The following contains spoilers for The Conjuring: Last RitesThe Conjuring: Last Rites ends the story of Ed and Lorraine Warren, while leaving the door open for future stories within the greater horror franchise. The ninth film in the overall Conjuring franchise, Last Rites focuses on the final investigation of Ed and Lorraine, who have served as the series’ nominal lead heroes.

This last threat ends up targeting their daughter Judy, which brings the franchise’s overtones about the importance of family and faith into the forefront. The result is a dramatic confrontation between the Warrens and an old enemy that, at least, gives way to the best possible ending for the family.

What Happens To The Warrens In The Conjuring: Last Rites

The Warrens ultimately get a happy ending in The Conjuring: Last Rites, concluding the story of Ed and Lorraine on a positive note as the franchise looks to the future without them. Last Rites is largely focused on a mysterious mirror that haunts the Smurl family, which has a deep connection to the Warrens.

After the Warrens confront the spirit within the mirror, Judy and Lorraine are able to combine their abilities to force the demonic enтιтy away. The Smurls are able to move on with their lives, while the film follows the Warrens as they celebrate Judy’s wedding to Tony. This gives the film (and the Warrens) a sweet ending.

The final scene of the film sees Lorraine share a vision with Ed that reveals the happy retirement they have ahead. It’s overall portrayed very positively, with the Warrens soon welcoming grandchildren and then great-grandchildren into their lives thanks to the family that grows around Judy.

The film confirms that Ed and Lorraine retired from active investigations after the Smurl haunting, eventually writing a book and teaching for years before Ed suffered a stroke. Lorraine stayed with Ed until he pᴀssed away a few years later, then followed suit not long after. It’s a bittersweet farewell, giving an uplifting overtone thanks to their happiness.

The final sH๏τ of Ed and Lorraine, dancing at their daughter’s wedding and bathed in soft light from the wedding celebration, serves as a perfectly sweet send-off for one of the most enduring romances in modern horror films. It also gives the series an easy way to move beyond the characters, leaving their final happy ending unspoiled.

How The Conjuring Universe Could Continue After Last Rites

While the story of Ed and Lorraine Warren has concluded by the end of Last Rites, there’s still plenty of potential in the Conjuring franchise. The most obvious direction to take the series would be to shift focus to Judy.

Judy has been a fixture of the franchise, and by the end of Last Rites has grown to accept the abilities she inherited from her mother to see beyond the veil to spot spirits and demonic presences. Other films could revisit Judy and Tony’s own family, exploring the legacy of the Warrens beyond Ed and Lorraine.

Spin-offs like Annabelle and The Nun have proven that The Conjuring universe has plenty of life outside of the Warrens. The franchise could revisit those threads, either showcasing other examples of the demonic and supernatural in this world or finding an excuse to unlock the dangers kept within the Warren’s basement.

The Conjuring films have nominally been connected to real-life cases of supposed hauntings. While many of the ones featured in the films have been directly connected to the Warrens, new films could follow a fresh group of characters or unᴀssuming families as they encounter other scary situations inspired by true accounts.

During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, New Line President Richard Brener teased that Last Rites is only the end of “Phase One,” suggesting there are plans to take the franchise in new directions. Whether that takes the form of Judy’s next adventures or establishing new threats, The Conjuring has plenty of life left in it after Last Rites.

The True Meaning Of The Conjuring: Last Rites

The Conjuring series as a whole has had strong overtones about the importance of faith and family, which is extremely emphasized in The Conjuring: Last Rites. Much of the film’s dramatic tension stems from the horror, grief, and stress that parents can feel when their children are in danger.

This is especially true for Judy (both as a newborn and as an adult), but it extends to the terror the Smurls feel for their daughters once the haunting starts in earnest. In the film, it’s a mixture of faith and resolve that sees the Warrens and the Smurls through, reinforcing those franchise-wide themes.

By relying on both, the Warrens and the Smurls are able to endure the threats that the demon throws their way. The Warrens even make peace amongst themselves, Ed finally aggreeing to step away from the field while Lorraine recognizes Judy’s true strength. It’s a sweet ending for the Warrens, even with the demonic danger.

The film ends with the declaration that the Smurls and the Warrens had their bonds strengthened by their experience, highlighting the film’s portrayal of family as an enduring force in the face of the unknown and unstoppable. Given the film’s ending, it’s clear how important that is as a thematic thread that runs through the Conjuring films as a whole.

By making the demonic threat at the heart of the film the first that the Warrens ever fled (and forcing them to confront it before they can safely retire), The Conjuring: Last Rites creates the ultimate bookends for itself, without ever losing sight of the emotional core of the series as a whole.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter