The Witch (2015) Movie Explained + Ending Explained: Anya Taylor-Joy’s Terrifying Debut

The Witch Ending Explained: What Happens to Thomasin? Full Movie Breakdown

The Witch (2015) is a gripping folk horror masterpiece from directorRobert Eggers. This article delivers a complete movie explained breakdown plus an in-depth ending explained section. You’ll get the full story, themes, and secrets behind this atmospheric chiller starringAnya Taylor-Joy.

Expect no loose ends as we unpack the Puritan nightmare that launched careers and redefined horror.

The Witch blends historical drama with supernatural dread in 1630s New England. A banished Puritan family faces eerie events on their isolated farm. Runtime clocks in at 92 minutes, creating a mood of slow-building paranoia.

Genre-wise, it’s folk horror with psychological depth, not jump scares. Themes touch faith, family, and the wild unknown. No spoilers here—just the setup for terror.​

SPOILER WARNING

Story Explained

Act 1 Explained

In 1630s New England,Williamleads his devout Puritan family after banishment from their plantation. WifeKatherine, teen daughterThomasin(Anya Taylor-Joy), sonCaleb, and twinsMercyandJonassettle near a dark wood. BabySamuelvanishes whileThomasinwatches him, snatched by a grotesque witch.​

Grief hits hard.Katherineweeps endlessly, blamingThomasin.Williamhunts a supposed wolf, hiding his sale of her silver cup. Tension brews over faith and survival.

Act 2 Explained

Crops fail, paranoia grows.ThomasinandCalebhunt; their dog dies,Calebwanders into the witch’s seductive trap. He returns naked, convulsing, spitting an apple in a demonic fit before dying.​

Twins claimBlack Phillipthe goat talks to them;Thomasinsuspects witchcraft.Williamadmits sendingThomasinaway for servitude. Family locks in the goat shed amid accusations.

Act 3 Explained

Witch slaughters goats and twins off-screen.Williamdies gored byBlack Phillip. MadKatherineattacksThomasin, who kills her in defense with a billhook. Alone,Thomasinconfronts the goat.​

Black Phillipspeaks, offering “delicious” life.Thomasinsigns Satan’s book, strips naked, joins witches in ecstatic flight. Damnation triumphs.

Key Themes Explained

Repressed femininity drives the core conflict in The Witch.Thomasincraves independence amid patriarchal Puritanism; Satan offers what God denies. Nudity symbolizes shedding societal chains for wild liberation.​

Pride doomsWilliam, lust claimsCaleb, envy consumesKatherine. The forest embodies untamed nature vs. rigid faith, blurring evil’s source—inside or out?​

Religious extremism poisons all. Family mirrors witches in fanaticism, trading one dogma for another. Eggers draws from real 17th-century fears.

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Characters Explained

Thomasinevolves from dutiful daughter to empowered witch. Blamed unfairly, her arc rejects repression for raw freedom.Anya Taylor-Joynails her terror-to-triumph shift.​

William‘s stubborn pride isolates them; he preaches piety but fails as provider.Katherineclings to lost babies, resentingThomasin‘s youth. Twins embody childish deceit.​

Calebbattles puberty’s sins, seduced fatally.Black Philliptempts as devilish goat-man, voice of worldly delights.

Twist Explained

The big twist: supernatural evil is real, but family sins invite it. No imagined madness—witch kills Samuel impossibly,Black Phillipmanifests. This grounds psychological horror in folk authenticity.​

Thomasinas “the witch” from start? Subtle hints like shadows suggest her dark feminine awakening. Eggers leaves room for doubt, amplifying dread.​

Movie Ending Explained

Thomasin, bloodied and free, asksBlack Phillipto speak. His deep voice offers: “Wouldst thou like to live deliciously?” She signs the devil’s book, guided by his human form.​

Naked, she joins the witches’ Sabbath, levitating with hysterical laughter. It means embracing damnation for autonomy—escaping Puritan hell for Satanic ecstasy.​

Themes connect: femininity unbound triumphs over repression. Alternate view: hallucination from grief? But film’s realism (historical texts) affirms literal witchcraft. Eggers intended a folktale of real 1630s terrors, shadows of past fears lingering today.​

Performances

Anya Taylor-Joydebuts stunningly asThomasin, shifting from innocence to feral joy with piercing eyes. Her silent stares convey volumes.

Ralph Ineson‘sWilliambooms with patriarchal fury masking weakness; subtle cracks show his unraveling.Kate Dickierages convincingly as grief-maddenedKatherine.​

Kids shine:Harvey Scrimshaw‘s torturedCaleb, twins’ eerie play.Wahab Chaudhry‘s suave devil voice chills. No weak links—authentic accents immerse.

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Direction & Visuals

Robert Eggerscrafts dread via natural light, candlelit interiors casting expressionist shadows. CinematographerJarin Blaschkeuses gloom for unease.​

Desaturated palette evokes bleak New England; forest looms ominous. Editing hides gore, building implication.Mark Korven‘s dissonant score (nyckelharpa, waterphone) heightens isolation.​

Symbolism abounds: apples for temptation, nudity for primal truth. Debut mastery.

Pros and Cons

Pros:Atmospheric immersion, historical accuracy, stellar acting, thematic depth. Slow-burn builds true fear.​

Cons:Dialogue hard to parse (archaic English), divisive ending feels abrupt to some. Not for jump-scare fans.

Balanced horror elevates beyond genre.

Cast

Crew

Who Should Watch?

Fans of slow horror like Hereditary or Midsommar. History buffs,Anya Taylor-Joyenthusiasts, folktale lovers. Skip if hating subtitles or needing fast scares.

Perfect for atmospheric chills on a dark night.

Verdict

The Witch (2015) movie explained reveals a profound folktale of faith’s fragility.Robert EggersandAnya Taylor-Joydeliver haunting excellence. Ending explained cements its legacy—terrifying, thought-provoking triumph.​

Must-watch for smart horror seekers.

Reviews & Rankings

Ranked top 21st-century horror by Hollywood Reporter.

Where to Watch

Stream The Witch onPrime Video(rent/buy) orKanopyin India. Check JustWatch for updates. Perfect OTT pick for horror nights.