The six-part ITV thriller The Dark concluded on Monday, July 27, with the unmasking of the serial killer who had been terrorising the Scottish Highlands. In a tense confrontation, Detective Inspector Monica Kennedy (Laura Donnelly) discovered that the killer was school headteacher Kyle Ward (Brian Ferguson).
Kyle Ward's motive and method
Kyle admitted to murdering Jason Morgan and Rob Wright, along with several other attempted murders. He claimed that after his wife's death he felt "liberated" and found his "true self," believing he needed to kill vulnerable young men who had a "tragic lack of vision" to give them an opportunity to "do better in the next life." He groomed victims using burner phones handed out by Jason's brother Nichol Morgan (Nicholas Nunn), who was manipulated after being kicked out by his mother's partner. When the time was right, Kyle poisoned his victims and left their bodies in the Highlands, placing a black onyx stone with them to ensure a safe journey into the next world. Kyle intended to kill Monica as well, but she tricked him into consuming the poison himself, leading to his death.
Cliffhanger hints at season 2
The episode ended on a chilling note as Monica opened a card addressed to her daughter Lucy from her own father. Fans know Monica's father is the leader of the Burning Light cult, which she has spent years trying to escape. The card read: "My darling daughter, it is time to let the light in," suggesting the cult is now targeting Lucy. There has been no official word on a second season, but the cliffhanger and source material suggest more could come. The Dark is based on the first book in GR Halliday's trilogy, From the Shadows, which continues Monica's story. Actress Laura Donnelly remarked: "This story to do with the cult is just one element of that for her [Monica], and we get to explore that somewhat in the first season, and yet there's still so much more to explore as well."
The Dark is available to stream on ITVX.
