Editor’s note: The below contains spoilers for Love & Death.Love & Death, the second recent show to explore the axe murder of Betty Gore (Lily Rabe), comes to an end with the verdict of Candy Montgomery’s (Elizabeth Olsen) murder trial. And in a typical true crime fashion, we also see the start of Candy’s new life in the face of the trial’s repercussions, something Olsen’sprevious traumatized housewife characterdidn’t get the opportunity to do, as well as the fates of the other people involved.Love & Deathtakes a sympathetic view of Candy Montgomery, despite the carnage she leaves around her, but as the evidence has failed to reveal, it’s impossible to know which woman struck first, only leaving Candy’s retelling to go off of. “Ssssshh” puts the pieces of Candy’s experience together in a finale structured as a courtroom drama.
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The Court Testimonies
The finale starts with Candy’s testimony — a challenge for her attorney, Don Crowder (Tom Pelphrey), due to her insistence on taking medication for her anxiety. Due to her lethargic state, her attorney has to aggressively show her the axe, her murder weapon, to provoke an emotional outburst, and it works. Her testimony also finally delves into her version of the events that led to Betty’s death. In the struggle for their lives, Candy is able to land a blow that she thinks knocks Betty out or may have even killed her. Candy goes for the door, trying to escape, but Betty manages to catch up to her and shut the door, pulling her back into the struggle.
Eventually, Candy gains the total upper hand, and Betty attempts to stop her, shushing Candy likely due to thoughts of her baby in the other room. Unbeknownst to her, Candy associates the syllable to a traumatic experience from her childhood, sending her into a rage and bringing the axe down on her friend over 40 times before she pulls herself away. Candy quickly tries to push the events out of her mind, taking a shower and then continuing her day.
Next on the stand is Candy’s husband, Pat (Patrick Fugit). Don calls him to the stand because he and the defense are worried about a crime worse than murder in the conservative communities of the bible belt: infidelity. Pat’s testimony is strong as he assures the jury that he forgave Candy and placed the responsibility for her transgressions on himself and his inability to be emotionally open. He even thanked God that Candy was the one who came out of their fight, considering her relative stature.
Finally, Candy’s psychiatrist testifies. He attempts to describe the medical nature of her behavior on the day of the murder, but after the judge interjects, Crowder calls out the judge for his prejudice against his client. Proving his point, the judge holds Crowder in contempt of court, sentencing him to 72 hours in jail as soon as the court goes into recess that day. The trial continues, and the doctor continues to describe how Candy was triggered by her childhood trauma into the overkill but still asserted that Candy’s intention was to defend herself against Betty’s attack.
The Final Verdict
After the remainder of the testimonies from churchgoers and Candy’s pastor Ron Adams (Keir Gilchrist) asserting Betty’s abrasive personality, Don goes to jail, but soon after the judge is convinced to change his mind. When Don’s wife picks him up from the jailhouse, the two have a conversation that allows the couple to contemplate the difficult tactics he has to use to win his case, considering Betty used to be their friend. Don rationalizes his decisions, but the conversation still forces him to think about the trial. At the same time, Allan Gore (Jesse Plemons) seems rather detached about the entire thing, considering he wasn’t allowed in the courtroom for the majority of the trial. His testimony in the previous episode actually helped Candy’s defense, putting him in an even more confusing situation. However, one of the church organizers, Elaine Williams (Kira Pozehl), supports him, leading to the two sharing a kiss.
Both attorneys give strong closing statements and as all the parties await the verdict, Candy comes to terms that no matter what it is, her family can no longer live in their North Texas community. Despite the judge’s apparent favoritism, the jury comes back fast in favor of the defense, and Candy Montgomery is found not guilty of murdering Betty Gore by reason of self-defense.
The episode ends with Candy and her family moving from McKinney just over a week after the verdict was delivered. Starting anew in Alabama, she says goodbye to Sherry Cleckler (Krysten Ritter), who continued to stay by her side during the entire ordeal. On the way out of town, Pat agrees to let Candy stop by the Gore house, where she gives Allan a final cordial farewell and the two wish each other a good life. Despite the well wishes, these events have shaken them to the core, and a good life may not be so easy with this stain on their past.
Happily Ever After?
The end credits reveal what happened to those involved later in their lives, accompanied by pictures of the real people this show is based on. Candy and Pat relocated to Georgia but divorced afterward. They both remained in Georgia, and Candy went on to work as a family therapist, practicing alongside her daughter with a focus on adolescent and adult depression. Betty Gore’s autopsy concluded she was not pregnant at the time of her death. Allan Gore married Elaine shortly after Betty’s death, but they also divorced. He remarried a third time and moved to Maine while his parents adopted his and Betty’s two children. Dan Crowder ran for governor in 1986, lost in the Democratic primary, and later committed suicide in 1998.
Love & Deathis a dramatized version of the axe murder of Betty Gore in Wylie, Texas. While it was unknown who started the attack, Candy Montgomery is truly the one person who knows what happened in that utility room, sending her past the point of no return and leaving a small Texas community in shambles due to the sudden conflict between these two women.
