A search for the truth

The new year has begun with a serious gripping and moving drama Lockerbie: a search for the truth which retells the story of the Lockerbie bombing in 1988. See Colin Firth stars Jim Swire, the father of passenger Flora, who died aboard the plane, and his decades-long journey to discover the truth of what happened on Pan Am Flight 103. But how does the series end?

The new five-part drama starring Firth is a dramatization of the Lockerbie bombing that occurred on December 21, 1988 on Pan Am Flight 103 from Frankfurt to Detroit. A bomb exploded 38 minutes into the flight after its first stop at Heathrow. The attack killed all 259 people aboard the plane and 11 residents of Lockerbie, Scotland, where the plane crashed.

The series sees Firth as Jim Swire, Flora’s father, who died on the plane, and his tireless efforts to discover what really happened to his daughter. Throughout the series we see how his relationship with his wife Jane (Catherine McCormack) struggles, his visits to Libya to see Colonel Gaddafi (Nabil Al Raee), his friendship with Abdelbaset al-Megrahi (Ardalan Esmaili), who was declared guilty. for the attack and his work with journalist Murray Guthrie (Sam Troughton) to bring justice.

So what happens in the final episode of Lockerbie: a search for the truth And does Jim get the answers he seeks?

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What happens in the final episode of Lockerbie?

After working with al-Megrahi to secure his appeal in episode four, Jim is shocked to discover at the beginning of episode five that al-Megrahi has been released on compassionate grounds and returned to Libya.

The episode begins with al-Megrahi leaving the prison and feeling the wind in his hands. Jim watches his release unfold on television, where the public welcomes al-Megrahi back to Libya with open arms.

Jim later visits al-Megrahi’s legal team, who reveal that he was allowed to return to Libya, but only because he is withdrawing his appeal and will therefore be known as the man responsible for the Lockerbie bombing, something he has denied. throughout the series.

Not one to give up Jim is convinced that al-Megrahi did not make this decision alone and tries to find out more about what happened. It also turns out that the initial prognosis al-Megrahi was given about his prostate cancer was incorrect and, in fact, he could now live another decade.

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Jane and Jim’s relationship worsens during a memorial service for the Lockerbie victims, after Jim declares that al-Megrahi is also one of the victims.

Then there is a time jump to 2008, where Jim meets journalist Murray again, who gives him information about Wikileaks. During the leaks, Murray claims that there is a document on al-Megrahi.

Then we see another jump in time, three years later, to 2011, and Libya is in chaos. Having not heard from al-Megrahi since his release, Jim is still worried about him, and at Jane’s encouragement to find out once and for all what happened, he ends up flying to Libya to see him.

After a rather difficult journey and a hostile welcome, Jim is finally able to see al-Megrahi at his home. The couple talk, and al-Megrahi mentions the importance of spending time with the living and the priority of his family to Jim, who has been ignoring his for years in his quest to find out what happened to Flora. This shakes him and sparks a lightbulb moment in his head about how much he has been neglecting his own family, and upon returning to the UK he agrees to go on holiday with his family.

On their way to the trip, Jane and Jim stop to visit Murray, and Jim is convinced that evidence was planted to frame al-Megrahi, but given Colonel Gaddafi’s involvement, Murray believes there is a bigger game at play. at stake and has abandoned his fight. so that the truth comes to light.

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We then have another time jump to 2012, while Jim and Jane are on vacation, causing Jim to continue emailing editors about the evidence he discovered when al-Megrahi’s death is announced.

Jim tells Jane the news as his family plays on the beach, and they reflect on the night of Flora’s death, and Jane reveals that she has been able to move on because she accepts that they may never know what happened aboard the flight. Does he also recognize that Jim won’t be able to leave the fight and that the couple will hug before Jim plays on the beach with his grandchildren?

How does Lockerbie: A Search for the Truth end?

The final scenes of the series show Jane and Jim preparing to move out of their family home and reflecting on their journey to discover what happened on Pan Am Flight 103.

The series ends by giving us an update on the true story that the series is based on. Texts appear on a black screen revealing that Abdelbaset al-Megrahi remains the only person convicted of the attack and that his family continues their fight to clear his name.

It also reveals that during its second appeal “the British Government signed a public interest immunity certificate to prevent the disclosure of secret intelligence documents allegedly implicating Iran and the PFLP-GC.”

He continues: “In 2020 they signed a second immunity certificate to keep these intelligence documents secret. They remain classified to this day.

“Conflicting documents declassified by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have revealed that several Libyan intelligence officials admitted involvement in the attack, including Gaddafi’s ‘right-hand man’ Moussa Koussa.

“In 2022, the United States government extradited Libyan national Abu Agila Mas’ud, who they say built the bomb used on Pan Am Flight 103, conspiring with Megrahi and Fhimah to get it on board. The date of His trial is set for May 12, 2025.”

The series ends with the statement: “Jim Swire and many others still believe in Megrahi’s innocence. They maintain that the Iranian-backed PFLP-GC was responsible for packing and carrying the bomb that killed 270 passengers, crew and residents.” of Lockerbie. Jim Swire continues to campaign for truth and justice.

Lockerbie is now available on Sky Atlantic