The climax is heavily indicative that Kuurna is homosexual but the motives of the murder are also tied to the story about his ancestor's surrender of a horse to the King of Sweden. This similarity spotted by Virta late into the film believing that Kuurna has turned the event into a metaphor for his own motives. Though Palmu initially dismisses the idea, he later confronts Kuurna with the theory. It is revealed that Kurt had feelings for Kaarle and intended to have him framed for the murder in order to save him, believing the police could not establish a motive for Kaarle even though everything else points to him being the killer.