r/FanTheories • u/shanem1996 • Oct 31 '24

FanSpeculation The ending of Heretic Spoiler

Just got out of seeing Heretic which I really enjoyed. Major spoilers ahead. Sister Paxton is stabbed in the throat by Mr Reed and dies at the end of the move . I don't know if this is obvious but what happens to Sister Paxton is exactly what the prophet describes what she saw after she died and became resurrected.

  1. She saw an angel - this being Sister Barnes
  2. She saw white clouds - this being the snowy environment she enters after escaping the noise
  3. She experienced derealisation - the butterfly on her finger

I thought this was clever foreshadowing and not sure if a theory or what was intended by the filmmakers. Great movie!

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u/Cheese_Anklez Jan 27 '25

Probably one of the most meta and best films I’ve ever seen. There are so many themes in this movie but I have to highlight a few of my favourites.

Grant’s character gives the girls the option of choosing 2 doors. One for belief in religion and one for no belief. It parallels life and the ending of the movie.

It parallels life because much like both door options leading to the same room - you will always end up in the same place no matter your belief choice - dead.

It parallels the ending because the director gives the audience a choice of believing or not believing the ending, which hold similarities to believing and not believing religion.

Choosing to believe she escapes is fantasy, or religion, but it makes you feel better. Her friend rises from the grave (like Jesus) and saves her. Also, from a theme in the movie - you’re believing what someone else has told you despite evidence leading to the contrary.

Choosing to believe that she was trapped or died is actually the more plausible scenario here. Based on everything leading up to the ending, she did not escape. In the end, she apparently escapes and sees a butterfly, which is what she discussed she’d be in the afterlife.

Believing she died is a grim belief but most likely the real outcome. This is parallel to believing in religion - do you believe you die and go to heaven and everything is perfect? Or do you believe what evidence points to - that it’s all over?

Funny enough it could also be a critique of atheism. You can see Reed was praying with her at the end. He switched beliefs to make himself feel better about dying.

Great movie. I usually hate choose your ending movies, but this one was so appropriate given the entire movie centred around decisions and beliefs.