A Murder at the End of the World: Who dies in episode 1?

A group meets far away from civilization, someone dies, and now we have a murder mystery at hand. A Murder at the End of the World is as cliché as any murder mystery can ever get, yet we’re not complaining!

The latest psychological murder mystery in Hulu focuses on Darby Hart, a true crime writer, hacker, and detective who is invited by a billionaire for a mysterious retreat. Darby and 8 other guests arrive at the retreat, where Darby meets her former sleuthing partner and ex-boyfriend, Bill Martin.

The first two episodes do their job well as they set the stage for the murder mystery and introduces the characters. We also get some background details about Darby, Bill, and their relationship.

At the end of episode 1, the much-anticipated murder finally takes place. After all, what’s a murder mystery without a sudden, unexpected death?

Bill Martin, Darby’s former detective partner, dies under mysterious circumstances at the end of A Murder at the End of the World episode 1. The upcoming episodes will see Darby taking up Bill’s case and investigating his murder.

1. Why does Bill die in ‘A Murder at the End of the World’?

The exact cause of Bill’s death was not confirmed in the first two episodes. As per billionaire Andy Ronson, he died of a drug overdose. However, given the mysterious circumstances surrounding Bill’s death, Darby believes he has been murdered.

It is certain that Bill did not kill himself, as Darby found syringe marks on his dominant arm. A drug user usually injects themselves in their non-dominant arm, as confirmed by Andy’s AI assistant, Ryan.

Therefore, the only way Bill could have died is if someone else injected some drug into his arm. In fact, he may not have died due to a drug overdose at all.

At the end of episode 2, Darby spots a masked killer in the footage of the doorbell camera in Bill’s room. Although the episode does not confirm that it was the masked killer who killed Bill, he likely has something to do with Bill’s death.

The next few episodes will take Darby’s investigation further, and we will get to know more about the cause of Bill’s death.

2. Who killed Bill Martin in ‘A Murder at the End of the World’?

Bill Martin could have been killed by any of the other guests at Andy Ronson’s retreat or by Andy Ronson himself. The identity of Bill’s killer has not been revealed yet.

The killer may not be as obvious as it seems, but it won’t be surprising if Andy Ronson has something to do with Bill’s death. It is Andy who suddenly concludes that Bill died due to a drug overdose.

Moreover, it is strange how both Darby and Bill are invited by Andy for the retreat, especially after Darby publishes her book, The Silver Doe. Andy may have had some motive behind inviting Bill, even if he claims his wife, Lee, invited him. 

Lee could also have had something to do with Bill’s death. She suddenly turns up in Bill’s room and claims she was also suspecting foul play. Although she urges Darby to investigate further into it, things may not be as simple as they seem. She might have some hidden motive.

The other guests cannot be ruled out either, as we hardly know anything about them as of now. It is up to Darby to discover the truth and expose Bill’s murderer.

3. About A Murder at the End of the World

A Murder at the End of the World (originally titled Retreat) is an American psychological thriller drama television miniseries created by Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij for FX. It stars Emma Corrin as an amateur detective who attempts to solve a murder at a secluded retreat. The supporting cast includes Marling herself, Clive Owen and Harris Dickinson.

The series, which marks the second television project by Marling and Batmanglij after The OA, premiered on Hulu on November 14, 2023, with two episodes followed by weekly installments.