The FX anthology series has wrapped up its second season, concluding the story of Truman Capote and his swans. The seventh episode of Feud: Capote vs. The Swans saw the deaths of both Babe and Truman, making it seem like the natural conclusion of the season.
However, the eighth episode took a step back in time, revisiting the final year of Truman’s life. It bridged the gap between Babe’s passing and further examined Answered Prayers, the unfinished novel that chronicled the lives of the swans.
A look back at the friendships and feuds that defined an era (Photo: Feud/20th Television, Ryan Murphy Television, Plan B Entertainment, and Sawtooth Film Co)A key aspect of the finale was the way it intertwined with the book itself. The cast members portrayed the fictionalized versions of their characters, reflecting how Truman had reshaped them in his writing rather than presenting the actual events of their lives.
The episode closed with a title card revealing when the surviving swans eventually died, providing a sense of closure to the season. Since Feud is an anthology series, its upcoming third season will focus on a completely different story, though fans hope its production moves faster than the long gap between seasons one and two.
The Auction For Truman’s Ashes In Feud: Capote Vs. The Swans Explained
Truman’s remains were put up for auction as part of Joanne Carson’s estate. As Feud: Capote vs. The Swans reached its conclusion, an auction was held where Truman’s ashes were sold, making him the first celebrity to have his cremated remains auctioned off. He died in 1984 at the home of his close friend, Joanne Carson.
According to Jack, Truman had expressed his wish to be cremated. More than three decades later, following Joanne’s death, her possessions, including the ashes she had cherished for years, were placed on auction. Joanne was among the very few genuine friends Truman had left towards the end of his life.
Another person during this period was Kate Harrington, John’s daughter, whom Truman had mentored in both modeling and writing. In the final episode, Kate attempted to buy Truman’s ashes but lost the bid to an anonymous buyer who purchased them for $45,000.
Even years after his passing, Truman remained highly sought after—just as he would have wanted. As the auction concluded, the spirits of the four most prominent swans—Lee, Babe, Slim, and C.Z.—appeared, speculating about the identity of the mysterious buyer.
They lamented how the world, especially New York, had lost its former charm, with Babe commenting, “Nothing’s a little like New York anymore. Not even New York.”
The four of them then left to have lunch together, with Babe stealing one last glance at what remained of their old high-society world, mourning an era that had vanished along with Truman.
The Real Meaning Of Truman’s Gibberish & His Answered Prayers Twist
Joanne stumbled upon Truman’s writing after his passing. During the last year of his life, Truman dedicated himself to completing Answered Prayers.
As he confided in Jack, the book was intended to serve as both an apology to the swans for La Côte Basque 1965 and a means to make sense of the wrongs he had committed—not only through his writing but in his personal life as well.
While staying with Joanne, he seemed deeply engrossed in writing. However, upon reviewing his notebooks after his death, Joanne was met with an unexpected discovery—his pages contained nothing but gibberish.
Truman had repeatedly inscribed the same phrase: “A dream, a dream, a dream, a dream that’s as real as stubbing your toe.” Although Feud: Capote vs. The Swans never clarified these words, they likely stemmed from the world of Answered Prayers, in which Truman had mentally immersed himself.
Within this imagined reality, he could create the endings he desired, rather than confronting the actual life he had to endure.
What Truman’s Final Words Mean and Their Connection To The Show’s Themes
Babe was at the center of Truman’s last thoughts. As Truman took his last breath in Feud: Capote vs. The Swans episode seven, Joanne was right beside him to witness his final words. He remarked on the coldness he felt before softly uttering, “Beautiful Babe.”
While the second-to-last episode had already hinted at this moment by showing Babe present in his thoughts as he was dying, the finale added another layer of depth to his final statement.
Though slightly altered from what Truman reportedly said in real life, the show’s adaptation of his last words gave them greater thematic weight. The beginning of the final episode depicted Truman visiting Babe’s grave, speaking as though she were still there.
He expressed how lifeless and empty everything felt without her, then lay beside her tombstone, questioning whether things were better for her in the afterlife. He also suggested that he might be joining her soon and pleaded to be let in.
His last words to Joanne reflected this same sentiment—his journey of loneliness without Babe was now over, and in death, he was finally reunited with her.
Truman’s Vision Explained: Why He Imagined The Swans Forgiving Him
His unfulfilled desires found an outlet in his novel. The final episode of Feud: Capote vs. The Swans brought to life the fantasies Truman had been weaving into Answered Prayers.
Though it was revealed that he hadn’t written anything substantial during this period, his mind was still constructing an idealized resolution for himself and the characters. In his unfinished book, Truman inserted himself into the story as the narrator, P.B. Jones, using the character to act out his wishes.
One of his strongest desires was for Answered Prayers to serve as an apology to the swans, and in the story, that is exactly what happened. Through P.B., he sought forgiveness from each of the swans, offering them symbolic gifts as a gesture of remorse.
For Lee, he assisted in eliminating her third husband, whom they deemed a mistake, while for Slim, he orchestrated another extravagant black-and-white ball. However, all of it existed only in Truman’s imagination.
His longing for redemption was so intense that, despite his many real-life efforts—including giving gifts—true forgiveness remained beyond his reach.
Why Truman “Destroyed” High Society In The Show’s Ending
He was never fully accepted into the elite world. While writing, Truman also conjured up an image of his mother, Lillie Mae Faulk. She frequently criticized his work, encouraged his drinking and drug use despite his attempts at sobriety, and generally had a strong hold on him.
The finale also included flashbacks to his childhood, showing how his mother prioritized wealth and relationships with men over her son, even passing him off as her nephew.
The season closes with loss, legacy, and lingering questions (Photo: Feud/20th Television, Ryan Murphy Television, Plan B Entertainment, and Sawtooth Film Co)Truman had longed to dance with her, but she never allowed it—this unfulfilled wish was why, in his dreams within Answered Prayers, he found solace dancing with the swans instead.
A similar vision of Truman dancing with his mother had already appeared earlier in the series during the third episode, which ended with the grand Black and White Ball—a party that embodied the social standing his mother had always aspired to.
Through conversations with the spirits of both his mother and Ann Woodward, whom he associated with, Truman realized the truth behind his decision to expose high society. Neither he nor his mother had ever been fully accepted into that world.
His exile became undeniable when La Côte Basque 1965 was published, severing his ties with the swans and making his status as an outsider painfully clear.
What Became Of The Real-Life Figures After The Events Of The Show
All the key figures have since passed away. By the time of Truman’s death in Feud: Capote vs. The Swans, only three of the swans—C.Z., Slim, and Lee—were still alive. Twelve years after Babe’s passing and six years after Truman’s, Slim Keith succumbed to lung cancer in 1990 at the age of 72.
Her later years were spent in New York, engaging in quiet social activities and traveling. Following Truman’s death, C.Z. ventured into fashion, beginning with cashmere sweaters before expanding into sportswear. By 1990, she had launched her line of garden products, including scented insect repellents.
She passed away at 83 on November 8, 2003, outliving Slim by 13 years. The final member of the group, Lee Radziwill, was the youngest and lived the longest, passing at 85 in 2019. She wrote two memoirs in her later years.
Answered Prayers was published in 1986, though it remained unfinished since Truman’s manuscript was never recovered. While the show depicted him burning his work, with all the swans now gone, the novel will likely never be completed.
