The Ridge on BBC Two: Ending explained, including who killed Cassy, if Mia lost her job, and truth about their past
Lauren Lyle put in a gripping performance as Mia
The Ridge came to a pretty dramatic ending on BBC Two, with Cassy’s killer finally exposed, and Mia’s past revealed.
The psychological thriller starred Scottish actress Lauren Lyle as troubled Mia, whose opioid addiction was the last of her problems when the six-parter started.
Mia, an anaesthetist, subsequently “killed” someone during a work shift, before heading to New Zealand to attend her estranged sister Cassy’s wedding. Only, by the time she arrived Down Under, her sibling was dead…
But did Cassy really fall while climbing a mountain, or was she pushed? The investigation, plus the grief, guilt, and addiction, all boiled to a head for Mia. And it got a LOT worse before it got better. Read on for our full recap of what happened in The Ridge ending.
***Warning: spoilers from The Ridge ending ahead***
The Ridge on BBC Two ending explained: What happened in the last episode?
In the penultimate episode of The Ridge, viewers finally learnt the identity of the true villain. It was Ewan. He had proved to be a master manipulator and accomplished liar – as well as the slightly more serious crime of being a serial killer. I mean the signs had been there all along, though, right?
As evil characters go, he was one of the best. The heartless little shit even killed him own mother Annot. Or rather locked her in a cage with a ravenous wolf and walked away. Her crime (apart from giving birth to him obviously)? She had started being a bit indiscreet about his connection to the dead girls who kept popping up in town. Clearly, she knew damn well her son was involved.
‘A dangerous game of cat and mouse’
In the final episode of The Ridge, a “dangerous game of cat and mouse revealed more in common for Mia and Ewan than either could have guessed”.
Convinced of Ewan’s guilt, Mia hatched a plan, commissioning a plaque to lay on the ridge for Cassy. When Libby criticised Mia for “strong-arming Harry into coming out”, Mia spotted an opportunity to sow the seeds of concern for Ewan’s mental state. However, she got more than she bargained for when Libby admitted she knew the truth about Hera’s death but stayed silent. Facing her own personal demons, Libby was forced to make a radical choice to atone for her past.
Realising Libby’s investigation would uncover his wolf, Ewan released the beast into the wild. Claiming the wolf escaped and must have killed, Mia decided to play along with Ewan’s story – all too aware that he was lying.
Meanwhile, Mia learnt that her so-called friend Riz had reported her for stealing drugs from the hospital in Scotland. Facing the possibility she’d be struck off when she returned home, she realised she had nothing to lose… So she asked Ewan to accompany her up the ridge, to the place where Cassy died.
Lastly, in a dramatic showdown with Ewan, Mia discovered her weaknesses – aka her addiction – could prove to be her greatest strength.
Did Ewan murder Hera?
Hera was a local girl who tragically died at the age of 15, about 15 years ago. Tests showed that she’d been pregnant before she died, but had miscarried. In episode 6, we found out what we’d already suspected – that Ewan was the dad.
Although the police believed she’d taken her own life, they decided it was “kinder to tell Hera’s mum Brenda that she fell”.
When Ewan told his dad that Hera was pregnant, his dad “ridiculed him”. Told him he’d “gotten himself trapped” and that his “bastard” wouldn’t be recognised by the family. Ewan’s dad sounded like quite the nasty “piece of work”. So the apple didn’t fall too far from the tree.
Yep, Ewan killed Hera – his first taste of murder. And his half-sister Libby suspected it all along. Although she had “no proof”.
The Ridge on BBC Two ending: Who killed Cassy?
Ewan killed his fiancée Cassy and staged it to look like a climbing accident. Nat had it exactly right when she’d called Ewan a “super-controlling narcissist”.
Cassy was Ewan’s second victim. He told Mia: “All I had to do was play it like Cassy slipped.” He went on to say that Cassy had “teased him”. He’d wanted to control her. Ewan revealed: “I wanted her to be part of me; part of my family. I gave her my grandmother’s ring, so precious. But, oh no, she doesn’t wear jewellery. She shamed me, she used me, she disrespected me and everything that I love.”
During a row, Ewan “broke” and pushed her off the ridge to her death.
Mia and Ewan’s fate revealed in The Ridge ending
In The Ridge finale, Mia was well aware of what – or who – she was dealing with. She lured Ewan to the ridge where Cassy died under the illusion of placing a memorial on the spot.
Once there, the truth spilled out. Mia told Ewan she knew it was him who had sent Cassy the film footage of her frolicking in the water with Teddy. Ewan thought it would look like Teddy killed Cassy out of jealously. But, of course, it wasn’t what it looked like. We knew Teddy was gay.
Having gotten hold of Mia’s penknife, Ewan threw it into the bushes so she was defenceless. Yes, reader, it was the same penknife she’d used to kill her mother. More on that below.
Mia drugged Ewan
Just when Ewan had Mia by the throat, Mia’s plan kicked into action. She’d drugged him, and the effects were beginning to take hold. As he staggered about, Mia told him what she really thought of him. She said he was damaged, and that no one could love him – not even his mum. Harsh, but fair.
She explained: “Seeping Duranyl in water increases its absorption rate. It’s how all the local kids are taking it. And it’s not a bad idea actually. It’s nice in a cup of tea. You see, my tolerance is sky-high, but you have none.”
The best bit? She’d found them in Ewan’s wardrobe. They were the patches that Ewan had confiscated from Mia, forcing her into opioid withdrawal.
After Ewan was incapacitated, Mia pushed him off the ridge. Although Libby arrived just in time to see her do it, we can only assume she was prepared to pretend she hadn’t seen it… After all, Libby knew her half-brother was a monster. So Mia got away with murder, and not for the first time!
The Ridge on BBC Two ending: What is Duranyl?
Duranyl isn’t actually a real drug. It’s made up for the purposes of The Ridge. However, Mia likened it to an opioid.
Opioids are pain-relieving medicines, which are often pretty strong. They include morphine, codeine, and fentanyl. The drugs act on the brain’s opioid receptors.
They are effective for short-term, severe pain but carry a significant risk of dependence and addiction, especially with long-term use. Something Mia knew all too well.
In the show, Mia self-medicated via a patch she wore on her leg.
What happened in Mia and Cassy’s past?
When Cassy was eight, and her older sister Mia was 10, they experienced a severely traumatic event. Their alcoholic, abusive, and neglectful mother attempted to kill them – and herself – by poisoning them with the exhaust fumes from the car. To save them, Mia stabbed her mother in the neck with a penknife, and they both managed to escape.
Although everyone thought Mia and Cassy’s mum had died in a car accident, she’d died at the hand of her eldest daughter.
The siblings were then both separated and put into care. When she was 18, Mia put in for guardianship and was reunited with her younger sister.
Mia told Ewan: “Maybe if I’d called an ambulance, she would have survived. But then what would have happened? Nothing would have changed. That wound couldn’t have killed her, but I knew what would. The fumes killed her. I killed her [by leaving her in the car].”
She added: “When it came to my mishaps, I knew what I was doing. And who I was doing it to. Why should these people get to live to cause pain? You see Ewan, that’s the difference between you and me. You kill for rage. I kill for mercy.”
So like an avenging angel, Mia? Or just as deluded as Ewan? It’s up to the viewer to make up their own minds about vigilante justice.
The Ridge on BBC Two ending: Did Mia lose her job?
In The Ridge ending, Mia’s friend Riz admitted he’d reported her for stealing Duranyl from the hospital in Scotland. This would ultimately end in her getting struck off – or worse. She could even face criminal charges for negligence in relation to the death of Boyd Coulter.
Of course, viewers knew that Mia felt no shame in ‘accidentally’ killing the gangster who came in with stab wounds. When he woke up during surgery, which subsequently caused a cardiac arrest and his death, she was cleared of wrongdoing.
However, that would all change if the authorities knew she was an addict, and using while at work.
When Riz confronted Mia about her history of negligence in her previous places of work, she defended her actions. She claimed they deserved it, as her ‘victims’ were rapists, abusers, and criminals. So actually, Mia’s body count was pretty high, too!
In the denouement with Ewan, she said: “That last patient felt everything. When the surgeon started cutting, he was awake. He could feel everything. It was some of my best work actually.”
Slightly unhinged? Yes. But at least Ewan had met his match. We did not discover whether Mia lost her job. However, it looked unlikely that she’d return to the UK. After all, what did she have to go back for?
Mia was last seen getting the keys to a hire car, and setting off on the road. Having avenged her sister’s death, and finally clean of drugs, she had a smile on her face.
What else happened in The Ridge ending on BBC Two?
- Sgt Libby Grimes, who we actually grew to love as a character, discovered her husband Harry was having an affair with Teddy. They vowed to work through it together as a family – albeit living in separate houses. Harry and Libby split up.
- Meanwhile, Teddy told his mother about his sexuality, and his relationship with Harry. On hearing the news, she told her son she loved him.
- We found out that it was Ewan who had put bats in Mia’s room, and burnt down the eco pod she was staying in. Presumably so he could play the hero, and ‘save’ her.
- As for the poor wolf Issa, Louise shot her dead in the forest. But she did not die in vain… Luckily for Mia, the gunshot alerted local police – aka Libby – to investigate the cause.
Is there a series 2 of The Ridge?
BBC Two has not yet confirmed a series 2 of The Ridge, but we’d be up for it! Although series 1 tied up all of the loose ends, there’s no reason why we couldn’t catch up with Mia somewhere on the road.
After all, like Rhiannon Lewis in Sweetpea, it’s entertaining to watch damaged characters take back control with a little light revenge.
Perhaps she could return to Scotland, and take out her frustrations on her ‘mate’ Riz? Or stay in the beautiful landscape of New Zealand and play vigilante?
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