Lord of the Flies episode 3 is the BBC adaptation’s most harrowing chapter yet – but one major death has left viewers “really confused”.
The series may have a young, fresh-faced cast, but hasn’t exactly been subtle about its body count.
In episode 1, the “little’un” with the birthmark died in the wildfire. However, episode 3 marks a far more devastating loss as the boys split into rival camps and descend into outright savagery.
***Warning: spoilers from Lord of the Flies ahead***
Lord of the Flies episode 3 kills off Simon
Towards the end of the episode, Simon wanders into the woods alone and after discovering the truth about the “beast”: it’s the decomposing body of a fighter pilot tangled in his parachute.
Later, he’s confronted by the pig’s head on a stick – which appears to taunt him. The voice tells him the beast isn’t something they can hunt, and Simon should have told the others the truth.
As a storm rages, Jack whips the boys into a frenzy on the beach. They chant, dance, and prepare to kill the beast.
Simon runs back to tell them what he’s seen. But in the dark, delirious chaos, the boys mistake him for the monster. They attack him with their spears in a frantic sequence that’s over almost as quickly as it begins.
By the time Jack realises it’s Simon, it’s too late. His body is later carried out to sea.
Viewers ask: “Why did they kill Simon?”
In theory, the answer is simple: fear and mob mentality. The boys genuinely believe they’re under threat, and they don’t stop to think.
But on screen, the scene is dark, frantic and disorientating. For some viewers unfamiliar with the book, it wasn’t entirely clear what had happened.
“As someone who has never touched the book I was heavily confused… Why did they kill Simon?” one Reddit user wrote.
Another added: “I thought Simon was running back to the original camp and wasn’t even heading towards the wild boys so I was confused too.”
The adaptation also introduces new elements, like Simon’s diary, which weren’t in the original novel.
That change has divided fans, with some saying it adds depth, while others argue it undercuts the character’s mystery.
Confused or not, Simon’s death is the point of no return – and things will get even worse next week.
Lord of the Flies episodes 1–4 are available to stream on BBC iPlayer now.