Cruel Summer: 5 Fan Theories That Came True (& 5 That Didn’t)

As soon as fans began watching the hit teen mystery Cruel Summer, no one could wait for the season 1 finale, as this was sure to be a juicy episode packed with answers and big reveals. As viewers now know, there was a major twist in the final moments that proved Jeanette wasn’t innocent after all, and although she and Kate made up, Kate had no idea what really happened.

Fans have shared many theories about Cruel Summer on Reddit and it’s interesting to think about how every storyline was wrapped up. While some viewers figured out the main mystery perfectly, other fan theories fell flat and didn’t end up coming true.

10 Came True: Mallory Had A Hand In What Happened

There is a theory about Mallory being part of the mystery. Fans had a few thoughts about this, wondering if Mallory saw Kate and set Jeanette up. It turns out that Mallory did see Kate in her house but since she only saw blonde hair, she thought that it was someone who Martin was dating. When she figured out that it was actually Kate, she didn’t want to say anything as she would be hurting Kate’s privacy.

This reveal was shocking and it also made perfect sense, as Mallory and Kate became good friends and, in the finale, more than friends. Mallory wanted to help Kate move on from this horrible time in her life and she didn’t want Kate to be the subject of even more gossip.

9 Didn’t: Annabelle Is Kate’s Alter Ego/An Identity She Created

Many fans of Cruel Summer thought that Annabelle is an identity Kate created during her traumatic time in Martin’s basement. This seemed plausible, as, from the glimpses that viewers saw, Martin locked Kate in his basement and didn’t let her come out for a long time. Maybe this was the only way that Kate was able to get through this.

This fan theory turned out to be false, and everyone finally learned about Annabelle in the last episode of season 1. A good mystery leaves people guessing until the very end and that’s exactly what happened here. If this theory about Annabelle was correct, it might have been too simple an explanation.

8 Came True: Martin’s Gun Is Named Annabelle

One fan shared on Reddit that Martin’s gun is named Annabelle. This is just one of the many ideas that viewers had about Annabelle.

This fan theory was 100 percent true as Martin did call his gun Annabelle. His father used the gun to kill himself. It seemed like Martin would kill Kate, too, but Kate ended up killing Martin in order to protect herself. Fans knew that Martin had died and it seemed like maybe the police killed him when rescuing Kate, but this was a much stronger, more terrifying conclusion. Kate’s story was so dark that there might have been no other way for it to end.

7 Didn’t: Jeanette Really Thought Kate Had Died

When Jeanette learned that Kate had been found, she asked if she was dead, and fans wondered if she really thought that Kate had met a tragic end. This wasn’t true, as Jeanette actually knew Kate had been alive the whole time.

Many Cruel Summer characters would make bad friends and Jeanette has proven several times that she’s not a great pal. She seemed to care about Vince and Mallory, but she dropped them for Kate’s popular crowd. The fact that Jeanette lied about Kate being dead proves that she’s untrustworthy and problematic.

6 Came True: Kate And Martin Were In A Relationship

Fans thought that Kate and Martin had a relationship and this was hinted at, as he was “grooming” her. This is a fan theory that came true. Kate spent months living in Martin’s house, never even going outside, and these are difficult and disturbing scenes to watch. As soon as Kate was ready to go home, he locked her in the basement.

This is an incredibly toxic and unhealthy relationship, and Martin took advantage of Kate’s tension with her mom and her desire to be loved and protected. While they made future plans and Martin wanted her to stay so they could be officially together once she turned 18, she knew that this was a bad idea.

5 Didn’t: Kate And Martin Are Related

A fan wondered on Reddit if Kate and Martin are siblings and said that Kate’s mom was responsible for Martin’s dad’s death. This didn’t end up coming true, and as fans found out in the last few episodes of season 1, Kate and Martin had been in a relationship for several months.

If they hadn’t been dating and had actually been related, the big reveal at the end might not have had such a dramatic impact, as grooming is a big part of the show.

4 Came True: Kate And Mallory Were Romantically Involved

A fan shared in a Reddit thread that when Kate and Mallory were at the roller rink, it seemed like they were going to kiss, and there have been a few fans who have wondered if these characters were going to become a couple.

This ended up happening in the finale, as Kate and Mallory shared a sweet and romantic kiss, which was heartwarming to see. There aren’t many happy endings on a show like this one, with so many twists and turns and questions of good and evil, so it was nice to see these two characters find some peace and happiness at the end of their ordeal.

3 Didn’t: There Was A Two-Way Mirror

Many fans wondered if there was a two-way mirror and this suggested that Kate saw Jeanette but Jeanette didn’t see her. This didn’t end up coming true.

While this was a poetic idea and it would be cool and mysterious to see, the last episode in season 1 was still super satisfying, as Kate and Jeanette finally got the chance to talk about what happened and air their negative feelings for one another. Some might even say that the twist at the end was even better than any mirror, as fans were finally told just how much Jeanette knew during Kate’s kidnapping.

2 Came True: Jeanette Did Know Kate Was In Martin’s House

Several fans thought that Jeanette saw Kate, whether in Martin’s basement or elsewhere in the house. All was revealed in the season 1 finale and it turned out that this fan theory was partly true. Based on what fans knew of Jeanette, she wasn’t the most likable character on the show, as how could she ignore Kate’s struggle and move on with her life?

It turns out that Jeanette knew Kate was in Martin’s house, which many will feel is inexcusable behavior. The last few moments of the season 1 finale saw Jeanette in the house, clearly hearing Kate yelling from the basement, explaining that Martin kept her down there. Jeanette smiled and fans knew that she truly had been up to no good. This suggests that Jeanette is just as evil as people thought and she doesn’t deserve any sympathy.

1 Didn’t: Martin Also Groomed Jeanette

Another fan wondered on Reddit if Martin groomed Jeanette, perhaps before Kate. A popular fan theory was that Martin had groomed many young girls and that the show would reveal his past. While viewers expected to learn more about Martin’s past, particularly at the school that they left before moving to Skylin, that didn’t end up happening.

This fan theory didn’t come true and Martin was focused on Kate, not Jeanette. This would have had a powerful and dramatic impact, as it would have explained why Jeanette spent so much time sneaking into Martin’s house, but it wasn’t true.

About The Author

Aya Tsintziras
(1730 Articles Published)

Aya Tsintziras is a freelance writer who writes about pop culture and TV. She has a Political Science degree from the University of Toronto and a Masters of Journalism from Ryerson University. She loves coffee, reading, working out, and watching TV. She lives in Toronto with her husband.

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