Welcome to the Ending Explained for Woman of the Dead, a new German Netflix thriller based on the novel of the same name written by Bernhard Aichner. The series tells the story of Blum, a forensic doctor living in a small, remote village in the German mountains. There, Blum and her family will suffer a terrible tragedy that will change their lives completely. As she moves around town to uncover the mystery surrounding this tragedy, she will also clash with the powers that be in this remote part of the world, revealing some terrible secrets.
Woman of the Dead serves as a very cool thriller, with plenty of twists and turns and some gruesome revelations. It is a quintessential European thriller, and even the ending falls into the same parameters as countless other series. It is very well shot, and Anna Maria Mühe really sells the character of Blum completely. There are some other fine performances in the series, but Mühe takes the cake. The series is based on the first book of a trilogy, so expect this season to end on a cliffhanger, as there are more seasons incoming.
The following paragraphs contain spoilers for Woman of the Dead. Read at your own risk.
Why Was Mark Killed?
The series starts by introducing us to Blum and her family. She is married to Mark, a local policeman. Together they have two kids, and they also live with Mark’s father in the house. They all seem like a very happy family. They have the usual issues, but there is nothing really horrible that puts in danger their relationship. Blum works as the local forensic doctor, and her assistant Reza is also perceived as part of the family. They live their lives comfortably, and they are respected members of their community.
However, things take a horrible turn when, one morning, as he leaves for work, a car hits Mark. He dies instantly, as the speed of the car was very high. He is dead the moment he hits the road. The murderer runs away in his car, leaving poor Blum, and her family, to face the tragedy. A funeral is held, and Blum has now become a widow. Mark’s best friend, Massimo, tries to comfort Blum, though she is ultimately devastated by the death of her husband. You can really feel that she loved him with all her heart, and now that he is gone, a part of her is gone as well.
At work, Blum talks with the dead, but soon she starts talking to them outside of her office. Maybe her mental state is not the best. She soon discovers that Mark had a strange phone with him at the time of his death. Blum doesn’t know what this phone is about and calls the last number on the call register. A woman picks up but doesn’t reply when Blum asks who she is. Blum shares her concerns with Massimo; she believes Mark might have had an affair. Massimo says that is impossible. Everybody knew that Blum was the only woman for Mark.
Blum tracks the phone’s location to a remote place, and there she finds a woman named Dunja. At first, Dunja doesn’t want anything to do with Blum, but after Dunja explains that Mark is dead, Blum seems to be the only one who can help her. Dunja explains that Mark was trying to help her and that she is the reason why Mark is dead now.
Who Killed Mark With The Car?
The main question throughout the season is: who killed Mark? Who was driving the car that day? Blum soon becomes an investigator, as she and Reza, who is revealed to be an illegal immigrant. Mark helped by giving him the job of Blum’s assistant. The pair works together to find out the truth about the last days of Mark on Earth. It is clear that he was trying to help Dunja, but also that he didn’t trust the police with her protection. It all unravels when she digs up the secrets of the most powerful family in the area.
In the end, it is revealed that the one driving the car that day was none other than Massimo. It is revealed that during their youth, Massimo, and members of the most important families in the area, began killing women, and the practice simply extended to this day. Dunja was one of those girls, brought to the area under the promise of work and a fresh start. Massimo and his friends would kill the women and then burn their bodies, and throw them into a mass pit. If there isn’t a body, there is no murder.
Massimo has been in love with Blum for a long time, and when Blum discovers the truth, Massimo tries to convince her that they can protect each other. Because Blum and Reza killed one of Massimo’s accomplices a couple of nights ago. Massimo proposes that they should be together, as they understand each other. Mark would never have understood her. Blum ends up killing Massimo, and the evidence of his crimes is left to the police, who can’t believe he was working without them noticing he was such a monstrous criminal.
The season ends with the police on Blum’s toes as they are still trying to find out if she is responsible for the deaths that have occurred in town. It is also revealed that in the past, Blum killed her parents by throwing them from a boat, and drowning them. It is also revealed that Mark knew this about her and still decided to love her. Massimo didn’t understand that if there was one person who really understood and loved Blum for who she was, it was Mark and no one else.
