Episode 8 of We Were Liars begins in Summer 2016 with Cadence (Cady) rationalizing that if they burn down Clairmont, the Sinclair family estate, the adults will stop fighting and become a family again. She believes the house is the source of all their troubles and that even if nothing changes, it cannot get any worse. Cady assigns roles for the fire: Mirren takes her mother's wing, Cady takes the ground floor, Johnny decides to douse the attic, and Gat is reluctant but is convinced by Cady to be the getaway boat driver. Cady hopes that by saving them, Gat will be welcomed back as a hero by Harris Sinclair, their grandfather, and they might get Ed back too. They agree to set the fire at midnight and run out no matter what.

At midnight, the Liars execute their plan. Cady sets the fire on the ground floor, Johnny works on the attic, and Mirren heads to her mother's wing. Gat waits outside as the getaway driver. However, things quickly go wrong. Johnny and Mirren get trapped on the higher floors of the house. Gat runs back inside when he doesn't see Cady right away. Cady finally makes it to the boardwalk but realizes none of the others are there to meet her. Suddenly, a gas main explodes, engulfing the house in flames. Cady is thrown back by the explosion and suffers a head injury.

In the aftermath, it is revealed that Johnny, Mirren, and Gat all died in the fire. Cady, however, survived but has been interacting with their ghosts throughout the summer, not realizing they were dead. This is the major twist of the episode: the Liars have been dead, and Cady is the only one left alive.

In Summer 2017, Cady struggles to piece together her memories. She plays Scrabble with the ghosts, using the words as clues to remember that the dogs died in the fire. She apologizes to Harris Sinclair, who is glad she remembers. Cady suggests having dinner with the Liars, but Harris looks sad, indicating her birthday is not a happy occasion.

Harris has allowed a publication to come to the island to talk about New Clairmont, and everyone is expected to play a part. Bess has been forced to reconcile with her husband, with Harris paying their way out of fraud. Carrie and Penny seem to be getting off easier, likely because Harris is focused on Cady. Harris makes it clear that Cady is to wear the black pearls and be the dutiful First Grandchild, the next in line to inherit the Sinclair family fortune. Cady struggles with this, uncertain if she can go against everything the Liars tried to do during Summer 2016.

Cady finds a gift from Gat for her 18th birthday--a necklace. She realizes she cannot go through with Harris's plan. Wearing Gat's necklace, she walks away and takes one of the boats back to the mainland. Penny, Carrie, and Bess watch, likely realizing Cady is doing what they have always wanted: leaving the Sinclair legacy behind. Harris is shown struggling mentally and has to see a doctor, indicating his grip on reality is weakening.

Cady has a final conversation with Harris, who reveals that while the world believes the fire was caused by faulty wiring, he knows the truth. He threatens to expose the real story unless she agrees to uphold the Sinclair family image and legacy. Harris had fabricated a story to protect Cady and make her look like a hero. Despite this, Cady refuses to accept his proposal and returns the black pearl necklace he gives her, understanding the implications.

The next day, reporters from TIME magazine arrive at Beechwood to do a piece on Harris and the Sinclair family. Harris plans to announce Cady as his heir, but she instead leaves the island, driving off on a boat, rejecting the family legacy and the fairy tale Harris wants her to live. She tells the reporter she is "just really not into fairytales anymore".

Meanwhile, Carrie, who has broken her sobriety, is shown interacting with Johnny's ghost over the course of Summer 2017, revealing that she has not fully come to terms with the tragedy.

At the end of We Were Liars Season 1, Episode 8, Cady realizes that the other Liars--Gat, Mirren, and Johnny--died in a house fire caused by a gas explosion. She herself survived but suffered a head injury that caused memory loss and hallucinations of the others. After uncovering the truth, Cady confronts her grandfather Harris, who knows she caused the fire but wants her to maintain the family's secret to inherit the Sinclair fortune. Cady refuses and decides to leave the family legacy behind, choosing to live independently.

The ending unfolds scene by scene as follows:

Cady finally reaches the beach dock late at night, expecting to meet the other Liars--Gat, Mirren, and Johnny--but finds no one there. Panic sets in as she realizes something is wrong. She recalls the dogs barking inside the house and runs back to try to save them. However, the rooms where Eleanor and Franklin (the dogs) are trapped are blocked by debris.

Meanwhile, Johnny and Mirren are trapped on the upper floors of the burning house, and Gat, noticing Cady's absence, runs back inside to look for her. Cady, after trying to free the dogs, is caught in a gas main explosion that engulfs the house in flames. The blast throws her out of the house and into the water, where she extinguishes her burning dress but suffers a severe head injury.

In the aftermath, it is revealed through newspaper headlines and flashbacks that Gat, Mirren, and Johnny all perished in the fire. Cady has been interacting with their ghosts throughout the summer, which explains her hallucinations and memory lapses. Her migraines and collapses occur when she is confronted with the traumatic truth.

Cady has a final conversation with each ghost, offering comfort and saying goodbye. She feels responsible for their deaths, especially because she delayed leaving the house to retrieve the black pearl necklace, a family heirloom symbolizing favor and love, which had been a source of conflict.

Later, Cady meets with her grandfather Harris on the beach. Harris praises the dogs as heroic and claims the fire was caused by faulty wiring and a gas leak, the official story. He gives Cady the black pearl necklace as an early 18th birthday gift and reveals he knows the truth about the fire--that Cady caused it. He pressures her to keep the secret and accept her role as the Sinclair family heir.

Cady rejects Harris's offer, telling him she is "just really not into fairytales anymore," signaling her decision to break away from the family's toxic legacy and live on her own terms.

The episode closes with Cady alone, having survived the tragedy that claimed her closest friends and family members, carrying the weight of the past but choosing a different path forward.

Yes, We Were Liars Season 1, Episode 8 does have a post-credit scene. After the main events of the finale, the scene shows Aunt Carrie and the ghost of her son Johnny. Carrie is packing up to leave Beechwood Island, but she sneaks away to take a pill. Johnny catches her, and she is not surprised to see him, revealing that he cannot leave the island. This moment underscores the supernatural element that Johnny and the other Liars are actually ghosts, a key twist in the story.

This post-credit scene adds emotional depth by showing Carrie's acceptance of Johnny's ghostly presence and ties into the revelation that Cadence has been interacting with the spirits of the other Liars throughout the season.

Cady's memory begins to return during a game of Scrabble with the Liars, where each word they play acts as a clue that helps her recall the tragic events of the fire, including the death of the dogs and the fate of the other Liars.

The Liars planned to burn down Claremont, believing it was the source of their family's troubles. They divided their roles with Mirren taking her mom's wing, Cady taking the ground floor, Johnny dousing the attic, and Gat acting as the getaway boat driver to save them after setting the fire at midnight.

It is revealed that during the fire, Cady was thrown back and suffered a head injury, surviving, while Johnny, Mirren, and Gat were trapped inside and died. Cady had been interacting with their ghosts throughout the summer without realizing it.

Harris tries to control Cady by insisting she wear the black pearls and take her place as the First Grandchild to uphold the Sinclair family legacy. He threatens to reveal the truth about the fire unless she complies. However, Cady rejects his plan, wears Gat's necklace instead, and leaves the island on a boat, choosing to forge her own path.

Cady experiences panic, disorientation, and memory loss, which are explained as her mind's way of shielding her from the trauma of losing her closest friends in the fire. Her breakdowns and confusion are tied to the grief and guilt she carries as the sole survivor of the tragedy.

The TV show "We Were Liars" is not family-friendly due to several mature themes and content. Here are some potentially objectionable or upsetting aspects that might occur:

1. Violence: The series includes scenes of physical violence, such as a teen beating up a rival and leaving them for dead, which could be disturbing for children or sensitive viewers.

2. Emotional Abuse: There are instances of emotional abuse, particularly involving a mother who criticizes her daughter's appearance, which can be emotionally distressing.

3. Substance Abuse: Cadence becomes addicted to drugs after her accident, which is a serious and mature theme.

4. Racism: Characters face racist remarks, which can be upsetting for some viewers.

5. Sexual Content and Language: The show includes sexual content and strong language, making it inappropriate for younger audiences.

6. Family Dysfunction: The series explores deep-seated family issues, including corruption, blackmail, and extramarital affairs among adults, which can be unsettling.

These elements are woven throughout the narrative, contributing to a complex and mature storyline that is not suitable for children or sensitive viewers.