As the fifth episode of Lazarus unfurls, Aidan stands at Sutton's grave, his gaze fixed on the headstone in a hushed silence. Just as a figure clad in black watches from a distance, the scene cuts to the title card, teasing what's to come.
Back in town, Joel's frenzied pace underscores his growing conviction that Sam's tale about the stuffed animal is a fabrication. With each passing moment, his belief that Sam has been lying from the start solidifies.
Joel turns to Seth for validation, and this time, the guy listens. Together, they venture to the hospital, only to find Sam's bed empty. Their next stop is his flat, accompanied by a warrant. But Sam's absence is a recurring theme.
Behind a picture frame, the duo unearths a treasure trove of hidden photos—underwear shots, bedroom vignettes, and voyeuristic angles—one in particular stands out: Sutton's room. The old rumors about Sam suddenly feel like a chilling revelation.
That night, Joel retreats to his father's office, where he's plunged into another memory. We're transported back to the night after Sutton's death, where Joel reveals the bad news to his father in his office. It's clear that Joel yearned for comfort, but his father remained stoic and clinical.
As the memory fades, Jonathan's ghost steps forward with a different tone—one of apology. He apologizes for shutting Joel out and for not knowing how to grieve or support him.
As they settled back in the kitchen, Joel's unexpected arrival set the stage for a dramatic twist. Bella's query about Aidan's whereabouts elicited a response from Joel, who revealed that he had dropped him off the night before, though her perplexed expression hinted at something more. The truth soon emerged: Aidan had never returned home, vanishing somewhere between the house and the driveway, mirroring the eerie scene that had unfolded at the episode's onset.
Seth's sudden entry, holding fresh CCTV images from surveillance cameras, propelled the search into high gear. The images revealed Sam driving out of town with Aidan by his side. Joel's memory of Sam's fishing excursion hinted at a possible location, and he sprinted to the lake, pinging Seth with his coordinates.
The woods remained eerily silent until Joel heard Aidan's voice echoing through the trees. Following the sound, he discovered the boy sitting by the water's edge, fishing alongside Sam. Joel instructed Aidan to wait in the car, but the kid refused. Sam insisted they were just fishing, though his composure faltered slightly when Joel flashed the photo from Sutton's room.
Sam urged Aidan to leave, but Joel lunged at him, once again accusing Sam of Sutton's murder. Sam denied it... until the truth was unmasked. It emerged that Sam had stolen a key to their house years ago and used it to sneak into the Lazarus household for months, his calculated movements shrouded in secrecy.
That fateful night, Sam's intention was merely to take Sutton's stuffed animal before she embarked on her university journey. However, fate had other plans. Sutton caught him in the act, and the situation spiraled out of control. He attempted to force himself upon her, and her screams echoed through the air just as Joel returned home.
In the ensuing chaos, Sam relentlessly slammed her head against the bedframe until she ceased moving. The conflict spilled into the lake, where Sam shoved Joel underwater, holding him beneath the surface. Aidan charged forward, pulling Sam off his father just in time. Joel retaliated, nearly drowning Sam before the sirens and flashlights illuminated the scene.
The police dragged Sam out, alive but a shell of his former self. For once, Detective Brown looked at Joel and admitted that she was "with him" in believing this and also in missing Dr Jonathan too.
Later, Bella confided in Joel her worries about Aidan. He wasn't like other kids, having been bullied for a while. He wasn't talking to Bella, and she was concerned. Interestingly, Aidan and Jonathan had actually undergone a few therapy sessions in the past, but Jonathan didn't reveal much during those sessions. Given Joel's breakdown and lack of closure, not to mention his mental state, he blames himself for Aidan's demeanor. However, Jenna is more positive, believing this may be a healthy way for them both to heal.
At the bar, Joel phones Laura and decides to take a chance. After a day filled with "mind-bending" events, he decides they should spend some time together in a strictly personal setting. In the morning, though, Joel awakens to find Seth and Alison Brown downstairs. There's a problem: Sam may not be completely innocent but he is in this instance. He's not responsible for Dr Jonathan's death. Sam has a rock-solid alibi for that night and was 200 miles away when the guy passed away. The police have documented proof, and Sam's place has been searched top to bottom as well, and they've found nothing. The police are even more convinced now that Jonathan committed suicide, but of course, Joel is not so sure.
With a relentless drive to uncover the truth, Joel retraces his steps to his father's office, his mind's eye conjuring the image of his dad amidst the scenes. This time, his imagination takes a sinuous turn as he witnesses a middle-aged woman, Imogen Carswood, arrive and plant a tender kiss on Dr. Lazarus's lips. (In Joel's heart, it's his father he sees.) The vision shatters into a frenzied realism when Arlo Jones, the enigmatic figure from the series' inception and currently incarcerated, bursts into the frame, chasing Joel around the office with a maniacal intent to do him harm.
Joel's horror-stricken realization dawns upon him that Arlo may have already passed on, prompting him to frantically dial the ward to inquire about his status. Meanwhile, we are cut to the scene of Alison Brown, who sits by the fire that night with a resolute expression on her face. She tosses the first page of Jonathan's suicide note into the flames and watches it consume, her thoughts unfathomable in the flickering light.
