‘Cruel Summer’: All the Proof for This 1 Annabelle Theory: Fake Identity
After watching Cruel Summer Episode 9 and the episode 10 trailer, this Annabelle theory could be true. Although viewers first heard about the mysterious Annabelle from Kate Wallis (Olivia Holt) in episode 4, Martin Harris (Blake Lee) finally uttered her name in the new preview. So, could Annabelle be a fake identity?
‘Cruel Summer’: All the times Annabelle is mentioned
In Cruel Summer Episode 4, viewers first heard about Annabelle. Kate told a story around the campfire to her parents and a few other adults. She talked about a girl named Annabelle who was “all alone until she wasn’t.”
“A man joined her,” Kate continued. “A man the grownups trusted. Now, of course, Annabelle trusted him too, because, I mean, why wouldn’t she, right? She was just a child. And that trust led to something unspeakable. Then I think that puts blood all over the grownups’ hands, don’t you think too? That they were all responsible for what happened to her? Now, they’d better have all their stories straight because Annabelle sure has hers. Secrets are scary because everybody has them.”
Kate also spoke to her therapist, Sylvia Parks (Lee Eddy), about Annabelle. Kate explained that Martin began acting strange, and that was the day she met Annabelle. It was also the date Martin was shot, and the police rescued Kate. In Cruel Summer Episode 5, Kate doodled the name “Annabelle” several times on a sketchpad while listening to her therapy tapes.
‘Cruel Summer’: Annabelle theory
“What if Annabelle is a new identity Martin created for Kate so they could run away together?” one fan suggested on Reddit.
Other fans also suggested this Cruel Summer Annabelle theory in other threads after watching Kate dreaming of running away to Bora Bora or Morocco with Martin.
“Plus, Martin wanting them to leave town could explain why Kate said he was acting differently that day,” another viewer added on Reddit.
So this Cruel Summer Annabelle theory suggests that Martin created a new passport for Kate using the name “Annabelle.”
“This fits with the way she was doodling the name ‘Annabelle,'” another Redditor wrote. “Like a teen girl writing her name with the last name of her crush/love. (i.e., Kate Harris).”
Viewers also noticed that Kate wore the pearls Martin gave her when she went on the Marsha Bailey Show. This minor detail made fans believe that she still loved Martin even though he abused her.
‘Cruel Summer’ Episode 10 trailer
In the upcoming season finale, the Cruel Summer Episode 10 trailer gives fans the ultimate Annabelle clue. At first, the preview shows both Kate and Jeanette Turner (Chiara Aurelia) heading to the court trial. Reporters surrounded both vehicles, and then the clip flashes to Kate and Jeanette in court. Jeanette’s lawyer insisted that she will “expose the truth.” Meanwhile, Kate and Jeanette face off in a difficult conversation.
“Things escalated to a really dark place,” Kate told the courtroom.
Then viewers hear a voiceover from Martin.
“You asked me once how this ends,” Martin says. “This is Annabelle.”
This Cruel Summer Annabelle theory makes sense because Martin didn’t like guns. Many theories suggested that Annabelle could be a gun. However, the travel guides solidified the idea that Martin created a separate identity for Kate to run away together. During her therapy sessions, Kate admitted she still felt bad for Martin. That explained why Kate continued to write the name “Annabelle” in her sketchbook. She fantasized about becoming that person. In the story around the campfire, Kate talked about herself in the third person, referring to Annabelle.
Viewers find out if this fake identity Annabelle theory is correct when Cruel Summer Episode 10 returns on June 15, 2021, at 10 p.m. EST on Freeform.
