Poor Things Ending Explained

Warning: This post contains spoilers for Poor Things

Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, Poor Things ends with Emma Stone’s Bella Baxter living large at Godwin’s estate following his death. The film follows Bella on her journey from Frankenstein-esque creation to a full-fledged woman, and she learns the ways of the world through various experiences that change her and help her understand the complexities of her existence. Poor Things wraps up Bella’s story with her escape from Alfie Blessington’s manor. After changing her mind about marrying Max, Bella goes with Victoria’s husband, but she’s quickly irked by his threats and attempts to control her every movement.

Feeling trapped and wanting to leave, Bella ends up shooting Alfie in the foot and returning with him to her home. With Godwin now dead, Bella performs her first experiment, swapping Alfie’s brain with that of a goat. Bella ends up with her own version of happily ever after. She, Max, Felicity, the woman Godwin experimented on to replicate the scenario with Bella, and Toinette, her friend from the brothel in Paris, live together at Godwin’s estate. Bella has decided to become a doctor, and Alfie wanders around the garden squawking. Duncan is nowhere in sight, but Poor Things’ ending sees Bella in the next stage of her journey.

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Godwin’s Experiment & Bella’s Creation Explained

Dr. Godwin Baxter is a scientist whose own father experimented on him, and, though he didn’t plan on creating someone like Bella, Godwin saw an opportunity he couldn’t pass up when he found Victoria’s nearly dead body on the shore after she jumped off the bridge. Experimenting on Bella by placing Victoria’s baby’s infant mind into the body of a grown woman was intriguing for Godwin, and he was able to examine her growth closely. Scientifically speaking, there had been nothing like Bella before, and Godwin was fascinated by her as an experiment.

More than simply creating Bella for science, however, Godwin was lonely and wanted a companion by his side. His father had always been cruel to him, and Godwin enjoyed the affection Bella gave him as a father figure, and he grew to love her as a daughter. Bella’s presence, and her proclivity for learning, brought Godwin joy and gave him the love he was robbed of in his life. He also understood Bella because he, to a lesser extent, was not a stranger to experimentation, but Bella opened his heart further. Without her, Godwin would have been aimless, solely focused on science, without any affection in his life.

Why Bella Left Max At The Altar For Alfie Blessington

Bella Baxter was endlessly curious. While she seemed content in her decision to marry Max, she wasn’t yet done with exploring and learning. She especially wanted to know the truth, especially after she had been lied to her whole life. So, when Alfie Blessington showed up to stop the wedding, Bella went with him to find out what Victoria’s life was like before being reborn as “Bella.” Victoria was a piece of the puzzle Bella hadn’t quite figured out yet. It’s also possible Bella wasn’t fully convinced she should marry Max; perhaps she felt a life with Alfie would’ve been more interesting, even if she didn’t intend to stay forever.

Does Bella Choose Max Despite Leaving Him For Alfie?

Bella leaves Max at the altar despite agreeing to marry him, and leaves him to go with Blessington. But even after Bella escapes Alfie’s clutches, Poor Things never confirms whether she marries Max upon returning home. The film’s ending sees the pair in good spirits, and there doesn’t seem to be any ill will between them. They continue living their lives and caring for the estate together, but it’s unclear if Bella will ever marry after her experiences with Duncan and Alfie. It’s possible Bella realized she and Max can be together — or live as friends — without the confines of marriage; she can live the way she wants without it.

Why Duncan Reunites Bella & Alfie Despite Wanting To Be With Her

Duncan and Bella ran away together, and they were initially living their best lives. But after Duncan’s attempts to control Bella, she decided he was no good anymore and dumped him. Thereafter, Duncan is rejected by Bella multiple times, and he can’t stand it. Yet despite everything, he wanted to be with her, if only to continue exerting his control. By reuniting Bella and Alfie, Duncan wanted nothing more than to punish Bella for not choosing him.

Duncan knew she had had a life before him, as Victoria, and finding Alfie Blessington for her was his way of making her suffer. Duncan knew that Blessington wouldn’t treat Bella well, that he would try to control her, and he relished the idea that she wouldn’t be happy without him. And if he couldn’t have Bella, then Duncan would make sure she was miserable. In a twisted way, Duncan was probably trying to get Bella to see how good she had it with him; she didn’t, but Duncan was really only thinking of himself and his hurt feelings.

The Real Meaning Behind Bella’s Choice To Become A Doctor

Near the end of Poor Things, Bella decides she wants to become a doctor. For a long time after the cruise, and after she saw the worst in humanity and what life offers to some but not to others, Bella wanted to help the world in her own way. Being a doctor would allow her to do that. She would also be following in Godwin’s footsteps, carrying on his work. Bella has proven she has a knack for performing surgery on Alfie, and it’s likely she wants to continue doing what she feels is justified. Being a doctor would allow her to help people, and to perhaps experiment in future.

What Was Bella’s Life Like Before Her Death & Resurrection?

Before Bella was resurrected by Godwin, she was Victoria Blessington, a wealthy woman who enjoyed engaging in cruelty with Alfie against her staff. Unlike Bella, who wanted nothing more than to explore all that life had to offer, Victoria was seemingly content to remain at home or engage with high society. But Victoria’s pregnancy changed her; she hated the baby, and it’s possible she began to feel trapped — into motherhood and into her life overall. Of course, the audience is never given this information from Victoria herself, but from Alfie. It’s likely there’s more to the story, but Victoria being reborn as Bella gave her an entirely new life.

What Poor Things Changes From Alasdair Gray’s Book

Poor Things is based on Alasdair Gray’s book of the same name, first published in 1992. The film makes multiple and crucial changes to the novel’s premise, while maintaining the crux of the story. In the book, Bella is already married to Max (who is Archibald McCandless here), and she doesn’t live with or have a complex relationship with Dr. Godwin Baxter. It’s Archibald who informs Bella of Godwin’s experimentation and the core of her existence. Bella doesn’t believe his story, but she does end up with Duncan and travels to various locations (though she travels farther in the book, to Central Asia and other parts of Europe beyond France).

How Poor Things Compares To Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein

Poor Things is a response to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, and it criticizes the Victorian era. While Frankenstein is about the consequences of pushing the boundaries of science without thought. It also examines death and the human response to a creature such as Frankenstein’s monster. Poor Things also explores the themes of death and existence. It goes a step further in its study of feminism and identity. Bella’s story is different from Frankenstein because she moves through the world as a woman, and her perspective is affected by this experience.

This is especially the case as multiple men try to mold her mind and control her for their own ends. Poor Things is certainly more of a satire, but Gray and Shelley are essentially interested in exploring the same themes. What does it mean to simply exist, and to die? Both authors grapple with societal norms, though Poor Things delves a bit deeper when it comes to Bella’s experiences, as she contends with life’s inequalities and complexities, and how she is perceived by those who want to manipulate her.