Here’s how Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story ends:
Final Moments and Plot Resolution
- Lizzie and Bridget “Maggie” Sullivan are shown to have jointly committed the murders of Andrew and Abby Borden. Lizzie makes the first strike on Abby, while Maggie strikes first on Andrew, and both then cooperate in covering up the murders. - In court, Lizzie is acquitted—matching historical record—despite the show depicting her guilt. The legal verdict frees her, but doesn’t erase the moral weight of what she and Maggie have done. - After the trial, Lizzie’s relationship with her sister Emma fractures, and Emma leaves, vowing that Lizzie might one day admit to the truth. - Maggie returns through the front door—choosing not to remain hidden—and decides to stay with Lizzie. The two live together and become involved in the women’s suffrage movement, hosting meetings and advocating for women’s right to vote. - The series then jumps ahead almost a century to Aileen Wuornos, who is shown staying at the Borden house (now a bed and breakfast) and who is ultimately executed. As she dies, Lizzie and Maggie appear to her, offering forgiveness and understanding—symbolizing a legacy of female rage, oppression, and resistance.
Historical vs. Dramatic Elements
- The acquittal—Lizzie being found not guilty—is historically accurate. - However, the depiction of Maggie as Lizzie’s accomplice, their romantic connection, and the post-trial life together are dramatized and speculative. - The Wuornos storyline is fictional—there’s no evidence she ever stayed at the Borden house or was inspired in that way in real life.
In short: the show gives Lizzie a mixed ending—legal absolution, personal guilt, and a late-life purpose through activism and partnership. It frames her as both victim and perpetrator, tragedy and force, offering a fictional closure where history left questions unanswered.
Sources: [Netflix Tudum: What Happens to Lizzie Borden at the End...] [Radio Times: Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story ending explained] [ScreenReport: The Verdict and the Aileen Wuornos Twist]
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