After the Flood series 2 finale: A shocking death and heart-stopping revelations

After the Flood’s series 2 finale came to an agonisingly heartbreaking conclusion after a season full of twists and turns – leaving fans utterly stunned after the shocking death of a beloved character.

And, once again, it was the sinister and manipulative Sergeant Phil Mackie pulling the strings behind it all. Just like in series 1, Mackie turned killer, and viewers were left crying out for justice.

In the final, devastating episode, Jo was left to process the grief of losing her husband, Pat, while also confronting the deeply troubling truth about Mackie’s role in the chaos. But did the murderous Sergeant finally face justice? You might want to grab some tissues – it’s a rollercoaster.

Warning: Spoilers for the After the Flood series 2 finale ahead!

Matt Stokoe’s character Pat Holman met a tragic end in After the Flood episode 5 (Credit: ITV)

What Went Down in the After the Flood Series 2 Finale?

The penultimate episode dropped a major bombshell – Sgt Phil Mackie savagely attacked Jo’s husband, Pat, using his police baton before pushing him off a cliff. RIP Pat. Honestly, it was a gut-punch.

But the drama didn’t stop there. In the aftermath, Jack revealed a whole lot of uncomfortable truths to Molly. It turns out not only was Mackie deeply corrupt, but so were Pat and her husband, Bren. Talk about a family betrayal.

In the finale, Jo was on a mission, investigating Xav Palmer’s death while trying to come to terms with the loss of Pat. And of course, she discovered even more secrets—this time about DS Sam Palmer’s true identity.

Was Pat Really Dead?

Sadly, yes. After Pat missed picking up his daughter Eve from nursery, Jo knew something wasn’t right. She tracked his phone to the site where he had proposed to her – only to find his abandoned car and the gut-wrenching sight of his lifeless body, dragged by Mackie over the cliff.

In one of the most emotionally charged scenes, Jo stared down in despair at her husband’s corpse, her cries echoing through the empty space. As if that wasn’t enough, Mackie twisted the truth, trying to make it seem like Pat had committed suicide.

But Jo wasn’t fooled. Even through her grief, she started piecing together the truth, finding Pat’s phone and evidence that Mackie had staged the scene. The discovery of a tracking device on Mackie’s car finally proved he was at the scene of the crime. With all the evidence in hand, Jo launched herself at Mackie in a moment of fury, overpowering him in a desperate attempt to make him pay.

Jo was devastated to find her husband Pat’s lifeless body in After the Flood (Credit: ITV)

After the Flood series 2 finale: Was Phil Mackie Finally Caught?

In a brief moment of triumph, Mackie was arrested and led away in handcuffs, seemingly defeated. But the show’s final moments were less about Mackie’s downfall and more about Jo’s grief and her painful farewell to Pat.

It’s clear that while Mackie might have been captured, his full reckoning is yet to come. But will he really pay for everything he’s done? Only time (and a potential series 3) will tell. Unfortunately, Pat is gone for good, no matter the outcome.

Who Was Polluting the Waters?

Turns out, the pollution was traced back to Geoff Dixon’s Bornegate Farm – where Todd Drake had worked before his tragic death.

Molly confronted Dixon, accusing him of contaminating the local river. Dixon insisted he was innocent, claiming he had been forced into going organic due to financial struggles.

Jack, always the investigator, dug into Dixon’s farm and uncovered something much more sinister. The waste wasn’t from Dixon’s farm, but from Aexous chemical plant, owned by the morally dubious Alan Benson.

Jack nearly took advantage of the situation, blackmailing Benson for £325,000, but ultimately decided to do the right thing. He gave Benson an ultimatum: come clean about the pollution, clean up the land, and buy back Dixon’s farm.

Alan Benson’s morally dodgy character faced consequences in After the Flood (Credit: ITV)

Was DS Sam Bradley In On It?

From the get-go, DS Sam Bradley had us all suspicious. In the finale, Jo uncovered a long-lens camera in Sam’s car, revealing dozens of photos of Pat and Jo. Naturally, Jo assumed Sam was working with Mackie.

But in a surprising twist, Sam revealed she was actually an undercover anti-corruption officer. After being compromised, she was forced to leave Waterside police station. Our reaction? A mix of relief and disbelief – Jo had an unexpected ally all along.

But just when we thought Jo had an ally, Sam attempted to arrest her. She accused Jo of using police data for personal gain – but Jo, determined to clear her name, pointed Sam in the direction of Mackie, revealing the true villain of the story.

After the Flood series 2 finale: Did Jo Lose Her Job?

While Mackie was caught, Jo’s fate remained up in the air. She was arrested and had to hand over her warrant card, with a 20k sum in Pat’s bank account hinting at his involvement in Mackie’s corrupt dealings.

In the final moments, though, DS Sam Bradley realised the depth of Mackie’s corruption. While this could clear Jo’s name, we know one thing for sure: justice is never straightforward, and we can’t help but feel that a long investigation is ahead.

Sgt Phil Mackie – the most hated man on TV right now (Credit: ITV)

Who Killed Todd Drake and Xav Palmer?

The answers came slowly, but we finally learned the truth behind the deaths. Todd died in a car accident after an epileptic seizure, and though Xav initially tried to cover it up by staging it as a murder, his own fate was sealed when Declan Rower – drunk and devastated by his grandfather’s diagnosis – stabbed him to death.

In the end, it was Layal who found herself in hot water for perverting justice. Not exactly a happy ending for anyone involved.