This article contains spoilers for Shardlake episode 4. The Disney Plus and Hulu adaptation of C.J. Sansom's historical mystery saga about the titular lawyer, Matthew Shardlake, has arrived!
Based on Sansom's first book, "Dissolution", this four-part adaptation sees Matthew Shardlake sent to the remote town of Scarnsea to investigate the death of one of Thomas Cromwell's commissioners at a monastery... one of many which Cromwell intends to close as part of the dissolution of the monasteries.
In the final episode of Shardlake, our heroic lawyer finally identifies Robin Singleton's killer. Recovering from his attack in London, Shardlake learns the identity of the sword's owner. When he eventually makes his back to Scarnsea, he recovers the bills of land sales and puts forward all his theories to the monks of St. Donatus, securing the monastery's surrender to the King when the killer amongst them is revealed.
If you need the Shardlake ending explained, or just want a recap of how the final episode played out, read on.
The sword's owner, revealed
Shardlake wakes up in the street, to be told by another passerby that thieves took his purse and boots, but his attacker only stole his time. After a visit to his home (and another read of Brother Jerome's accounts of Mark Smeaton), Shardlake visits Master Oldknoll and has him inspect the sword from the monastery.
Oldknoll recognizes the maker's mark of a fortress comes from Spain, and knows that the JS initials on the sword identify its owner... John Smeaton, Mark Smeaton's father. He further says the sword is of some value, and must have been inherited by someone. After his trip, Shardlake pays a visit to Cromwell's offices; he is confused to see the Duke of Norfolk walking out before he's allowed an audience with the lord.
Shardlake tries to tell him about Jerome's writings, but Cromwell is chiefly concerned with the unsolved murder. And when Shardlake informs Cromwell he's been tackling the other, unconnected murders at the monastery, Cromwell grows irate. He has a meeting with King Henry in days and demands the letter of surrender, fast.
Shardlake tries to explain he believes Singleton's death was in revenge for his involvement in Smeaton's death. Cromwell refutes this, saying Smeaton had no other living family save for an infirm sister, then burns Jerome's writing and puts forward his alternative theory: Singleton was killed by Brother Gabriel, the same monk who was killed with a crossbow bolt.
Shardlake is heading back to Scarnsea that same evening but doesn't understand Cromwell's ambivalence. The Lord says what matters is the "truth", and cagily dances around the events: Singleton forced Mark Smeaton to falsely confess to bedding Anne Boleyn. He asks Shardlake for his thoughts on the matter; if what he suggests is true, Shardlake notes that Mark Smeaton and the executed queen were innocent. Cromwell counters: he does not suggest this, and says the truth is what the reformers want it to be. He also tells him Norfolk is greedy for his share of the monastery's wealth (the two men had agreed he has a claim to the surrendered money) and sends Shardlake off with a threat, should he fail to obtain Donatus' surrender.
Walking through town, Shardlake is again accosted by Norfolk's bruiser and enters his hideaway. The Duke asks after Shardlake's health following his attack, prompting the lawyer to realize Master Crowe must work for him, and he only sought to delay his return. In their chat, it becomes clear he's already had eyes on the land sale bills, and insists he continues pursuing this angle.
After that secretive meeting, Shardlake returns to the Tower and looks through the archive with Oldknoll. Robin Singleton visited Mark Smeaton during his internment, as did two more figures who have only been marked down as "priest" and "relative". Another worker notes that the relative was a woman, Shardlake asks Oldknoll to find their names, have them noted down, and send them via messenger to the monastery, with no mention of Shardlake's visit to the tower. But on his way out, his way is blocked by Norfolk and some of his men; they strap him to a rack and torture him... and then Shardlake wakes up, on the boat back to Scarnsea. Was that last part a nightmare?
Meanwhile, we see Barak and Alice chatting in bed together, musing about a potential life with one another. Barak eventually gets up, dresses, and heads to the kitchen in search of food. Inside, he notes a breeze and finds a hidden chamber behind the shelves; this is clearly the route the killer once took, to avoid leaving any footprints behind.
Shardlake unmasks the killers
Shardlake's ship arrives in Scarnsea, and he heads straight to Justice Copynger's office. He draws the sword and demands the bills of sale. Copynger, floundering, tells him Crowe threatened the man's life, so he had no choice but to cooperate, but does admit that there's clearly been 'significant invention' in the bills. Shardlake tells him not to tell another soul what he saw in the bills of sale and returns to the monastery.
Shardlake has Master Bugge stable his horse and demands the watchman tell him exactly what happened to Dr. Goodhap. Then, he enters another room and finds Alice and Barak together. Saddened, he later asks Barak what his intentions are (to marry Alice, as she's a good woman). Shardlake redirects their attention to the matter at hand: he's confident he has identified Orphan Stonegarden and Simon's killer, and the letter he awaits should identify Singleton's murderer, too. He also tells Barak he found Goodhap's stallion in town. Has he realized Barak's responsible?
After ruminating on his findings in the church, everyone is gathered in the main hall, where Shardlake lays out his deductions. Stonegarden was murdered for refusing to succumb to a monk's sexual advances; this brother is to be blamed for the monastery's closure. Fabian rebuffs this claim, saying the monastery can't be held responsible for one man's actions, though Shardlake's not done yet.
He further prevents the discrepancies in the land sale bills, claiming the murderer must be amassing gold to pay others to pray for his sins. The Abbot says there can be no mistakes, as he insisted any taxes were paid in full to the crown. Shardlake presents the four bills of sale and says hundreds of pounds have been left undeclared. And this is ultimately why the monastery will close: not because a killer lurks among them, but due to fraudulent accounting.
Brother Edwig, the bookkeeper, asks to check the receipts, admits his financial "mistakes", and then launches into a rage. The mistake, as he sees it, was following King Henry. Brother Edwig then flees the scene, with Barak in tow. Shardlake orders the brothers to find him and to allow nobody to leave the site until he's caught. In the chaos, Shardlake's letter arrives, identifying Smeaton's female visitor as... Alice Fewterer!
Barak runs back to Shardlake; he can't find Edwig, but Shardlake tells him to leave the brother's fate to the other monks as they continue their search. Shardlake tells him to bring Alice to his room, as the sword belongs to her.
Edwig meets his end
Edwig is seen digging through a chest, pocketing the golden chalices (possibly the very same ones Orphan Stonegarden was accused of stealing), and retrieving a crossbow. Whilst he does so, Shardlake meets with Abbot Fabian, who finally signs the letter of surrender. He tells Fabian that they must catch Edwig, dead or alive, who is cowering in one of the hidden passages.
Alice tries to convince Barak to flee to France with her on a ship. He tells her to admit to nothing, but she insists she would not change any of her actions. Shardlake arrives and relays the truth: Mark Smeaton was Alice's cousin and lover, and she must have taken revenge for his death by murdering Singleton on that fateful evening.
Shardlake wants to take her to London so she can answer for her crimes. Barak pleads that she will be executed, and asks that she be kept her until morning, insisting that he will personally guard her door. Shardlake agrees, Barak locks the door, and then Shardlake takes the key and retires to his chambers.
In the middle of the night, Edwig sneaks into Shardlake's room. He draws a dagger but then reaches for Smeaton's sword. He taps Shardlake awake with the tip, all but confesses to killing Brother Gabriel and Orphan Stonegarden (and thus, must also be responsible for Simon Whelplay's death, too) but is sure his stolen wealth will buy his redemption. Shardlake shouts for Jack Barak; Edwig's momentarily distracted and the lawyer kicks the sword from his hands and the pair grapple.
Edwig begins to strangle Shardlake, but the man manages to draw the monk's dagger and stabs him in the thigh. Edwig bites his arm, but Shardlake switches the dagger to his other hand and kills the attacker, ending his reign of terror. Barak arrives once Edwig's died; Shardlake asks if he was asleep but Barak says he didn't see him enter. He then rushes to Barak's room, realizing there must be some sort of secret passage... and learns that Alice has escaped through the passage that leads from that room down to the kitchen.
Alice makes her way out to the marshes to board a ship in the early hours. The following morning, Shardlake and Barak make preparations to leave, discussing the case's closure as they prepare to leave. Edwig is dead, the monastery is surrendered, and when Barak asks about Alice's fate, Shardlake says the "truth" is that Alice was lost to the marshes when she tried to make her escape.
He also reveals that he deduced Barak killed Goodhap so the doctor could not report their failures, and so his death could be used to manufacture his version of the truth to bring the case to a close prematurely. But since he monks panicked and removed the body, his death will not be blamed on Barak On the ride out, Shardlake commits to never speaking of Scarnsea and the events that happened here again, and the pair return to London.
In the final scene, we see Brother Jerome somewhere in the monastery opening a box before an altar. Inside is the missing relic, the Hand of the Penitent Thief; he'd stolen and hidden it so that Cromwell nor his men could ever lay eyes on it, and Jerome likely used the recent chaos to cover up his actions.
Shardlake is now streaming on Hulu and Disney Plus.
