This article was originally published on SFFGazette.com.
Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey is an epic movie that ends on a surprisingly emotional note. After years of battling monsters, angry gods, and impossible odds, Odysseus finally makes it back to Ithaca, but his journey is far from over.
After watching the film's closing moments, audiences are left to wonder whether Odysseus truly has another journey ahead of him or whether his long voyage has finally reached its end. Here's a full breakdown of how things play out and what it means:
Odysseus Finally Returns Home
Having finally made amends with the Gods—who doomed his voyage back home after he used the Trojan Horse to invade Troy—Odysseus returns to Ithaca to find his kingdom overrun by suitors hoping to marry Penelope. The most dangerous among them is Antinous, who has even arranged for Telemachus to be murdered to clear his path to the throne.
Odysseus saves his son before the assassination can take place, but keeps his identity hidden, disguising himself as a beggar using the name Sinon, the bravest warrior he's ever met. Even after speaking privately with Penelope, he insists he isn't truly home yet, still haunted by the role he played in Troy's destruction and convinced the Greeks broke the sacred laws of Zeus by using the Trojan Horse as a false peace offering.
Penelope gathers the suitors for one final challenge using Odysseus' famous bow and twelve axe heads. None of the men can complete the feat, so the disguised Odysseus steps forward. The moment he strings the bow and succeeds, his identity is revealed.
With the palace sealed, he begins slaughtering the suitors. Antinous attempts to organise a defence, but Telemachus fights alongside his father and the battle quickly turns against the invaders. However, after being marked for killing those men from various noble families under his own roof, Odysseus abdicates the throne and accepts exile as punishment, sailing west with Penelope to make amends for his past actions and to avoid plunging Ithaca into another cycle of bloodshed.
Does Odysseus Die?
While Odysseus defeats the suitors, he's left badly injured by the battle and has several arrows in his back. As Telemachus prepares to lead in his father's absence, there's a brief moment in the throne room between Odysseus and Penelope when it's implied that their westward journey could represent his peaceful passage into the afterlife.
However, he doesn't die in the throne room; instead, as they set off on their journey together, we see that he's heavily bandaged, meaning Odysseus survived his wounds and did not die. Whether he'll find the redemption he seeks is another matter.
The Ending Explained
Rather than giving Odysseus a conventional happy ending, The Odyssey focuses on his redemption. He defeats the men who threatened his family and restores order to Ithaca, but never fully escapes the guilt he's carried since Troy fell. His final journey west symbolises his attempt to find peace after years of violence, loss, and regret.
The movie's closing moments return to the fall of Troy. Revisiting the Trojan Horse and the events that have haunted Odysseus ever since, the movie emphasises that Odysseus still blames himself for what the Trojan Horse unleashed, making the end of his story the beginning of a lifetime of guilt rather than a moment of triumph.
One way to interpret that is that the fall of Troy serves as a reflection on how warfare and the pursuit of victory can leave lasting moral scars. Not unlike today, ideas of civility in everything from warfare to daily life are put to the test, leaving civilisation similarly hanging in the balance. As for Odysseus, he must grapple with his legacy and his role in the beginning of society's downfall.
Does The Odyssey Change The Poem's Ending?
Yes, it does. Unlike Homer's poem, which ends with Athena bringing peace to Ithaca after the slaughter, Nolan gives Odysseus one final voyage. Rather than settling back into life as king, he chooses exile, suggesting that some wounds, even after what some might consider a triumphant victory, can never fully heal.
The Odyssey is now playing in theaters.