth.
This piece explains who the show frames as the killers, how Harlow and Logan Brandt are linked, and why the season ends with definitive answers alongside a chilling sense of the unknown.
The known serial killer: How Absentia establishes Conrad Harlow's crimes
Absentia treats Conrad Harlow as a confirmed serial killer. Netflix Tudum specifically describes Harlow as one of “two serial killers” in the show, and ties him directly to the earlier string of murders involving victims found with their eyelids removed. Harlow is also one of the villains of Absentia, as his fingerprints, financial records, and timeline align with the murder case Emily was investigating before she vanished.
The eyelid-removal murders are a core part of the Season 1 mystery, and Harlow’s conviction, though technically based on circumstantial evidence, because Emily’s body was never found, is firmly anchored to this serial killer investigation.
So the key plot points are:
Harlow is responsible for the other bodies found before Emily's disappearance.
The MO of eyelid removal is Harlow's established signature.
Emily's appearance now only absolves him of her murder, not the earlier serial killings.
He is portrayed as an actual criminal.
In Absentia, this positioning forms the backbone of the entire first season: Harlow is dangerous, manipulative, and deeply embroiled in the very crimes Emily once investigated.
How Absentia rewrites the case
By the time Absentia begins, Emily is very much alive, and everything the FBI thinks it knows about the case comes crumbling down. The chain of events is as follows:
Emily returns.
The evidence that convicted Harlow is tainted.
Lawyers for Harlow push hard for discharge.
The court releases him because the “victim of the murder” is alive.
This does not retroactively remove his status as a serial killer. As it were, the only thing that is invalidated is that one charge regarding Emily's murder; every other body remains his. However, the release initiates the most significant plot twist of Absentia Season 1.
Logan Brandt: The genius behind Absentia, Harlow's secret accomplice
Logan Brandt, aka Laurie Colson, is the mastermind of the full conspiracy, a serial killer herself, and Harlow’s partner in the torture and murder operations. Thus, the hierarchy of Season 1 villains would according to these informants:
Logan Brandt-the, the actual puppeteer, strategist, and active shooter.
Conrad Harlow – Serial killer, accomplice, and scapegoat for the public
Logan's manipulation, planning, and brutality create the deeper conspiracy behind the abduction of Emily.
Harlow's death: What Absentia shows
Harlow calls Nick, who then reports the tank's location, where Emily was trapped. This leads the team to Emily's rescue. Within days, Harlow is found stabbed to death in his swimming pool, and the security cameras are off.
The relationship between Logan and Harlow disintegrates in the finale because of the betrayal it entails against the conspiracy. The show does not depict the on-screen stabbing of Harlow by Logan; the scene was part of Logan's final move to cover the conspiracy.
The Trauma of Emily: The final confrontation and the highlight revelation of Absentia
In the final acts of Season 1, Absentia shows the torture Emily endured, the suppression of her memories, and her psychological collapse.
Emily's flashbacks and sensory triggers finally unlock the truth: she remembers being held captive by Harlow and Logan, tortured inside the cabin, and psychologically broken down through prolonged isolation. Emily learns that Logan orchestrated it.
So, who is the killer in Absentia Season 1?
Harlow is a serial killer. The murders involved removing eyelids, a conviction, and involvement in Emily's torture. However, Logan Brandt is the real ringleader and accomplice.
She works with Harlow, directing the torture operations while continuing to kill, letting Harlow take the public fall.
The greatness of Absentia lies in its ability to provide a complete answer while leaving emotional and psychological scars. The finale doesn't merely reveal the truth but reframes everything that precedes it. Conrad Harlow's serial-killer identity, Logan Brandt's vicious intelligence, and the nightmarish captivity of Emily collide into a finale that is devastating and coherent.
Trending
Season 1 ends Absentia not in confusion, but clarity: Harlow was guilty, but not alone. Logan was the real puppet master. Emily’s suffering was engineered by two killers operating in plain sight.
Also read: Absentia Season 3 ending explained: Emily's final takedown unmasks the mole's shocking identity
Reply
