Under The Bridge Episode 4 Ending Explained: Why Reena Did THAT To Her Dad

Warning: This article contains spoilers for Under the Bridge.

The ending of Under the Bridge episode 4, “Beautiful British Columbia,” offers important character development for the Virk family. The true story of Reena Virk’s murder has been at the center of Hulu’s Under the Bridge since the beginning; however, episode 4 takes a different approach by focusing on Reena’s parents’ history and a fictionalized dinner that didn’t occur in real life. The story breaks the pattern by including Reena as a narrator, with her telling the audience that stories don’t have a beginning and end. They’re all interconnected through time.

A series of flashbacks shows Suman Virk’s family’s immigration to Canada and her love story with Manjit Virk. This is interwoven with flashbacks to four months before Reena Virk’s murder when her friends came over for dinner. After the dinner turns sour at the end of Under the Bridge episode 4, Reena makes the devastating choice to falsely report her father for sexual assault, at which point he’s taken away by the police. Then, she moves into her room at Seven Oaks. The ending of this episode brings up many questions about the mentality of Reena Virk and her parents.

Why Reena Falsely Accused Her Dad Of Sexual Abuse In Under The Bridge

Reena’s Accusations Came From A Layered Place In Under The Bridge

Though there’s no evidence to support the idea that Reena’s friends pushed Reena to make a report in real life, Josephine is directly responsible for giving Reena the idea to report her dad in Under the Bridge.

In Under the Bridge, Reena accuses her dad of sexual abuse at the behest of Josephine Bell after Josephine, Kelly, and Dusty attend a terrible dinner at Reena’s house. While the claim is simple, albeit horrific, there are multiple layers to Reena’s false report that show the complexity of the interpersonal dynamics at play before Reena’s murder.

The most significant reason why Reena falsely accused her dad of molestation is the influence of the “Bic Girls” in Under the Bridge. Though there’s no evidence to support the idea that Reena’s friends pushed Reena to make a report in real life, Josephine is directly responsible for giving Reena the idea to report her dad in Under the Bridge. Reena listened to Josephine without hesitation, indicating that the teen had a significant hold over her friend.

Additionally, Reena’s friends posture like they’re a part of the criminal, gangster lifestyle. Reena’s behavior makes it clear that she is desperate for acceptance and approval from her friends. Because of this, she doesn’t think about the consequences of her actions, only thinking about whether her choice will make her friends happy. Ultimately, Manjit Virk is simply collateral damage in her pursuit of friendship.

Lastly, Reena made the report in Under the Bridge because she is so desperate to get out of her household that she will do anything, including making heinous accusations against her dad. She repeatedly expresses how repressed and upset she feels within her Jehovah’s Witness household. Reena actively rejects her parents’ religion, asking them to refrain from showing their religiosity at dinner. Their choice to make Indian food instead of buying pizza, force everyone to pray, and press her friends about their families seemed to push Reena over the edge.

How Long Reena Actually Stays In Seven Oaks After Under The Bridge Episode 4

Under the Bridge Episode 4 Doesn’t Answer How Long Reena Is In Seven Oaks

In 1996, Reena Virk falsely accused her father – Manjit Virk – of sexual, mental, and physical abuse. Hulu’s Under the Bridge episode 4 includes this storyline, though they minimize the intensity of the real accusations. At the very end of Under the Bridge episode 4, she sees her new room in Seven Oaks Youth Home. The episode doesn’t clarify, though, how long she stayed in the foster home before reuniting with her parents. According to Rebecca Godfrey’s Under the Bridge book, Reena only spent a few days in the Kiwanis foster home before being placed with her grandparents and Uncle Raj in real life.

Under the Bridge alters the timeline and removes the period where Reena lives with her grandparents, making it difficult to tell how long she stays in Seven Oaks compared to entering foster care in real life. Rather than the false allegations occurring in 1996, the teen didn’t even meet Josephine, Dusty, and Kelly until March 1997 in the Hulu series. Based on the flashback at the end of Under the Bridge episode 3, they aren’t invited over to her house until four months before her death, after which Reena makes the report.

However, in the series, Reena seems to stay in the foster home instead of being placed with her grandparents. During Under the Bridge episode 1, “Looking Glass,” Reena’s grandmother makes a toast about celebrating the family finally being back together. Combining these things together, Reena likely stayed at Seven Oaks for just under four months, only returning right before her death.

Did Reena’s Parents Ever Call The Cops On Jo & Kelly After Stealing Their Jewelry?

Manjit And Suman Virk’s Kindness Stops Them From Calling The Police At The End Of Under The Bridge Episode 4

Despite the fact that Josephine and Kelly stole a precious family heirloom in Under the Bridge episode 4, Reena’s parents didn’t seem to call the police on them. Since this storyline was seemingly fabricated for dramatic effect, there’s no way to know for sure unless it’s addressed in future episodes of the Hulu series. However, their choosing not to report the robbery matches up with the empathy they showed throughout the entire dinner.

While Manjit became intense in the way he spoke, all of his words expressed care for Josephine, Dusty, and Kelly. He is a prime example of someone having truly positive intentions but forcing their beliefs onto others. While the outcome might not have been what he hoped for, his intentions prove that he cares about the girls he views as lost and unsupported.

Suman also showed compassion for the girls when she could have gotten upset about them going into her closet and messing with her personal items. She allowed them to dress up in her saris and wear her jewelry, despite having a bad feeling about them. If Under the Bridge made Reena’s parents report the crime, it would violate the characters and the truly forgiving nature of the real people who inspired them.

The Real Meaning Of Under The Bridge Episode 4’s Flashbacks With Reena’s Parents

The Under The Bridge Flashbacks Explain How Reena Became The Beautiful Soul She Was

The flashbacks of Reena’s parents in Under the Bridge episode 4 provide important context as to the people who raised Reena and influenced her character. Despite the fact that Reena doesn’t want to be a part of her family, the similarities between Reena and her parents are uncanny. Reena is willing to take massive risks in order to get what she wants, much like her father moved across the globe and converted religions for a woman he met only months earlier.

Reena also isn’t afraid to accept people different from her, like how Suman accepted Manjit. She never asked him to change his religion and culture. He made that decision for himself to show his love. While these traits made Reena Virk an easy target for bullies, they also are the heart that made her a beautiful soul. It’s important that Under the Bridge brings to light the core of Reena as she’s the victim, making her story the priority over that of the attackers or killers. After all, she tragically isn’t here to share her story.