'The Twelve' (De Twaalf) Ending Explained: Frie Palmers' case may have closed but floor is still open for debate
Some shows are worth their salt. When the intention of a gritty series is to ensure it troubles the mind, then 'The Twelve' (De Twaalf) has done hit the nail on the head as it leaves the viewers with enough to ponder over even after the end credits roll. To quickly set the context, 'The Twelve' is a Flemish courtroom drama that intertwines a murder mystery and the lives of the 12 jurors who are connected to the case. The narratives are skilfully woven making it a thrilling affair.
The ten-episode drama follows Maaike Cafmeyer's Frie Palmers, a headmistress accused of a double murder, her daughter Rose (Estelle Sys), and best friend, Brechtje (Lynn Van Royen). The sub-plots come in the form of the juror's lives that have an impact as they actively work the case. Quite simply, the series is about how there are different perspectives to a case rather than a solid opinion or viewpoint. Moving to the ending, the final chapter, titled 'Brechtje and Roos' is all about the decision.
Frie is sentenced to 30 years of jail time while Stefaan (Aimé Claeys), her ex-husband, walks away. The jurors decide not to rule in Frie's favor after she is deemed guilty of killing Brechtje. The vote reads 7-5 as guilty which comes as a doubtful majority in the case of Brechtje's murder. When it comes to Rose's murder, they look at all possible suspects including Stefaan. The final verdict sees Frie not guilty. Their decision may have been made, however, the scintillating part that remains a mystery is how the jurors manage to judge Frie.
The final minutes of the show see her attorney find the pair of missing gloves that were used for the child's murder in one of her old books leading to the conclusion that Frie indeed was responsible for the death of her daughter. All this though happens after a major chunk of the finale deals with the jurors battling their personal demons.
With the pressure mounting to deliver a verdict, the trauma these 12 go through is essentially the highlight of the series. 'The Twelve' portrays the justice system in a new light. The multi-layered and unique approach makes for a compelling watch and in the end, it is all about how jurors like Delphine (Maaike Neuville), and Holly Cuesters (Charlotte De Bruyne) try their best to stay impartial despite their troubled pasts.
Creators Sanne Nuyens and Bert Van Dael manage to roll out an intriguing story with 'The Twelve'. The Belgian crime drama is currently streaming on Netflix.