Kylie Died

It is fitting that Kylie died protecting her friend. Her loyalty was fierce. Her defence of those she cared about was also. She killed for Sarah’s sake, and died for Gemma’s.

I didn’t see it coming. Seeing her with bloody hands clasped over her chest, I thought it was Gemma’s blood. I thought Clayton had attacked Gemma with the knife. So thank you, those who knew, for keeping online lips zipped.

Her death was a powerful scene. Long, but that was okay. We needed time to think this through, to come to terms with it. I knew that actress Paula Lane was leaving but didn’t know how she was going to be written out. I didn’t like the thought of her going to jail for killing Callum, but it would mean she could return.

No Barbados dreams

Going to Barbados? Much better. It was nice to think of Kylie and Becky on the beach, sipping umbrella drinks. Even if Kylie and David split up, there still was a way back for them and for Paula Lane.

As she lay dying, I didn’t even mind her not telling David a key point – who did it. Not once saying, by the way, Macca’s friend Clayton did this. Gemma knew, Craig saw the whole thing. It was okay that Kylie spent her last moments telling David that she loved him, loved the kids. Take all the time you need, David and Kylie, to say goodbye. This is sorted.

Class history

But I forgot a key element that the writers did not: class history. Gemma clammed up, no way is she a grass. Craig planned to tell what he saw, but his mother stopped him. Beth is familiar with the code of survival: you saw nothing, you know nothing. The way to take care of yourself and others is by yourself, so you do not bring the authorities into what is your business.

In the end, however, the old boundaries gave way, At David’s urging, Gemma agrees to help bring Clayton to justice at the hands of the state. She fears retribution from her old friends and, on principle, hates grassing them up. But Kylie died for her. Gemma has no other way to repay that.

Craig went against his mother’s advice. He wants to do right by Kylie and her kids. He believes the police are best equipped to find her killer. What he saw will help them.  His conscience will not let him keep quiet.

David catches Clayton, and nearly kills him. A shout from Max makes him stop, and that pause gives Clayton time to escape. Soon after, the police catch him. And Max has got a lot for a child’s mind to absorb. A violent bio-dad – murdered, a mother – murdered, a step-dad brought to the point of murder himself.

In its soap wrap-up, The Guardian gives a wonderful eulogy for Kylie.