The tension in Morfa Halen reached a breaking point as Episode 5 of the gripping Sky crime drama Under Salt Marsh aired on February 20, 2026. With only one episode left before the finale, the latest instalment left viewers with more questions than answers as trust crumbled and long-buried secrets started surfacing. The episode delivered intense confrontations, a shocking death, and a growing storm that literally and metaphorically cut the town off from the outside world.
The episode picks up right after the discovery of August’s body, throwing Jackie Ellis (played by Kelly Reilly) and the entire community into deeper chaos. As floodwaters rise and isolate Morfa Halen, the investigation into the deaths of eight-year-old Cefin Hill and Jackie’s niece Nessa takes several unexpected turns. The core of this episode focuses on Jackie’s growing suspicion toward Osian, leading to a tense confrontation about his secret afternoon with the young victim .
Jackie Confronts Osian Over His Secret Meeting With Cefin
The most gripping moment in Episode 5 comes when Jackie corners Osian and demands answers about his private time with Cefin. Throughout the series, Osian has remained a mysterious figure, and this episode finally puts him under the spotlight. Jackie’s detective instincts tell her that Osian knows more than he is letting on about the boy’s final days .
When Jackie questions him directly about what happened during that afternoon, Osian’s explanations come across as evasive and incomplete. His answers only create more suspicion rather than clearing his name. The conversation between them crackles with tension as Jackie refuses to accept his vague responses. She pushes harder, wanting to know exactly what the conversation was about and why Osian felt the need to keep it secret .
This interrogation scene showcases Kelly Reilly’s powerful performance as a former detective turned teacher who cannot ignore her training, even when questioning someone from her close-knit community. The writers have carefully built up to this moment across previous episodes, and the payoff delivers the emotional weight fans were expecting.
August’s Death Raises More Questions Than Answers
The discovery of August’s body early in the episode sends shockwaves through Morfa Halen. What initially seems like a possible accident becomes far more complicated when a fire destroys his caravan in the same episode. The timing feels too convenient, and Jackie immediately suspects that someone wanted to destroy evidence .
When investigators search the area near the fire, they find hidden papers buried underground. These documents reveal that August knew far more than he ever let on. The papers contain information linking back to the landfill controversy and even connections to Nessa’s disappearance from three years ago. This discovery confirms what Jackie has suspected all along: the death of her young pupil Cefin and the cold case of her niece are connected .
The buried papers serve as a major plot device in Episode 5, suggesting that August had been gathering information for some time. He may have known who was really responsible for the crimes haunting Morfa Halen, and that knowledge may have cost him his life.
Solomon and Ned Confess to Burying Nessa
In a stunning development, Solomon admits that he and Ned secretly buried Nessa to protect their family. This confession comes after years of lies and cover-ups that have tortured Jackie and divided the community. Solomon explains that they made the choice believing it was the only way to keep their loved ones safe from whoever was really responsible for Nessa’s death .
The confession scene carries enormous emotional weight, as Solomon finally unburdens himself after carrying this secret for three long years. However, his admission does not solve the mystery. If Solomon and Ned merely buried Nessa but did not kill her, then the real killer remains free and living among them in Morfa Halen.
Following this revelation, Ned makes a desperate attempt to escape the island as the weather worsens and tensions rise across the town. His flight suggests he knows more than he has shared, or perhaps he fears that the truth will soon come out and he will be blamed regardless of his actual involvement .
The Rising Floodwater Traps Everyone in Morfa Halen
Nature plays a major role in Episode 5 as rising floodwater cuts Morfa Halen off from the rest of the world. The once-in-a-generation storm that has been building throughout the series finally arrives, trapping the residents together with their secrets and suspicions. No one can leave, and no help can arrive from the outside .
This isolation creates the perfect pressure cooker environment for the drama to intensify. With the town slipping into the sea and evidence literally washing away, Detective Bull moves closer to uncovering the truth behind an illegal operation that sits at the heart of all three cases .
The environmental disaster mirroring the moral decay in the town has been a central theme of Under Salt Marsh since the first episode. Creator Claire Oakley previously explained that she wanted to explore how a community facing extinction might behave when pushed to the edge . Episode 5 brings this concept to full fruition as the rising waters force everyone to confront uncomfortable truths.
The Investigation Falls Apart as Trust Disappears
By the end of Episode 5, the investigation into Cefin and Nessa’s deaths lies in ruins. No one in Morfa Halen fully trusts anyone else anymore. Friends suspect friends, family members doubt each other, and the community that once prided itself on looking after its own now tears itself apart from the inside .
Jackie finds herself increasingly isolated as she pushes for answers that powerful people in the town do not want revealed. The illegal operation that Detective Bull investigates appears to involve respected members of the community, people who have everything to lose if the truth comes out .
The episode builds toward the finale by showing how deeply the rot runs in Morfa Halen. This is not a simple case of one bad person committing a crime. The deaths of Cefin and Nessa connect to larger patterns of corruption, environmental crimes, and a community willing to look the other way for years.
What Episode 5 Means for the Finale
With only Episode 6 remaining, the pieces are finally in place for the mystery to be solved. The finale, airing on February 27, 2026, has the enormous task of connecting every secret and finally naming the person responsible for the deaths that have haunted Morfa Halen .
The buried papers found near August’s destroyed caravan will likely play a crucial role in the finale. They contain details that point toward whoever is behind both the landfill operation and the murders. Jackie now has physical evidence to support her theories, but she must stay alive long enough to use it.
Osian remains under suspicion after his unsatisfactory answers to Jackie’s questions. Whether he is merely an awkward man hiding a harmless secret or something far more sinister will likely be revealed in the final episode.
Ned’s attempted escape suggests he may hold the key to unlocking the full truth. If the authorities can catch him before he leaves the island, he might provide the confession that solves both cases.
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Streaming Details for the Finale
Under Salt Marsh Episode 6 will premiere on February 27, 2026, exclusively on Sky and the NOW streaming service in the UK. As a Sky Original production, the show is not available on other platforms like Netflix, Prime Video, or Disney+ .
For viewers in other regions, availability may vary. The series has generated significant buzz thanks to the powerful performances of Kelly Reilly and Rafe Spall, and international audiences are eager to see how the mystery concludes .
The finale runs for approximately 47 minutes, similar to previous episodes, and will wrap up the six-part series that began on January 30 . Given the intensity of Episode 5, expectations are high for a satisfying conclusion that answers all the questions the show has raised across its run.
With the town literally sinking into the sea and a killer still unidentified, Episode 6 promises to deliver the answers viewers have been waiting for since that first shocking discovery of Cefin’s body in the premiere.
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