Diksha Sundriyal
Netflix’s ‘A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder’ follows 17-year-old Pip, who takes it upon herself to solve the case of Andie Bell’s murder, for which her boyfriend, Sal Singh, has been wrongfully accused. Pip believes the case was shut prematurely, and the cops failed to conduct a thorough investigation, leaving many details in the lurch, which still pokes at Pip five years later. The show creates the aura of a small-town mystery by creating an eerie vibe about Little Kilton, especially through the surrounding woods. Here, we see black ribbons tied on tree branches, which makes the whole thing more ominous. The ribbons appear repeatedly throughout the series, and their importance in the story is highlighted with the show’s final shot when the camera pans to them. SPOILERS AHEAD
The Black Ribbons Reveal the Location of Calamity Parties
‘A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder’ adapts the first book in Holly Jackson’s Good Girl trilogy. However, several changes and additions have been made to the story in bringing it from paper to the screen. The black ribbons are an original addition to the show and do not appear in the book. Still, they adopt a deeper meaning in the story.
The first time we see the ribbons is when Pip walks in the woods with Barney. At this time, Pip’s mind is on the Andie Bell case, but she hasn’t decided to pursue it yet. The ribbons don’t hold any meaning except for giving a weird vibe about the place. They seem to be marking the territory as if warning people to beware of the woods because bad things have happened there. For all anyone knows, Andie Bell’s dead body could be somewhere in the woods. Moreover, it was in these woods that Sal Singh died, which makes the place dangerous, if not haunted, enough as is.
Later, when Pip is full steam into her investigation, she discovers that the ribbons mark the location of the calamity parties. These are secret rave parties that are held at different locations each time. One must be invited to these things; for that, they receive a code that tells them the location of the next party. Because the woods provide obscurity and seclusion, the parties are often held there. It is difficult to mark identifying landmarks in woods, especially in the dark, where the black ribbons come in handy. If you know the rough location of the party, you only have to stroll around a bit before you see the black ribbons, and that’s how you know you’ve reached the party.
The Final Shot Symbolises Further Mysteries in Pip’s Future
While Pip’s investigation begins with the desire to solve the murder of Andie and Sal, it soon evolves into something that shows her a completely different side of the town she lives in. For a hearty little town, Little Kilton and its residents harbor their fair share of secrets, especially teenagers. Their true colors come out at places like calamity parties, and as Pip’s investigation moves forward, she finds most of her answers here. For example, this is where she discovers that a girl, later revealed to be Becca, was drugged and raped. This is where Andie would come to sell drugs to make money to escape her abusive household. And this is where Max Hastings would drug the girls and rape them. But all these secrets were mere scratches on the surface.
In the final episode, all the secrets are revealed, and the truth about Andie’s death comes to light. The final scene shows Pip and Ravi sharing their feelings about solving the case and each other. As they kiss, it feels like they have received a happy ending. But then, the camera turns towards the woods, and we see the black ribbons on the tree branches. This gives an ominous feeling to the ending, showing that things aren’t yet resolved for Little Kilton and more trouble is coming.
The black ribbons reveal that there has been or will be a calamity party in that location, but in a deeper sense, they reflect the secrets that still lurk about the town that Pip calls home. Trying to get to the bottom of one thing, she pulled at the strings of an intricate web of secrets that unraveled one after another. She never knew she would stumble upon all this when she started her investigation. This also means that she has no idea what Pandora’s box she has opened by bringing the truth to light and what other events may have been put into motion because of her actions.
All in all, the shot of the black ribbons hints that there is much more about Little Kilton and its residents that is yet to be revealed, which opens the possibility for a second season. Considering that there are two more books in the series, it makes sense that the show’s creators would want the audience to be hopeful about extending Pip’s journey and leave a hint that there is much more in store.
Read More: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder: Is Pippa Fitz-Amobi Based on a Real Person?
