Editor’s Note: This article contains spoilers of Season 5 Episode 8 of ABC’s crime thriller drama, How To Get Away With Murder.
This week’s episode brought what we’ve all been waiting for: the nail-biting reveal of all the questions we’ve been asking since the start of season 5. Amid all the love and joy from Connor and Oliver’s wedding, the twisted events that have been hinted about since episode 1 all came together and revealed who was killed: D.A. Miller.
😳😳😳 #WhoDiedAtTheWedding #HTGAWM pic.twitter.com/h974OQKlID
— How To Get Away ABC (@HowToGetAwayABC) November 16, 2018
While many theorized that Miller could be the unlucky victim, I don’t think any of us expected the bombshell that he probably organized Nate Sr’s death! This shocking revelation comes from the mind of Bonnie, who grows suspicious after a fight between them about Annalise. At first, we see flashbacks to different scenes through the season about Miller: particularly that Miller has a contact with the prison ward. While the implication is a little foggy at this point, Miller later chases her down at the wedding and that’s when Bonnie makes the damning accusation. At first, it seems ludicrous that Miller would do that because there’s no motive or connection that would raise suspicion. However, Nate Jr. then comes with a crucial piece of information: Miller called the prison ward that night. That, along with the fact that Miller was in charge of transferring Nate Sr., seems enough for Bonnie and Nate Jr. Unfortunately, that certainty results in both of them murdering Miller. The scene where Nate Jr. beats Miller half to death, and where Bonnie suffocates him, is haunting and gloriously twisted. HTGAWM did an amazing job of showing a murder that makes your stomach churn, yet you can’t look away. The vile nature of the murder is juxtaposed poignantly by Christopher sitting innocently unaware in the snow behind Bonnie.
Another mystifying storyline concluded this Thursday: who is Gabriel and what does he want? Frank reveals to Annalise Gabriel’s birth certificate, and it has Sam Keating’s name on it. Turns out Gabriel is Sam’s son from his previous marriage (the one which Annalise broke up), and he does not look too happy with Annalise. After a brief and tense conversation in which Gabriel finds out Annalise is drinking, he steals her keys and breaks into her house! It seems like Gabriel’s creepy stalker streak isn’t going away anytime soon. The episode ends with Gabriel appearing in Annalise’s hallway as she lies on the floor, drunk and hysterical. Gabriel’s motives still remain murky, however, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s returned to ruin Annalise’s life as revenge. Losing your dad to divorce is never easy, and Gabriel isn’t exactly stable. Knowing HTGAWM, Annalise is in for a very rough time.
On a lighter note, Connor and Oliver’s wedding was just as beautiful and heart-warming as we all expected. One of my favourite moments is when Connor is walking down the aisle and panicking, but as soon as he sees Oliver, everything clears for him and he just smiles. It’s a beautiful moment and shows how amazing their love is. Their vows were lovely as well, with Oliver calling Connor his dream, and Connor said that despite who he is, he’d love a boring and normal life with Oliver. Despite all the theories that Oliver would be killed, he thankfully returned to serenade Connor with John Legend’s “All Of Me”. The wedding was an absolute tear-jerker, and it did not disappoint. In a show as dark and intense as HTGAWM, it’s nice to get breaks and see genuine moments of love and joy.
From a storytelling standpoint, the contrast between the wedding and the horrific events that transpired made the episode so much more intense and memorable. It added a lot of depth to the episode and made it stand out. The idea that something so gruesome can occur during such a pure celebration is so HTGAWM, and so genius. I also loved the lighting of the episode, with the warm soft golden lighting of the wedding harshly clashing with the green-tinted, dark and intense lighting of any scenes outside. All the intense, confrontational, and murderous moments occurred outside, so the lighting created a wonderful mood. The wedding was made to feel like a safe bubble, so anytime anyone went outside I panicked because they immediately became a potential victim.
Overall, this episode was directed, written, and staged masterfully. This episode was done so well and created an amazingly tense atmosphere. As HTGAWM starts its regular holiday hiatus, we are left on the edge of our seats, waiting with bated breath to see what will happen now. This episode has definitely been my favorite so far, and it reminded me of why I love HTGAWM. It’s unknown when the next episode will air, but it’ll be in so we have plenty of time to go crazy theorizing how the last half of the season will pan out.
