The Better Sister Ending Explained: Who Killed Adam, What Happened to Ethan, and What is that Final Beach Scene Twist?

Jessica Biel and Elizabeth Banks deliver a tangled web of trauma, lies, and buried truths in The Better Sister—and its ending doesn't pull any punches. The eight-episode psychological thriller, which follows two estranged sisters pulled back together by murder, leaves viewers reeling with a finale full of emotional reckoning and moral ambiguity.

The series kicks off with the murder of Adam Taylor (Corey Stoll), a high-profile attorney found dead in his Hamptons home. His wife, Chloe (Jessica Biel), a polished magazine executive, is left shattered—especially when their teenage son, Ethan, is arrested. But as the layers peel back, secrets begin to shift the blame in shocking directions.

Who Really Killed Adam Taylor?

Throughout the series, suspicion dances between Chloe, Ethan, and even Chloe’s sister Nicky (Elizabeth Banks)—Adam’s ex-wife and Ethan’s biological mother. In the final episode, the truth comes out: Nicky killed Adam. After Ethan calls her in a panic, saying Adam had hurt Chloe, Nicky drives to the Hamptons to confront him. The confrontation turns violent. When Adam begins to strangle her, Nicky fatally stabs him in the neck.

Ethan, who arrives shortly after, sees Adam’s body and assumes Chloe is responsible. In a misguided act of love and protection, he stages the scene to look like a robbery. This act, however, leads to his DNA being found on Adam—landing Ethan in jail.

Ethan’s Trial and Shocking Discoveries

The trial becomes the show’s emotional center. Ethan is painted as a troubled teen with motive, thanks to incriminating Reddit posts and the discovery of his strained relationship with his father. But Chloe’s testimony shifts the narrative. She reveals Adam's abuse, a secret she had buried for years, and admits to an affair with Adam’s colleague Jake—who then becomes a suspect himself.

In a game-changing twist, Ethan uncovers police files showing that the pool incident which caused Nicky to lose custody of him years ago was orchestrated by Adam. He had drugged Nicky and framed her to appear as a negligent, unfit mother. Chloe, devastated by the discovery, begins to see her sister in a different light.

Who was Framed—and why?

Determined to protect Ethan and Nicky, Chloe masterminds a cover-up. Using intel Adam collected while working with the FBI, she frames his corrupt law firm partner, Bill Braddock (Matthew Modine), for the murder. She plants the murder weapon in his office and implicates him in Adam’s whistleblower activities. The plan works—Braddock is arrested, taking the fall.

Meanwhile, Detective Nancy Guidry, who had been investigating the case, grows increasingly suspicious of Nicky. But when the sisters expose Guidry’s own past misconduct, she’s removed from the case, clearing their path forward.

What Happened to Jake?

In a haunting twist, Jake—Chloe’s former lover and Adam’s colleague—is found dead on the beach. His death remains unexplained. Whether it was a suicide out of guilt or fear, or a hit tied to Braddock or the FBI, remains a final mystery the show leaves unresolved.

The Final Scene: A bond Forged in Blood

The Better Sister ends on a quiet but emotionally loaded note. Chloe and Nicky sit side by side on the beach, estranged no longer, bound together by a shared past and a deadly secret. They've lied, manipulated, and framed a man to protect their son—but in doing so, they've also rediscovered their sisterhood.

It’s not a conventional happy ending. Justice isn’t fully served, and the truth remains hidden. But for Chloe and Nicky, survival—and loyalty—take precedence over moral clarity. And in the world of The Better Sister, that might just be enough.

The Better Sister is now streaming on Prime Video.