That was quite the journey. The Odyssey ending, on paper, may have been a straightforward finale to a homecoming decades in the making, but – like much of Christopher Nolan's work – is overflowing with thematic complexities and is open to various interpretations and readings.
Below, we'll guide you through the epic's closing moments and all the key story beats that preceded it. Along the way, we'll answer your burning questions after witnessing The Odyssey ending, including Odysseus' fate, the meaning of the final scene, and that Athena reveal.
To begin, we'll run through The Odyssey ending's key events to ensure everyone is on the same page – before diving into the adaptation of Homer's 3000-year-old poem, and how it may have wrongfooted you by the time the credits rolled. For more, check out our guide on which format to watch The Odyssey in, plus five films you didn't know were inspired by The Odyssey.
The Odyssey ending recap
All roads lead to home. With Odysseus (Matt Damon) having encountered a Cyclops, ran from the Laestrygonians, and spoken to some familiar faces in Hades, it's a little wonder that the Trojan hero looks a little worse for wear as he sneaks back onto Ithaca disguised as a beggar.
There, he meets old friend Eumaeus (John Leguizamo), who has been roughed up and attacked by those loyal to Antinous (Robert Pattinson). Eumaeus informs his one-time master that they are planning to attack Odysseus's son Telemachus (Tom Holland) at the nearby Temple of Pylos on the road back to Ithaca.
While there, Odysseus sneaks in disguised as a beggar and helps save Telemachus, lighting the temple on fire and fleeing in the ensuing rush.
Back at Ithaca, Odysseus – thanks to Zeus' Law – is welcomed into the hall filled with suitors for Penelope, though he has to endure insults and attacks from Antinous and the others. Not long before, Odysseus' dog Argo recognizes him, using his last ounce of energy to wag his tail.
Penelope later wishes to speak to the 'beggar' and, upon speaking with him, seemingly recognizes it is Odysseus. She instructs her servants to put on a trial for her suitors in their bid to become her husband: stringing Odysseus' bow and firing an arrow through a long line of axe heads.
At the trial, all weapons are locked away and the door boarded up to ensure no one leaves. With the suitors not able to string Odysseus' bow, Odysseus steps up and completes the challenge. He then fights the suitors alongside Telemachus. After a long brawl, Odysseus overpowers Antinous and kills him.
Later, Odysseus admits his guilt over his long return to Penelope – and his actions at Troy. It is revealed that Athena takes on the image of a young woman killed by his soldiers in a temple dedicated to the goddess at Troy. Odysseus also voices his fear that he and his crew are the sea people prophesied to bring ruin to civilization. To that end, he exiles himself – paving the way for Telemachus to rule as king in Ithaca.
The movie ends with a speech from Odysseus, declaring that when he burned the walls of Troy, the walls of the world burned down.
Who dies in The Odyssey?
As you may imagine, The Odyssey isn't without its fair share of casualties. That's without taking into account the hundreds, potentially thousands, who die off-screen at Troy.
In the movie itself, we know most of Odysseus' crew all perish after eating Apollo's cattle. Sinon is attacked by Trojan soldiers as bait, while others die at the hands – or tentacles – of the sirens, the Scylla, and the Cyclops. Agamemnon is killed by Clytemnestra upon returning home. In turn, she is murdered by her own son, Orestes.
Sadly, Argo the dog – already 20 by the time Odysseus returns – dies upon his owner's return. But we won't shed as many tears over the suitors and, specifically, Antinous. He is slain by Odysseus' hand.
Why does Odysseus go into exile?
While Homer's Odyssey says he reclaims his throne and lost epic poem The Telegony confirms Odysseus' death at the hands of his youngest son, the fate of Odysseus in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey is markedly different.
There, he goes into exile – largely to give Ithaca a clean break from his stained reputation, allowing Telemachus to ascend to the throne.
Odysseus' reasons are many: he clearly holds considerable guilt and trauma over the sacking of Troy, as well as breaking Zeus' Law by attacking the suitors in his home.
In a conversation with Penelope, we also see he believes his return is a self-fulfilling prophecy about the 'Sea People', a mysterious group who would mark the end of their civilization as they know it. In his eyes, that refers to Odysseus and his crew. So, the solution is simple: he should sail far away, not only to give considerable distance between his actions and his homeland, but also to pay respects to his fallen crew in the unknown west.
What does the final scene mean?
"Civilisation will rise again," Odysseus says during The Odyssey's closing moments. "Dawn will break over the darkness, and our mistakes will once again be forgotten"
Like most of Nolan's work, the finale of The Odyssey is a thematic bookend to the story's message – while also being slightly puzzling.
Odysseus speaks about how the walls of Troy could lead to the walls of the world being burned down, with the last striking image being that of the Trojan Horse.
In effect, the audience is being reminded of the hero's destructive power and his bloody past in much the same way the memory of those killed in Troy still hang over Odysseus throughout his journey home.
Our reading? Much like with Oppenheimer, Nolan is arguing that these 'Great Men' are not infallible and that their actions have far-reaching consequences.
Unlike Oppenheimer's sombre ending, though, the act of Odysseus sailing into the horizon is an altogether more hopeful farewell to the lead character. By removing himself from Ithaca, it begins a healing process that allows his land to recover.
While we're making Nolan comparisons, it's hard not to shake the feeling that it carries a similar message to Bruce Wayne distancing himself from Gotham at the end of The Dark Knight Rises. If his presence is dangerous, it takes some serious self-reflection to come to the conclusion that they can no longer be in a position of power. That is the Hero's Journey Nolan wants to hammer home: one of powerful emotional growth.
Whatever way you look at it, don't expect the director to spell it out for you. As he explained on The Daily Show, revealing his interpretation of Memento's third act caused him to never explain his ambiguous endings again.
Who is Athena?
On a base level, Athena is the Greek goddess of wisdom, war, and craftsmanship. In The Odyssey, she is not seen in her traditional warrior garb but, instead, as an advisor in a shawl, appearing to Odysseus at key moments in his journey.
In a third-act twist, it is revealed that Athena has taken on the face of a young woman killed by Odysseus' men at a temple in Troy. They also behead a statue of Athena, angering the gods.
Who are the sea people?
In flashbacks, the sea people are mentioned as a group that would arrive on the waves and bring devastation to Ithaca and beyond.
Here, Nolan plays with myth and history: the Sea Peoples were a theorized, real group of attackers who pillaged Egypt and other regions, bringing about the end of the Bronze Age (though their overall impact is disputed by some historians).
Whichever way you look at it, though, the sea people are bad news. But their expected arrival does not arrive – at least not in a traditional sense. Instead, Odysseus recognizes that he and his crew are the prophesied sea people. Their actions at Troy were another way to, in Odysseus' words, burn down the walls of the world.
Does Telemachus become king?
You may have missed it but, yes, Telemachus becomes king at the end of The Odyssey, replacing his father. It's a move of political and personal significance, ensuring Ithaca's position of power is secure. Telemachus, too, is able to finally grow into the man his father hoped he would be, bolstered by the presence of his allies in the court.
What is the significance of Odysseus' bow?
Twang. The strings being pulled on Odysseus' bow are among the coolest pieces of sound design in The Odyssey (and it's a crowded field, frankly). But the ranged weapon is actually the key to Odysseus returning to Ithaca and proving his identity to his wife, Penelope.
Odysseus' exploits with the bow – and his party trick with the axes – were shown early on in The Odyssey, but it's his ability to bend the limb of the bow across to the bowstring that stands out. It is, more or less, a physical impossibility – and only he is able to achieve that feat. Penelope's suitors all tried and failed, but Odysseus (disguised as a beggar) was able to accomplish it, before firing a volley of arrows at those who wished him dead.
Which monsters are in The Odyssey?
While not all of The Odyssey's tidal wave of monsters and beasties made the cut for Nolan's adaptation, several of the most iconic mythical creations still made it in.
Most notably, the Cyclops (played by Bill Irwin) is part of a heart-pounding sequence that sees Odysseus and his men trapped in a cave against the one-eyed monster.
Later, they battle the gigantic Laestrygonians, a towering group also pulled from Greek myth.
The Sirens also show up during one seabound sequence, with most of Odysseus' men heeding the warning about their song. Odysseus himself is tied to the mast and endures their call. Later, the Scylla attacks their vessel, killing a handful of the crew.
What is Zeus' Law?
Otherwise known as Xenia in Ancient Greece, Zeus' Law is mentioned throughout The Odyssey as a guideline for hosting guests.
It is very simple: you should treat all strangers as you would wish to be treated, including inviting them into your home. There was, after all, a considerable feeling that gods walked the earth masquerading as humans – so upsetting a stranger could mean upsetting those on Mount Olympus. That's a big no-no, unless you want a one-way trip to Hades.
That also works the other way around, though. Guests must be friendly in a host's home, which is why Odysseus attacking the suitors was so taboo – as he had broken that core tenet.
Why does Helen of Troy have a scarred face?
One of The Odysseus' biggest changes to its source material is its treatment of Helen of Troy, played by Lupita Nyong'o. It is revealed she has a partially scarred face. Why? Likely as retribution for her sister Clytemnestra's actions after she killed Agamemnon.
There is also an extra tragic layer to Helen's disfigurement. She was, after all, known as the 'face that launched a thousand ships.' By scarring one half of her face, her beauty is diminished. Indeed, she is cruelly referred to as the face that could now only launch 500 ships.
The Odyssey is out now. For our verdict, check out The Odyssey review.
