Under the Bridge Episode 3 Recap & Ending Explained: “Under the Bridge,” created by Quinn Shephard, is an eight-part Hulu limited series based on Rebecca Godfrey’s 2004 true crime book of the same name. It chronicles the murder investigation of Reena Virk, a 14-year-old teenager living in the quiet town of Saanich in British Columbia, Canada. Reena’s brutal murder and the subsequent media scrutiny of the perpetrators turned it into a sensationalized national story. “Under the Bridge” goes for a more low-key approach, establishing the social, cultural, and psychological indicators behind the killing of Reena Virk.
The first two episodes of “Under the Bridge,” which premiered on April 17, showcased local police officer Cam Bentland’s (Lily Gladstone) investigation into Reena’s disappearance, which quickly turned into a homicide case. Parallelly, author Rebecca Godfrey (Riley Keough), while researching for her book, encounters a couple of girls from Seven Oaks, a group home for at-risk and homeless youths. One among them, Josephine Bell (Chloe Guidry), nonchalantly recollects her terrible deed to Rebecca. “Under the Bridge” episode 3, “The Blood Oath,” further explores the teen culture in Saanich with its casual violence, abuse, and oath of omerta.
Cam follows the leads that might lead her to the alleged teen suspects. On the other hand, Rebecca tries to learn about Reena and her troubled past. Now, let’s get into the detailed recap of “Under the Bridge” episode 3 “Blood Oath.” Spoilers Ahead.
Under the Bridge Episode 3 “Blood Oath” Recap:
Why Cam believes Josephine isn’t Reena’s killer?
“Under the Bridge” episode 3 opens with police chief Roy Bentland (Matt Craven) conveying the news of Reena’s murder to her parents, Manjit (Ezra Faroque Khan) and Suman Virk (Archie Panjabi). While Manjit breaks down, Suman is too shocked to express her grief. Reena’s uncle, Raj (Anoop Desai), is angry at Cam for giving them false hope by showing the pictures of Reena from CCTV footage, walking towards the bridge after the attack. When the police chief asks Manjit to come to the morgue to identify his daughter’s body, he refuses to do it. But Suman, who looks mentally stronger among the two, says she will identify the body.
Back at Connor’s party, the teenagers who have beaten up Reena – including Josephine and Kelly (Izzy G) – are panic-stricken after looking at the news report. Dusty (Aiyana Goodfellow), who heard Josephine’s confession to Rebecca, calls out Josephine as the killer. The casual bravado with which Josephine talked to Rebecca is long gone as she looks perturbed. Josephine says she just exaggerated things., and had nothing to do with Reena’s murder. Subsequently, Josephine asks the group of girls to keep quiet and not trust anyone.
Rebecca meets Cam to tell her that Josephine killed Reena and how she bragged about it. At the end of episode 2, Cam herself checked how it was nearly impossible for Josephine to reach Seven Oaks before curfew time after killing Reena under the bridge. Despite jumping red lights and speeding, it took Cam almost 17 minutes to drive from Craigflower Bridge to Seven Oaks. As per the CCTV footage, Reena’s last recorded movement was at 11:47 p.m. Josephine has a tight alibi since she was seen at the home before midnight and has signed in.
Rebecca decides to write a book about Reena’s murder
Cam addresses Rebecca more as a police officer than a friend. She asks her to stay away from the investigation, although Rebecca protests by saying she is just helping Cam. When Cam further warns about Rebecca’s meddling, Rebecca tells Cam that as a journalist, she has decided to write about the case. Rebecca had wanted to write a book about the girls of Victoria. Now, her focus is entirely on Reena’s murder investigation. Nevertheless, their troubled past relationship makes Cam see Rebecca’s decision as a means to undermine her.
Cam raises her voice to convey the trauma of watching a teen corpse getting pulled out of the water. Rebecca yells back, saying she has also seen a kid’s body getting pulled out of the water and how it profoundly affects her, too. What’s left unspoken is that little Rebbeca lost her brother, Gabe, in a drowning incident. The silence between Cam and Rebecca is heavy, and the latter furiously leaves the place. Warren G (Javon Walton), one of the suspects in Reena’s case, is seen at his girlfriend, Samara’s (Isabella Leon) place. Warren lives in his absentee father’s trailer, and his mother is out of the picture. He gives Samara a bunch of his clothes to put in the washing machine. Samara is troubled to see that one of his clothes has blood stains.
What does the Coroner’s examination say about injuries on Reena’s body?
Suman Virk identifies her daughter’s body. She is shocked to see cigarette burns on Reena’s forehead. At the school, Samara asks a girl who was present during Reena’s beating about the incident. She also questions if Warren left with them, leaving the grievously injured Reena under the bridge. The girl says they were just hanging out, and many of them, including Warren, don’t even know Reena or what the fight was about. Then Samara asks the crucial question: did Warren do anything?
Rebecca is back at Seven Oaks to talk with Josephine. The girl still maintains that it was her idea to kill Reena. The deluded Josephine simply wants Rebecca to drop her in New York. Rebecca says Josephine must at least know who the killer is. The author further says she can’t write a book based on Josephine’s lies. Josephine is enraged as she thinks Rebecca manipulated her with false promises. Meanwhile, the coroner’s examination reveals that Reena would have died just from head injuries sustained in the beating. These injuries, the coroner says, are equivalent to ones seen in car crash victims. But the examination also reveals another appalling fact: Reena was attacked a second time, and then she was drowned.
Why does the Police Chief think of the Dad as a suspect?
Police Chief Roy, like every prejudiced man, finds something odd in Mom Suman Virk identifying Reena’s body. He wonders what kind of a man would let his wife do that. According to Roy, it’s an affirmation of Dad Manjit’s guilt. He wonders if the second assault is Manjit’s doing and asks his son and police officer, Scott, to do some digging on the dad. Cam firmly believes that this is not the usual case of an enraged parent killing their offspring. The extent to which Reena was injured means the teenager wasn’t even seen as a human being.
The narrative jumps four months earlier as Manjit grounds Reena and even removes the door to her room. Reena has been sneaking out of her home to Seven Oaks ever since she met Josephine and Dusty at Connor’s party. Reena sees her parents’ reaction as a blatant invasion of her privacy, something a disafffected teenager like Reena treasures a lot. In the present, at a diner, Rebecca comes across Warren G, the kid she has seen before at Connor’s. Warren treated Rebecca kindly and gently as she was recovering from the shock of Josephine’s confession. Rebecca offers to buy him breakfast. She also learns about Warren’s solitary existence at his father’s trailer.
Why is Warren beaten up?
At the school, the kids and adults commemorate Reena’s passing. There’s a heavy media presence, although many people who have gathered don’t know anything about Reena. Reena’s parents are absent, but her uncle Raj addresses the media. Rebecca introduces herself to Raj. Rebecca says her family went through something similar when she was a kid. Cam comes across Rebecca and invites Rebecca to a drink to make up for the last time.
In the past timeline (four months ago), Reena and Dusty go to the tough kids’ hangout spot – an abandoned shipyard. Josephine, Kelly, and Warren G, along with other smoking and shit-talking kids, listen to hip-hop music. Out of nowhere, Warren is repeatedly hit by a bunch of boys. Reena is disturbed to see the sudden outburst of violence. But these boys are simply following the brutal gang initiation method. They congratulate the bloodied Warren by saying he is a ‘Crip’ now (Crips are a street gang based in Los Angeles). Josephine and Kelly watch this initiation ritual with hearty smiles. But Josephine feels disappointed that they won’t allow the girls to join.
The reconciliation of Cam and Rebecca
A bright idea flashes across Josephine’s mind as she says they can start their own gang. She calls it Crip Mafia Cartel (CMC) and wants their gang to strictly follow the omerta – code of silence. Josephine wants them to take a blood oath. Though the violence disturbs Reena, she is happy to be part of a gang where she can belong. But when Reena offers to take the blood oath, Josephine scoffs at her and asks Reena to prove herself first before joining the gang.
While the queer identity of Cam and Rebecca was teased a bit in the earlier episodes, in the 3rd episode, they share an intimate moment after having a drink or two. Gabe’s death – Rebecca’s brother – seems to be the reason for the rift between the two. Cam was friends with Gabe, and not long after his death, Rebecca left her hometown. During their conversation, Cam also brings up Rebecca getting ‘chummy’ with Raj at Reena’s memorial. Since the Virks aren’t talking to the police, Rebecca offers to help Cam in that regard. Cam also accepts the help.
What’s the mystery behind Manjit’s police record?
Then we jump back to the near past as Reena’s rebellious phase intensifies after her increased acquaintance with the CMC girls. She loudly plays the ‘profane’ songs inside her doorless room to deliberately provoke her devoutly religious parents. When mom Suman condemns the Seven Oaks girls for her daughter’s behavior, Reena says they are unfairly judging her friends. To quell the argument and give his daughter some leeway, Dad Manjit asks Reena to invite her friends to their home for dinner. While Reena initially rejects it, Manjit says it would be an opportunity for both parties to know each other. Reena’s conditions to her parents are to not talk about Jehovah’s Witness and no Indian food. It’s apparent that Suman is totally opposed to it, but for Manjit’s sake, she keeps quiet.
In the present, Scott briefs Cam about Manjit’s police record, but it was expunged only a few days back. Subsequently, Cam gives Rebbeca the police file on Manjit to ask Raj about it. Rebecca wants Cam to provide her with something for the book in exchange. When Rebecca meets Raj, she talks about her book. Soon, she brings up the police file. Rebecca warns that the media will go through everything about their family, and if this comes out, their entire focus will shift to it. But Rebecca wants to learn their side and speak the truth.
Under the Bridge Episode 3 “The Blood Oath” Ending Explained:
Was Warren involved in Reena’s beating?
In the past, assured by her dad’s proposal to invite her friends, Reena asks Josephine, Dusty, and Kelly to come to their home for dinner. Reena wants to have fun with her newfound buddies. But Josephine and Kelly’s idea of ‘having fun’ is nothing like what Reena expects it to be. In the present, Samara, who works part-time at a diner, sees Kelly whispering something in her boyfriend, Warren’s ears. Samara is already disturbed by Warren’s possible involvement in Reena’s beating. So she asks Kelly what they are talking about. Kelly offers a patronizing reply to Samara.
When Warren tries to reassure Samara, she asks him why he kicked Reena, a girl he didn’t even know. Warren says things are harder for him and that he immediately regretted directing his rage against Reena on that night. His dad’s trailer is locked up, and Warren has no place to stay after the eviction. Still, it doesn’t explain why Warren had blood stains (possibly Reena’s) on his clothes. It’s definitely more than one kick. After bringing Warren to her home, Samara says he hasn’t been honest with her. Then, Warren starts confessing to Samara and says he ‘saw something that night.’
Is Kelly a Coldblooded Criminal?
Back at Kelly’s home, Josephine is having a fun time with Kelly and Dusty. Soon, Josephine reacts stupefiedly after seeing something in Kelly’s wardrobe. It is Reena’s shoes. With a smile, Kelly tells Josephine, “I did it for you.” Of course, the cold-blooded teenager isn’t talking about stealing the coveted shoes. It’s much more sinister than that. The end of “Under the Bridge” episode 3 hints at the identity of Reena’s killers. How did Kelly, the rich brat with no conscience, and Warren, a seemingly compassionate homeless kid, commit the gruesome murder? “Under the Bridge” doesn’t promise any easy answers.
