9 Wake Up Dead Man Clues Everyone Missed

The Knives Out movies are known for their surprising plot twists. The first film shocked viewers by quickly revealing Marta’s connection to Harlan Thrombey’s death, and Glass Onion had an unbelievable reveal with Andi actually being Helen’s twin. The newest movie continues this trend with even more unexpected turns, but like always, audiences likely missed some of the clues the first time around.

Beyond the main murder, Wake Up Dead Man presents several intriguing mysteries, like the sudden reappearance of Monsignor Jefferson Wicks and the vanishing of his wealth. Director and writer Rian Johnson subtly includes clues throughout the film—many are easy to overlook, but some sharp-eyed viewers may have noticed them. Here are nine of those hidden clues that you likely missed in Wake Up Dead Man.

Dr. Nat’s Last Name Foreshadows His Crime

As a big fan of whodunits, I’ve noticed Knives Out always assembles incredible casts – it gives Benoit Blanc so many potential suspects to play with! What I really enjoy is that the character names aren’t just random; they’re often clever little nods to things, sometimes even referencing figures from Greek mythology. But Wake Up Dead Man takes that idea and runs with it, really focusing on how meaningful the characters’ last names are.

Glenn Close plays Martha Delacroix, a dedicated churchgoer, and Josh O’Connor is Jud Duplenticy – a name that hints at his tendency to be dishonest. Jeremy Renner’s character, Dr. Nat Sharp, seems destined to be involved in violence, as he ultimately stabs Monsignor Wicks and Samson to death. While others may be involved in murders throughout the film, he is the only one who kills with a knife.

Martha’s Speculation Gives Away Her Knowledge of the Wicks Family Fortune

A key mystery in Wake Up Dead Man revolves around the missing fortune of Reverend Prentice Wicks. He hid his money to prevent his daughter, Grace, from getting it. Martha tells Jud she doesn’t know what happened to it, but shares stories that he either gave it all to charity or threw it into the ocean. While seemingly harmless, the idea of the reverend throwing his money into the ocean seems increasingly strange the more you consider it.

Although this trick wouldn’t work with cash, we later find out Reverend Wicks owned a large diamond he nicknamed ‘Eve’s Apple.’ This gem would be much easier to hide in the ocean, similar to how Rose disposed of the Heart of the Ocean necklace. Because Martha was the only one who knew about the diamond, her casual remark could be a hint about the famous movie and a suggestion that the Wicks’ wealth was actually a valuable jewel.

Monsignor Wicks’ ‘Clangy’ Fall Was Suspicious From the Start

Because Monsignor Wicks was murdered in a seemingly impossible situation – a locked-room mystery – much of Wake Up Dead Man focuses on Benoit Blanc investigating exactly how it happened. He asks Jud to recount everything, starting with his time at the church and ending with the loud noise Wicks made when he fell. The way Jud describes the sound, and the sound effects used in the scene, were clues that Wicks was carrying important evidence when he died.

Blanc immediately identifies the metallic clanging as coming from Wicks’ flask, a sound the audience can clearly hear when Jud pushes it under the door. While viewers might not have known exactly what caused the noise, they should have understood that Wicks was carrying something that would make that sound. Because Nat had secretly drugged it, the flask became vital evidence that Wicks managed to recover before Blanc and Jud understood how important it was.

Nat’s True Actions on Good Friday Are Hidden in Plain Sight

I love how the Knives Out movies always cleverly hide clues right where you can see them! Like in Glass Onion, if you were really watching, you could spot the detail about Miles before he did the deed, which hinted he was the poisoner. Well, Wake Up Dead Man pulls off the same trick, but it’s even more subtle – they’ve hidden something suspicious right in front of our faces!

When Monsignor Wicks suddenly falls in the closet, the churchgoers stay seated as Jud approaches him. Nat is the first to react, curiously reaching into his pocket. It’s later revealed that the doctor is using a remote control to trigger a device hidden on Wicks’ clothing, releasing a small amount of blood to make it appear as though he’s been stabbed. Though this detail isn’t obvious on a first viewing, it becomes clear upon closer inspection.

Wake Up Dead Man’s Murder Weapon Is a Dead Giveaway

Throughout the film Wake Up Dead Man, the devil wolf’s head is a particularly important clue. Some viewers may have noticed the second wolf’s head was missing when Blanc spotted it at the bar, but the first one appears much earlier, in plain view. Later, Blanc reveals that one wolf’s head was crafted into the knife handle, and Martha stitched the other onto the back of Wicks’ robe. It’s clearly visible—even painted red to blend with the fabric—when Wicks goes into the closet.

Viewers might have noticed something odd about the wolf heads early on because of how they were positioned. When Jud first finds Wicks, the head is facing the door. But later, when Nat examines the body and pulls out the knife, the head is turned towards the wall. This happened because Nat had just swapped the single wolf head with the one on the knife.

Martha’s Timing Is Too Perfect to be a Coincidence

In Wake Up Dead Man, Martha frequently interrupts conversations, and one instance is particularly telling. While discussing how Wicks might have been murdered with Jud and Chief Scott, he was narrowing down the possibilities to just a few. However, Martha unexpectedly becomes upset, abruptly ending the conversation before he could finish explaining his theory.

Following the logic of John Dickson Carr’s The Hollow Man, Geraldine realizes the correct solution: Wicks was stabbed with a hidden knife while someone was locked in the closet with him. Though she wrongly suspects Jud instead of Nat, Martha’s interruption before Blanc can reveal the truth feels deliberate. It seems she knew Blanc was discovering her plan and was attempting to stall for time.

Father Jud Pauses Before Leaving Out the Dishonest Part

Soon after meeting Jud, Blanc learns his unusual philosophy: you can be truthful simply by choosing not to mention what isn’t true. Jud consistently follows this principle, skillfully avoiding direct lies while still misleading people by what he doesn’t say. Viewers might not have noticed it initially, but Jud had already used this tactic earlier in Wake Up Dead Man, and looking back, it’s quite clear.

Blanc immediately catches Jud in a lie about where he concealed Monsignor Wicks’ flask, which had given Samson hope. He understands Jud is hiding something else because Jud claims he went back to the group after the murder, meaning he’d been away from them when the police showed up.

As Jud writes this section of the story, he hesitates – the first pause since the movie began. It seems like he’s just taking a moment to process the awful things he’s seen. But actually, he’s bracing himself to tell a lie, even though he suspects Blanc will realize he isn’t being truthful.

Monsignor Wicks Inadvertently Announces His Own Killer

Wicks’ last sermon focuses on betrayal, a theme that’s apparent even before we learn who the killer is. The audience already knows Wicks was murdered by someone in his group while he’s speaking. His voice continues as he’s being buried and his followers say goodbye. Through skillful editing, Wicks subtly hints at his killer’s identity well before the movie reveals it.

Following a heartfelt speech about his devotion to his church, Wicks lies in his coffin as a recording states, “Like our Lord, I have been betrayed by Judas.” Just then, Martha arrives and requests privacy with the body. This scene cleverly hints at the upcoming revelation that .

Jud Tells Cyrus Exactly Where Eve’s Apple Is

After Martha dies in Jud’s arms, dropping Eve’s Apple, Blanc steps back and lets Jud handle the situation. The story then moves forward a year, and we see Cyrus, Wicks’ son, continuing his search for his family’s hidden wealth. He questions Jud, hoping to find clues, but fails to notice that Jud actually reveals the location of the diamond during their conversation.

In the movie Wake Up Dead Man, Jud’s last words to Cy are a sincere hope that Cy will return to the church, telling him his true legacy lies with Christ. This is a genuine statement, unlike the deceptive things Jud said earlier. The film’s ending shows us what Jud meant: Cy’s inheritance, Eve’s Apple, is back in the church, now placed within the chest of the Jesus figure on the new crucifix Jud crafted.

2025-12-20 07:39