Spoilers ahead for Netflix series Cassandra
Have you watched the latest German Netflix thriller series Cassandra? The new show is about the first German smart home and the AI assistant at its center. After a new family moves into the house, they learn all about Cassandra, a robot with complete control over the entire home, complete with screens in every room, allowing her to see everything that happens.
As one might expect, things take a very dark turn as it's revealed Cassandra has sinister intentions toward this new family, wanting to eliminate Samira and steal her husband and children from her. Things culminate in a tense ending where Samira is forced out of the house and Cassandra takes her family hostage.
So, let's break down the show's biggest reveals and the finale.
What happened to Cassandra?
How did Cassandra become a live-in robot maid? In the 1970s, her husband, Horst, conducted a medical experiment on her that basically acted as the first domino in a series of depressing next steps, ultimately ending in Cassandra's immortal existence as a computer. Pregnant with their second child after Peter, Horst took Cassandra to his job site to test a high-tech new ultrasound machine, enabling them to see the baby's gender earlier than usual.
But the machine shown is super sketchy and clearly not fit to use on a pregnant woman. It's implied that the ultrasound causes birthing complications for Cassandra, and when she finally gives birth to their daughter, Margarete, she is born with a facial deformity. Horst demands that they lock her away from the world so people won't make fun of her.
Later, Cassandra starts feeling ill. Her doctor informs her that she has cancer, and it's spread throughout her entire body in a way he's never seen before. He questions if she's been exposed to a significant amount of radiation, which obviously she was with the ultrasound machine. Given how the sickness has ravaged her insides, no treatment would work and the doctor tells her to enjoy her limited time left.
Remembering her husband's previous comments about conducting an experiment to extend life after death, Cassandra demands he use her as a test subject. And thus the "Cassandra" smart home is born. Her body died, but her mind is uploaded into the technology.
Unbeknownst to Horst, before Cassandra's physical death, she bullied a tech into creating a dummy off switch to prevent anyone from turning her off apart from herself. That's how she's able to return regardless of being "on" or not.
The truth about the opening series car crash
Cassandra opens with the aftermath of a deadly car crash that kills her husband, Horst, and her son, Peter. The only survivors are Horst's mistress Birgit and their son. A man stumbles on the crash wreckage in the beginning of the show and is able to assist Birgit and baby Thomas.
In the season finale, we find out what happened in the lead-up to the crash. Cassandra became increasingly controlling, holding her family hostage. Horst moves Birgit and his new baby son into the house after Cassandra's death, which Cassandra doesn't appreciate. The tension between the family members builds until one night, Cassandra tries killing Thomas by pushing the baby down the stairs in his cradle and she attacks Birgit by slamming her head repeatedly with the oven door.
Horst decides it's time to go and rounds up his family, convincing Cassandra that this is what's best for all of them and if she really loves them she will let them go. Cassandra relents under the condition that Horst takes Margarete with them since she can't take care of her on her own. Horst promises he will if Cassandra goes to get her. Of course, the second Cassandra is out of earshot, Horst gathers Birgit, the baby, and Peter to escape in the car. By the time Cassandra realizes what happened and Horst's intention to abandon Margarete, it's too late.
In the car, Peter freaks out on his dad for abandoning both his mom and sister. He demands they go back, but Horst refuses, leading to a scuffle behind the wheel that ends in the crash. When Cassandra arrives on the scene, she watches her son die, and the overstimulation results in her shutting down, only to be turned on again when Samira and her family move in years later.
Final showdown between Cassandra and Samira
With Samira checked into a psychiatric ward, Cassandra exerts complete control over her kids Fynn and Juno, and her husband David. She takes all of them hostage over the Christmas holidays. Samira senses something is wrong when her daughter tries calling and texting her dozens of times, so she finally manages to escape the hospital and return home.
Realizing Samira is on her way back, Cassandra tells David to kill Samira, warning him that if he doesn't, she'll hurt the kids. So when Samira breaks into the house, David attacks her with a fire poker as Fynn and Juno are forced to watch helplessly on Cassandra's many screens. But Samira escapes from her husband and falls into the secret room where Margarete once stayed.
Since Horst died and Cassandra shutdown, Margarete eventually died in there and her body has remained in the room ever since. Cassandra chases Samira and attempts to kill her, even stabbing her once, but Samira manages to convince Cassandra to stand down, reminding her that once upon a time she was a wonderful mother and would do anything to protect her kids.
Cassandra finally lets Samira go, though she does tell her that David knew full well she'd never harm the children, insinuating that him attacking her was a weakness on his part. Samira rushes out to Juno and Fynn, but a clear division forms between them and David considering his actions toward Samira before. David claims he never would have fully killed her, but it's still an unsettling situation, especially considering the way he was gaslighting and refusing to listen to her all season long.
In the end, Cassandra turns the gas on, preparing to blow up the entire house for good. The family escapes just in time and the final image shows a vision of a fully human Cassandra and an alive-Margarete walking away together, finally at peace.