Coma ending explained — what happened in episode 4 and does Simon die?

 Jason Watkins as Simon and Joe Barber as Jordan in Coma ending
Does Simon end up dead in Coma? (Image credit: Channel 5)

Coma on Channel 5 sees Jason Watkins play Simon, a kind-hearted family man who tries to lie his way out of a crime after a split-second error in judgment. 

After being menaced by local teens, Simon ends up punching 17-year-old Jordan Franklin (played by Joe Barber), but when he fails to get up and ends up in a coma, it looks like Simon's mistake is set to cost him everything he loves.

Here is everything that happened in Coma episode 4...

The final episode of Coma opens with Beth and Simon driving off, having just run Mark over at the building site. As Beth panics that she has killed him an architect finds an unconscious Mark and sees he has a gun on him. 

Meanwhile, DS Kelly is at Beth and Simon's house, wanting to ask about the CCTV she found, but they aren't there - they've driven straight to the police station and are about to confess to everything that has happened. But just as they are about to walk in, Beth stops Simon and suggests they get proper legal advice so they know what their options are. 

While Simon struggles to get a solicitor, Kelly tracks down Jordan who is buying vodka and asks him questions about knowing Simon before the attack, but he won't answer. 

Back at home, Paul almost catches Jordan with all the cash from Simon, but he stuffs it in a draw before his dad sees it. Paul is suspicious knowing that Jordan is acting out of character, but before he can grill his son he gets a call from a friend called Karl. 

Karl tells him that Mark has been taken to hospital, but that he was also arrested for carrying a gun. He also tells Paul that he was found at the building site and that he was seen driving there with both Jordan and Simon, which leaves Paul baffled. 

Joe Barber as Jordan in Coma

Jordan is living his best life after blackmailing Simon.  (Image credit: Channel 5)

Knowing they can't go home now, Beth and Simon check into a cheap hotel, but while they are getting settled in a basic room with Sophie, Jordan is living his best life, having spent his new cash on a pair of trainers, a nice watch and drugs. Paul catches Jordan taking the drugs and is fuming he's brought them into the house. He confronts Jordan about where the money has come from and asks why he was in a car with Mark and Simon, and eventually, Jordan knows he is cornered and confesses the truth about Simon hitting him. 

As Paul processes the news it is Simon who put Jordan in a coma all along, Beth and Simon sit in their horrible hotel room and drink cheap wine while Sophie sleeps. They go through their options and decide whatever they do, they'll stick together. Meanwhile, Karl is sitting outside their house, waiting for them. 

Before Paul joins Karl to get revenge on Simon, he confronts Jordan, asking him what he did to provoke Simon into hitting him, asking what he was doing in Simon's neighborhood and reminds him that he always messes up. Jordan doesn't say a lot, but it is clear that Paul now thinks he has to sort Simon out and he isn't happy about it. 

Back at the hotel, Beth and Sophie are sleeping when DS Kelly calls Simon and asks to arrange a time for him to come in and answer some more questions. Simon is clearly on the cusp of confessing, but bottles out and hangs up the phone. But when he gets back upstairs to the room, he finds Sophie is having an asthma attack and they need her inhaler, which is back at the house. 

Knowing he has to go back home, Simon heads back, but when he gets there he finds DS Kelly just leaving Harry's house after he called the police about Karl lurking outside. During their conversation, Harry gets uptight about the fact there are no police on the beat anymore and has a knife on his table for self-defense. But as he gets more agitated, he says it's no wonder Simon hit that lad... revealing that he has lied about the night Jordan was attacked. 

David Bradley as grumpy neighbour Harry.

Harry gets confused about his lies from the night of the attack.  (Image credit: Channel 5)

Simon gets into his house but doesn't put the lights on, knowing Paul will be looking for him, but as he fumbles with his torch on his phone, he drops all the things in his hands (this will be important later!) and goes and finds the inhaler in Sophie's room. 

But before he can get out of the house, Karl and Paul break in and start searching for him. Simon hides under the bed and thankfully, Harry from next door starts hammering on the front door and distracts them. But as they go to leave, Paul finds Simon's hotel room details that he dropped earlier and now he knows where they're staying and the number of their room. Paul races to the hotel, leaving Karl to wait in case Simon comes back, unaware he is upstairs. 

Simon texts Beth to let her know that he can't leave the house because Karl is there, meanwhile, she has knocked on other doors at the hotel and managed to borrow an inhaler for Sophie. But as Sophie recovers from her asthma attack, Paul arrives and convinces the woman on the reception it is his room and he has lost his key. From inside the room, Beth hears Paul's voice, and when Paul eventually gets his hands on a key and lets himself in, Sophie and Beth have scarpered. 

Paul calls Karl and tells him they were there but have done a runner, asking him to come to the hotel to help him look. Simon can finally leave and calls Beth who tells him they ran down a fire escape. But as Simon hangs up he walks out his front door and comes face to face with Jordan, just like he did in episode one. 

Jason Watkins as Simon and Joe Barber as Jordan in Coma

A fight breaks out and Harry turns up with a knife.  (Image credit: Channel 5)

Jordan goads Simon once again, telling him he needs to get down on his knees and beg for forgiveness for what he did, but Simon refuses and they end up in a fight, with Jordan on top of Simon and beating him... only for Harry to appear and stab Jordan with the knife he had been keeping handy. 

Jordan keels over having suffered a serious stab wound, and Harry tells Simon to run. For a moment it looks like he is going to, but then he comes to his senses and snaps into action, putting pressure on the stab wound and saving Jordan's life once again.

Jason Watkins as Simon in Coma

Simon saves Jordan's life for a second time.  (Image credit: Channel 5)

After Jordan has been rushed to hospital, Harry is arrested. DS Kelly asks Simon what happened and all he cares about is whether Beth and Sophie are safe. Kelly is confused as to why he thinks they are in danger and she asks if he punched Jordan four days ago and he says he did.

She arrests Simon and takes him into questioning, but meanwhile Jordan is being treated at the hospital and will make a full recovery. He then makes a statement which PC Reynolds gives to DS Kelly and she is shocked by what she reads. 

Instead of telling the police what really happened, Jordan has maintained his original story and says he'd never seen Simon before the attack and that it was a teenager who punched him and left him in a coma. With Simon also giving 'no comment' throughout his police interview, the police have no choice but to let him go.

Jason Watkins as Simon and Jonas Armstrong as Paul in Coma

Simon is in grave danger when Paul catches up with him.  (Image credit: Channel 5)

However, Simon isn't out of danger yet, because as he walks away from the police station Paul turns up and makes him get in his car. He drives Simon to the building site and pulls a gun on him. Simon begs for his life, telling Paul he will leave the country and will never be seen again, but Paul says 'I liked you, I trusted you, but you've given me no choice' and we hear a gunshot ring out.

Thankfully it was a warning shot from Paul, and Simon is still alive... Paul tells him that he could have walked away the night Jordan was stabbed, but he saved his life a second time, and that is why he hasn't shot him. Paul tells Simon he never wants to see him again, before saying a final goodbye and walking away.

The end of the episode sees Paul reminiscing over the past, watching home movies of Jordan and his late brother, Danny, before going to collect Jordan from the hospital for a second time. 

Meanwhile, Beth, Sophie and Simon are packing up their car, ready for their move abroad as they check they have their passports. Simon gives the house one last look before getting in the car and driving away.

Coma is a four-part series on Channel 5 and all episode are now available to stream on demand. 

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Claire Crick
Assistant Managing Editor at What To Watch

Claire is Assistant Managing Editor at What To Watch and has been a journalist for over 15 years, writing about everything from soaps and TV to beauty, entertainment, and even the Royal Family. After starting her career at a soap magazine, she ended up staying for 13 years, and over that time she’s pulled pints in the Rovers Return, sung karaoke in the Emmerdale village hall, taken a stroll around Albert Square, and visited Summer Bay Surf Club in sunny Australia. 

After learning some tricks of the trade at websites Digital Spy, Entertainment Daily, and Woman & Home, Claire landed a role at What’s On TV and whattowatch.com writing about all things TV and film, with a particular love for Aussie soaps, Strictly Come Dancing and Bake Off

She’s interviewed everyone from June Brown — AKA Dot Cotton — to Michelle Keegan, swapped cooking tips with baking legend Mary Berry backstage at the NTAs, and danced the night away with soap stars at countless awards bashes. There’s not a lot she doesn’t know about soaps and TV and can be very handy when a soapy question comes up in a pub quiz! 

As well as all things soap-related, Claire also loves running, spa breaks, days out with her kids, and getting lost in a good book.