Dhruv Trivedi
‘Pieces of Her’ explores a young mother’s tumultuous journey through flashbacks even as her daughter, Andy, attempts to piece together her family’s chequered history in the present. As a child, Andy is briefly adopted by a kindly couple named Clara and Eli, who raise the young girl while her mother, Jane, is in custody.
When Andy, as a grown-up, begins uncovering her mother’s violent past, she attempts to track down the couple in order to get some much-needed answers. However, it seems like tragedy has befallen Clara and Eli, and the person responsible might just be related to Andy. So what really happens to the couple? And how does Clara die? If you’re also searching for some much-needed answers, we’ve got your back! Let’s dive into ‘Pieces of Her.’ SPOILERS AHEAD.
How Does Clara Die?
Clara and Eli Wexler are initially introduced to Jane by Nick, and the couple seems to be helping him with his rebel group (known as the Army of the Changing World). However, things go sideways after the fateful 1988 Oslo conference in which Martin Queller is shot dead and Nick, named the prime suspect by Jane, is forced to go on the run. Meanwhile, the young Jane, who is pregnant with Nick’s child, is briefly sent to prison. When her daughter, Andy, is born, the young child is entrusted in the care of Clara and Eli, who live in a remote location, possibly to hide from the vengeful Nick.
As it turns out, Nick keeps an eye on the couple (and Andy) from afar for years but doesn’t strike. Even though his main target is Jane, the fugitive also seems to have a grudge against Clara and Eli for helping the young woman and her daughter. Thus, even when Jane is released from prison and, with her new witness protection program identity (as Laura), takes Andy from the couple and moves away, Nick is lingering nearby but out of sight.
It is only years later when Andy is a teenager in high school that the fugitive finally strikes. Charlie comes over with the news and informs Laura that Clara has been shot dead and that a man matching Nick’s description was spotted by witnesses. To make things worse, Clara’s wallet is also missing, which means Nick now has the dead woman’s home address, which could eventually lead him to Laura.
And so, Laura, along with Andy and Gordon (who is her husband at the time), is forced to uproot her life once again and change her address in order to escape Nick. Many years later, when she threatens to leave the witness protection program, Charlie shows Laura pictures of Clara’s dead body to try and convince her of just how dangerous Nick is. Despite feeling bad for her late friend who helped raise Andy, Laura remains unmoved and insists that Nick is dead. Of course, she is later proved wrong.
What Happens to Clara’s Husband, Eli?
As it turns out, for some inexplicable reason, Nick only kills Clara but spares her husband, Eli. This is revealed in the present-day storyline when Andy, in search of answers, tracks down the man that briefly helped raise her. However, the graying Eli that Andy meets doesn’t seem to have much affection left for her, and he bitterly tells Andy that his wife, Clara, was killed because of her involvement in the whole affair. Thus, Eli is still alive but seems to be living a jaded, grief-stricken life after the brutal murder of his wife, Clara, at the hands of Nick.
Read More: Why Does Jane Kill Her Father Martin Queller in Pieces of Her?
