**Understanding the Ending of “Bugonia”: A Deep Dive into Yorgos Lanthimos’ Cosmic Absurdity**
*Contains spoilers for “Bugonia.”*
The ending of *Bugonia*, the latest provocative film from director Yorgos Lanthimos (*Poor Things*, *Kinds of Kindness*), may not be impossible to predict. The film’s central question—whether healthcare executive Michelle Fuller (Emma Stone) is an alien—can only be answered in one of two ways, and one is definitely more tantalizing than the other.
If you’re curious, even looking up genre classifications or learning that *Bugonia* is a remake of *Save the Green Planet!*—Jang Joon-hwan’s 2003 South Korean cult classic ranked by Looper as the 15th best apocalyptic movie of all time—could spoil the surprise. Watching or reading about the original film also unveils major plot points.
Yet, even if you guess the reveal correctly, experiencing it play out remains a wild ride. The final act’s escalating violence, culminating in and following the big reveal, is as disturbing as it is outlandish. There’s a lot to process here, which fits Lanthimos’ signature style—*Poor Things* was his only film with a happy ending, and even that was complex to digest.
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### What Does the Ending of *Bugonia* Mean?
What are we supposed to take away from this bleak, cosmic absurdity? The film’s narrative centers on Teddy Gatz (Jesse Plemons), a beekeeper and conspiracy theorist who believes humanity is under threat from “Andromedan” aliens. His obsession drives him to manipulate his autistic cousin Don (Aidan Delbis) into helping him kidnap Michelle Fuller, CEO of the pharmaceutical company Auxolith, whom Teddy suspects is an alien in disguise.
After the abduction, they shave Michelle’s hair—believed to be how Andromedans communicate—and imprison her in a basement. Much of the story unfolds as Teddy relentlessly pressures Michelle to confess before the anticipated arrival of her mothership during a lunar eclipse.
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### Behind Teddy’s Rage
Dream sequences and conversations reveal the emotional core fueling Teddy’s fanaticism: his mother, Sandy (Alicia Silverstone), was left comatose after a drug test conducted by Michelle’s company. This tragic event molds Teddy’s worldview and justifies his violent crusade in his mind.
While Don is forbidden to speak to Michelle—to prevent him from empathizing with her—Teddy subjects Michelle to electroshock torture, interpreting her high pain tolerance as proof of her alien royal status.
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### The Dinner Interruptions and Tragic Climax
Teddy allows Michelle, whom he now calls the “Queen,” to come upstairs for dinner, where their tense argument escalates into a physical fight. This is abruptly interrupted when local cop Casey (Stavros Halkias) arrives for an investigation.
While Teddy engages Casey upstairs, Don guards Michelle in the basement, shotgun pointed at her. Michelle tries to connect with Don, appealing to his conscience and loneliness, even offering a chance to escape to space if he turns Teddy in.
Feeling utterly lost and overwhelmed, Don points the gun at his own head—and shoots himself. Hearing the gunshot, Teddy kills Casey, marking a violent and tragic climax.
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### A Reflection of Our Times
*Bugonia* is arguably one of the most brutal political films of the year. According to film critic Tracy, the film’s bleak ending resonates even more given today’s harsh political climate and escalating environmental crises.
He reasons that the sense of hopelessness around climate catastrophe and humanity’s tenuous relationship with the planet amplifies the film’s impact compared to *Save the Green Planet!* twenty-two years ago. “Probably as time has gone on and the climate catastrophe has felt increasingly urgent, and for some people hopeless, that feeling of our relation to the planet and trying to imagine what the planet might look like without us—and what our role is—feels much more top of mind. The ending feels a bit more reactive around that,” Tracy explains.
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Yorgos Lanthimos’ *Bugonia* leaves audiences grappling with profound questions about identity, trust, and humanity’s future. Its cosmic absurdity and unsettling final moments challenge viewers to confront uncomfortable truths—not just about the characters, but ourselves and the world we inhabit.
https://www.looper.com/2007640/bugonia-movie-ending-explained/
