Who is Jonathan in Disclaimer? Exploring the character in the Apple TV show

Disclaimer is Apple TV's latest psychological thriller miniseries, written and directed by Alfonso Cuarón. Based on Renée Knight's 2015 novel of the same name, the show follows two different timelines and approaches, often blurring the line between reality and fiction.

The story follows Catherine Ravenscroft, played by Cate Blanchett. Catherine is a journalist who lives with her husband Robert, played by Sacha Baron Cohen, and their drug-addict son Nicholas, played by Kodi Smit-McPhee. Catherine's life is turned upside down after she receives a manuscript titled The Perfect Stanger, which eerily resembles her own life.

While Catherine seems to be in a normal relationship, she has hidden a deep secret from everybody around her. Twenty years ago, while vacationing in Italy with her 4-year-old son, she had a passionate affair with a man named Jonathan, portrayed by Louis Partridge.

While she has been trying to keep this a secret from her family ever since, the truth comes knocking on her door 20 years later, destroying her life. Here is everything about Catherine's secret and her lover, Jonathan on Disclaimer.

Was Catherine responsible for Jonathan's death 20 years ago in Disclaimer?

As it turns out, the manuscript about Catherine's life, detailing her affair with Jonathan in Italy, was written by Nancy and Stephen Brigstocke, Jonathan's parents, who hold Catherine responsible for their son's death.

As seen through flashbacks, Catherine and Jonathan supposedly had an affair when the former was on vacation in Italy with her 4-year-old son. Jonathan even confesses to Catherine about his love for her and his plans to move to London for her. Catherine is not happy with this because of her family with Robert.

Disclaimer Episode 4 recounts Jonathan's death in the past because of drowning in the Mediterranean Sea. We see him helping Nicholas, who is stranded in the sea on his inflatable dinghy. While Jonathan swims to rescue him, he drowns himself.

Catherine stands there while Jonathan drowns with a contemplative look on her face as she decides whether to save him or not. Since Jonathan's coming to London would have been a threat to her marriage, it completely makes sense that his drowning is for the better according to her.

Catherine watches as the lifeguards try to rescue Jonathan, who is already dead. According to the flashbacks, Jonathan could have been saved if Catherine had asked for help immediately.

Can the flashbacks showing Jonathan's death be trusted in Disclaimer?

While the flashbacks show that Catherine is responsible for Jonathan's death, as accused by Stephen and Nancy, the nature of these flashbacks remains untrue. This might be false since the flashbacks are based on Nancy's version.

Stephen does not question the authenticity of his late wife's manuscript, who only had second-hand knowledge about her son's passing from accounts and news reports. But it could also be her way of dealing with the pain of her son's death by making Catherine accountable for it.

Jonathan also has a cut on his arm, which could be from a pocketknife seen twice on the show. Since there is still mystery around it, it may very well play a role in the truth about his death. The unreliability of Nancy's manuscript leads to uncertainty about whether Catherine was responsible for Jonathan's death.

Fans will have to wait for Catherine's version of the story on Disclaimer, which might shed light on how Jonathan died in Italy.

Disclaimer Episode 6 will drop on November 1, 2024, on Apple TV+.