Caddo Lake ending, explained: Breaking down the twisted family tree

Major Caddo Lake spoilers ahead

I have to admit that when I started watching Caddo Lake I was anticipating a strong but likely predictable true crime-esque thriller. I'm happy to say that this movie was a pleasant surprise, with twists that I never would have predicted and very strong performances from its cast members, particularly Eliza Scanlen, Dylan O'Brien, and Lauren Ambrose.

The story revolves around a family living on the edge of a large bayou, specifically Caddo Lake, which is a real place. But when an eight-year-old girl vanishes one day, two characters become linked across time. When you remember that this is a film produced by M. Night Shyamalan, the twisty nature makes a lot more sense.

Who is Anna?

Anna is Ellie's (Eliza Scanlen) half-sister who goes missing. Everyone assumes that she tried to follow Ellie out on the lake to her friend Claire's house, as that's often what happens, and that she might have gotten lost out there somehow. Anna's disappearance is what really sets the events of the film into motion.

But Caddo Lake slowly reveals that Anna's disappearance is caused by a rift in time deep in the flooded cypress forest. There's a section of trees there that can transport people backward and forward in time between the 2020s, 1990s, and 1950s. Ellie and Anna are initially from 2022, while Paris (Dylan O'Brien) is in the 1990s.

Then comes a point where Anna gets lost and goes back in time, landing in the 1950s. In the 1990s, Paris also stumbles upon that strange patch of trees and wakes up in 1952. He finds Anna passed out in the woods with an injury and takes her to get help. That's when he realizes that he went back in time and believes he can figure out what really happened to his mother, who had an illness that eventually led to her death after multiple seizures.

So here's the twist: Anna is Paris' mother. By leaving Anna in 1952, Paris basically ensures his own existence without even meaning to. And likely the cause of her death and illness was due to the time travel.

Who is Ellie's father?

Another twist: Paris is Ellie's father. That means Anna is both Ellie's half-sister and her grandmother. It's like Dark by way of the bayou. It's definitely a little confusing. But it starts to make more sense when you realize the woman Paris was with during the first half of the movie was a younger version of Ellie's mother, Celeste (Lauren Ambrose).

At one point during all of the time-jumping, Ellie ends up in the 1990s and comes face-to-face with her young mom who is carrying Ellie as an infant. Paris inadvertently makes himself a suspect in Anna's disappearance because of his time-hopping and has to run from the police. This ultimately leads to his death as he's left in handcuffs and forced to jump off a bridge where he drowns.

The truth comes out

Celeste always believed that Paris simply abandoned her and baby Ellie, but in 2022, she sees Paris, which should obviously be impossible. But later that night, on the news, Celeste sees the broadcast revealing that Paris drowned in the water. Enter Ellie, who has since done some more investigating and figured out the truth regarding her connection to Anna and Paris.

She brings home a photo to show Celeste and reveal the whole thing, as impossible as it might seem. Paris and Anna never meant to leave them, but at least now they know Anna will be okay despite the fact they can't get her back. Once Paris dies, the connection in the woods is severed and Ellie is no longer able to time travel.

In short, Anna is born in the 2020s, she's Ellie's half-sister, then she gets transported back to 1952 where she gets stuck and eventually settles down, gets married, and gives birth to Paris. Paris later meets Celeste and they have Ellie.

Caddo Lake is now streaming on Max.