‘Anatomy of a Scandal,’ based on Sarah Vaughan’s 2018 novel of the same name, chronicles the narrative of three people: James (Rupert Friend), Sophie (Sienna Miller), and Kate (Michelle Dockery). James is a member of Parliament and the home office minister in Prime Minister Tom Southern’s Conservative cabinet. James and Sophie have a married relationship. They’ve known each other since they were students at Oxford. James began his political career after completing his studies, and he is now recognized as one of the promising young Tory lawmakers.

James and Sophie have two children and have been married for over a decade. For James and his family, the world comes crashing down when his political aide, Olivia, accuses him of rape. In the next trial, he is tried by Kate, who appears to be hiding something. Here’s all you need to know about the ‘Anatomy of a Scandal’ finale. WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD.

Season 1 Recap of Anatomy of a Scandal

James and Sophie have had a generally privileged upbringing. They are both eligible, albeit the extent of their entitlement varies greatly. Following the start of the trial, a second case of sexual assault is filed against James. This occurred when he was still a student at Oxford. The girl is revealed to be Holly Berry, Sophie’s study buddy. Holly and Kate are eventually revealed to be the same person. After Oxford, she began using both her middle name and the surname of her former spouse.

The jury finds James not guilty in the season finale. Kate feels emotionally weary as a result of this. She tried everything she could to bring James to justice, but she was unsuccessful. Meanwhile, James celebrates his triumph and learns from the Prime Minister that he will be re-appointed to the cabinet soon. Now that the trial is over, they can return to work as if nothing had happened. Sophie is her husband’s most ardent supporter at the start of the season. Despite her heartbreak at her husband’s adultery, she continued to support him. Even when Olivia accuses James of rape, Sophie aligns her thinking with her husband’s and convinces herself that Olivia is pursuing James as a kind of retaliation for her breakup with him.

Will James Whitehouse Go to Jail at the End of Anatomy of a Scandal?

The themes that go throughout ‘Anatomy of a Scandal’ are entitlement and consent. James has had a very affluent existence. He comes from a wealthy family, obtained an excellent education at some of the greatest institutions in the country, and has succeeded in everything he has attempted in his life. His wealth and success have instilled in him a deep hubris that leads him to assume he can get away with anything.

He may now reject this and claim that he is not like that, as he does when Kate challenges him. When he says this, he sounds very convincing. It’s because he’s incredibly skilled at lying. His lies were condoned by his parents, who even encouraged him at times. It’s a great weapon for politicians, but it has a negative impact on everything else.

Sophie leaves when James receives his not-guilty judgment, but not before permanently ending James’ position in the public service. She calls her press contacts and shares the news about what happened to Alec. Alec was a fellow Libertine at Oxford with James and Tom. On the night James raped Holly, he discovered Tom on the roof with Alec, ready to take smack. He got Tom out of there as soon as he could.

However, while they were walking away, Alec, who was high on the substance, jumped to his death. Tom was the one who got the medicine and handed it to Alec. Tom would have been arrested if the police had discovered what he was up to. So James hustled Tom out of there as quickly as he could. Since then, they’ve remained extremely loyal to one another. During the trial, this nearly changes, but James effectively blackmails his lifelong friend to persuade him to back him.

Sophie, on the other hand, has divulged their carefully guarded secret to the world, thereby implicating the Prime Minister in a drug-induced death and accusing James of complicity. James is taken away by the police in the season’s final scene, most likely for questioning. If everything comes into place, this scandal might lead to the government’s downfall. Furthermore, both Tom and James could wind up in prison. Sophie may not have been able to bring Olivia and Kate to justice, but she ensures that their rapist is punished.