In Fool Me Once, Maya Stern is the protagonist, who investigates the deaths of her husband and sister upon discovering a connection. Michelle Keegan plays Maya.
Maya Stern is a disgraced former army captain. She lost her job after shooting at a car full of civilians that she suspected were terrorists.
The truck was approaching a group of her injured soldiers. Maya never received a confirmation to shoot. She solely made that decision in the interest of protecting her soldiers.
To this day, the deaths of those civilians haunt her. Corey the Whistle, an online blogger, is responsible for leaking the details of that mission and getting Maya fired.
In the show, Corey the Whistle claims to have more of it, particularly audio, and another threat lingers over Maya’s head while she tries to solve the case of her husband and sister’s deaths, which are connected through a gun.
Both her husband, Joe Burkett, and sister, Claire Walker, have been killed by the same bullet.
The investigation
Maya conducts an investigation of her own when her nanny cam captures Joe alive in the flesh. Joe is seen meeting their daughter.
No one believes Maya, and her mother-in-law, Judith, constantly pushes her to seek professional help, even though Maya claims she doesn’t need any.
While investigating if Joe is alive or whether someone is toying with her head, Maya uncovers several secrets about the Burketts and their murderous past, which they have covered up using money.
Her sister, Claire, who was working in their company, was investigating the medical trial fixing that the Burketts were into and how their medicines were endangering lives.
Claire also discovered Joe’s past and his hand in the murders of his classmate and his brother. Claire came closer to exposing the truth, and that’s what got her killed
Maya murdered Joe
In the finale of Fool Me Once, Maya reveals that she murdered her husband, Joe Burkett, because Joe is responsible for Claire’s death.
Joe Burkett shut Claire up after realizing the number of secrets she had gathered. Four months ago, after Claire’s death, Maya failed to understand why someone would rob Claire’s family, who had nothing worth stealing in their house.
Maya began suspecting her husband, who used to work with Claire and yet he showed no signs of grief.
Maya’s suspicions about Joe are confirmed when the bullet that killed Claire matches the bullets of the gun they own.
Since Maya was away when her sister died, that leaves Joe the only person who has access to that gun and the motive to kill Claire.
As revenge on her sister, Maya doesn’t think twice when it comes to killing Joe because he doesn’t hesitate to pull out a gun, which she planted, and pull the trigger on her.
Maya’s death and Judith’s plot
Maya comes to think that she can live peacefully with her daughter after getting rid of Joe and covering up her part in the murder.
However, Joe’s mother, Judith, who has always looked down upon Maya, knew something wasn’t right.
Judith plotted to make Maya think she is going mad by instructing Izabella and Luka to mess with the nanny cam. Luka acted as Joe in the video, and they used deepfake to show Joe’s face.
After exposing Joe’s murders, Judith knowing about them, and the false medical trials that Burkett Global Enterprises have conducted in front of Caroline and Neil, Maya admits that she killed Joe.
Judith offers Maya a deal, but Maya thinks it’s too late. Neil agrees, and he kills Maya. However, Neil is unaware that their entire conversation is being streamed live online.
Maya dies, but the Burkett family faces the consequences of their action. Eighteen years after the event, Maya’s daughter, Lily, gives birth to a baby girl that she names after her mother.
Also Read: Fool Me Once ending explained: Who killed Joe and Claire?