A Deep Dive Into The Ending Of Midsommar

Some horrors have us hiding behind our couches. Others leave us wondering if we can ever fall asleep again. Then there’s ‘Midsommar.’ There is something oh-so-unique about the movie that sees us unable to look away yet somehow terrified by everything unfolding on the screen in ways that many of us have never experienced before.

If you can’t bring yourself to watch the film after reviews or you still have questions about how things wrapped up, you might find yourself needing a deep dive into the ending of ‘Midsommar.’ Of course, it’s the kind of movie that can never have a straightforward answer.

Midsommar follows a couple as they travel to a Swedish festival

It might be set at a Swedish midsummer festival under the beaming sun, but ‘Midsommar’ is far from the feel-good movie that so many of us hope to see. The story follows the life of Dani (played by Florence Pugh) and Christian (played by Jack Reynor) as they head off for an adventure, but it doesn’t take long for the audience to realize things are far from perfect between the pair. Most of ‘Midsommar’ is spent showing us how miserable Dani is in her relationship and how the couple has struggled through Dani’s grieving process after losing her family. After all, she practically has to beg to go along with Christian as he wants to jet off on vacation with his friends instead of help. Once there, Christian still somehow manages to forget Dani’s birthday.

Dani spends most of the movie holding onto her relationship

A movie about a couple’s relationship might not seem like the most prominent theme to ‘Midsommar’ from the beginning, but a closer look shows just how much we get to learn about how desperate Dani is to hold onto her relationship. From staying with a Swedish cult who agrees to end their lies with her boyfriend to crying in pain and apologizing for things she doesn’t need to, Dani will do anything to try and keep Christian happy. Throughout ‘Midsommar,’ we see Dani battle with her inner emotions as she knows not to show her true feelings in front of Christian, something that later catches up with them all in the end.

The May Queen election sees Dani become happy for the first time

It’s not until the May Queen scene comes along that we get to see the first glimmer of hope come from Dani. The idea is that everyone dances around a maypole, with the last dancer standing earning the crown - and the scene is more important than many realize. Dani starts to feel like she’s a part of a community, something she has never felt with Christian, and begins to let her happiness shine through. Even though she appears to enjoy herself, Dani still seems to be baffled by it all, wondering if it’s a moment predetermined by fate or if she has been set up.

The crying scene allows Dani to finally show her true emotions

One of the most famous scenes throughout ‘Midsommar’ is Dani’s crying scene. She asks if she can bring Christian to the next part of the ceremony, even though he’s still paying no interest in his girlfriend, before they’re separated. However, Dani soon spots that Christian has run off with a red-haired girl who wants to have his baby. Finally embracing her emotions, Dani breaks down and sobs uncontrollably as she is comforted by a strange group of women who all copy her wails and cries. This is another moment that holds more importance than it first seems, as Dani finally realizes that others do care about her grief, and there are people out there who want to comfort her through the bad times.

The ending of Midsommar has several deeper meanings

It’s not until everything else takes place and we learn about the undertones of ‘Midsommar’ that the ending finally makes sense. Why would Dani sacrifice Christian? She has finally found somewhere she belongs and a community that cares about her emotions, even if they have only been there for four days. Still, the end scene of Christian being sewn into a bear has several meanings. Sure, it’s hinted at throughout foreshadowing moments, with some thinking it could be a nod to Danish author Hans Christian Andersen’s storytelling style. This also goes hand in hand with Helena Nybolm’s story about a young woman kissing a bear - adding to the fairytale themes. Then there’s the fact ‘Midsommar’ was highly inspired by Nic Cage’s horror ‘The Wicker Man,’ which sees him ultimately involved in his own sacrifice.

Taking a deep dive into the ending of ‘Midsommar’ goes to show there is even more to the horror movie than first meets the eye. While it all might seem like a gore-fest and a disturbing tale to some, being inspired by a real-life breakup for the director might start to shine through once you take a closer look at the underlying story.