Scream's Killer Talks 'Awesome' Finale Reveal — Plus: Grade the Episode 

Warning: The following Q&A contains spoilers from

‘s first season: Don’t go swimming alone at night. (RIP Nina!) Don’t bring Mike & Ikes to a movie night with your ex-boyfriend. (RIP Will!) Make sure there aren’t any cameras around when you have sex for the first time. (RIP Emma’s dignity!)

But the most important takeaway? Don’t. Trust. The podcaster.

That’s right: After nine weeks of grisly Lakewood murders and countless red herrings, murder-mystery junkie Piper Shaw was revealed to be the woman behind the mask in Tuesday’s Season 1 finale. But even Amelia Rose Blaire, the actress who played her, wasn’t expecting her seemingly innocent character to be the killer.

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“I actually found out at the very end of shooting Episode 6, right before I went in to do the scene with Will and Piper in the abandoned car dealership,” Blaire tells TVLine. “I definitely did not see it coming. I was very excited and shocked and overwhelmed all at once.”

Unfortunately for Piper, she didn’t make it out of Lakewood alive. After tussling with Emma and Maggie on the same dock where Brandon James was killed, Piper was shot twice, leaving Lakewood serial killer-free. (Well, sorta. Audrey was also revealed to be in contact with Piper this entire time, but that disconcerting fact is discussed in our Q&A with executive producer Jill Blotevogel.)

Below, Blaire tells us how she prepared for the responsibility of being

TVLINE | Before you found out you were the killer, who did you think it was?

I was all about Kieran and Audrey. From the beginning, I had my eye on them. Kieran just shows up out of nowhere, he’s all about Emma, he literally makes a beeline straight for her. There’s all sorts of suspicious activity happening with him. And then Audrey — the first thing that she says to Piper is, “Nina was a stone-cold bitch who got what she deserved.” So, red flags all over the place.

TVLINE | Once you knew Piper was the culprit, how much did that influence your performance?

It had to. I had made this huge Bible of everything that the killer, or killers, were doing — who was where, every single thing that they did. And I had also been doing profiles on all the different characters, trying to decide who was behind the mask. And to then turn all of that research on Piper was really trippy and cool and creepy. There’s so much darkness there, and so much sadness. It was definitely an experience to dive into that and swim in that pool.

movies has become iconic in pop culture. Were you intimidated to play a version of that classic character?

It was definitely intimidating. Those are big shoes to fill. I mean, [the original

killer] Billy Loomis — I remember that scene so clearly, the first time I watched it. I, of course, wanted to make that final scene…  as intense and awesome as I could. I honestly have no idea how it came out. But when I woke up that morning and I did that scene, it was like I got sucked into a black hole. [

TVLINE | Your final scene is so long and complex — you’re fighting with Emma, you’re gunned down into the lake. How long did that sequence take to shoot?

That was actually my very last day of filming. We started that scene right as the sun went down and shot all through the night, into the sunrise the next day, and then some. They also brought back the stunt doubles to do some more work the next day, as well. Overall, it was two days, but the actual scene work with Willa [Fitzgerald] and Tracy [Middendorf] and I was only one night. One very epic, intense night. [

TVLINE | Did anyone else know you were the killer beforehand? And if not, how did they react when they found out?

Nobody knew. Everybody had a lot of theories until the last episode came out. We were constantly theorizing on who we thought the killer was, who an accomplice might be — but once I found out, I kept my lips sealed. I didn’t tell anybody. The only other person that knew anything was Piper’s accomplice. I’m sure they’re going to be diving into some more dark waters for Season 2.

TVLINE | Piper seems largely inspired by the podcast

and its host, Sarah Koenig. Did you do any research on her before filming?

When I first got to set, one of the very first things that I found out about Piper was that she was inspired by Sarah Koenig on

. The very first thing I did was binge-listen to all of her podcasts. I loved them. They’re so addictive, and you’re constantly changing your theory on whether [Adnan Syed, the subject of

] is guilty or innocent. I really enjoyed that. I definitely drew inspiration from her, because that’s where the original idea for Piper being a podcaster was born from.

TVLINE | Is there any chance we’ll see Piper via flashbacks in Season 2?

It’s definitely a possibility. We haven’t heard anything about what’s going to happen next. They’re probably still figuring it out themselves, but I would love the opportunity to get to come back and play with this other side of Piper. Throughout the whole season, I was essentially wearing a mask. She has these two radically different sides of her personality. I’d love to get to play more of the darker side with it. But who knows? We’ll see what happens.

OK, your turn. Did you have Piper pegged as the killer? Grade the finale in our poll below, then watch our Comic-Con interview with the cast and hit the comments with your thoughts!

I called Piper being the killer from the beginning so I wasn’t surprised by it being her

Yep. Same. It was so obvious. A lot of us did. You can go back and see our comments.

I also said, and I’m standing by this, that Audrey is ALSO Brandon James’ daughter. I’m not sure how it works but I think he had another kid and it’s her. Her DNA was on the mask, for Christ’s sake. The video Nina shot was the catalyst for all this. That was the original thing they said. So I had her pegged at the beginning. I’m not sure she killed anyone though. Like, I think there may have been someone else who killed Will and whoever else but yeah, she was at least in on it and maybe even started it by finding Piper.

I think Audrey is Brandon James’s niece. Brandon had an older brother that he was very close to. I think Audrey’s dad is Brandon’s brother and maybe involved too.

I was also pretty sure that Emma’s dad was the actual murderer 20 years ago, but I suppose that could still be revealed in season two.

Way too obvious, but the Audrey twist was cool.. not as great as the movies, but def a solid show!

I thought it was her too, but I thought she had an accomplice for all of it. Branson seemed like a good fit. I never would have guessed Audrey. They did mention why did the killer kill Rachel. How did she fit into Emma’s world? So did Audrey kill her? And why? So many questions! I loved the Scream movies and I loved this show. It scared me (made me jump) like the movies as well.

Seeing it coming that it was Piper did not ruin the show in the least. If they had jumped to someone in the end that made no sense, and that they hadn’t built up to, now that would not have been cool.

I totally agree. I’ve been watching the series with my sister, and both of us are huge horror buffs. Even though Piper has been at the top of our suspect list for quite a while, we both felt that the finale was excellent thanks to top notch execution — it was filled with great slasher moments and meta nods that truly evoked the original films.

I was also definitely expecting a final twist, and the Audrey bit did not disappoint, despite the fact that I was fairly suspicious of her as well. It just all felt really cohesive and like a loving tribute to the movies, with that sense further heightened for me as a viewer due to Mr. Craven’s passing. I’m sure he’d be pleased.

I’m excited that Brook and Noah survived. I, too, called it that Piper would be the killer earlier in the season, but I pretty much went into the finale expecting it to be anybody, which was great, and in the vein of the former Scream films.

I’m excited they survived too! I felt like they were stand out characters this season. I am a little sad that there wasn’t more carnage for the finale episode. 3 people died and one of them was a throw away (bathroom guy).

Never suspected Piper and I’m guessing none of you did either but now yall wanna pretend to look smart. So lame!

How could you not suspect Piper? They clearly painted her as a possible suspect. Daddy issues, dead father, shows up out of nowhere as soon as the killing starts. Not to mention the series hinting that the killer would be the love child of Brandon James and Daisy. It may not have been a complete bullseye, but you’d have to be ignoring a lot of dialogue to think that Piper as the killer is something out of the blue.

Did you see when Emma was in the hospital after will died Piper was wearing Brandon’s necklace.

What’s “so lame” is that just because you didn’t catch onto certain things that pointed to her as being a strong possibility as the killer, you automatically think that anyone who did is full of crap, even though a lot of posters have mentioned her as the likely killer for weeks, and those mentions can be proven by reading past recaps.

Indeed. I’ve been saying it for weeks and weeks. You can go back and see the posts. I also said Audrey is Brandon James’ daughter. I’m sticking by that. He may have had another kid. His body was not found and we know what that means. And I’m not the only one who called Audrey either. Again, you can go back and see.

Completely stumped me. I guessed correctly right before she took the mask off. Until then, I wasn’t even thinking about her as the killer.

But the best line of the entire series? “What is this, 1996?”

I would’ve missed the reference, but my sister chimed in that ’96 was the year the original Scream came out.

Yes! I loved that line, nice homage to the original movie.

The thing that puzzles me now is why Audrey would shoot Piper. It was fine at the time, but after the Audrey reveal at the end it seems a lot odd.

She may have been about to reveal that Brandon James did not indeed die like we thought but lived to have another kid and that kid was… Audrey! It’s been my theory for a while and I’m sticking by it. She had to kill her. It was all over for Piper. Audrey had to cut her losses.

That would fit with Piper’s last word. “I have one more surprise for you before I open you up. And (you’ll?) never see it coming.”

I thought after the last scene it was clear that Audrey shot Piper to hide her “involvement”. Will confirmed that the killer attacked him and Piper, this established that Piper was not working alone.

I think a big question next season is going to be was Audrey involved.

Presumably Emma hasn’t had a chance to think about the attack on Will and Piper yet. It does make it rather obvious that a second person had to be involved.

Didn’t see the Audrey twist coming, but I was 90% sure it was Piper from about the 4th episode. When she said her father was murdered, it made me pretty much certain. I still have questions – why kill Rachel? Was it Audrey who killed Rachel? And if Audrey and Piper were working together, why save Emma and shoot Piper? What is Audrey’s motive? I guess we will find out next season. I like Amelia Rose Blaire, and I’m sad that she’s probably not going to come back for season 2.

Didn’t see the Audrey twist coming, but I was 90% sure it was Piper from about the 4th episode. When she said her father was murdered, it made me pretty much certain. I still have questions – why kill Rachel? Was it Audrey who killed Rachel? And if Audrey and Piper were working together, why save Emma and shoot Piper? What is Audrey’s motive? I guess we will find out next season. I like Amelia Rose Blaire, and I’m sad that she’s probably not going to come back for season 2.

I graded it a C – the reveal was way too obvious, and they basically took the storyline from the worst of the four Scream movies! Overall the show just really wasn’t that great. You don’t populate a show like this with a ton of characters then only murder extras and day players!

I completely agree that the reveal was a let down, no fault of the actors, who were all exceptional, but then, I was already primed for disappointment when buzz of yet ANOTHER transgender villain reveal could be the case (though I knew they wouldn’t really do that, it’d be too cliche due to PLL’s reveal). BUT, with that, it became painfully obvious that it was a “girl” villain in lieu of the plethora of obvious male red herrings. I have no problem with a girl villain, so long as it rings true, and fits with all the scenes, but Piper as the villain does not. The gate, stance, height and sheer strength of the masked one was pretty overpowering, so GIVE ME A BREAK that it’s Piper, who is a 90 pound weakling, skinny as hell, her bones are like TWIGS. She may be a clever podcaster mastermind who can manipulate media, stories, people and computer technology– but she’s not the physical specimen we saw taking down great big jocks and cops, okay? We all know that movies take liberties that may hardly exist in real life, creative license, as they call it; however, I would have appreciated it if the writers did a little more research, and not on the Scream franchise, but on real life crime. You don’t just hand someone a script and say, “Okay, you’re the villain now” because they offered clues of having a murdered father!! LAME!! First of all, the percentage of women who can be counted in history for psychotic bloody crimes is very low compared to men, and then at that — women who do kill tend to go for things like poison, gas, drownings, overdoses: non-bloody killings that are carried out indirectly. AND, women especially like for other people to do it for them [don’t want to get their hands dirty], or they have a partner, or are sidekicks to a very violent man. When a woman is working alone, and is bloody, or violent, it tends to be a crime of “passion” and jealousy, usually over a lover or ex-husband, not over a mother who gave her up for adoption. “Fatal Attraction” rings true, but Scream the TV show, does not.

Very solid finale. I like how it echoed the Scream movie franchised.

For all the people saying they guessed right I think it was a good thing. The movies have been very careful to lift any or most suspicion from the killers (they released Billy Loomis from jail in Scream 1 for example) so it comes out as a surprise in the end, but here they sort of helped us figuring it out, which is good I think.

Season 2 looks promising. They could follow the movie route and have Piper’s adoptive mother or father taking revenge on both Audrey and Emma, or have Audrey help him or her out. Or a different storyline with a focus on a different member of the gang like Brooke (we have yet to see her mother) with new killings and Audrey freaking out because there are murder she’s not involved with this time, and or being blackmailed because someone figured out what she did with Piper (like sneaky Noah, I mean Randy died in movie 2, so Noah could very well bite the dust unexpectedly in season 2).

Now THAT would be a nice twists and one I’ve thought about as well…what happens when the killer starts ending up on the receiving end of those creepy phone calls? Victims vs. killer vs. killer hunter…

I called both Piper and Audrey before the episode began. Audrey was on the top of my list all season, Piper, in the last few episodes. But I thought there would be some transsexual twist with Piper, thank god they didn’t go that route!

I thought the sheriff’s death was shocking and gory, even though the way it was edited it was obvious something was going to happen when she cut that rope.

I’m very disappointed with the body count, not just for the for this episode, but for the entire season. It’s pretty sad that after 10 episodes I can count the major deaths on one hand for a show based on the Scream movies.I would have liked to see at least 2 of the main kids die last night. Tatum and Randy, er Brooke and Noah were on the top of my list to die. Oh well.

I started suspecting Piper a few episodes into the season. Kieran and Branson were too obvious. I was shocked and disappointed about Audrey though. I loved her character. I hope it turns out that she didn’t actually do any of the killings.

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