Heretic Ending Explained

The following contains spoilers for Heretic, now playing in theatersHereticThe ending of is dark but rewarding, connected to the film’s exploration of faith. Scott Beck and Bryan Woods’ new horror film is a cerebral story that focuses on two Mormon missionaries who find themselves trapped in the home of a seemingly kind (but secretly horrible) Mr. The film’s focus remains HereticThe three main characters of, rarely leaving the building after Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton are unwittingly lured into Mr.

It’s a dark film that balances its heavy themes and dark twists with some moments of unexpected humor and charm, benefiting in no small part from one of Hugh Grant’s most memorable performances. This leads to a powerful ending that underscores the central debate at the heart of the narrative, while leaving enough ambiguity for the film’s treatise of faith to extend to the audience’s beliefs in the exact circumstances of the plot. Here’s how HereticThe ending reflects the film’s many questions about faith and the afterlife.

Mr. Reed’s Plan on Heretic: Resurrection Tricks, His True Religion, and More Explained

Reed Is Quietly A Great Horror Villain

Mr. Reed’s mysterious actions and plans in Heretic serve as the film’s true tension, especially as it turns out to be much more brutal than it initially seemed. In the first act of HereticMr. Reed is portrayed with a sweet but curious side, quick to apologize for unintentional offenses but devoted to conversation. As his conversation with Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton becomes more personal and critical, he becomes increasingly frightening. As the two missionaries (and the audience) eventually discover, Reed spent decades researching religion in search of a true faith to follow.

Ultimately, Reed’s true “religion” is the idea of ​​control. He tries to convince the young women through his words, and when his attempt to control them fails, he switches to a more theatrical “resurrection” of one of the other women he has captured. Kill her and replace her with another woman, Reed tries to spiritually break the two young women making her reveal that there is only darkness after death. Mr. Reed’s plan appears to be to mentally break Paxton and Barnes, adding them to his collection of captured disciples or attempting to kill them if that fails.

What does the butterfly landing on Paxton at the end of Heretic mean?

A tease from the film’s opening act pays off HereticFinal moments

At the beginning Hereticthe idea of ​​butterflies representing rebirth and freedom is established between Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton. Paxton explains to her friend that she hopes that when she dies, she can return to Earth, at least briefly, in the form of a butterfly. This way, she could visit her loved ones and let them know, in some way, that she is well and at peace. This creates the idea that Paxton could die in the film, but she is actually the only main character to survive the film.

After Barnes and Reed die, an injured Paxton manages to escape the house, where a butterfly lands on his hand. The implication behind this moment is that the butterfly is a representation of Barnes. Despite being apparently murdered by Mr. Reed at the beginning of the film, Barnes’ return at a crucial intersection gives her the chance to mortally wound Reed and save her friend. Paxton’s escape ensures her survival, as well as the potential rescue of the other trapped women. The butterfly implies to Paxton (and the audience) that the afterlife really exists, justifying his faith.

Did Barnes come back to life at the end of Heretic?

Barnes’ final actions are purposely ambiguous

One of the toughest comebacks in history Heretic happens when Mr. Reed confronts Barnes and Paxton after his attempt to trick them into a resurrection. Barnes calls him out loud and accuses the whole thing of being a poorly constructed trick that she can see through. Before she can get close enough to attack him, Reed slits her throat with a box cutter, apparently killing her almost immediately. Barnes stays away from the rest of the Hereticfrom the climax to the final moments, when she suddenly appears and kills Reed to save Paxton.

An interesting ambiguity is at play in this scene, as it is unclear what the exact nature of this moment is. It’s possible that Barnes was faking her death, waiting until she could use the last of her strength at a crucial moment. This would be a clever reversal of Reed using his captured women to deceive them about a miracle by faking a resurrection. However, it’s also possible that Barnes was actually resurrected, at least long enough to stop Reed. The spiritual qualities of Heretic and the self-awareness of doubt and possibility makes both options thematically compelling directions.

Why does Mr. Reed have so many women caged in his basement and where did they come from

Mr. Reed’s “apostles” are his prisoners

One of the darkest revelations of Heretic is the discovery of all the women Mr. Reed has captured over the years. While trying to find an escape after Sister Barnes’ apparent death, Sister Paxton comes across several women kept in cages. Reed explains that they were also captured by him and were apparently unable to escape his mind games and manipulations. This left them starving and conditioned to follow his commands, with Reed clearly meeting any insubordination with extreme measures.

Mr. Reed’s captured women influence his beliefs about power and importance of control. In their worldview, control is the only true religion in the world of Heretic. It allows people to dominate others and change the world around them. In this sense, Mr. Reed’s treatment of the “apostles” as slaves to his cause is reinforced by the fact that he controls them in every conceivable way. It’s a very dark mentality and one that Mr. Reed executes to a horrible degree.

Does Mr. Reed have a heretic wife?

The first major plot twist Heretic It has an even darker secondary meaning

One of the first major twists in history Heretic it is also the initial clue that alerts Sister Barnes to the danger the two young women are in. Mr. Reed ignores Barnes and Paxton’s concerns about being alone with him, claiming that his wife is shy and busy making a pie in the other room. This is initially justified by the smell of blueberry pie that fills the house. However, the smell actually comes from a nearby candle. Mr. Reed does not appear to have a wife in the normal sense of the word.

However, it is implied that his “disciples” are effectively his “wives”, obediently following the orders of the head of his family. This kind of beat is foreshadowed early in the film when Reed insults the founder of the Mormon Church, Joseph Smith, by referencing theories that his initial claims of divine inspiration were, in part, to cover up his affairs and justify his belief in polygamy. In a sense, Mr. Reed has similar inclinations controlling multiple women, albeit in a much more oppressive and dark way.

The true meaning of heretic

HereticThe ending of is about the dark potential and defying strength of faith

Heretic It’s largely about faith. At the heart of the narrative is an extensive analysis of belief as a tool, whether for the powerful to dominate others or for the oppressed to believe. Reed’s path to discovering a true faith has led him to his current state, while Sister Reed and Sister Barnes maintain their own faith. Ultimately, Sister Paxton and Sister Barnes remain steadfast in their beliefs rather than giving in to Reed, sparing them the fate of Reed’s other victims.

This faith in each other and their beliefs apparently paid off, as Barnes gets the chance to avenge his death and save Paxton along the way. The butterfly at the end of the film highlights this developmentmeaning his faith was rewarded on some level with Barnes finding peace. While faith can be used as a weapon, it can also be a shield, which ultimately gives Paxton the opportunity to survive the dark events of the Hereticis ending.