Warning: Major SPOILERS ahead for Netflix's Damsel.
Summary
- Princess Elodie proves herself a hero, not a damsel, in Netflix's Damsel, taking on a dragon and reclaiming her power during the movie's ending.
- Elodie teams up with the dragon during Damsel's final moments, leading to a happy ending for both characters.
- Damsel concludes with King Roderick, Queen Isabelle, and Prince Henry getting their comeuppance before Elodie sails home.
Netflix's new fantasy movie, Millie Bobby Brown stepping into a new type of role — and the ending of the film proves that she's a hero, not a damsel, as she takes her power back. Damsel opens with Elodie reluctantly agreeing to marry a prince from a foreign kingdom, a necessary sacrifice if she hopes to save her people. Little does she know that Prince Henry and his mother have a terrible plan in store for her. With their own people indebted to a dragon whose babies they slayed, Elodie's new "family" lures innocent young women to their kingdom to offer them to the dragon during their wedding ceremony.
Elodie's the latest in a line of young women thrown to the dragon, a creature who doesn't realize she's being deceived. Unlike the women before her, Elodie finds her way out of the dragon's cave — but Queen Isabelle sacrificing her little sister, Floria, to the beast ensures she finds her way back. When Elodie returns to the cave, she bravely takes on the dragon. However, she eventually finds a way to make peace with the creature and show her the truth, resulting in a happy ending for both of them in Damsel.
Damsel is now available to stream on Netflix.
What Happens To Princess Elodie? Damsel's Ending Explained
Princess Elodie Survives Her Plight & Befriends The Dragon
Despite the odds being stacked against her, Princess Elodie survives her plight in Damsel — and she manages to come out of the situation better off than where she started. Brown's character convinces the dragon that she's not her enemy, refusing to kill the creature when she has the chance. The two team up and take their revenge on Queen Isabelle, Prince Henry, and all their companions. Elodie's return interrupts Prince Henry's wedding to the third girl he intends to sacrifice. Elodie tells her to get her people and run before offering the royals the same opportunity.
When they refuse, claiming they have no reason to fear Elodie, she tells them, "It's not me you should fear." She reveals that she has the dragon with her, as an ally instead of an enemy. This is a shock to Queen Isabelle and Prince Henry, both of whom presumably die when the dragon releases her rage upon the castle. While Henry seems eager to be finished with the dragon business, the queen shows little remorse for her actions. Both get their just desserts when the dragon burns down the castle with them inside, finally collecting the payment she was unknowingly robbed of.
Damsel Cast & Character Guide: Who Else Stars In Millie Bobby Brown's Netflix Fantasy Movie
The Netflix fantasy movie Damsel has assembled a stellar cast that includes Millie Bobby Brown as the title character and Robin Wright as a queen.
Why The Dragon Decides To Help Princess Elodie Rather Than Kill Her
The Dragon & Princess Elodie Are Victims Of The Same People
Princess Elodie allying with the dragon marks a turning point in Damsel, and there's a good reason the dragon decides to help the young woman. The dragon only kills princesses because she believes they come from the kingdom above her, and she views it as payment for what happened to her children. Elodie shows her that Queen Isabelle cuts her victims' hands and mixes their blood, deceiving the dragon into thinking that she's sacrificing her own people. Once the dragon realizes she's been killing innocent young women wronged by the same royals, she decides to team up with Elodie rather than kill her.
It helps that Elodie shows her mercy, strengthening the bond between the two characters. And given that they both lose people they love to King Roderick and Queen Isabelle's cruel plans — Elodie's father and the dragon's children — they have quite a lot in common. As it turns out, the Netflix's new fantasy movie, and it plays into both Elodie's and the dragon's conclusions.
What's Next For Princess Elodie & Her Kingdom
Elodie, Floria, & Lady Bayford Will Lead Their People
Following the dragon's destruction, Princess Elodie and her people are briefly shown on a ship sailing home. Although Elodie's father dies trying to save her from the dragon, Lady Bayford survives her encounter with Queen Isabelle's men. She returns home with Elodie and Floria, and the three women discuss their plans to lead the kingdom themselves before boarding the vessel. In this way, Damsel drives home a feminist message: that none of these women need a prince or lord to decide their fates, and that they're better off taking them into their own hands.
Princess Elodie also reveals that they have enough supplies to see their people through the winter, a change from the beginning of the film. It seems that Elodie takes advantage of King Roderick and Queen Isabelle's stores, as it's not clear where else she would get wealth and supplies from. Either way, she won't need to marry in order to keep her people warm and fed — and neither will Floria. The trio gets an optimistic ending in Netflix's Damsel, even if it leaves their fates somewhat open-ended. They aren't quite as open-ended as another character's though.
What Happens To The Dragon At The End Of Damsel
The Dragon's Destination Is Ambiguous
As Elodie and her people are sailing back to their home kingdom, the dragon is shown flying next to them — and it's not entirely clear what's next for her. She claims earlier in the movie that she's the last of her kind, so it's possible she'll attempt to find other dragons out in the world. However, the fact that she and Elodie lock eyes — and that the dragon continues to fly near her ship — suggests she may be accompanying Elodie's people on their journey. After all, if the dragon has no family of her own, it's possible she'll make a home of Elodie's kingdom, with the two becoming close allies.
While the dragon's fate remains ambiguous at the end of Damsel, she does seem to be in a better place than where she started. That's another way her storyline mirrors that of Elodie, and it wouldn't be surprising if these characters stuck together going forward. Sadly, Damsel's conclusion doesn't leave much else on the table, so it's unlikely viewers will get answers in a sequel film. That's a shame, as Damsel's ending happens rather quickly, and there's room to expand on Brown's character and the fantasy lore established in the first installment.
Damsel
- Release Date
- March 8, 2024
- Runtime
- 110 Minutes
- Director
- Juan Carlos Fresnadillo
Cast
Nick Robinson
WHERE TO WATCH
A dutiful damsel agrees to marry a handsome prince, only to find the royal family has recruited her as a sacrifice to repay an ancient debt. Thrown into a cave with a fire-breathing dragon, she must rely on her wits and will to survive
- Writers
- Dan Mazeau
- Where To Stream
- Netflix
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