Netflix’s Luther: The Fallen Sun continues the story of DCI John Luther after the end of the original BBC series, but the movie still leaves some questions unaddressed by its conclusion. As a continuation of the BBC series Luther, Luther: The Fallen Sun sees DCI John Luther imprisoned for his crimes throughout Luther's run. While in prison, the titular detective is contacted by David Robey, a serial killer from Luther’s past who he failed to catch. This leads Luther to break out of prison to finish the job and catch Robey, this time using any means necessary.
Even though Luther: The Fallen Sun continues Luther’s story after the end of the eponymous BBC TV show, it doesn’t tie up every loose end by the Netflix movie’s conclusion. The Netflix movie seems to signal DCI John Luther’s return, meaning that Luther: The Fallen Sun’s unturned stones could be explored in the future, but currently, the Idris Elba movie still has some unsolved mysteries. Here are four of the biggest unanswered questions of Luther: The Fallen Sun explained, including possibilities as to what their answers might be.
4 What Did The Killer Do To Callum?
Luther: The Fallen Sun centers around David Robey’s horrifying kidnapping and murder of Callum Aldrich, but it’s never explicitly mentioned what happened to Callum. The Netflix movie opens with a scene with Callum at work when he receives a call from The Fallen Sun’s villain, Robey (played by Andy Serkis), who instructs him to meet. Callum is later reported missing, and DCI John Luther is assigned to his case before his arrest and imprisonment. While imprisoned, Robey makes Luther hear a recording of Callum’s murder, making it clear how gruesome it was. Despite Luther: The Fallen Sun’s focus on Callum’s kidnapping and murder, it’s unclear what Robey actually did.
Although what happened to Callum isn’t made explicitly clear, the Netflix movie offers different possibilities. Since Robey commits other similar crimes in Luther: The Fallen Sun, it can be deduced that he possibly tortured Callum in a similar fashion that he did Luther, Anya, or his wife Georgette. However, Callum’s mother implies to Luther in the Netflix movie that what happened to Callum is something unspeakable, meaning it must be worse somehow than the other crimes Robey commits in Luther: The Fallen Sun. Given its supposedly unspeakable nature, what Robey did to Callum is one of Luther: The Fallen Sun’s biggest unanswered questions.
3 What Blackmail Did The Killer Have On Archie?
Throughout Luther: The Fallen Sun, the hunt for Robey is tampered with by the fact that Robey has a person on the inside, DS Archie Woodward. Robey is seen contacting Archie to have him move the investigation a step back, which Archie is blackmailed into doing. Though Archie later admits what he did isn’t even that bad, it’s still enough for him to not turn on Robey. However, despite Archie clearly having equal parts fear and shame that fuel his actions in the Netflix movie, the reasons behind his actions are never actually explored prior to his death in Luther: The Fallen Sun.
Although whatever Robey is blackmailing Archie for is a clear driving force behind Archie’s actions in Netflix's Luther: The Fallen Sun, it never gets mentioned. When Archie is caught attempting to silence Georgette permanently, he admits to Schenk that it wasn’t that bad compared to what he’s done since. However, Archie’s fear of Robey is palpable, especially when Robey mentions exposing his actions to his loved ones, which adds weight to what Robey has on Archie. Since Archie dies soon after his encounter with Schenk, viewers never find out what Robey had on him, making whatever Archie was being blackmailed for one of Luther: The Fallen Sun’s biggest mysteries.
2 Why Didn't Luther Go Back To Jail?
Something working against Luther throughout the Netflix movie is his imprisonment, with the police initially attempting to capture both Luther (played by Idris Elba) and Robey at first. Though the police eventually begin working with Luther to catch Robey, it’s clear that Luther will eventually have to return to prison to finish his sentence after the criminal has been apprehended. However, despite Schenk telling Luther he “[knows] what has to happen” after Robey’s defeat, Luther never actually goes back to jail at the end of Luther: The Fallen Sun, instead being taken to a safe house.
Former DCI Luther not returning to jail at the end of Netflix’s Luther: The Fallen Sun is easily one of the biggest head-scratchers of the movie. Given the amount of time and effort DCI Raine was devoting to putting Luther back in jail, it seems like catching Luther was a priority, so it’s strange he walks free. Luther: The Fallen Sun's ending implies that Luther’s crimes were forgiven as a result of his involvement in apprehending Robey. However, since it’s never explicitly confirmed, it’s not totally clear why Luther doesn’t go back to jail, making it a huge unaddressed mystery in Luther: The Fallen Sun.
1 What Do The Government Officials Want With Luther?
After Luther wakes up at the safe house at the end of Luther: The Fallen Sun, government officials soon arrive, wanting to talk to Luther. Upon their arrival, they congratulate Idris Elba’s character on a “job well done” off the record, and then open the car door for him, beckoning him to come with them. This leads Luther to smile, implying that the government’s intentions with him are positive, but since the Netflix movie ends directly after this scene, it’s never confirmed what happens to Luther after this.
Along with Luther not returning to jail after catching Robey, the government officials’ intentions with the former DCI is one of the biggest lingering mysteries of Luther: The Fallen Sun. Upon their arrival, Schenk hypothesizes that perhaps they have come with “a job offer” for Luther, which is perhaps why Luther seems happy to go with them. Since it’s not confirmed, however, audiences can’t be completely sure what the future holds for Luther after the events of Luther: The Fallen Sun. Regardless of their intention, Luther’s encounter with the government officials opens the door for more Luther adventures, where perhaps the Netflix movie’s unanswered questions will be addressed.