Will Trent (Season 1), Episode 12 Recap & Ending Explained: Episode 12 of Will Trent’s season 1 on ABC titled “Nothing Changed Except for Everything” has a mouthful title. And it is filled with exciting flashbacks and a “Serial” connection between the past and the present. Evelyn, Faith’s mother, once again makes a guest appearance in the episode to renew her old “frenemieship” with Amanda. The APD and GBI collaborate in episode 12 to figure out the mysterious murders of former residents of the Holy Grace Children’s Home.
Will and Angie have a personal connection since they are former residents. Their relationship is in troubled waters, but it is unlikely they will end up together. There might be a twist in the season finale that might change things. This episode had a whole lot of confronting past mistakes and decisions that hurt other people. The final sequence sets up the tone for the finale. The revelation about Will’s past was also the highlight of the episode. We are at hand to break it down piece by piece for you in this recap and ending explainer of Will Trent Episode 12, Season 1.
Will Trent (Season 1), Episode 12 Recap
Nothing Changed Except for Everything
We begin the new episode with a flashback to 1986 when Evelyn and Amanda were cops with on-field duties. They find the body of a young female with severe body trauma. Her eyes and lips are not just shut but sewn and then glued together. The horrific image is repeated in the present when we see Ormwewood and Faith watching a body in the morgue. Is the serial killer back, or is this a copycat? Faith is working with Ormewood since Angie is on administrative leave. There is a peculiar difference, though. All the victims in the present are mutilated, and the injuries are consistent with stabbings.
Her internal board review is the next day, but she has her story straight. Will and Angie have decided that they end things, and Angie move out. The killer does not seem to have a type and pattern, Amanda notices when Ormewood briefs her on the victims. She asks them to entertain the possibility the cases might not be related, although Will intervenes and says that is the assumption they’re working under. Without full disclosure, Amanda does not want to give Will and the others the intel from the past. She calls Evelyn for help.
There is one peculiar thing about the victims: red nail polish. Amanda finds that aspect disturbing, even as Evelyn makes the case it is not the same killer. Back in the past, Amanda and Evelyn were good-hearted cops looking out for vulnerable women on the street. They even alert a bunch of prostitutes around the block, where a serial killer is on the loose. Julius “Juice” Walker, their pimp, was the one convicted in the case for the murders. He died in prison a few weeks ago. Evelyn is sure he was the killer since when they arrested him back in the 80s, the killings stopped.
Amanda is skeptical and feels he might have told some prison mate the truth, and they should look into it. Evelyn still has tremors of grudges for what Amanda did in the past but agrees to help her. They scour through physical files at the Bureau. Evelyn suggests they talk to James Ulster, Juice’s defense attorney, who has the hots for Amanda. He might have valuable information about the case that could help.
What is the connection between all the victims?
While interviewing the much older husband of Brook Miller, one of the victims, Faith and Ormewood, learn she was an orphan. Will’s findings from Edward’s duffle bag, another victim, confirm his suspicions. He sees a photo of Edward and immediately recognizes him as one of his housemates at his foster home. He straightaway goes to Angie, who is collecting her personal stuff from Will’s house.
The reason they were not able to identify them earlier was that the victims had got new names. Teddy Connor (changed name, Edward Ross) and Brooke Tandy belonged to the Holy Grace Children’s Home. Their suspicions are confirmed when another one from their home, Paul Campana, is targeted by the same killer. He is almost killed in his expensive G-Wagon but survives due to his protein shake that burns the killer’s face. Paul goes to Angie and Will, and the three come up with a name – PeePee Percy, a pervert from their home who fits the profile of the killer.
Will and Angie call Faith and Ormewood to inform them of the connection. Since Amanda will not let them work on the case, they need help to get records and confirm the identity of the killer. When Ormewood informs them the division will not give them the records, Will and Angie decide to go to the Children’s Home and access physical copies.
What does James Ulster reveal to Evelyn and Amanda?
Quite interestingly, James tells the ladies that Julius was not behind the murders. He only took the guilty plea because he wanted to avoid the death penalty. Juice had mentioned someone suspicious – a regular customer – back then to Ulster. This man liked to brush the girls’ hair and primp them. Amanda asks to look over Ulster’s notes, and he agrees.
Back in the past, we see Evelyn and Amanda helping out Lucy, a pregnant prostitute, by helping her relocate to a convent of nuns. Amanda and Evelyn go over case material and Ulster’s notes but do not find anything useful. The description of the guy is too generic to make any progress. The two ladies also get emotional about not doing enough to help the girls back then and also discuss their own frailties with their husbands. Amanda is specifically distressed.
Do Will and Angie find any clues at the Children’s Home?
The Home is in a dilapidated condition, and most of the furniture and things are missing. Unfortunately, the two do not find physical records to confirm the names of all the children living with them at the time. But they do renew their connection to the Home and the memories they had – good and bad. They also fight about the lack of information Angie is willing to give Will about Lenny’s murder.
But they do find a disturbing piece of evidence that confirms the killer is one step ahead of them and has already taken all the files. In the bathroom, they find old photos from their time kept in a gift box. Will is also informed at the time that another body has been found. The new victim, David, was catfished by the killer. He sent David a letter to confirm his identity, and later he went missing. They now must trace the lineage of the letter to find the killer.
Will Trent (Season 1), Episode 12 Ending Explained
Who is the serial killer behind the murders?
Will and Ormewood go to confront Percy, who uses certified mail. But he tries to run and even injures Ormewood. Will finally gets him into cuffs. Percy reveals that he is a private investigator but has committed mail fraud with all the victims. He does not know who hired him. Percy got a lot of money and was tracked down because he got the article from Southern Society that mentions Paul Campana and how Will saved his daughter’s life.
The piece lists out all details about Will’s torrid time and bullying in the house. Perhaps the killer is a sympathizer of Will’s? Amanda angrily yells at Will for not keeping her in the loop about the case. She takes him off the case, and he storms out of the Bureau. Evelyn asks Amanda to put Will back on the case and to think practically about it. Angie does not show up at the Review meeting. Amanda asks Will back on the case and also tells him how “he is the link between the past and the present killings.”
How is Will the link between the past and present killings?
We see in the past that Evelyn and Amanda had to face sexism from their male counterparts and superiors. They were on their way to meet Lucy but could not get to her in time. She was killed because of their delay, even though she was only missing at the time. Evelyn gave Amanda a lot of courage and emotional support to keep going out every day and save lives. In a huge shock and twist in the story, it turns out that Lucy Morales was Will’s mother.
Amanda tells him the explosive revelation that leaves him stumped. Amanda explains that Lucy was on her beat when she was a cop. Will finds it very hard to process since he has previously known his mother has a Jane Doe. Amanda pulled Will’s file when he was 19. Will also gets closure about the fact that his mother wanted him, and she did not abandon him because she didn’t love him. Will lashes out at Amanda and goes back home. He finds everything disheveled and Angie missing. Will knows what has happened and must now focus his energy on saving Angie’s life. A crossed-out photo of Angie that Will finds in his bedroom confirms it.
