Warning: SPOILERS ahead for Presence.Director Steven Soderbergh’s Presence crafts an enthralling supernatural mystery in which an unseen ghost haunts a suburban home. The spirit’s idenтιтy is a mystery to the characters in Presence for most of the film, as the audience only sees the events taking place from the ghost’s point of view. However, Presence‘s ending scene reveals the ghost is Tyler (Eddy Maday) to both Rebekah (Lucy Liu) and the audience.
It’s a shocking, well-executed twist, especially given that the ghost is able to hide itself from both the Payne family and the audience throughout Presence. The way that Tyler’s ghost shows itself when it does fits with his character’s journey as a spirit finding its purpose in the afterlife. It also ends this unconventional horror film on a haunting and cathartic note for Rebekah, Tyler, and the rest of their family.
Presence’s Ghost Looks At Itself In The Mirror At The End
The Presence Only Shows Its Face In The Film’s Final Moments
In the ending of Presence, as the Payne family is moving out of their house, Rebekah sees her son Tyler in the mirror’s reflection just as the Presence looks into it. This moment is the only time when the Presence sees itself in the mirror, finally showing that Tyler was the spirit all along. This revelation causes Rebekah to scream and break down in tears, with the Presence leaving her as her family consoles her. Notably, the film sets up this reveal of the Presence’s idenтιтy from early in the story.
Cece (Julia Fox), the realtor who sells the house to the Payne family, points out the silver nitrate glᴀss mirror in the living room, indicating it will play a significant role later in the film. It is implied that this particular mirror has unique properties that allow it to show spirits, as seen when Tyler’s reflection appears in it and no other mirrors throughout the movie. Whether or not only this mirror could reveal ghosts, the film succeeds in setting up its role in presenting Tyler’s spirit in the final scene.
Presence’s Ghost Wasn’t Visible Before Because Its Idenтιтy Was A Mystery
The Film Suggests The Presence Itself Didn’t Know Who It Is
When the medium Lisa (Natalie Woolams-Torres) investigates the Payne family’s house, she claims that the Presence haunting their home is confused and “suffering” like them. She also states that the Presence is struggling to understand its place in the afterlife, confusing different points in time as it tries to figure things out. This scene implies that the Presence didn’t even know who it was before it died and was still trying to piece together its idenтιтy and purpose.
Only then does Tyler’s spirit finally look straight at himself in the mirror, accepting the fact that he is ᴅᴇᴀᴅ while revealing himself to Rebekah.
Likewise, chances are that the Presence doesn’t figure out the truth about itself until the end of the movie. It is only after helping Tyler save Chloe’s (Callina Liang) life and witnessing his death that the Presence can clearly see who it is and how it died. Only then does Tyler’s spirit finally look straight at himself in the mirror, accepting the fact that he is ᴅᴇᴀᴅ while revealing himself to Rebekah.
Presence’s Ghost Made Itself Visible To Give The Mom Closure
The Presence Gives Itself & Rebecca The Ability To Move On
Rebekah is clearly terrified when Tyler shows himself at the end of Presence. However, this final glimpse at her son lets her know that he is the Presence and that he was trying to protect Chloe from Ryan (West Mulholland) throughout the movie. This moment also seems to have brought Rebekah closer to her family after being so distant from them for most of the film. As Chris (Chris Sullivan) and Chloe hold and comfort her after she sees Tyler’s ghost, his death seems to have inadvertently made his family stronger than ever.
Not only that; Tyler’s spirit is finally able to move on to the afterlife after it reveals itself to Rebeckah. It is only after this moment that the Presence leaves the house for the first and last time in the film. This signifies that the spirit is no longer bound to the house now that its purpose has been fulfilled, allowing it to ascend into the Great Beyond.
After helping the living Tyler save Chloe, the Presence realizes who it is and what he was meant to do, literally and symbolically seeing itself for the first time.
The ghost in Presence only showing itself once in the film’s final scene shows how far the spirit has come as a character. After helping the living Tyler save Chloe, the Presence realizes who it is and what he was meant to do, literally and symbolically seeing itself for the first time. Tyler’s ghost revealing himself to Rebekah not only brings her closer to her family but also lets them know that it was always looking out for them. And with the camera hovering above the house, the film ends on an emotionally transcendent note fitting for this supernatural family drama.
