Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mysteryshares quite a bit in common with its predecessor,Knives Out. They both have the signature feel of their writer and director,Rian Johnson. Both feature a star-studded cast who play an eclectic group of characters, most of whom are out-of-touch rich people. And of course, at the center of both movies is a murder mystery. But much like its namesake,Glass Onioncontains more than a few layers when it comes to its central mystery, and Johnson takes his time unraveling it all, leading to a stunning conclusion.
The “Disrupters” Assemble
Glass Oniontakes place during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, as billionaire Miles Bron (Edward Norton) invites his friends and fellow “disruptors” to a weekend getaway on his private island. Among the guests is renowned detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) - but Miles never sent him an invitation. Blanc deduces that someone intends to have Miles killed and as the film progresses, everyone is revealed to have plenty of motives to want their so-called friend dead. Chief among them is Andi Brand (Janelle Monáe), Miles' former business partner who wound up muscled out of their company.
Andi’s Twin Sister and Blanc Work Together
Matters aren’t helped when Miles reveals that he’s planned a murder mystery as part of the festivities, which Blanc quickly deduces. However, things take a turn for the worse when Duke Cody (Dave Bautista) mysteriously drops dead from a poisoned drink that was intended for Miles. As panic rises, Blanc races to find the murderer. It’s around this point that the major twist of the film is revealed: Andi is not actually Andi, but her twin sister, Helen. Andi had suddenly “committed suicide” after sending everyone a photo that claimed to have incriminating evidence about Miles and his company. Helen suspected foul play and hired Blanc to solve it, posing as Andi along the way.
Who Killed Andi?
Eventually, it’s revealed that Miles did murder Andi. The evidence that she found was a napkin featuring the sketches that launched their company Alpha, which she came up with. Miles also used his influence to strongarm his friends into supporting a revolutionary new form of hydrogen fuel called Klear that he plans to launch as part of Alpha’s newest business venture. And the rest of the guests have ties to Klear as well. Claire Debella (Kathryn Hahn) staked her political campaign on it. Lionel Toussaint (Leslie Odom Jr.) is risking his position in the scientific community. Cody was depending on Miles' support for his YouTube channel - even while Miles was sleeping with his girlfriend Whiskey (Madelyn Kline). And eccentric Birdie Jay (Kate Hudson) landed herself in hot water after she used sweatshops to make a line of clothing (resulting in one of the film’s most darkly hilarious lines.)
Miles Destroys the Glass Onion Napkin
Even though Miles is exposed for his murder of AndiandDuke (he simply put pineapple juice, which Duke is allergic to, in his own drink and handed it to Duke when he was distracted), he ends up burning the napkin which leaves Helen with no proof. She begs the others to corroborate Miles' guilt, but they all benefit from Miles' wealth and say nothing. When it seems that all hope is lost, Benoit Blanc gives Helen a last-minute solution. He hands her a sample of Klear. After destroying all of Miles' artwork and starting a fire, she throws the Klear in. This causes a chain reaction, as Miles' entire retreat is powered by Klear, and his fortune blows up in his face metaphorically and literally.
Miles Goes Up in Flames
But the best part comes last. Earlier in the film, during a tour of the building, Miles reveals that he has the Mona Lisaon loan from the Lourve. He even brags, “I want to be mentioned in the same breath as the Mona Lisa.” The painting is lost in the fire, and Helen points out to Miles that he did get his wish - just not in the way he wanted. His next big idea has caused one of the most valuable pieces of art in the world to be destroyed, ending his career. Adding salt to the wound, Miles' other friends turn on him, deciding to stand by Helen in bringing down Miles. The movie ends with Blanc and Helen waiting for the police boats, with the world-class detective triumphant in yet another layered and mysterious case.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mysterywill be available to stream on Netflix on December 23.
