WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Death on the Nile, in theaters now.
In Death on the Nile, Kenneth Branagh’s Hercule Poirot once more had to solve a murder mystery, but this time it was onboard the Karnak barge as it rolled down the Egyptian river. Linnet (Gal Gadot) got shot in the head, while her inner-circle celebrated her marriage to Simon (Armie Hammer), leaving the detective spuriously trying to find clues.
It became a cat-and-mouse game with the killer, but after Poirot sussed out motivations and eventually cracked the case, the film ended with quite a few unanswered questions needing resolution.
Why Didn’t Linnet Use Her Fortune Against Jacqueline?
Jacqueline was pissed Simon left her to marry Linnet, eventually following the couple around the world. Linnet admitted to Poirot she needed him to monitor her hater, but it left fans wondering why Linnet didn’t use her fortune to hire bodyguards to protect her. She could have had them tracking Linnet as well, or used her wealth to get a restraining order or even an arrest.
Why Wasn’t Jacqueline Kept Off The Karnak?
Jacqueline showed up with a pre-purchased ticket for the river vacation, but seeing as she was stalking the couple, she should have been booted off. Even after she threatened to shoot Jacqueline, Poirot let her stay. It’s never explained why these accommodations and bits of forgiveness were levied, or why Linnet, who rented the boat out, made it so difficult to offload her as she was the one spending big money, not her enemy.
Why Didn’t Simon Muzzle The Kill?
Simon was working with Jacqueline all along. She faked shooting him in the foot during a smoking session and when everyone was scrambling, Simon raced upstairs and shot a sleeping Linnet in the head. However, it’s not known why he didn’t muzzle this shot as people would have heard it. He did muzzle the self-inflicted shot, after, to build his alibi by injuring his leg, so he should have done it upstairs too.
What Was Simon’s Back-Up Plan?
Simon hinged it all on the party around him and Jacqueline fleeing the room they were in. Some tended to her to ensure she didn’t kill herself, while Bouc raced to get the doctor to tend to Simon. But had someone remained, Simon would not have gotten the only window of opportunity needed to kill Linnet. Thus, it’s worth asking what the contingency was to kill and attain Linnet’s estate.
Why Did Bouc Hide Linnet’s Death?
Bouc did race up to let Linnet know Simon got ‘shot,’ but he found her dead. He was broke so he stole a necklace and fled, letting the maid, Louise, find her the next day. However, Bouc could have hidden the necklace in his jacket and then alerted everyone. This would actually have taken Poirot’s eyes off him as he wouldn’t suspect his best friend killing her, then drawing attention to the crime scene right after.
Did Louise’s Ex Find Out She Died?
Louise saw Simon’s crime, but while she initially tried to blackmail him, Jacqueline would slit her throat. Bouc revealed he’d let her ex know she died because while he broke off their engagement when Linnet paid off his debts to show he was money-hungry, he did love Louise. However, it’s never confirmed if Bouc did it, as Jacqueline would later shoot Bouc dead too.
Why Let Cousin Andrew Off?
Andrew tried to drop a rock on Simon and Linnet early on to prevent her from finding out he was corrupt and misappropriating her business empire. It’s never explained why Poirot let him go in the end, though, hoping he’d change his ways. Andrew was a gun-toting, selfish fiend, so there was no reason to believe he’d seek redemption.
What Happened With The True Blues?
After Simon and Jacqueline died in the finale, Poirot returned to London to hear Salome sing. Poirot was grieving his dead wife, but he did hint Salome fascinated him. He shaved so he wasn’t insecure anymore, but it was vague if they were platonic or starting a romance. Also, it’s not known if Bouc’s mom, Euphemia, and his beloved Rosalie remained friends. Euphemia hated the idea of Rosalie taking her boy away from her, and was classist, after all. Lastly, it was never revealed what “good” Marie and Mrs. Bowers did with the money Linnet passed down to them.
See all these unresolved issues creep up in Death on the Nile, in theaters now.
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