Last night’s How to Get Away with Murder premiere was bonkers, as expected. But it ended by kicking off another big season-long murder mystery. Of course, we don’t know whose dead body is being rolled out on a gurney as Annalise’s home goes up in flames at the end of the episode. So we’ve decided to theorize about who is and is not dead below.
Annalise
Why she’s dead: She’s not.
Why she’s not: We’ve already seen Annalise alive at the end of the episode, arriving at the scene to discover someone is dead.
Wes
Why he’s dead: He is very close to Annalise’s heart and would illicit that type of reaction from the professor if she discovered he was the corpse beneath the white sheet.
Why he’s not: Wes is a firestarter, causing drama wherever he goes, and much of the murdering surrounds him and his actions. Would the killing suddenly stall without Wes in the picture?
Laurel
Why she’s dead: Frank seems to be the central bad guy this season. Maybe his ties to Laurel get too messy and she becomes collateral damage.
Why she’s not: We don’t think Frank would ever really harm Laurel. Plus, we’re still waiting to see this Wes/Laurel chemistry play out.
Michaela
Why she’s dead: Michaela never wanted to be a part of this life and hasn’t been shy about telling Annalise just that. Perhaps she threatens the group’s secrets and has to be eliminated.
Why she’s not: She seemed like she was back on her game in the premiere’s court sequences, leading us to believe she’s on track to becoming Annalise’s mini-me.
Asher
Why he’s dead: Asher has always been the mouthiest of the Keating Five. He could slip up and reveal everything, making him a liability that would have to be dealt with.
Why he’s not: Two words: Comic. Relief. This is an intense world these characters are living in. What would it be without Asher’s humorous additions?
Connor
Why he’s dead: With his relationship with Oliver seemingly dunzo, Connor really has nothing to lose, making his departure sort of a clean break.
Why he’s not: We still believe Connor and Ollie have a shot, and we don’t think the show would sacrifice its one real relationship just to kill Connor off.
Oliver
Why he’s dead: Up until now, Connor has been able to keep Oliver away from Annalise’s messy dealings. But with his new job title, could he cross a line and get too deep into the Keating Five’s shady affairs?
Why he’s not: Ollie is still the sweetest, most innocent of the bunch, so we have to hold out hope that some humanity will continue to exist in this world.
Bonnie
Why she’s dead: Bonnie is still harboring the secret that she killed Rebecca. Surely that will come back to haunt her, as Frank killing Lila did to him.
Why she’s not: Bonnie is Annalise’s right-hand woman, and with Frank gone, she seems to be the only thing holding the firm together.
Nate
Why he’s dead: Even though he’s on the police force and sometimes keeps the gang out of trouble with the law, Nate is kind of expendable at this point.
Why he’s not: If another of Annalise’s lovers is murdered, she is for sure going to jail.
Frank
Why he’s dead: Maybe Frank is not the killer the show is making him out to be—a classic red herring that would give the reveal major shock factor later in the season.
Why he’s not: The trailer shown at the end of the premiere led us to believe Frank is the killer behind this particular murder.