'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUH/8QAFAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABP/aAAwDAQACEAMQAAAAw6OGR//EAB8QAAEEAgIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECAwQRABIFIUFRgf/aAAgBAQABPwDm5caLyiG22CWU1slZvfXpR+kHBMboa2keB6z/xAAXEQADAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIS/9oACAECAQE/AIlZP//EABcRAAMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAyH/2gAIAQMBAT8Aq9P/2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
HBO's limited series Sharp Objects made its debut on the platform in 2018 and was praised for its chilling depiction of the murders within a small town in Missouri. Based on Gillian Flynn's 2006 debut novel of the same name, the series stars Amy Adams as Camille Preaker, a reporter. She is a complicated character at the center of the show's narrative and during her investigation of the child murders, she has to face the demons of her traumatic family background.
One of the big revelations of the limited series was that Camille's half-sister, Amma (Eliza Scanlen) was the murderer. However, those who watched the show wondered if Camille and Amma's mother, Adora (Patricia Clarkson) knew about Amma being the killer. According to an article in Mashable, in the series, Adora was aware of her daughter's actions but wasn't directly involved in the two killings.
However, she was involved in one murder, that of her other daughter and Camille's sister, Marian (Sophie Lillis). Adora supposedly has a factitious disorder imposed on another (previously called Munchausen syndrome by proxy) and almost killed Camille and Amma as well.
While Amma is caught and convicted on the charges of two first-degree murders, Adora tries to take the fall for the killings. However, she isn't convicted of those but does face a prison sentence for Marian's death.
Who was the killer in Sharp Objects?
Sharp Objects, based on Gillian Flynn's book of the same name, starts off with Camille (Amy Adams) returning to her hometown to investigate the murders of two young girls. She meets her half-sister, Amma (Eliza Scanlen), who is infantilized by their mother, Adora (Patricia Clarkson). It is also revealed that it was the teen who had killed the two girls.
Amma is exposed as the killer in one of the final scenes of the movie when Camille comes across her dollhouse. She notices that the dollhouse has one tooth each pulled out from the mouths of the two dead girls. As she tries to understand what is happening, Amma pleads with her half-sister, telling her, "Don't tell Mama."
The symbolism of this scene in Sharp Objects is unmistakable and is a macabre reminder of the killings Amma carried out. It shows how the floor of the dollhouse is made from teeth that the teen pulled out from her victims.
Her asking Camille not to tell their mother about it seemed to show that there was some secret understanding between Adora and Amma. Fans who watched the show were curious to know if Adora was aware of her daughter being the killer.
While it wasn't clarified if Adora knew that Amma was a killer, Sharp Objects did seem to imply that she suspected her daughter of the murders.
According to Mashable, her infantilization of Amma could hint at Adora knowing what her daughter had done. Throughout the series, Adora dressed up and controlled almost everything Amma did, almost like the latter were a doll. Her wanting to control the teen's life was, in a way, Adora trying to protect Amma and keep her secret.
She also tries to take the blame for the murders, even though she had no involvement in them.
More on Sharp Objects
Sharp Objects, based on Gillian Flynn's debut novel, showed how Amma's behavior combined innocence and wickedness in an unsettling manner. It portrays her as an innocent child around her mother but when she goes out, she dresses as she pleases and behaves like an evil and mean girl. Her relationship with Adora was stiflingly close as she controls every part of her daughter's life.
Meanwhile, Camille's relationship with her mother is drastically different and she is shown trying to get her mother to admit that she is a killer. However, she soon learns that Adora was the one who killed Camille's sister, Marian years ago. Marian was supposedly poisoned by Adora, who suffered from factitious disorder imposed on another (previously called Munchausen syndrome by proxy). She also tried to poison Camille and Amma but they were rescued.
While Amma is finally caught and convicted of the two murders, Adora also faces a prison sentence for the death of Marian.
Sharp Objects has an 88% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
It is ambiguous whether Adora knew that Amma was responsible for the murders or not. The show left audiences with more questions than answers as they were forced to confront difficult truths about family dynamics hidden beneath façades on surfaces.
While Sharp Objects might have ended its run, its haunting finale will linger long in people’s minds, generating debates and theories for eternity.
