Possessor Ending Explained
TL;DR:
The ending of Possessor (2020) is a brutal, psychologically complex culmination of identity dissolution and corporate control. Protagonist Tasya Vos (Andrea Riseborough) is a corporate assassin who uses brain-implant technology to possess other people's bodies and carry out hits. In the finale, she becomes trapped in the mind of her latest host, Colin Tate (Christopher Abbott), after he resists her control. The two engage in a violent mental and physical battle for dominance, culminating in Tasya seemingly winning by killing Colin's body-but at the cost of her own identity. The film ends ambiguously, suggesting Tasya may now be permanently merged with Colin's consciousness or that her employers have betrayed her.
Detailed Explanation of the Ending
The climax of Possessor occurs after Colin Tate, the host body Tasya is possessing, begins fighting back against her control. Through sheer willpower, Colin regains partial autonomy, leading to a nightmarish struggle where both identities vie for dominance. This battle is visualized through surreal, grotesque imagery-faces melting, bodies contorting-symbolizing the disintegration of self. In the final confrontation, Tasya, still in Colin's body, murders her own physical form (played by Jennifer Jason Leigh), severing her only tether to reality. The act is both a victory and a defeat: she eliminates Colin's resistance but loses her original body, leaving her identity in flux.
The film's last scene shows Tasya (in Colin's body) returning to her employer, Girder, where she is debriefed. However, subtle cues-her hesitation when asked personal questions, her unfamiliarity with her "son"—hint that she may no longer be purely Tasya. The ending deliberately avoids clarity, leaving open whether Tasya has fully overwritten Colin, if Colin's consciousness has infected hers, or if Girder has orchestrated her erasure as part of a larger conspiracy. The cold, clinical tone of the finale underscores the film's themes of dehumanization and corporate exploitation.
Unresolved Questions & Possible Answers
Is Tasya still herself at the end?
- Possibility 1: Yes, but fragmented - Colin's memories have altered her.
- Possibility 2: No, she's now a hybrid of Tasya and Colin.
- Possibility 3: Girder has implanted a new persona entirely.
Did Girder intend for this outcome?
- Possibility 1: Yes, they wanted to erase Tasya for knowing too much.
- Possibility 2: No, it was an unpredictable system failure.
What does the melting-face hallucination signify?
- Interpretation 1: Literal brain damage from the possession tech.
- Interpretation 2: Metaphor for identity erosion.
Personal Opinion
Possessor's ending is a masterclass in body horror and psychological dread. By refusing a clean resolution, director Brandon Cronenberg forces the audience to sit with the horror of lost selfhood. The ambiguity is frustrating but purposeful-it mirrors Tasya's own confusion. The film critiques capitalism's commodification of identity, with Tasya becoming another disposable tool. Riseborough and Abbott deliver chilling performances, especially in the visceral finale. While some may crave closure, the open-endedness lingers, making the film unforgettable. It's not just a gory thriller but a bleak meditation on autonomy in a world where even the mind can be hijacked.
Themes Reinforced by the Ending
- Identity Fragmentation: The ending proves Tasya's identity was always unstable-her job required her to discard her humanity.
- Corporate Control: Girder's indifference to her fate suggests employees are expendable.
- Violence as Self-Destruction: Tasya's physical death mirrors her psychological death earlier.
In summary, Possessor's ending is a harrowing, thought-provoking conclusion to a film that challenges viewers to question where the self truly resides-and what happens when that self is stolen.