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MaXXXine Ending Explained: Killer Identity, Motives & X Trilogy Finale Review

Maxxxine: Unmasking the killer, Motive, and Twisted Plan!

MaXXXine: A Shocking Twist Ending in Ti West's Thrilling X Trilogy Finale!

MaXXXine (2024), the final chapter in Ti West's critically acclaimed X trilogy, takes Maxine Minx (Mia Goth) from adult film star to aspiring actress; resulting in some unexpected changes and problems. This horror masterpiece perfectly blends sex, identity, and fame. It also throws you headfirst into a truly insane, gripping murder mystery! The X trilogy already rocked the box office (and the critics) – and this finale takes that success to a crazy-intense level!

Most of the movie features Maxine's casting in The Puritan II (a religious horror film); yet, a sinister secret from her past weaves itself into that whole story, including a whole slew of those unexpected events that add suspense throughout. Those mysterious messages warning Maxine about past events (that someone knew she killed Pearl!), coupled with a string of gory murders and that insane Night Stalker on the loose—this pushes Maxine to pause her own Hollywood dreams and uncover who is actually behind this chaos. This perfectly blended combination of mystery and thrill becomes another aspect that makes the narrative engaging.

Also Read: MaXXXine: Everything We Know About the Bloody Finale to Ti West's Trilogy

Unmasking the Killer: Maxine's Father, Ernest Miller

Maxine Kills her father in MaXXXine Image

The shocking killer reveal? Maxine's own father, Ernest Miller! This intense surprise happens when Maxine finds Ernest (introduced in this very movie!) watching a childhood home video in a creepy hillside mansion; finding the dismembered body of Molly; proving Ernest’s guilt beyond doubt. This is where things get crazy: A strangely emotional reunion, which transitions to that epic confrontation between daughter and father ending in Maxine getting knocked unconscious! This completely unexpected twist adds a lot of impact to a generally suspenseful narrative. The use of a home video added to this aspect as well and was very cleverly integrated into the story's development.

But it doesn’t end there, because even before this reveal; Ernest's presence looms over the whole film. He’s this shadowy figure working with John Labat (the private detective); popping up in various places associated with each murder.

Also Read: MaXXXine's Best Pearl Reference Is Even More Perfect Knowing This

Ernest Miller's Twisted Motive: Love, Hate, and Religious Extremism

Imagery from MaXXXine Image

MaXXXine doesn’t delve deeply into Maxine and Ernest’s relationship. We only see some elements and those themes around a loving yet deeply strained connection fueled by Ernest’s role as a Southern televangelist and Maxine's adult film career; This tension completely drives this particular killer and provides context to how those extremes manifest; and how love, loss, guilt and anger interweave. Ernest’s acceptance of his daughter as his own contrasts starkly with that profound dislike towards what she became – his own inability to accept that career path as worthy, coupled with that profound belief that Maxine murdered someone becomes an additional key part of the motives.

That key desire isn’t exactly murder – this goes beyond it, far beyond those impulses towards revenge alone, folks! He wants to save Maxine from this "sinful life"! He doesn't just murder her – Ernest ties her to a tree and tries to perform an exorcism; aided by his own cult. This isn't about vengeance alone—but about religious extremism mixed with misguided love. This bizarre, unexpected behavior adds to his unpredictable persona!

Also Read: MaXXXine: Why You Need To Watch This 30-Year-Old Cult Classic

Ernest's Plan: A Snuff Film and a Failed Exorcism

Maxine (Mia Goth) with smudged makeup pointing a gun in MaXXXine (2024) Image

That chilling climax explains everything! Ernest’s plot was way beyond the murders. He hired Labat to get information on Maxine, targeting her friends. Those killings could've been considered scare tactics and perhaps expressing hate towards those involved; then attempted to film these incidents, resulting in an intended "snuff film". This explains exactly just how far this killer was willing to go.

He tried to force an exorcism on Maxine. But Maxine's ambition transcends all that stuff— resulting in him failing to exorcise Maxine who completely and wholeheartedly embraces her new life and refuses a return to those early chapters in her life!

Also Read: The popularity of Hit Man reminds Netflix's viewers of their Assassin Movie for 2023.

The Night Stalker: Real-World Horror Mirrored in Fiction

Mia Goth as Maxine making a phone call from a payphone in MaXXXine Image

Assuming Ernest is the Night Stalker? Totally reasonable; given all this intense plot already presented in the story. Yet that doesn’t fully pan out: MaXXXine shows the real Night Stalker's arrest. The film mirrors real-world events – this real-life serial killer named Richard Ramirez who terrified Los Angeles (1984-85) and that same killer who was known also as "the Night Stalker", along with other terrifying and intensely horrifying names such as “Walk-In Killer” and “Valley Intruder”. (Check Variety for those specifics.) Even this seemingly unrelated individual is deeply significant!

The real-life connection here added an intense element that was only made possible with those specific choices – those gruesome similarities between the film and real life events added eXtra weight to those themes explored through the fiction created for the film. The use of real events creates a meta-narrative which explores the underlying complexities surrounding how similar real events and stories can become!

Conclusion: MaXXXine's Bloody Blend of Fact and Fiction

MaXXXine Film Poster Image

MaXXXine concludes the X trilogy brilliantly, bringing that amazing blend of suspenseful plot devices and characters, that crazy, shocking twists and shockingly inventive violence which makes the X trilogy extremely popular! It’s also completely fascinating how cleverly that whole story utilizes that contrast; blending real-life horror with insane fiction. This isn't just a killer; it is the ultimate clash of an intensely complicated father-daughter relationship; exploring deep issues such as familial dynamics and the complexities inherent with fame, along with that additional reality of real-world horror integrated into its core narrative!

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