The SBS drama Queen Mantis wrapped up its first season with episode 8, delivering a tense and emotional finale that left viewers with answers, heartbreak, and a few lingering mysteries. The story of I-Shin, her son Su-Yeol, and the dangerous copycat killer came full circle, but the ending also hinted that this may not be the last we see of these characters.
The Copycat Killer Revealed
The biggest question throughout the season was the identity of the copycat killer. In the final episode, it was revealed to be Seo A-Ra, also known as Kang Yeon Jung, a woman who became dangerously obsessed with I-Shin and tried to replicate her crimes. She lured Jung-Yeon into captivity and nearly took her life, but her obsession ultimately consumed her. In a violent showdown, A-Ra was confronted by Su-Yeol and Na-Hee. Although Na-Hee was badly injured, she survived, while A-Ra met her end in the struggle.
I-Shin’s Tragic Past and Her Downfall
As Su-Yeol dug deeper into A-Ra’s hideout, he uncovered disturbing truths about I-Shin’s childhood. She had been the victim of horrific abuse at the hands of her father, and her mother had died in a fire caused by him. This trauma shaped I-Shin’s dark path, and by the finale, she was once again face-to-face with her father. In a fiery climax, she chose to kill him, burning the building with him inside. Su-Yeol managed to pull her out of the flames and revive her, but her story did not end in redemption.
I-Shin survived but was arrested and imprisoned. In her final exchange with her son, she admitted that he had turned out well despite her, but told him not to come looking for her again. Her arc closed with a sense of sorrow rather than peace.
A New Beginning for Su-Yeol
While Su-Yeol’s relationship with his mother remained fractured, he chose to create a different future for himself. He adopted Eun Ae, giving her the family stability that he himself had been denied. This decision marked a moment of growth and hope in contrast to the cycle of trauma that haunted I-Shin.
The Two-Year Time Skip
The finale jumped forward two years, showing I-Shin in prison, stripped of her parental rights. She spent her days drawing pictures of the family life she never had. But the story did not end quietly. News broke that the section chief had been murdered, and Su-Yeol appeared before his mother once more, suggesting that their connection—and the dangers tied to it—were not truly over.
The ending of Queen Mantis balanced closure with new mysteries. The copycat killer’s identity was revealed and defeated, I-Shin’s abusive past was confronted, and Su-Yeol made steps toward building a better life. Yet the unresolved murder of the section chief and Su-Yeol’s continued visits to his mother left the door wide open for more.
