For over ten years, the Conjuring universe has been the horror fan’s comfort food. They have been serving us with jump scares, cursed trinkets and the unshakable duo of Ed and Lorraine Warren. Every film stretched the mythology wider, but always snapped back to the heartbeat of the franchise and that’s their bond. With The Conjuring: Last Rites ending, director Michael Chaves finally puts a bookend on their ghost-hunting legacy.
But please don’t mistake this for just another haunted-house flick. This last chapter weaves together a family, faith and farewell, delivering both goosebumps and a gut-punch. And that ending? It has the fans buzzing and arguing in online forums. It feels like a definitive end, but it also leaves a little crack in the door open for more stories. It’s like the universe is waving goodbye with one hand while holding the other open for a potential spin-off.
⚠️ Spoiler Alert: This article dives into every detail of The Conjuring: Last Rites ending. If you haven’t seen the film yet, stop here, grab your popcorn and come back after the credits roll.
The Curse of the Mirror
The Smurl family’s nightmare begins when an ordinary looking mirror becomes a portal which allows sinister demonic presence to enter their home and torment them. The Warrens recognize the object from the past, but this time it cuts deeper.
The mirror isn’t just haunting the Smurl family; it’s actually a terrifying reflection of the decades of evil the Warrens have fought. It becomes a crucial turning point. To smash it, they have to confront not only the demon but also their own family’s future.
Ed’s Failing Strength
In the final moments, Ed Warren is prepared to perform an exorcism. It should be his defining stand, but for the first time, he isn’t able to pull it off. Age, exhaustion and the demon’s power overwhelm him. Watching Ed stumble is gut-wrenching because we’ve always seen him as the steady anchor in these battles.
This moment of weakness doesn’t feel like failure, it’s totally human. It reminds us that even the bravest fighters reach a breaking point. The battle isn’t lost, though. Someone else must step forward.
Judy’s Awakening
Judy has always been on the sidelines, sheltered from her parents’ terrifying work. But in the final battle, Lorraine realizes that their only chance at victory lies in embracing Judy’s psychic powers, the very thing they’ve always tried to keep hidden.
The sequence is incredibly intense. As Judy stands before the mirror, her psychic visions come crashing in, overwhelming her with both demonic horror it contains and the incredible power she’s been hiding. With her parents at her side, she stops fighting her gift, embraces it and channels her power to help break the mirror, putting an end to the haunting once and for all.
This is more than just a victory for the Smurl family. It’s a moment where the torch is symbolically passed. After decades of carrying the immense burden of battling evil, Ed and Lorraine’s legacy is now officially in their daughter’s hand.
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Breaking the Cycle
With the mirror destroyed, the Smurls are finally free. But it’s all not over yet. The victory isn’t followed by a celebratory finale, instead, we learn that the family remains in the house for three more years without being bothered again. This was the most chilling part of the epilogue.
The most unsettling part of the ending of The Conjuring: Last Rites is the final shot, where the mirror’s shattered fragments are locked away in the Warrens’ infamous collection of cursed artifacts. It’s a powerful statement that evil isn’t destroyed, just put in a box, for now.
The destruction of the mirror closes one chapter but also emphasizes a recurring theme that evil never disappears entirely, it only hides, waiting to resurface. The museum itself is proof of that.
The Wedding and the Vision
The film leaps forward to Judy’s wedding, a moment of profound peace, tenderness and joy. It is a complete escape from the terror that just unfolded. Here, among their loved ones, the Warrens aren’t paranormal investigators; they’re simply a loving mother and father celebrating their daughter’s happiness.
During the ceremony, Lorraine experiences a vision. Unlike the terrifying ones of the past, this vision shows peace: she and Ed growing old together, surrounded by love. It’s a rare moment of calm that feels like a gift from the filmmakers to the audience.
The Real-Life Farewell
The movie closes with on-screen text about the Warrens’ real lives. It notes their retirement after this case and acknowledges their deaths years later. This final touch grounds the supernatural tale in reality, reminding viewers that Ed and Lorraine were real people who dedicated their lives to helping others.
The film leaves fans with a bittersweet, yet a powerful sense of closure. It’s not just an ending, it’s a heartfelt goodbye that acknowledges the long, difficult road the Warrens have traveled, giving their journey a peaceful and well-deserved closure.
What The Conjuring: Last Rites Ending Means
The Conjuring: Last Rites ending works on multiple levels. On the surface, it’s the defeat of a demon and the liberation of a family. But thematically, it’s about legacy. Ed and Lorraine can finally step back, knowing Judy is ready to carry forward their work.
It also underlines the franchise’s constant message that evil is relentless, but so is love. The Warrens’ bond, Judy’s bravery and the Smurls’ survival are all testaments to that.
The vision Lorraine sees is perhaps the most haunting scene of all, not because it’s scary, but because it’s serene. It gives us a glimpse of Warrens’ true victory, finding peace after decades of darkness.
Will the Franchise Continue?
While the film feels like a finale, it doesn’t slam the door shut. Judy’s awakening left room for new stories. Could she become the face of future films? Or will the cursed items in the museum lead to spin-offs, much like Annabelle or The Nun?
The Conjuring: Last Rites ending makes one thing clear that the Warrens’ chapter is one, but the world they lived in is still full of demons waiting to be unleashed.
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Final Thoughts on The Conjuring: Last Rites Ending
The Conjuring: Last Rites ending delivers a rare thing in horror, a conclusion that’s scary, emotional and deeply satisfying. It pays tribute to Ed and Lorraine while pushing the narrative toward a new generation.
The mirror case ties back to the saga’s roots, Judy’s role pushes the story forward and the wedding scene closes it with heart. Whether you’ve been a fan since the first Conjuring or just love a good scare, this ending hits the sweet spot between horror and humanity.
The Conjuring: Last Rites ending doesn’t just close a film. It closes a legacy.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the cursed object in The Conjuring: Last Rites?
The cursed mirror is the central object. It connects to the Smurl family haunting and directly ties to the Warrens’ past.
2. Why can’t Ed finish the exorcism?
Ed’s strength fails him in the final confrontation, showing his limits after years of battling supernatural forces.
3. How does Judy help defeat the demon?
Judy embraces her psychic abilities, long suppressed, and uses them to shatter the mirror and end the haunting.
4. What happens in the wedding scene?
The movie jumps to Judy’s wedding. Lorraine has a peaceful vision of the future, and the Warrens’ retirement is confirmed.
5. Does the film set up future stories?
Yes. While Ed and Lorraine’s journey ends, Judy’s awakening leaves the door open for possible spin-offs in the Conjuring universe.