Episodes 5 and 6 of SBS’ mystery-thriller Queen Mantis (사마귀: 살인자의 외출) have been broadcast on September 19 and 20, 2025. The drama now heads into its finale, with episodes 7 and 8 set to air on September 26 and 27 at 9:50 pm KST.Queen Mantis is helmed by director Byun Young-joo with a script penned by Lee Young-jong. The series reimagines the 2017 French drama La Mante and features Go Hyun-jung as Jung Yi-shin alongside Jang Dong-yoon as detective Cha Soo-yeol.The story of Queen Mantis centers on Yi-shin, once a notorious serial killer, and her estranged son Soo-yeol, who has built his life as a police detective. When a string of murders surfaces, mirroring her crimes, the unlikely mother-son duo is drawn together in a tense battle against a copycat killer.What to expect in the final episodes of Queen MantisIn the previews for the final 2 episodes of Queen Mantis, Yi-shin threatens the police, demanding Soo-yeol’s return to the team, and they reluctantly has to comply. Na-hui grows increasingly wary, suspecting that Yi-shin’s motives are no longer about helping her son in the case but about using him for her own schemes.Park Min-jae’s funeral takes place, with Soo-yeol attending in deep grief. Meanwhile, the killer begins targeting Soo-yeol’s family life, drawing Jung-yeon into the danger.As the case escalates, Yi-shin herself can be expected to become directly involved into the case. Soo-yeol is seen warning, probably her, that if she steps in further, it will cost her life. But Yi-shin is seen insisting that she must do it.Queen Mantis episodes 5 & 6 recaps: Soo-yeol’s truth gets out, Min-jae’s tragic death, and the copycat killer’s chilling new gameEpisode 5 of Queen Mantis opens with Soo-yeol discovering that Yi-shin is inside his house. He rushes home and positions himself protectively in front of Jung-yeon. However, Jung-yeon tells him that Yi-shin has told her everything.She has said that when Soo-yeol’s father dies in his childhood, Yi-shin has abandoned Soo-yeol as well, staging her own demise in a bus accident. She even went so far as to create a fake grave, living in secrecy while the world and Soo-yeol believes she is dead. Jung-yeon believes Yi-shin and urges Soo-yeol to speak to his mother, but he refuses.Instead, he ushering Yi-shin out of the house, handcuffs her and takes her back to the safe house. There he begins questioning her about Gu-wan’s death. Yi-shin denies her involvement in it but asks how Soo-yeol feels about it. He dismisses her probing.Back at the police station, Soo-yeol insists on telling the team about Yi-shin, but Choi stops him, saying it will only complicate matters. Meanwhile, the team continues investigating and uncovers a dating app where a woman named Jo-i has all the victims on her followers list.The next day Park Min-jae is released, and Soo-yeol takes him back to his office studio. They get in to an argument, Soo-yeol warning him not to idolize a serial killer, but Min-jae defending Yi-shin. He adds that their parents are aging, and it is now their responsibility to care for them.Still from Queen Mantis (Image via Netflix)Soo-yeol refuses to view Yi-shin as a mother or forgive her crimes. Min-jae retorts that Soo-yeol is no different from her. Enraged, Soo-yeol shoves Min-jae against the wall, warns him, and leaves, again telling him not to idolize Yi-shin.The following day, Soo-yeol and Choi secretly retrieve Yi-shin’s counseling transcripts, curious about her murdering her husband. They learn that she once witnessed her mother’s death.Soo-yeol confirms this with Hyeon-nam, who recounts how their house burns down with Yi-shin’s mother trapped inside. Only he and Yi-shin have survived and he has long blamed himself for failing to save his wife. He suspects this trauma might have turned Yi-shin into a killer.Later, Soo-yeol receives a phone containing a video from the copycat killer, showing their latest murder. While the team watches, the phone get a call from the killer. Soo-yeol tries to prolong the conversation to track the call, but the killer demands to meet Yi-shin, calling her “the woman,” before hanging up.The team grows suspicious about this “woman.” Confronted, Soo-yeol finally admits that he and Choi have been secretly working with Yi-shin. Though disappointed, the team eventually visits Yi-shin in the safe house, where she speaks with the copycat.Still from Queen Mantis (Image via Netflix)During their conversation, Yi-shin learns another murder is imminent. The killer hints at a “last performance.” With this hint, the team identifies an opera singer from Jo-i’s follower list as the likely target and rushes to protect him. Before they leave, Yi-shin warns Soo-yeol that things will not be so simple. Soo-yeol, through Choi, leaves a message with Min-jae to immediately inform them, if Jo-i contacts him .At the opera house, Soo-yeol grows uneasy even as the team secures the area. After the performance, they rush to protect the singer, but he vanishes. They eventually spot him intoxicated, driving away from the venue and arrests him.Meanwhile, trying to help Soo-yeol, Min-jae contacts Jo-i himself and arranges a meeting at his studio. He calls Soo-yeol to inform him, but Soo-yeol preoccupied with the opera singer cas rejects the call making Min-jae leaves a message.When Soo-yeol sees it, he panics amd rushes, but it is too late as Min-jae is brutally attacked by the killer. By the time Soo-yeol and his team arrive, Min-jae is severely injured, heavily bleeding from the large cross carved into his chest. Soo-yeol rushes to him as Kim Na-hui calls for an ambulance. In Soo-yeol’s arms, Min-jae takes his final breath and the episode 5 of Queen Mantis ends.Still from Queen Mantis (Image via Netflix)Episode 6 of Queen Mantis begins with Yi-shin examining the scene of Min-jae’s murder. To Yi-shin and Na-hui’s shock, Soo-yeol bows before Yi-shin, desperately begging her to cooperate with the investigation.The next morning, the copycat calls Yi-shin again. They discuss Min-jae’s murder, with Yi-shin pointing out the disorganized crime scene lacking both her and the copycat’s distinct signature.Excited, the killer initiates a video call, showing Yi-shin the room they are in and announcing a plans to murder their fourth victim there. Just then, the victim rings the killer’s doorbell, and the call ends.The police identify the location as a hotel and the team quickly goes there. However there they face challenge as the hotel is packed, making the search urgent and difficult.Meanwhile, the killer makes another video call, streaming the victim’s torture. Soo-yeol suddenly recalls seeing a room number in Yi-shin’s case file and rushes with the team to that room. But the killer nears their deadly act.Still from Queen Mantis (Image via Netflix)With no time left, Na-hui pulls the fire alarm, forcing all guests to evacuate including the killer. Amid the chaos, the killer slips away. Soo-yeol chases them into the parking lot, engaging in a fight, but he gets injured, allowing the killer to escape.Na-hui grows wary of Soo-yeol, especially after seeing his hesitation to trigger the alarm. Following the rescue, she privately asks teammate Seong-gyu to investigate Soo-yeol’s past.Later, Soo-yeol and Yi-shin analyze the video call again. They notice the killer is humming a tune im the video. The tune is the one Yi-shin herself used to hum during her murders, though it has never been recorded in any case files.They conclude the killer must have witnessed one of her crimes. Reviewing her victims' files, they identify an abusive man whose abused child, Kang Yeon-joong, may have seen Yi-shin’s act.Soo-yeol and Na-hui visit Kang’s mother, who is suffering from dementia and is admitted in a hospital. They learn Kang has since transitioned into a woman. Simultaneously, the rest of the team interrogates a friend of the last victim, who confirms this news.Still from Queen Mantis (Image via Netflix)The police now focus on a woman who has formerly been a man. Searching through plastic surgery clinics, Soo-yeol discovers a patient who had been ecstatic about going through the Gender-affirming surgery and often muttered how no one suspects a woman. With this lead, he hurries back to the station.Meanwhile, Seong-gyu uncovers an old photo of Park Min-jae, Yi-shin, and Soo-yeol together at a beach. When Soo-yeol arrives, eager to share his new information, Na-hui confronts him with the truth. Pressed, Soo-yeol finally confesses that he is Yi-shin’s son.The team is stunned, and Na-hui declares that he can no longer remain on the team. She accuses him of lying, withholding the truth, and hesitating to save the victim while focusing more on the killer. Soo-yeol defends himself, pointing out that the victim survived, only for Choi to arrive with news about the victim dying in the hospital.Defeated, Soo-yeol leaves the station and returns home. There, he confesses everything to Jung-yeon, including that Yi-shin is the original serial killer Mantis. Shocked, Jung-yeon withdraws to process the revelation. Misinterpreting this as rejection, Soo-yeol breaks down.He admits he doesn’t want a child, fearing he carries his mother’s monstrous blood and could pass it on. He blames himself, apologizes for lying, and tells Jung-yeon that he loves her before walking away. On this note, the Queen Mantis episode 6 concludes.All of the released episodes of Queen Mantis are available for streaming on Netflix and KOCOWA.