Barbarian ending explained: Tess, the Mother, and the final twist that reveals the real monster

Barbarian, the 2022 film from writer-director Zack Cregger, may seem like a conventional edge-of-the-seat horror thriller with the usual twists and heightened chills. However, it slowly unpeels its thematic layers by showing how gender affects how the characters react to their creepy situations. It is when and why they choose to act upon them that explains what happens in the film's final moments. Before diving into the specifics of the ending, let's first understand what the film is about.

The film's official synopsis reads:

"In “Barbarian,” a young woman traveling to Detroit for a job interview books a rental home. But when she arrives late at night, she discovers that the house is double booked, and a strange man is already staying there. Against her better judgment, she decides to spend the evening, but soon discovers that there’s a lot more to fear than just an unexpected house guest."

The film was theatrically released in September 2022, with a positive response from the critics. Starring Georgina Campbell, Bill Skarsgård, and Justin Long, the film is now available to stream on Netflix.

Toward the end of Barbarian, we see Tess surviving the horrifying chapter that ensues in the basement. However, it's not AJ but the Mother who protects Tess from dying from a fall. Let's unpack how these final moments play in Barbarian's underlying awareness of gender dynamics.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers. Reader's discretion is advised.

What is the plot of Barbarian?

Barbarian begins with Tess (Georgina Campbell), a young woman, setting foot in an Airbnb in Detroit for a job interview. There, she meets Keith (Bill Skarsgård), who claims the house has been double-booked. She decides to spend the evening, but stays on guard about this stranger. At night, she wakes up to find her bedroom door open. Keith claims he didn't open it, but that doesn't quell her worries.

After the job interview, she returns and accidentally locks herself in the basement. Soon, he frees her, but out of curiosity, walks back in despite her specifically warning against doing so. After a long wait for him to come out, she enters the basement and finds him hurt. Within moments, a deformed woman, dubbed The Mother, attacks and kills him.

Suddenly, the film pivots to the story of AJ (Justin Long), who owns the home. AJ returns home to sell it to get the funds for the legal fees against the r*pe allegations against him. He is surprised to find people staying there. However, he is far from worried. Instead, he is concerned about how to profit from the basement space, even if it puts Tess and Keith in danger. It leads him to get trapped in a room with The Mother, who tries to breastfeed him, leaving Tess a chance to escape.

What happens at the end of Barbarian?

A still from Barbarian (Image via YouTube/20th Century Studios)

AJ rushes to a basement room that The Mother refuses to enter. There, he finds Frank (Richard Brake) and sympathizes with him, only to realize that he is the actual monster who trapped and r*ped multiple women in the basement. Tess informs the police about the basement, but they do not trust her based on her untidy appearance. Even then, she tries to help AJ and runs over The Mother, seemingly killing her.

Yet, at the end of Barbarian, it's not AJ but The Mother who saves her from dying. AJ is so self-centered that he doesn't mind throwing Tess down a tower to protect himself. However, his heedless choices led to his tragic fate. In the film's final moments, The Mother kills AJ and tries to comfort Tess, who shoots her with a heavy heart. This final twist shifts our perspective of The Mother.

Throughout the film, The Mother is shown as a monstrous figure. Yet, the final moments show her concern for Tess, which reveals her solidarity with women. The ending of Barbarian shows The Mother in a new light as she connects with Tess over their shared fear of men in their lives. It reveals the film's underlying thematic layer about how unfairly women have been treated throughout history.

Frank subjected the Mother to endless torture, leading her to her sorry state. Whether he, Keith, or AJ, their flaws and unguardedness lead to their demise. Keith is driven by curiosity, AJ by greed, and Frank by his sadistic desires. Tess gets herself into trouble whenever she tries to save any of these men. However, unlike them, it's The Mother who protects her.