Five Nights at Freddy's 2 ending explained: Who dies, what happens to the Marionette, and how does it set up another sequel?

Two years after the first Five Nights at Freddy's movie hit screens and exceeded all expectations at the box office, its long-awaited sequel, Five Nights at Freddy's 2, is here. Freddy Fazbear is ready to take over the festive period in what has been hyped up to be one of the best new video game movies of the year, which catches up with ex-security guard Mike Schmidt, his little sister Abby, and police officer Vanessa 12 months on, as they try to move on from the horrific events of the previous film.

However, even though they defeated Vanessa's father, slash child serial killer William Afton, Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria is not finished with them yet. The sequel sees the town become obsessed with Freddy, so much so that he and the other animatronics have become a kitschy local legend, inspiring the first-ever Fazfest. With Abby being reminded of her animatronic friends at every turn, she sneaks out to reconnect with Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, and Foxy. But when Mike and Vanessa go to find her, they start to uncover dark secrets about the true origin of Freddy's from decades ago.

However, the story doesn't end there, as Five Nights at Freddy's 2 includes more twists and turns than we could have predicted. So it's totally understandable if you still feel a little confused when leaving the movie theater. But don't worry, that's where we come in. Below, we break down the sequel's final act and answer all of your burning questions. It goes without saying, the following contains huge spoilers for Five Nights at Freddy's 2. So, if you haven't seen the movie, turn back now, and make sure to read our spoiler-free Five Nights at Freddy's 2 review.

Five Nights at Freddy's ending recap

After Abby unknowingly removes the animatronics' perimeter restriction settings using the password that the Marionette puppet forced out of Vanessa, the Toy versions of Freddy, Bonnie, and Chica are able to break out of Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria and cause havoc in the real world. All controlled by the Marionette, aka the spirit of Charlotte Emily, the robots have one aim: to murder any adults they can get their hands on to avenge Charlotte's death. As we saw at the beginning of the movie, Charlotte died at the hands of serial killer William Afton whilst trying to save another child, but had to do it alone after she was ignored by a bunch of adults at Freddy's.

However, after Marionette lets her go, Vanessa instructs Mike to head to Freddy's to disconnect the animatronics, while she drives around looking for them. Mike is able to locate the robots and finds that Freddy is at FazFest, Bonnie is at somebody's house, and Chica is with Abby at the science fair, where she murders Abby's teacher. Vanessa is able to save two families from the animatronics after surviving an attack from Mangle, all before Mike disconnects all four robots whilst dodging attacks from the withered animatronics back at Freddy Fazbear's.

But all hell breaks loose again when the Toy Freddy, Bonnie, and Chica power back up, and the Fazbear animatronic locator picks up another bot, Marionette, who is heading to Mike's house, presumably to attack Abby. Vanessa tells Mike that they are outnumbered, so Mike heads to the Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria from the first movie to ask the original animatronics for help, but he doesn't get an answer. Vanessa arrives at Mike's house and finds Abby now possessed by the Marionette, but Mike is able to draw the spirit out of her using Charlotte's music box.

But the fight is not over yet, as the Toy animatronics round up Mike, Abby, and Vanessa, ready to murder them. Then appears Vanessa's long-lost brother, Michael Afton, who reveals he has been behind the whole ordeal and has returned to finish his father's work. He asks Vanessa to join him, but when she refuses, he instructs the animatronics to kill the three of them.

But before Toy Bonnie, Chica, Freddy, and Mangle can get their hands on Mike, Vanessa, and Abby, the original animatronic from the first movie breaks into the house and destroys the Toy versions. However, as the original animatronics were never meant to leave the restaurant, they quickly break down, and the ghost children inside of them float up to heaven. But before they do, they tell Mike that they have been keeping William Afton's body in the Springtrap suit locked inside a room at Freddy's, but when they go to heaven, they will no longer be able to keep him at bay.

Outside of the house, Michael Afton attempts to run away, but is stopped by Mike's friend. Mike, Abby, and Vanessa then exit the house, but before Vanessa can step out of the front door, the Marionette possesses her, leaving us with one final shot of Vanessa pulling a rather scary face.

Who dies in Five Nights at Freddy's 2?

Although director Emma Tammi teased a much darker and scarier sequel, not too many people die in Five Nights at Freddy's 2. However, at the beginning of the movie, in a flashback to 1982, we see William Afton stab Charlotte Emily, whose spirit goes on to possess the marionette puppet.

Then, in the film's present day (2002), the animatronics do seemingly kill the team of paranormal investigators, and Toy Chica murders Abby's science teacher by squashing his head. Other than that, no one else is really harmed. Well, apart from Michael Afton, who gets punched in the face.

What happens to the animatronics?

There are quite literally triple the animatronics in Five Nights at Freddy's 2 than in the first movie, plus a few more to boot. But with so many editions of Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, and Foxy, they're hard to keep track of. In terms of the sequel's main bots, the Toy versions of Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, and Mangle are destroyed by the original animatronics, who rip them apart to save Mike, Abby, and Vanessa. However, the OG Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, and Foxy, who are possessed by the ghost kids, then break down themselves as they are not supposed to be outside of Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria.

Back at the restaurant, the Withered versions of Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, and Foxy power down after being disconnected. As for Balloon Boy and the mini Marionette puppets, for all we know, they are still at the restaurant waiting to be used once more. The only animatronic still standing is Marionette, who went from possessing paranormal investigator Lisa to Abby, and finally Vanessa right at the end of the film.

What happens to Vanessa?

Throughout the whole movie, Vanessa is plagued by visions of her murderous father, William Afton, and guilt over what he did to her childhood best friend, Charlotte Emily. However, it is revealed that she had been keeping Charlotte's rageful spirit at bay at the restaurant, using soothing music from a music box, but after the music box is disrupted by paranormal investigator Lisa, Charlotte is able to break free as the Marionette, possess Lisa, and later break out into the real world.

Towards the end of the movie, the Marionette poses as Abby and asks Vanessa to join her in her quest for revenge, which Vanessa refuses. However, right at the end of the film, after the original animatronics destroy Toy Chica, Bonnie, Freddy, and Mangle, who were being controlled by Charlotte the whole time, Mike, Abby, and Vanessa go to exit the house. But before Vanessa can leave, the Marionette sneaks up behind her and possesses her. The last we see of Vanessa, she has the same Marionette-mask-like face we saw on Lisa and Abby, and is pulling a rather frightening expression.

Where is the Marionette?

The Marionette is the main villain of Five Nights at Freddy's 2. The puppet was possessed by the spirit of Charlotte Emily, after William Afton killed her back in 1982. However, the rageful spirit has been kept at bay in a box at Freddy's for the past 20 years by Vanessa, using a music box to soothe the ghost child.

However, when she breaks free in the sequel, the Marionette goes on to possess Lisa, then Abby, and finally Vanessa. Despite the original animatronics destroying Toy Chica, Bonnie, Freddy, and Mangle, who were being controlled by Charlotte the whole time, the Marionette is able to escape. Right at the end of the film, we see the puppet sneak up behind Vanessa and possess her.

Is William Afton alive?

Despite being the main antagonist of the first Five Nights at Freddy's film, Matthew Lillard's child serial killer William Afton is absent for pretty much the entire movie, apart from Vanessa's childhood flashbacks. However, at the end of the movie, the ghost children who were living inside the original animatronics tell Mike that they have been keeping William Afton's body in the Springtrap suit locked inside a room at Freddy's. But now their robot suits are broken, they must pass over to the afterlife, where they will no longer be able to keep him at bay.

Then, in a mid-post-credits scene, we see three men break into the Five Nights at Freddy's Pizzeria from the first movie and find a secret room containing Springtrap. One man remarks how bad the animatronic smells, suggesting that Afton's rotting body is still inside. In the end, the men plan to steal the animatronic and use it in their Freddy Fazbear-themed haunted house. With Afton's spirit and robot form now out in the world, we can only imagine what he might get up to in further Five Nights at Freddy's movies.

Is there a Five Nights at Freddy's 2 post-credits scene?

Yes, there is a Five Nights at Freddy's 2 post-credits scene. The first, which plays mid-credits, sees three men break into the pizzeria from the first movie, looking for props for their Faz-themed haunted house, when one of them finds a hidden room containing the Springtrap animatronic. One man states how bad it smells, suggesting that William Afton's body is still rotting inside. This is the room where the child spirits have been hiding Afton, but since they all passed on to the afterlife at the end of the sequel, they can no longer keep him at bay, hence why the men were able to find the room in the first place.

Then just moments later, as the last of the credits are rolling, we hear a voicemail left for Mike by Skeet Ulrich's character, Henry Emily. He confesses that he was once Afton's business partner and had a hand in creating the animatronics, but goes on to warn Mike that his daughter Charlotte, aka the Marionette puppet, is still out for blood. At the end of the call, we hear the Marionette break into Henry's house, where she no doubt murders her father.

Will there be a Five Nights at Freddy's 3?

Universal has yet to announce any further sequels. However, with how Five Nights at Freddy's ends, it seems as though director Emma Tammi and team have their sights set on more movies. The sequel leaves more than one plot point open-ended. First of all, Vanessa gets possessed by the Marionette puppet right at the end of the movie, suggesting that's where a possible threequel may pick up.

Then there are the post-credits scenes. The first shows three men breaking into Freddy's and stealing the Springtrap animatronic to use in their Faz-bear themed haunted house, suggesting that child killer William Afton, whose dead body is inside the suit, may be back to continue his murderous work. Then, the second post-credits tease, where Henry Emily leaves a warning message for Mike concerning the Marionette, suggests the puppet may be back for revenge in the next movie, and that a possible threequel might even delve into his past with Afton even further.

Five Nights at Freddy's 2 is out in theaters now. For more, check out our list of the best video game movies, and keep up with upcoming horror movies.