Netflix‘s latest “Frankenstein” adaptation is one of the most celebrated yet. In this article, we’re recapping everything that occurred and answering the question, ‘What happened at the end of Frankenstein?’
As with author Mary Shelly’s seminal 1818 novel, “Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus,” the Netflix horror movie is about a skilled surgeon who conquers death by creating a living person out of body parts.
“I wanted to sing it back in a different key and with a different emotion,” director Guillermo del Toro tells Netflix. “The backbone of it became a story about a father and a son and what it is to become a father after being a son.”
Read on for our “Frankenstein” ending dissection, complete with insight from del Toro and actor Jacob Elordi.
What is Frankenstein About?
As per Netflix’s synopsis, “Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro adapts Mary Shelley’s classic tale of Victor Frankenstein, a brilliant but egotistical scientist who brings a creature to life in a monstrous experiment that ultimately leads to the undoing of both the creator and his tragic creation.”
Jacob Elordi, who plays the Creature, puts it in his own words. “Frankenstein is a gothic fairy tale,” the actor tells Netflix. “And Guillermo has sucked the essence out of the text in terms of family; in particular, father-son relationships. For me, the film is a conversation with your father, the archetypal father-son relationship.”
What happened to Victor’s mother?
Victor’s mother Claire dies in childbirth, causing Victor to blame his father, Leopold, for failing to save her. This inspires Victor to try and conquer death itself.
Who Plays Victor’s Mother in Frankenstein?
Mia Goth plays both Victor’s mother, and later his romantic fixation, Elizabeth. To distinguish them, the actress wore a red veil over light prosthetics, and spoke in French.
“I needed the same actor that plays the mother to play Elizabeth,” del Toro says. “Many men fall in love with their mothers, but they don’t realize it, in a primitive Freudian way.”
Why Does Victor Burn the Tower Down?
In “Frankenstein,” Victor burns down the tower out of disgust for what he has created. He gives the Creature one last chance to say any word other than ‘Victor’. When the Creature says ‘Elizabeth,’ Victor sets the tower ablaze.
However, upon hearing the Creature crying out in anguish, Victor attempts to rescue him. When Victor opens the front door to the tower, an explosion knocks him flying and injures his leg. Unbeknownst to Victor, the Creature manages to break out his chains and escape through a drainage system.
What Happens to Victor in Frankenstein?
As Victor lays wounded on Captain Anderson’s ice-locked ship, he is cornered by the Creature. Instead of finishing him off, the Creature chooses to forgive its maker. Victor asks him to say his name one last time. The Creature says “Victor”, and Victor dies peacefully, partially redeemed for his past sins.
“The first part of the movie is told from the point of view of the scientist, Victor,” del Toro says. “And the second part is when your kids come to you and say, ‘This is what you did wrong.’ And you have an epiphany, and you go, ‘That’s right.’ ”
“In forgiveness is where the Creature learns that he can finally be human,” Elordi says. “The only way he discovers that is not through violence or revenge. It’s through actually seeing another person and understanding them and understanding his father’s flaws and that his father came from somewhere as well.”
What Happens to the Creature at the end of Frankenstein?
After forgiving Victor, the Creature leaves the ship under the protection of Captain Anderson, who allows him safe passage through the crowd of distressed sailors. As a parting gift, the Creature pushes the ship with all his might and frees it from the ice.
The final scene shows the Creature with his arms outstretched, basking in the Arctic sun. A single tear rolls down his cheek.
“Frankenstein is about somebody accepting life in the absence of death,” del Toro says, “being blissful any moment you’re alive.”