‘Shining Girls’ is an engrossing thriller that further adds to the mystery surrounding legendary serial killer Harper Curtis with each episode. However, by the time viewers reach the season 1 conclusion, the character’s goals and manipulations are clear. The last episode sets up a clash between Kirby and Harper.

The season finale, titled ’30,’ fulfills that promise by taking viewers on a mind-bending and reality-altering adventure. Of course, it’s easy to lose track of the story during this bizarre excursion. As a result, viewers must be looking for an explanation for the events of the episode. In that case, here’s everything you need to know about ‘Shining Girls’ episode 8’s ending! WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!

Recap of Shining Girls Episode 8

After Dan’s death, the eighth and final episode, titled ’30,’ begins as Kirby and Jin-Sook, aka Jinny’s reality transforms once more. Kirby discusses the consequences of the reality shift and directs Jinny to the location on her ID card to learn more about her “new” life. Meanwhile, Kirby attempts to locate Dan but discovers that he no longer resides at his home in this timeline. Harper, meantime, travels back in time to meet Leo and demands the tape containing Klara’s performance. Leo, on the other hand, insists that Harper transport him back to the day they initially arrived at The House. Harper savagely murders Leo after their dispute turns physical.

Meanwhile, Kirby arrives at the Chicago Sun-Times office and discovers that Dan is no longer employed there. Furthermore, the story of the unsolved killings on which Kirby was working has been removed from this timeline. Dan’s death significantly impacts Kirby’s reality because he gathered the majority of the proof for the story. Kirby had a panic episode after learning that Dan is deceased at the morning briefing. She calms down when Jinny arrives to meet her.

Jinny believes she and Kirby are linked to Harper by a thread and must kill Harper to be free. Kirby quickly learns that her reality has moved yet again, and she cannot rely on anyone for assistance. Kirby visits the mortuary in search of Dan’s body. Kirby discovers Dan’s wallet among his possessions. Inside, she discovers old notes and a photograph with an address written on it. The address leads Kirby to The House, where she discovers the actual nature of its abilities. In the end, Kirby employs all of her knowledge about Harper’s operations to finally defeat him.

The End of Shining Girls: Did Kirby Kill Harper?

Kirby enters The House in the episode’s last act and discovers its actual powers. She discovers duplicates of the pegasus toy she received as a child from Curtis and sets her toy on the rack. She then retreats inside the home as Harper approaches. Kirby aggressively confronts Harper and beats him with a baseball bat once he enters the residence. The two get into a fight. Kirby, on the other hand, keeps the upper hand and stabs Harper with a knife.

The scene then shifts to a different timeline, when Harper sees Klara for the first time since joining the army. To Harper’s surprise, Klara is aware of his schemes and predicts all of his words and acts. Harper is asked to leave. Harper subsequently discovers The House’s address and pays a visit with Leo. Kirby, on the other hand, is present and shoots Harper in the shoulder. Kirby confronts Harper after Leo flees. She mocks his pitiful struggle for a semblance of control.

Harper permits him to leave after he agrees not to return to the residence. Kirby then claims ownership of The House. Harper’s reality shifts outside the house, confirming that she has broken away from the thread that binds her to Harper. Kirby does not murder Harper in the past, but she does murder him in the present. Kirby tracks down the serial killer through time after murdering the version of Harper who had been chasing her. In the end, her final meeting with Harper liberates Kirby from the pain of the assault that radically altered her life. She inflicts the same damage to Harper, effectively ending his ruse.

What Happens to the Other Victims of Harper?

Kirby appears to change the destiny of Harper’s other victims after tracking him down and cutting his connection to The House. Kirby recognized she needed to stop Harper from ever assuming control of The House after killing a version of Harper. As a result, Kirby’s actions have an impact on Harper’s other victims’ life. The same is obvious when Klara refuses to believe Harper’s lies and Jinny’s job as a space researcher is restored.

Similarly, some victims, such as Julia Madrigal, are still alive and well. Harper never tormented the women in this new reality, and they realized their full potential, living out the finest versions of their lives. Kirby eventually moves on with her life, having fulfilled her commitment to seek justice for all of Harper’s victims.

Is Dan still alive? Does he recall Kirby?

Kirby goes to Dan’s favorite drinking area in the episode’s concluding seconds, where she discovers him alive. Kirby’s rewriting of history by bringing Harper to justice cut the killer’s thread from her life and removed Dan’s death. However, because Harper never attacked Kirby in this universe, she never met Dan, and the two are strangers to each other. Kirby tries to make friends with a drunk and wary Dan.

Dan realizes that he and Kirby must have shared a past after she correctly predicts that he keeps a notepad in his coat pocket. Kirby eventually leaves her contact information in Dan’s notepad since Dan recalls knowing Kirby. He, on the other hand, has no memories of their time together. Kirby eventually returns to The House and continues to keep an eye on it. Meanwhile, Dan is likely to resume his journalistic pursuits, perplexed by his encounter with Kirby.