‘Untamed’ Finale Shocker: Eric Bana and Cast Reveal the Truth Behind Lucy’s Death and the Twist No One Saw Coming

LOS ANGELES — In a twist-filled finale that left fans reeling, the critically acclaimed limited series Untamed ended not with a bang — but with a devastating emotional gut punch. And now, the cast and creators are speaking out about that jaw-dropping reveal.

The mystery series, which follows ISB agent Kyle Turner (Eric Bana) investigating the death of a Jane Doe in Yosemite National Park, has held audiences in its grip since the pilot. But the finale’s final moments — in which the killer’s identity is revealed — turned everything upside down.

Spoilers ahead.

The Jane Doe is confirmed to be Lucy, a girl who went missing from the park as a child and was presumed dead. Now, as the show ends, the full story comes to light — and it’s far more personal than anyone expected.

“It was such a gut punch for Kyle,” Bana told The Hollywood Insider. “The entire investigation becomes deeply personal in a way he never saw coming.”

The Killer Revealed: A Shocking Betrayal

Throughout the series, suspicion circles around several characters: Shane Maguire (Wilson Bethel), a reclusive former army ranger with a dark past; Jill (Rosemarie DeWitt), Kyle’s ex-wife still grieving the death of their son; and Naya Vasquez (Lily Santiago), a ranger from Los Angeles still adapting to the silence of the wilderness.

But the truth is far more tragic.

Paul Souter (Sam Neill) — the park’s chief ranger, a man Kyle trusts implicitly — is revealed as Lucy’s biological father and the person responsible for her death.

“That reveal was something we carefully layered throughout the season,” said co-showrunner Elle Smith. “He’s someone who’s spent his life protecting others — and it makes what he did all the more horrifying.”

According to the finale, Paul had arranged for Lucy to be placed in foster care years earlier, unable to raise her himself without jeopardizing his family. When Lucy, now grown, returned years later asking for money, Paul refused — again protecting his secrets. But when Lucy returned repeatedly, threatening exposure and once even taking his granddaughter to make a point (though the child was returned unharmed), Paul snapped.

He shot her in a confrontation meant to scare her — but as Lucy fled, she fell off a cliff to her death.

“He says he never meant to kill her,” said Sam Neill. “But that doesn’t undo what happened. That moment, when Paul confesses… it’s the end of everything for him.”

Kyle’s Breaking Point

For Bana’s Kyle Turner, the revelation crushes what little stability he had left. Already emotionally fragile from the loss of his son Caleb — a trauma shared with ex-wife Jill — Kyle had buried himself in work, believing purpose would numb his grief. The Lucy case gave him focus. But to discover that the man he trusted most was at the center of it all?

“It’s betrayal on every level,” said Bana. “Paul was a friend. A father figure. And suddenly, Kyle realizes he’s been protecting the wrong people.”

The final scenes show Kyle standing at the edge of the same cliff where Lucy died, mirroring Paul’s fate. “That symmetry was intentional,” Smith said. “It’s about the cycle of grief, trauma, and accountability — and where it ends if we don’t break it.”

Fan-Favorite Characters Face Their Own Truths

The finale also delivered major consequences for supporting characters.

Naya Vasquez, played with subtle intensity by Lily Santiago, chooses to remain in Yosemite despite the chaos, suggesting that she’s found peace — or perhaps purpose — in the stillness of the wild.

Shane Maguire, long painted as a red herring, is finally given emotional closure. “He wasn’t the villain,” Bethel said. “He was a man shaped by pain, like Kyle.”

Meanwhile, Jill, who has spent the series trying to make sense of her son’s death and the unraveling of her marriage, shares a quiet scene with Kyle that viewers have called “devastatingly beautiful.” There’s no reconciliation, but perhaps, a shared understanding.

“We didn’t want a clean ending,” said Smith. “We wanted a true one.”

Will There Be a Season 2?

While Untamed was billed as a limited series, buzz about a potential second season has already begun.

“We’ve told Kyle’s story,” said Smith. “But the park? The people? There are more stories in those woods.”

As for Bana, he remains open. “It was one of the most intense roles I’ve played,” he said. “But if the writing is right — who knows?”

Until then, fans are left with a finale that answers the big questions — but leaves behind haunting ones as well.