The Iron Claw Ending Explained

Warning: This post contains spoilers for The Iron Claw. There are also mentions of suicide and addiction throughout

The Iron Claw is relentlessly sad, but its ending provides a modicum of hope. Based on the true story of the Von Erich family, The Iron Claw stars Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, and Holt McCallany, who portray the various members of the legendary wrestling family. Written and directed by Sean Durkin, the biopic, which has received a positive critical reception, ends with Kerry’s suicide in 1993. Kerry had been struggling with drug addiction, having taken painkillers for years after his motorcycle accident. Kerry had called Kevin to tell him that he couldn’t do it anymore, but Kevin told him to hold on and that things would be okay.

Kevin couldn’t come to him at that moment, but he called their father, Fritz Von Erich. Kerry uses the very gun he gifted Fritz for Christmas to die by suicide beneath the tree in the front yard of the boys’ childhood home. Kevin finds Kerry and carries him back into the house. After his brother’s death, Kevin decides to sell his father’s company so that he can afford a better life for his growing family with Pam. Fritz is angry with Kevin, but after losing all of his brothers, Kevin is less bothered by his father’s ire. The Iron Claw ends with Kevin watching his sons play in the yard.

Why Kevin’s Kids Keep The Von Erich Name Despite The Curse

Kevin believed the Von Erich family was cursed to suffer multiple tragedies. The curse is the reason Kevin ensured his children were given the surname Adkisson — his family’s original surname — at birth. However, Kevin’s two sons, Marshall and Ross, would take up the Von Erich name when they became professional wrestlers in the 2010s. Kevin’s children likely wanted to honor their family and their late uncles. In reality, Kevin doesn’t actually believe the Von Erich name is cursed, and it’s been in their wrestling family for decades. The Von Erich surname is an important one for Marshall and Ross (via Forbes), and they continue using it with respect to their family legacy.

Why Fritz Never Let Kevin Compete As Heavyweight Champion

Kevin kept getting passed over to compete as heavyweight champion despite training the most for it. Fritz chose David over Kevin, however, because he believed him to be stronger and able to do things Kevin couldn’t. Fritz also didn’t think Kevin wanted it badly enough — the patriarch saw Kevin’s showmanship as superior to his skills as a wrestler, which pushed Fritz to make the decision to center David despite Kevin being first in line. Kevin was initially jealous of his brother, but he also realized he didn’t truly want it; Kevin simply enjoyed wrestling with his family, and that’s what he focused on thereafter.

After David’s death, Kevin would once again be passed over for younger brother Kerry to compete for the title of NWA World Heavyweight Champion, which Kerry would eventually win in a match against rival Ric Flair. Each time Kevin was passed over for one of his brothers, including Mike, it was because Fritz didn’t see that potential in Kevin the way he did his other sons. When Kevin finally competed against Ric Flair for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship Title, he didn’t win. The title meant a lot to Fritz, who was obsessed with winning it. But in his eyes, Kevin was never good enough for it.

How Did Jack Junior Die?

In total, Fritz and Doris Von Erich had six sons, five of which lived to adulthood. Kevin mentions to Pam that he’s not actually the oldest Von Erich son, but the second. The eldest, born Jack Barton Adkisson, Jr., was born in 1952 and died at the age of six. His death is only alluded to in The Iron Claw, with Kevin stating that he once had a brother and then he didn’t. The reality is that Jack Junior was electrocuted after coming into contact with a trailer tongue, after which he fell into a snow puddle and drowned. Kevin was only two years old when it happened.

What The Iron Claw Leaves Out About The Von Erich’s Real Life

Despite The Iron Claw being based on a true story, the biopic doesn’t include every detail from the Von Erich family’s life. The youngest brother, Chris Von Erich, isn’t featured at all in the film. Chris was also a wrestler and died by suicide in 1991 at the age of 21, four years after Mike’s death. What’s more, Kerry was married and had two children of his own, though The Iron Claw leaves them out entirely. By the time of his death in 1993. Kerry and his wife were divorced. One of his children, Lacey Von Erich, would follow in the footsteps of her father to become a wrestler.

The Iron Claw also changes the aftermath of Kerry’s death; it isn’t Kevin who finds him after his suicide, but Fritz. It’s possible this was altered because the film is primarily seen from Kevin’s perspective. What’s more, Kevin’s two sons are shown in the biopic, but his first two children were daughters: Kristen and Jillian Adkisson. Ross and Marshall were not born until 1988 and 1992, respectively, though the film depicts them being several years old by the time of Kerry’s death.

What Happened To The Von Erich Family After The Iron Claw

The Iron Claw briefly touches upon Fritz and Doris’ marriage, but it doesn’t depict their union too deeply. The couple divorced in 1992 after 42 years together. Doris later moved to Hawaii, where Kevin and Pam had relocated and bought a ranch, until she died in 2015 at the age of 82. Fritz lived in Texas until 1997, when he died at the age of 68 from lung and brain cancer. Kevin and Pam had four children together, and several grandchildren, with whom they lived on their farm. They moved back to Texas in 2023. After retiring from wrestling, Kevin mostly disappeared from the spotlight and worked in investment.

The Real Meaning Of The Iron Claw’s Ending

The Iron Claw’s ending hits hard emotionally. And although the film is centered on the Von Erich family’s wrestling legacy, the ending drives home the importance of Kevin’s relationship with his brothers. When all is said and done, Kevin tried to put his brothers first, and the film is as much a love letter to the brothers as it is anything else. The care and devotion they showed to each other, and the fact that they always had each other’s backs are given the spotlight over the tragedies, which have colored the family’s history in the decades since. The film centers themes of love and grief as its driving force.

The Iron Claw also reveals how parental pressure — especially when it comes to succeeding and pushing someone too far for the sake of it — affects children’s mental and emotional health. Fritz wasn’t thinking of his sons, but of what it would mean for the family’s reputation to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. The Iron Claw’s ending underscored the differences between Kevin and Fritz, who often butted heads, and how they operated when it came to their family. Kevin put his family first, even selling his father’s company, so he could provide for Pam and their children, while Fritz sought acclaim at the expense of his family’s needs.