What did Tate find out at the end of Where the Crawdads Sing? Explained

Where the Crawdads Sing, starring Daisy Edgar Jones of Normal People fame, was released in the United States on July 15, 2022. Jones portrayed Kya, a young woman leading a solitary life in the marshy areas outside of Barkley Cove, North Carolina.

The plot for Where the Crawdads Sing was taken from Delia Owens' 2018 murder mystery novel of the same name. Lucy Alibar wrote the screenplay, and Olivia Newman handled the direction.

Where the Crawdads Sing tells the story of Kya or Catherine Clark who was abandoned by her family at a very young age. It also tells the story of her self-sufficiency and socio-political distance from the people residing in the town of Barkley Cove, who would often refer to her as the "Marsh Girl".

While young, during an expedition with her father in the marshy waters of Barkley Cove, Kya met Tate, a much older man. Over several years, when her family abandoned her entirely, she developed a strong bond with him. Their friendship later culminated in a romantic relationship.

However, things soon fell apart as Tate decided to go to college. Despite promising that he would return to Kya after completing his course, he never did, leaving Kya disheartened and in an emotional mess.

In an attempt to fill the gaping hole left behind by Tate's absence, Kya sought comfort elsewhere. She soon became entangled in the web of lies spun by local casanova Chase Andrews. Additionally, she also got entangled in a legal mess concerning his sudden death, for which she was blamed.

She was eventually acquitted of Chase Andrew's murder, but as Tate finds out towards the end of the movie, Kya is the one responsible for his death. He deciphered it with the help of the several pieces of evidence he found with Kya following her death.

Disclaimer: This article contains heavy spoilers. Please read at your discretion.

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Did Kya kill Chase Andrews in Where the Crawdads Sing?

After Chase Andrews was found dead in Where the Crawdads Sing, Kya was the first person to be suspected of his murder. Based on pieces of evidence found by the authorities that were not concrete enough to deduce anything, Kya was taken into custody and put in prison.

Over several months, she was tried in court for the first-degree murder of Chase Andrews. Besides being tried for the crime in court, she was also socially tried by the people of Barkley Cove, who prejudged her involvement in the murder based on her roots. However, irrespective of the prejudice and cornering, Kya was not found guilty of Adrews' murder.

Having said that, towards the end of the movie, it was finally revealed that Kya indeed had a hand in Chase's death. The revelation was made when Tate was packing Kya's things in a box following her death.

He found Kya's journal, where she insidiously mentioned her involvement in Chase's death. The journal entry was accompanied by a drawing of Chase. Tate also found Chase's shell necklace, which was used as a piece of evidence against Kya's involvement in his murder.

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Do Tate and Kya end up together in Where the Crawdads Sing?

In the book and the movie, Tate and Kya end up together. But the road to their union was not a smooth one. Throughout their on-and-off relationship, the couple faced several hurdles. Sometimes, these hurdles were other people with whom they got involved. Sometimes, these hurdles were murder charges. And sometimes, they were personal choices the two made.

When the two finally got together towards the end of the film and the book, it was like the two were destined for it. They led a happy life in the marshes doing what they loved doing the most until one of them decided to part for their heavenly abode.

Kya died during one of her ventures to the marshy waters in Barkley Cove. Her body was later discovered by Tate.

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You can stream Where the Crawdads Sing on Hulu, Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, and Fandango at Home.