The recent episodes of Disclaimer have shed more light on Catherine Ravenscroft's dark past and connection with her present life. Jonathan's death, which seemed somewhat tragic and accidental, is ambiguous as the relationship between him and Catherine has unfolded.
Jonathan, the young man infatuated with Catherine, is killed and his death changes the course of Catherine's story. Although she is tormented by his death, it paradoxically allows her to separate from the ill consequences of her actions, bathed in shame and hidden in secrecy.
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Catherine's life unravels when she faces public and personal scrutiny in the book The Perfect Stranger by Stephen Brigstocke, Jonathan's father. Stephen seeks revenge for what he believes was an exploitative relationship between Catherine and Jonathan that led to his son's death on Disclaimer.
Though it would appear that Catherine would be appropriately weeping over Jonathan's death, his absence proved to offer her the very best shield against further investigation. After all, Jonathan was not about to recount his side of the affair so Catherine controlled the story given, which proved to be a protection that leveled the tables against her detractors.
Jonathan’s death protects Catherine in Disclaimer
Stephen's scheme for revenge will be built around the sexual affair that Catherine had with Jonathan, an affair that is a point of focus for the third episode of Disclaimer. When Catherine went on a holiday to Italy, she began sleeping with Jonathan. They kept the relationship hidden from her husband Robert, and her son Nicholas.
Young and in love with Catherine, Jonathan photographed scenes that ultimately became part of the exhibits in Stephen's revenge book. The series strongly suggests that Catherine seduced Jonathan, using his infatuation to serve her ends at a time when she felt emotionally checked out of her marriage.
In Jonathan's death lies Catherine's freedom from the consequences that await her in court, as well as in public opinion. According to the story, Stephen and his late wife Nancy have wove, Jonathan's death was an accident but Catherine is not exposed to law enforcement because she could not be confirmed as a part by anyone.
The discovery of photos painted a damning portrait of Stephen's discovery, coupled with Nancy's suspicion. As the show unfolds, Catherine's silence around Jonathan's death persists even as her private world collapses.
She continues to hold on to her public pedestal as a celebrated documentary filmmaker, while her private life is shattered. Though there is evidence in the form of Jonathan's photographs that suggests an illicit relationship between him and Catherine, the absence of his testimony spares Catherine from legal trouble.
Since the evidence against Catherine is circumstantial, Stephen's plot to destroy her life through his novel is based on mere assumptions. With Jonathan's voice missing, the assertions by Stephen remain conjectural. Finally, it is Jonathan's death that acts as a shield for Catherine, enabling her to decide what part of the truth gets let out in the name of justice.
Stephen’s obsession with revenge and Jonathan’s role
Stephen Brigstocke takes his revenge to new heights in Disclaimer episode 4 where the pain caused by Jonathan's death and anger towards Catherine reach a boiling point. After finding the manuscript of The Perfect Stranger by Nancy, Stephen publishes it under his name. Stephen turns this book into a weapon against Catherine.
The novel narrates with a cold stroke, about Jonathan's sojourn in Italy, and how he became enamored by Catherine and started an affair. Framing the story as an innocent love turned tragic is Stephen's attempt to tweak public opinion against Jonathan's death.
However, Jonathan's death works indirectly for Catherine by limiting Stephen's capacity to back his charges on Disclaimer. His evidence is reliant on Nancy's understanding and the photos Jonathan took before he died. Jonathan did not give direct testimony himself.
Stephen believes Catherine killed his son. His anger fuels his already-blistering hatred for her, even as he is devoid of proof in court, whereby his accusations remain powerless against the law. And with his attacks on Catherine, the ripple effect of Jonathan's death is in full bloom.
While it may drive Stephen to destruction for Catherine's life, the vagueness of Jonathan's death ultimately suggests how much damage Stephen can do. Indeed, this vagueness allows Catherine to exert a measure of control and laugh through her tears, in this tragic irony of Jonathan's role in her life.
Catherine's fight to protect her family and career in Disclaimer
Catherine's journey throughout Disclaimer is a private battle against Stephen's revenge while personal relationships break apart. The secret of her affair with Jonathan threatens to end her marriage with Robert and her relationship with Nicholas.
In Disclaimer episode 4, Robert starts to unravel under the weight of learning about Catherine's past while Nicholas begins to question his mother's integrity. Catherine's story focuses on the fact that she saved her family from all her mistakes. But a tragic death cannot serve as a lifeline.
Strange as it may seem, Stephen's relentless pursuit forces Catherine to face the consequences of her acts, dragging her to the point of losing everything within a short period on Disclaimer.
Finally, the death of Jonathan scars anyone involved within but will, in the end, provide a level of protection for Catherine. For as long as the specifics of this relationship are shrouded behind the absence of Jonathan, she stands at least half a chance to defend herself against those who want to expose her darkest secrets.
Disclaimer is available on Apple TV+, with a new episode available each Friday.
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