Here's Why [SPOILER] Killed Summer In Netflix's 'Reptile'
Netflix’s Reptile is a brand new, gripping, murder-mystery that's getting a lot of buzz thanks to its all-star cast and riveting plot. But its ending is leaving people with a lot of questions...
Set in a small town, Reptile follows the story of Detective Tom Nichols (played by Benicio Del Toro) who is desperately trying to solve the murder of a local real estate agent named Summer (played by Alicia Silverstone). The movie takes viewers through a ton of twists, ultimately showing that things aren’t always as they seem.
And whether you already finished the movie or are just trying to look ahead, you may have some questions about how things wrap up at the end. Women's Health is breaking down the ending, and answering all your most pressing questions about who really killed Summer... and why.
Who killed Summer?
As the story unfolds, viewers learn that a lot of people in town actually wanted Summer dead. In fact, the movie doesn't actually tell you who killed Summer, but several signs point to her boyfriend, Will Grady (played by Justin Timberlake), who is one of Tom's colleagues.
“It's more like Rosemary’s Baby, where you realize, ‘Oh my God, they’re all involved,’ right?” director Grant Singer told Netflix. “What Benicio’s character is facing is that he realizes it’s much more of a conspiracy, and that there’s much more culpability from all these different people that he trusted.”
Why was Summer killed?
Well, it becomes clear that Summer had actually realized she was unintentionally part of a major drug scam tied to a company called White Fish. The local police department was also involved in the scam, and she was trying to blow the top off the whole thing. Tom’s colleague revealed that Summer had made a call to the FBI three months before her death, saying that she wanted to report narcotics activity.
So, she was ultimately killed by someone who wanted to prevent her from speaking the FBI about what was happening.
How is White Fish connected to the police department?
Summer inadvertently sold homes that had drugs hidden inside them, and the homes would then be forfeited after the drugs were "discovered." Then, the houses would be bought by a company called White Fish Assets, which was owned by Tom's colleagues, Will Grady (Summer's boyfriend) and Wally. Will would later re-sell the homes and get the profits.
While Wally said he was making a lot of money through his new security company, it was actually just a front of his drug operation—he was the one planting the drugs before the homes got seized.
Who threatens Eli?
Eli (played by Michael Pitt) has an issue with Will Grady and his family because they took his father’s farm away from him years ago. Eli’s father died by suicide not long after.
Eli eventually breaks into Tom’s home and leaves him a USB memory stick with information that he claimed would take down Will and his mom (played by Frances Fisher).
Will then shows up at Eli’s house one night with someone else (whose identity is unclear), and they both tell Eli to stop investigating the company. The other person with Will is never revealed, but Eli seems to recognize him.
It's hard to say for sure who else threatened Eli, but it's possible it was the chief of police, who was also involved in the scam.
What happens at the end of Reptile?
At the end of Reptile, Will and his family are brought down by federal agents—we can see him golfing before agents jump in and arrest him.
Why is it called Reptile?
Singer said it has a lot to do with the way most of the characters are portrayed. “In the movie, characters are introduced as one thing and revealed to be something else,” Singer said. “There’s a shedding of skin that occurs, and it felt like an appropriate metaphor for the film. Some of the most unethical people in the film can be very likable in moments.”
Singer also said he just really likes one-word titles. “Titles like Heat, Casino, just things that feel bold,” he said. “When that title came to me, it didn’t remind me of any other movie.”
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