The Hand That Rocks the Cradle ending explained: Here's what happened to Polly

The Hand That Rocks the Cradle is a film in the thriller genre that was released on Hulu on October 22, 2025. Directed by Michelle Garza Cervera, the film is penned by Micah Bloomberg. A remake of the namesake 1992 title, the film is produced by Ted Field, Mike Larocca, and Michael Schaefer.

Here is the official synopsis as per Letterboxd:

"Suburban couple Caitlin and Miguel Morales hire seemingly sweet Polly to take care of their newborn baby. But Polly’s true motives have little to do with singing lullabies — much to the horror of the couple."

Let's explore how the film ends and what happens to Polly Murphy.

What is the plot of The Hand That Rocks the Cradle?

The Hand That Rocks the Cradle focuses on the lives of a couple, Caitlin Morales (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and Miguel Morales (Raúl Castillo), and their newborn baby Josie. They hire a babysitter named Polly Murphy (Maika Monroe), who, unbeknownst to them, has her own intentions. As the story progresses, the two discover her backstory in relation to their own past.

How does The Hand That Rocks the Cradle end?

Towards the end of The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, Caitlin recalls her own childhood memory after talking to Emma about Polly. She quickly able to piece together the true identity of Polly. The two have a conversation where Caitlin explains her past actions, stating that she only chose to set the house on fire to save herself from Polly's father, who was abusing her as well as his daughter. Polly eventually realizes how Caitlin's actins affected her childhood,

Polly then stabs Caitlin and reveals that she plans to take over her life and adopt Emma. After a brief tussle, Caitlin manages to escape with Josie inside a car, on which Polly jumps. Her car collides, and Polly is thrown out. After the accident, Caitlin comes out of the car and tries to comfort Polly, who is breathing her last.

In the last scene of The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, the storyline moves a few months and we see Caitlin sitting around a fireplace. She looks at Miguel and asks about Emma. He tells her that Emma is with Josie and is reciting a story that Polly had earlier told them. This means that Polly is still with the family even though she is gone. Her stories will remain with everyone as a testament to the impact she had on all these individuals.

While the conventional antagonist of the film dies in the end, the makers avoid lionizing it. In a Screen Rant interview, Mary Elizabeth Winstead shared this sentiment when asked about the ending. She said Caitlin just wants to be who she has always wanted to be, and there is no celebration of the antagonist's end.

"[It's not like] this triumphant ending of getting the bad guy in the end. There is relief in that, at least now, Caitlin gets to just be who she is [as it could] lead to more happiness for her down the road."

What do you think about the film's ending?