The series finale of Hulu’s Tell Me Lies left viewers with a lot of feelings—mostly confusion, anger, and that empty feeling you get when you watch someone make a really bad decision. After three seasons of watching Lucy Albright (Grace Van Patten) and Stephen DeMarco (Jackson White) destroy each other and everyone around them, the show ended with Stephen doing what he does best: leaving Lucy stranded at a gas station.
The final scene shows Lucy getting into Stephen’s car after he blows up Bree and Evan’s wedding in 2015. They stop for gas, Lucy goes inside to grab coffee, and when she comes out—he’s gone. Her purse sits on the ground, and all she can do is laugh.
If you are trying to understand why Stephen would do this after finally getting Lucy back, you are not alone. The show’s creator and the actors have opened up about the meaning behind this devastating moment.
The Scorpion and the Frog: Why Stephen Could Not Help Himself
Meaghan Oppenheimer, the creator and showrunner of Tell Me Lies, explained that this ending was always the plan. In multiple interviews, she compared Stephen to the scorpion in an old fable .
In the story, a scorpion asks a frog to carry him across a river. The frog refuses, saying the scorpion will sting him and they will both drown. The scorpion argues that it makes no sense to sting the frog because they would both die. The frog agrees and gives him a ride. Halfway across, the scorpion stings the frog. As they both start to drown, the frog asks why. The scorpion replies, “Because I am a scorpion.”
Oppenheimer used this fable to explain Stephen’s actions. “It was concerning the theme of inevitability,” she told ScreenRant and other outlets . “Why would he do that on the finish? Why would he go away her on the aspect of the highway when he is blown up his entire life, and she or he’s most likely the only individual that’s going to speak to him once more? As a result of he is Steven, and he can not help it.”
The creator emphasized that Stephen’s need to win and punish Lucy is stronger than his desire to be happy . “He would reasonably harm himself if it means hurting her,” she said. “And that is why I do not suppose he’ll ever be comfortable.”
The One Way to Finally Free Lucy
At first glance, having Stephen be the one to leave might feel like he wins one last time. But Oppenheimer sees it differently. She explained to The Hollywood Reporter that this was actually the only way Lucy could truly break free from him .
“I spotted that as satisfying as it could be for Lucy to have the final phrase and reject him, that might not have truly freed her as a result of Stephen will at all times come again except he will get to be the one to reject somebody,” Oppenheimer shared . Stephen has to have the final word. If Lucy had walked away, he would keep coming back, just like he always did.
By letting him be the one to leave, Lucy finally gets her wake-up call. Oppenheimer believes this moment of hitting rock bottom is exactly what Lucy needs . “I really suppose that this, hitting this rock bottom is the wake-up name she wants,” she mentioned on the official Tell Me Lies podcast. “And I believe she’s gonna make new pals and get higher.”
The Actors Weigh In on That Final Moment
Both Grace Van Patten and Jackson White shared their thoughts on what was going through their characters’ minds during that gas station scene.
White pointed out that Stephen’s final betrayal might not have been calculated at all . “You recognize what’s humorous? I do not suppose it was calculated in any respect on his half. I do not suppose he had this plan. Usually he could be very calculative, however I believe he simply took the chance to win one final time.”
For Lucy, the moment brought a strange sense of relief. Van Patten explained that Lucy finally got the confirmation she needed . “And I believe for Lucy, it was a second of shock was full aid on the final affirmation she wanted to know that this individual would proceed to f*** her over until the tip of time. And I believe there is a launch from that, from understanding that and from lastly absolutely understanding that.”
That release is what viewers see in Lucy’s laugh. Oppenheimer described it as Lucy finally being “in on the joke” . After years of manipulation and toxic behavior, Lucy sees the situation for what it really is—ridiculous and painfully predictable.
What About the Other Characters?
While Lucy and Stephen’s story ends in abandonment, other characters find some resolution. Oppenheimer confirmed that Pippa (Sonia Mena) and Diana (Alicia Crowder) end up happy together in the 2015 timeline . She also hinted that Bree (Catherine Missal) and Wrigley (Spencer House) are soulmates and will find their way back to each other after everything blows up .
In an interview with Awards Radar, the actors discussed their characters’ fates. Mena and Crowder talked about Pippa and Diana’s complicated journey, while Branden Cook (Evan) shared that he does not think Evan and Bree can recover from the wedding disaster .
Oppenheimer also revealed that the decision to have Bree be the one who leaked the tape that got Lucy expelled was planned from early on . “That was at all times the plan, even earlier than I knew particularly that it was going to be a tape,” she advised Entertainment Weekly. Stephen revealing this secret at the wedding was his way of blowing everything up, even though he had nothing to do with the leak itself.
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Why This Ending Works
Some viewers have criticized the ending for leaving Lucy in a vulnerable position. But Oppenheimer stands by her decision. She told Entertainment Weekly that she has been sitting with the image of Stephen leaving Lucy somewhere for years . When she mentioned to her writers that it should feel like he left her by the side of the road, they pointed out that he could literally do just that.
The showrunner also addressed why Stephen never faces real consequences . She decided early on that Stephen would not “get justice” in a traditional sense. Instead, he would destroy his own happiness by being so committed to winning. “He does destroy all of his relationships,” she said .
As for Lucy, Oppenheimer believes she will be fine. “I believe Lucy by no means talks to any of those individuals once more,” she advised Deadline . “I believe she’s going to go on from there and be positive. I believe she’s going to be somewhat f–ked up from it for a minute. It’s somewhat bit shaken, however I believe she will get a clean slate.”
All three seasons of Tell Me Lies are available to stream on Hulu and Disney+ in select regions. For viewers in the UK, the series is available on Disney+. Australian viewers can also stream the show on Disney+, while Canadian audiences can find it on Hulu or through StackTV on Amazon Prime Video. Indian viewers can watch the series on Disney+ Hotstar.
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