Warning: This article contains spoilers for the Stephen King books Duma Key and The Mist, and the 2007 film adaptation of The Mist.
Long-time Stephen King fans generally agree that of all his stories, regardless of medium, the ending of the 2007 film adaptation of The fog is the most moving, but the ending of his book Duma Key can beat him. Even though he's known for his memorable monsters and grounded horror, Stephen King's endings sometimes leave readers wanting more, with his conclusions often lacking the same impact as the meat of the story. The final problem in Stephen King's books is not omnipresent throughout his work, but this happens often enough to be noticeable.
Still, this is undoubtedly a testament to the strength of the rest of his stories, that his endings stand out, and not every ending is a disappointment. The best endings in Stephen King's books balance happy endings with realism, with all the characters getting a satisfying resolution to their narratives. In at least one notable example, however, One of King's most beloved characters met a deeply unfair endingand that makes it one of the hardest endings to read.
Duma Key's book ending surpasses The Mist's book ending
Jerome's death was pointless
Both the end of Duma Key and The fog They are horrible in the fundamental way that death almost always is, but also on an existential level. The end of the novel The fogThe existential horror comes from the ambiguity of the ending. The survivors get into a car, making the decision to risk leaving the store, and protagonist David narrates about where they will stop for gas as they drive into the fog and thus exit the story. The ending is horrible in the sense that, after everything the survivors endured, after the death they witnessed, the reader still doesn't know if they ever reached a safe place. Uncertainty torments you and remains.
After he survived the horrific supernatural events of Duma Keyit was unfair that Jerome's story ended with such a mundane, everyday death.
Duma Keyhowever, it has an ending that is largely unnecessarywhich is what makes it so moving. Deuteragonist Jerome survives not only a neurological condition but also a vengeful goddess, only to later die of a heart attack. There have been many brutal deaths in Stephen King's books, and more than a few harrowing ones. But the death of Jerônimo in Duma Key it was the only one that seemed cruel, as it did nothing to move the plot forward, and it happened after the danger had passed. After he survived the horrific supernatural events of Duma Keyit was unfair that Jerome's story ended with such a mundane, everyday death.
The Fog Is Still Stephen King's Most Horrifying Film Ending
The futility of David's sacrifice was horrifying
Even though Duma Keythe ending is amazing The fogis ending up in the books, the 2007 film adaptation of The fog still has the most horrific and brutally moving ending of any Stephen King story in any medium. Unlike the book, there is no ambiguity in The fogThe ending of, which Stephen King believes is better than his book, but an irreversible finality. David takes his son and the other survivors into the fog, just like in the book.
The shocking twist comes when they run out of gas just as a giant monster comes at the group. David makes the terrible decision, with his silent acceptance, to kill everyone in the car, including his own son, rather than allow them to be brutally torn apart by the monster. His intention is to give them a merciful death and sacrifice himself. Just a moment later, however, the fog clears as the military arrives to save them, as David collapses from grief, knowing that his sacrifice and the loss of his son were in vain.
It's as impactful as any movie ending, let alone one. Stephen King adaptation. Few people who watch The fog He cannot come out of it deeply shaken by the desolation of the ending and the futility of David's last, desperate actions, something he will have to live with for the rest of his life. Thomas Jane's scream of anguish and horror really sells the moment, as raw a portrait of pain as any Oscar film. Frank Darabont has crafted a story possibly more horrific than anything King himself could have written. As such, it stands out among the horror author's endings, even Duma Key and your heartbreak.