The Shawshank Redemption is widely considered one of the greatest movies ever made, but one compelling theory suggests Andy Dufresne's innocence — a foundational cornerstone of both the film and Stephen King's original novel — is fictitious. The Shawshank Redemption theory paints Andy Dufresne not as an innocent man making the best of a bad situation, but as a master manipulator playing a Machiavellian game with everyone around him. It wonders if Shawshank Redemption hero Andy Dufresne was secretly guilty all along and his greatest deception was pulled on the film's narrator, Red (Morgan Freeman) — with compelling evidence this may actually have been the case.

Andy Dufresne came to Shawshank looking to the other inmates like he was above them, as his quiet, contemplative state was misread as arrogance. Over the years, while becoming a master criminal at the heart of the Warden's money laundering scheme, he became a central figure in the prison community before his escape. While this made for great storytelling and served to elevate the emotional impact of Andy's escape, it can also be seen in a different light. As the theory points out, there's every chance that Andy's greatest and most endearing qualities are all an act, and that he's actually the most conniving and dangerous guilty man in Shawshank Penitentiary.

The Andy Dufresne Is Guilty Theory Explained

The compelling Shawshank Redepmtion theory that Andy Dufresne is guilty was first posted on Reddit. The theory — whose original poster has unfortunately since deleted their account — suggests that the whole Shawshank Redemption plot was in fact the complex machinations of an ice-cold killer, covering his tracks and working hard to convince even his friends of his innocence. The evidence, pointing to the parallel between Andy's love of chess and the intricate requirements of his plan to escape as well as the key point of the film's charming but unreliable narrator, is difficult to shake off once taken in. If accepted as reality it completely redefines watching Shawshank Redemption — and the theory hinges mainly around Andy's game of chess.

The theory brilliantly alludes to Andy's real game of chess was not being achieved with his polished rocks, but with the human pawns around him. According to the Shawshank theory Andy is using the guards, inmates, Warden Norton, and particularly Red — his unwavering mouthpiece — as living chess pieces. They are all means that Andy uses to achieve his ends, with Red's "wisdom" actually being naive. And because, as he admits himself, chess is a "total f*cking mystery" to Red, there's never any question from Morgan Freeman's character of Andy having duplicitous intentions. Red believes in Andy's innocence and integrity because that's exactly what master manipulator Andy wants.

This went beyond Andy's plan to escape Shawshank too, although that's obviously a significant motivation for his actions even in the theory. In actual fact, Andy was coolly maneuvering his pieces for an attack on the Queen (Norton), who he simultaneously turns into a pantomime villain thanks to relaying his stories to Red, who never actually witnesses any of their interactions. And therein lies the genius of the supposed con job: Red is always removed from the real events and can never be considered a reliable narrator. He's spinning a tale weaved by Andy, who was capable of an immaculate swindle on Norton and the entire Shawshank system that Andy himself helped concoct to protect his escape.

How Andy Dufresne Being Guilty Changes Shawshank Redemption

Andy Dufresne maintains his innocent throughout The Shawshank Redemption. The Andy Dufresne is guilty theory is just that — a theory — but it is an interesting way to view Shawshank Redemption since it's surprisingly plausible. While the theory completely changes the trajectory of the Shawshank Redemption plot, it isn't without merit, because it fits with what Andy manages to pull off. He had already invented someone as part of that fraud scheme for the Warden and over the decades had proved himself to be surprisingly elusive, able to hide huge secrets and also able to manipulate those around him to protect himself.

While the idea of him using Tommy to protect himself by planting the idea of suppression of the truth and ultimately of escape makes Andy far more villain than an anti-hero, it's not hard to imagine the idea of a protégé groomed for months by a more impressive, intelligent elder. He proved in passing a secret message to Red about his escape that he knew how suggestion worked. And if Andy was a killer, he would be more than willing to have someone die in the name of ensuring his own story of innocence was strengthened further (since he can be the only one who told Red about the confession Tommy heard). While it'll always be left to speculation, it's interesting to watch The Shawshank Redemption through the lens of Andy Dufresne being guilty.