Just like in the final moments of the Cruel Summer season 1 finale, the final episode of season 2 hit us with the best (and most shocking) twist in the last moments. Luke Chambers’ killer is finally revealed, and what happens to him takes quite a turn from what you probably expected.
Cruel Summer Season 2 Ending Explained
While waiting on the dock in the early hours of New Year’s Day, Luke calls his brother to come get him. Hours later, a shell-shocked Brent is sitting soaking wet in his house. Brent tells his father that he has something to tell him, and Steve suddenly starts screaming outside for Luke.
Meanwhile, Megan and Isabella talk about what happened at the cabin with Luke. Megan is starting to worry about Luke and wants to go untie him in a couple of hours, not realizing he already got free. Isabella doesn’t feel sorry for Luke at all. She thinks he got off easy.
When they arrive back at the cabin, Luke isn’t there. Isabella believes Megan untied him, but Megan swears she didn’t. Luke is nowhere to be found. Isabella stresses to Megan that they need to destroy the tape because it makes them look bad. Megan is beginning to have regrets about what happened at the cabin. Megan admits she doesn’t know how she’s ever going to trust Isabella again. After all, Isabella isn’t exactly innocent in this whole Luke drama.
Two days later, Brent asks Steve what they’re going to do about Luke. Steve promises that he’s not going to let anything happen to Brent. After a visit from Steve, Megan runs to Isabella and demands that they be on the same page about Luke. Isabella has clearly already thought of a plan. She tells Megan to write a letter from Luke saying he’s run away.
The tension between Megan and Isabella finally boils over. Megan starts to defend Luke and tells Isabella, “You pushed me past my breaking point.” Isabella calls Megan an “ungrateful little b***h” and the most “selfish” person. Megan snaps that Isabella is “addicted to drama” and tells her that Luke was right. “You’re only happy when I’m miserable,” Megan says to Isabella.
A few months later, Steve is angry that Sheriff Meyer has yet to press charges against Megan and Isabella. Sheriff Meyer notes that there are new tapes to go through and justice will be handed out in due time.
The whole part where Megan and Isabella accuse each other of being involved in what happened to Luke? Turns out, it’s all part of the plan Isabella came up with. They both realize that Ned’s footage should reveal who killed Luke. Megan is able to hack into the police department’s computer to access the video. They watch the tape from New Year’s Day and spot Steve’s car in the footage.
Megan and Isabella immediately head to see Steve. Brent overhears them accusing Steve of being involved in Luke’s death. Brent freaks out after eavesdropping. Steve stresses to Brent that he won’t go to prison.
Isabella believes they should go to the sheriff about the tape and be honest upfront since they’re on it as well. Isabella wants a second chance with Megan. Megan’s not exactly on board with reviving their friendship. For Megan, the friendship led to nothing but wreckage. Isabella didn’t see it that way.
Later, when Megan goes to see Isabella at her hotel, Isabella is already long gone. The police pull Megan over and ask her to come in to answer questions. Jack shows Megan the tape that features her with the gun in her hand — and there’s nothing of Isabella. Megan is the one arrested for Luke’s murder.
When Brent finds out what’s going on with Megan, he’s not okay with this plan whatsoever. Steve thinks Brent should be grateful he’s going to get off scot-free. Brent brings up the night of his mother’s accident. He asks his father if his mother was drinking that night. Luke shouldn’t have had to take the blame. Steve didn’t want their mom to be remembered as a drunk and having Luke take the blame was a way to protect their family.
Brent has a conscience, though. He goes to see Megan at the station. He admits that Luke is the one who paged him from the dock that night. They got into an argument and started fighting. “And then he fell into the water and it was so dark and I couldn’t find him. It happened so fast,” Brent says.
Who Killed Luke Chambers?
That night, Luke is convinced that he’s ruined everything with Megan. He realizes that he’s become a true Chambers. He’s sick of Brent and Steve getting away with everything. “I’m done staying quiet,” Luke tells his brother. He’s done lying about what happened to his mother and the accident. He tells Brent that their mom was drunk the night of the accident, but Brent refuses to believe him. He pushes Luke, who hits his head on the ladder bar. Luke falls into the water and doesn’t come up. Brent jumps into the water to look for Luke but doesn’t find him.
Brent confesses to Megan that Steve tried to cover this all up to protect him. Meanwhile, Sheriff Meyer is watching Brent’s confession unfold from his camera footage outside. Brent vows to Megan that he won’t let her take the fall for this. “Luke really loved you,” he says before being arrested for his brother’s death. Now Steve has lost both of his kids. His entire family. The police come for him, too. The Chambers family is known for nothing but scandal now.
In the wake of Brent’s confession, Megan gets a message about a real coding job. A bright spot in the midst of all the chaos. Isabella is on a plane to Ibiza. A girl named Michelle talks to Isabella in first class. They make easy conversation. Isabella tells Michelle that her name is “Lisa” and wants to join her in Ibiza. “You’re gonna want a partner in crime,” Isabella says. She means that literally.
Megan goes out to the dock where Luke took his last breaths. She goes there to say goodbye to him. As she’s walking back, she sees something in the distance… another security camera.
Turns out, Isabella’s been lying this whole time. Isabella went back to the dock on New Year’s and found Luke barely alive on the shore. She looked around and saw nothing and no one. Instead of helping him, Isabella took her boot and pushed Luke’s head into the shallow water. He struggled for a moment but eventually died. Isabella killed Luke and felt no remorse.
Megan watches this shocking scene unfold in the footage. She is absolutely stunned by the truth — and the fact that Isabella has gotten away with it all.