Sumith Prasad
The fourth episode of FX on Hulu’s murder mystery series ‘A Murder at the End of the World’ ends with protagonist Darby Hart learning a significant detail about Andy Ronson and Lee Andersen’s son Zoomer. While Darby opens the shades in her room, Zoomer sneezes repeatedly due to the exposure to sunlight, only for him to explain that he has ACHOO Syndrome or autosomal dominant compelling helio-ophthalmic outburst. Since Darby’s late best friend Bill Farrah also had the same syndrome, she gets stunned upon connecting Bill to Zoomer, questioning Andy’s paternity of the boy. Darby may try her best to discover who really is the kid’s father to eventually unravel the mystery behind the deaths at the retreat! SPOILERS AHEAD.
The History Between Bill and Lee
Bill is most likely Zoomer’s father. Like Bill, Zoomer suffers from ACHOO Syndrome, which is an inherited or genetic condition. Since neither Andy nor Lee has the same syndrome, it is safe to say Zoomer is not the couple’s biological child. The little boy might have been conceived after Lee and Bill’s one-time hook-up. In the third episode of the series, Lee talks about how Bill lost his hard-on, which must have happened naturally after the culmination of their act of sex. Since their intimacy didn’t last long, both of them might haven’t considered the possibility of Bill being the baby’s father.
Since Andy was always in the picture at the time, because of the tech mogul and Lee’s on-and-off relationship before their marriage, he must have believed that the latter was pregnant with his baby. He must have wanted a child for a long time, and the baby’s arrival possibly motivated the couple to transition from their on-and-off togetherness to marriage. Amid cherishing the “gift” he received from Lee and their relationship, Andy likely didn’t bother to confirm whether he really is the baby’s father. Considering that Lee and Bill’s companionship came to an end, for the time being, the night they had sex, the former hacker and Andy might not have had to doubt Zoomer’s paternity.
When Bill was a boy, his mother used to see a psychic named Faye Winter, who predicted that the former would have one kid with someone with whom he had sex just once. If Bill is really Zoomer’s father, the psychic’s prediction is true as well.
Bill’s Paternity of Zoomer and His Murder
Bill’s paternity of Zoomer may have a connection with his murder. Right before his death, Rohan calls Darby to let her know that Bill “uncovered” something significant, likely concerning Andy. Bill’s discovery can be that Zoomer is his child rather than Andy’s. If that’s the case, the same discovery must have paved the way for his murder. It is possible that Andy eventually learned that Zoomer is not his son, making Bill a threatening figure in his life. Lee and Bill’s get-together as friends after the latter’s rise to fame must have alarmed Andy, who might have considered the possibility of losing Zoomer and possibly Lee to the rebellious artist.
After looking after Zoomer as his most loved one for a long while, the last thing Andy seemingly wanted was to part ways with the boy. To make sure that the same won’t happen, the tech mogul may have pulled the strings behind Bill’s murder. If Andy isn’t the killer, it can even be Lee, who may have ensured Bill’s death to guarantee that he wouldn’t come in between her and her husband. She must have felt indebted to Andy for providing her with a life of comfort and acceptance, especially when she was dealing with nothing short of doom. Lee may not have wanted the same person to get hurt by knowing the truth about Zoomer’s father.
Having said that, the revelation concerning Zoomer’s paternity can be a carefully integrated diversion conceived by creators Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij. The real killer can be a third person who can be hiding from Darby while the amateur detective potentially suspects Andy or Lee as the killer of her best friend.
Read More: A Murder at the End of the World: How Much of it is Real?
