Where the Crawdads Sing is a thriller based on a lot of drama and vagueness; if you’ve seen the movie, you’re probably confused and still questioning why Kya killed Chase. The film begins with Kya, played by Daisy Edgar Jones, who lives near the marsh in North Carolina and leads a very easy life, but things go south when she is blamed for killing Chase Andrews, her ex-boyfriend. Those who have read the book believe it was someone else, while some may agree it was Kya. 

So, if you’re also confused and want an elaborate explanation of the ending, keep scrolling!

Where the Crawdads Sing Ending Explained

Find out the ending, Where The Crawdads Sing and Kya is murdered. But the million dollar question is how did she do it and what drove her towards killing Chase? If you haven’t read the book, then prepare to be shocked! 

We all know Kya grew up in an abusive household with a crazy father, and how Chase was with her triggered her trauma. He lied to her, took her for granted, and assaulted her sexually. Kya kept telling Chase to leave her alone, but his toxic mindset and egoism couldn’t keep him away. After dealing with so much since childhood, Kya took out her frustration and decided to take matters into her own hands and kill Chase. She was tired of living with this constant cloud of fear over her head. 

Kya knew what harm an abusive father could cause and how emotionally and physically draining that is, especially for a kid. She knew the repercussions and didn’t want to raise her kids in the same environment. She tried to eliminate this feeling because she was free now, had more control over life, and had everything sorted. This is why she took the step and decided to kill Chase. This isn’t directly shown in the movie; it’s just something critics have assumed based on the unfolding events. 

Growing up, she had learned how to survive, and she knew Chase was a predator and was also aware of how she had the power to improve her future. On the other hand, the people in the town deeply disliked her and blamed everything on her. She knew if things got tough, she couldn’t seek refuge with them and had to do everything to protect herself. Kya was raised in the marsh, and growing up in nature meant she didn’t know much about the laws. Her action of killing points towards how crawdads are; they want to defend themselves when a predator in the animal kingdom attacks them. Her decision wasn’t very conscious, but it was a survival decision. 

But we still aren’t aware of how she did it; in the trial, Tom Milton put forward that when the murder took place, Kya wasn’t in town. According to this argument, for Kya to kill Chase, she would have to take the bus, come back to town, kill Chase, and then climb on the bus at 2:00 to return to her hotel. 

In the book, it was said that there was a mysterious figure in the bus, and that was probably Kya, who had commuted back and forth without being noticed. Since Where the Crawdads Sing ending never gives away the details of Kya, Tom’s argument is likely what happened to Chase. 

The Real Meaning of Where the Crawdads Sing Movie 

In the movie’s ending, Where the Crawdads Sing, nature is significant. We can see that in the town where the film is based. Kya has grown up near the marsh, to the sounds of nature. She loves the area and takes refuge there because she thinks there’s no other comfort like the one she gets from the natural surroundings. 

The ending shows how she’s returning to her natural self and how killing Chase is a requirement that needs to be fulfilled. He was prey, and like animals would kill their prey, she did the same with Chase to survive. The ending explains how we shouldn’t underestimate the weaklings because they, too, have the power to rise above us. 

Kya was an outcast; she lived alone, and Chase kept harassing her. He thought this behavior could continue, and like the timid girl she was, she could take all of this quietly. But Kya saw herself as nature, and when everything rose above her, she took action and canceled out the predator. 

Where the Crawdads Sing Title Meaning?

If you think watching the movie will give you an explanation of the title, then that’s not true. The title of the book/movie is thematic, but as an audience, we’re all confused if the crawdads sing or not.

The title is based on a phrase that Delia Owens’ mother said when she was being brought up. It means to move towards nature or away from the modern world. The term is repeated in Chapter 17 of the book, where Chase suggests that Kya and he should move to Where the Crawdads Sing when they’re house hunting. 

It signifies Kya’s early life as she grew up away from the modern world. The life that makes her a felony, and the audience learns how she’s guilty at the movie’s end. 

Bottom Line

Who killed Chase Andrews? The mystery behind this question has now been resolved. The emotional damage of Kya’s upbringing turned her into a survivor who could go to any lengths to end the ongoing hiatus and lead a life of freedom and peace. The in-depth explanation will give you an idea of why things happened the way they did. 

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