JOIN OUR WHATSAPP CHANNEL
MaXXXine Ending Explained: Is This The End Of The X Film Series
The final part of Ti West's X trilogy concludes with MaXXXine, which is set in 1980s Hollywood, and features Mia Goth reprising her role as the porno star and final girl from the original movie.
Ti West's MaXXXine, the final film in the X trilogy, has finally arrived in cinemas, marking the end of the series. Following the success of X and Pearl, the two-year wait felt particularly long, especially considering the two previous releases in 2022. MaXXXine follows Maxine Minx, a young actress who escapes Pearl's murderous rage by killing her.
Now a star in Los Angeles, Maxine aspires to break into Hollywood with a lead role in the upcoming horror film, The Puritan II. However, her past haunts her as a mysterious killer stalks her, prompting her to hire private investigator John Labat to bring the stalker to justice. Set in 1985, during the Night Stalker's Satanic panic, MaXXXine features a narrative-dense ending that demands a deeper explanation to connect the franchise to its predecessors.
The setting of MaXXXine
Maxine faces constant threats to her life and freedom in Hollywood, including a warning from her employer, Labat, to visit his address to disclose Pearl's murder. Despite these threats, Maxine resists, assaulting Labat and killing her friend Leon in a video store near her apartment. The film explores themes of balancing personal freedom and career ambition.
After speaking to LAPD detectives Williams and Torres, Maxine arrives late to work and receives a warning from her director, Elizabeth. Shortly after, Labat chases Maxine through Universal Studios. After narrowly escaping, Elizabeth gives Maxine the weekend to sort out her problems, warning that she will never work in Hollywood again if she doesn't.
Maxine, determined to become a star, coaxes her agent Teddy and friend Shepard to follow her out of a nightclub. They are ambushed and knocked out, leading to Labat being handcuffed to his car's steering wheel and crushed to death inside a junkyard compressor. With Labat dealt with, Maxine confronts her problems head-on.
Maxine, with detectives Williams and Torres behind her, enters a Hollywood Hills house and finds a home video playing. The camera pans to her father, Ernest Miller, the mysterious killer, who turns out to be her father, a televangelist.
The climax of MaXXXine
Maxine, with detectives Williams and Torres behind her, enters a Hollywood Hills house and finds a home video playing. The camera pans to her father, Ernest Miller, the mysterious killer, who turns out to be her father, a televangelist. As this revelation becomes apparent, she is captured by Ernest and awakes tied to a tree in the center of the outdoor pool.
Maxine is surrounded by a religious cult, while her father encourages her to repent her moral sins, and accept this as a form of "divine intervention." Comically right on cue, detectives Williams and Torres turn up, and a shoot-out occurs, giving Maxine the perfect opportunity to cut herself free, acquire a shotgun, and pursue Ernest up to the Hollywood sign.
Finding him on the ground, wounded, with a police helicopter flying overhead, Maxine envisions a future where she is celebrated for stopping her father. This leads to Maxine shooting Ernest at point-blank, the true divine intervention she has been missing. Fast-forward to a month later, Maxine continues her work in Hollywood and expresses her desire to always be a star.
How MaXXXine ties the X Film series together
In the series, Goth's desire for stardom is evident in both her roles. Maxine's ambition to break into the adult film industry causes tension with her elderly character Pearl, who remembers her failure to become a star. Pearl's anger leads to a breakdown, resulting in her sister-in-law's murder.
Pearl's careless murders reveal her failed stardom, while Maxine effectively controls her emotions and murders to achieve her desires. She murders Pearl and creates a new identity in LA, while keeping the secret hidden by killing Labat and Ernest.
Despite her confidence, Maxine shows moments of vulnerability that highlight her inner struggles. She panics when a bust is made of her head and becomes distracted when visiting the set of Psycho. These moments are pivotal in Maxine's story, helping her face her past, deal with Labat, and confront the mysterious killer. Maxine succeeds where Pearl failed, becoming unrelenting in her quest to become a star. The closing scenes demonstrate her determination to hold onto her stardom.
The X films are presented as a trilogy, but Ti West has confirmed that the series will be closed for the short term. He hinted at a fourth entry, similar to Pearl, which would be a departure from what we've experienced. Pearl, released six months after X, was a surprise to audiences with its trailer after the credits rolled.
The fourth installment in the saga may not be a direct sequel to Maxine and may take place during a different time period. Pearl, set during the First World War in 1918, is not expected to be set in the future. Despite early speculations, West has confirmed that the next entry is not what people are expecting, which is exciting as Pearl's unique departure contributed to its success.
ALSO READ: Was Gladiator's Iconic Wheat Scene Improvised? Explored
Latest Articles
