Midsommar ending explained

What happens

Dani chooses Christian as the final sacrifice. He is sewn into a bear carcass, the temple is set on fire, and Dani, crowned in flowers, smiles. She has traded a partner who failed her for a community that holds her.

The last image

Dani, wearing her flower crown, watches the burning temple and slowly smiles.

Three readings

1 · CatharsisShe is finally freed from grief and from a man who never held her.

2 · CorruptionThe cult has absorbed her, and her joy is a sign of what she has lost.

3 · Both at onceShe is healed and damaged together, which is why the smile unsettles you.

What it says

The film is a breakup story in cult-horror clothing. Dani's need to be held by others is real, and the Hårga meet it, but the price is horrific. The ending lets you feel both the relief and the cost.