The Social Network ending explained

What happens

Both lawsuits are settled, and a young lawyer tells Mark he isn't a bad person, only someone trying hard to seem like one. Alone, he sends Erica a friend request, then keeps refreshing the page.

The last image

Mark sits alone in the conference room, staring at his laptop and refreshing the page, waiting for Erica to accept.

What it says

The ending shows that winning cost him what he wanted. Mark has connected hundreds of millions of people, yet he's left waiting on one person who ended things at the start. The film makes you feel that loneliness without a speech.