Full spoiler warning: This article covers the endings of Moonvale Episode 3, including the Duskwood side story cliffhanger.
Moonvale, the gripping sequel to Duskwood, delivers its most intense episode yet with Episode 3. Rather than wrapping things up neatly, the episode closes on two separate cliffhangers that completely shift the direction of the story. Here is a breakdown of exactly what happens in those final moments and what they could mean for Episode 4.
Moonvale Episode 3: Two Storylines, Two Cliffhangers
Episode 3 closes out two parallel threads simultaneously:
| Storyline | Cliffhanger |
| Main Story | Charlie arrives at Sawmill during a live investigation, and a covered body comes into view |
| Duskwood Side Story | Cleo video calls MC from the Gravel Plant, and Richy steps into frame |
Neither moment shows us the aftermath of the reveal, and that is entirely intentional. Here is what each one means and where the evidence currently points.
Moonvale Episode 3 Ending: Charlie at Sawmill
What Led to This Moment
By the time Charlie heads out to Sawmill, the investigation has already turned up something important. On the very night when Adam went missing, a woman named Sophia Holland also disappeared from Red Log Pines. Two people vanishing from the same small town on the same night is not a coincidence, and the group treats it accordingly.
The final lead before Charlie drives out comes from Julie, who confirms that Sophia stopped in at Becky’s Diner that evening. She looked visibly tense, used the diner’s phone to call an unknown number, and left without saying a word to anyone. On top of that, Sophia’s family home had a full alarm system installed, yet not a single camera captured anything on the night she vanished. That detail is hard to ignore.
With all of this in mind, Charlie gets into his car while still on a video call with MC and tells them he is heading to Sawmill to follow up on something. The tone of the conversation already feels uneasy before he even arrives.
What Happens When He Gets There
Police is already on the scene blocking the main entrance. However, Charlie finds another way in. Once inside, forensic photographers are already at work documenting the area.
Then a covered body comes into frame.
Charlie gasps “Adam” and the call cuts off. The face of the body is never shown, and the episode ends right there.
So Who Is It?
The scene never reveals the face of the dead body. Charlie’s reaction seems more instinctive as his breathing starts to become heavy when the crime scene comes into his sight.
Based on everything Episode 3 establishes, here is where the evidence currently points:
| Theory | Supporting Evidence |
| Sophia Holland | Strongest case: her disappearance is confirmed, she has a prior history of going missing, and she vanished on the same night as Adam |
| Adam | Charlie reacted with his name, though removing the story’s central character this early would be a significant narrative move |
| Someone else entirely | The face is never revealed, which keeps every possibility open |
Community opinion largely leans toward the body being Sophia’s. Charlie saying Adam’s name likely reflects his worst fear in the moment rather than a confirmed identification. However, nothing is certain until Episode 4 addresses it directly.
The Duskwood Side Story Ending: Cleo’s Video Call
What Led to This Moment
Running alongside the main investigation, the Duskwood side story in Episode 3 follows the friend group reconnecting with MC after weeks of silence, the ongoing lockdown in Duskwood following Hannah’s rescue, and the quiet search for Jake.
The most significant theory comes from Dan, who argues in a private chat with Cleo that the Gravel Plant would be the most logical place for Jake to hide. His reasoning is grounded: the old abandoned spot the Duskwood group used to frequent is comfortable enough for a long stay, and anyone inside would have a clear view of anyone approaching.
Shortly after that conversation, Cleo contacts MC and hints that she has found something important. She asks MC not to get angry before she can explain, then goes offline without any further context. The abruptness of that exit alone signals that whatever she has found is serious enough to make her pause before sharing it.
The Reveal
When Cleo eventually video calls MC again, she asks for two promises before showing anything on camera:
- Not to tell anyone
- Not to freak out
She then walks through the Gravel Plant, panning the camera across the space. The walls are covered in graffiti throughout the abandoned building. A sudden metallic clang startles her mid-walk. She takes a flight of stairs and moves slowly toward the entrance of a room, stops at the threshold, and says:
“You can come out now.”
And as for the final reveal of the episode: Richy is alive!
Why This Changes Everything
Richy’s apparent death in the mine explosion shaped how every character moved forward from that point. Most significantly, Jessy has been quietly falling apart because she spoke to Richy just minutes before he died. He told her his entire plan during that conversation, and she has been carrying the guilt of not being able to save him ever since.
With Richy now alive, the Gravel Plant could affect Jessy and others significantly. Furthermore, Dan’s theory about the Gravel Plant now feels far more significant than it did when he first raised it. If Richy is alive and well, the question of whether Jake is somewhere nearby becomes very real indeed.
The questions this reveals leave open going into Episode 4 are considerable:
| Question | What We Know So Far |
| Did Jake help Richy escape? | Unconfirmed |
| Did Richy plan his own escape? | Possible, though nothing is confirmed |
| Is Jake also at the Gravel Plant? | Unconfirmed, however Dan’s theory now carries much more weight |
| How exactly did Cleo find him? | Most likely she visited the Gravel Plant alone after her conversation with Dan |
How Both Endings Connect to What Comes Next
Both closing moments in Episode 3 share the same quality: every revelation immediately opens a deeper layer of mystery rather than closing one. That is what makes this episode feel like the strongest of the series so far.
The Sawmill cliffhanger ties directly into several unanswered questions that have been building across the episode. What really happened between Adam and Sophia in the forest as children? Who owns the mystery number that Sophia called from the diner? Why is someone else also reaching out to every person named Sophia Holland in Red Log Pines? And why does the Unknown keep warning MC that they would not want anything to do with Adam if they knew the full truth about him?
The Duskwood cliffhanger carries its own separate set of consequences. How will Jessy react when she finds out Richy is alive, given the weight she has been carrying? Is Jake connected to how Richy survived? And does Richy’s presence at the Gravel Plant mean that Duskwood is about to become a much more central part of the Moonvale story going forward?
Both threads are clearly building toward something much larger, and Episode 3 earns the wait it created. Whether the main mystery surrounding Adam and Sophia is what pulls you forward, or whether it is the ongoing Duskwood reunion, neither ending fully shows its hand yet. That is exactly what makes the anticipation for Episode 4 already building up..
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