Emma Stone’s Bugonia Has Sci-Fi’s Smartest Twist Endings

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I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of life out there, beyond Earth – it’s a question humans have been asking for ages. And it always leads to even bigger questions, like, would aliens even want to be friends with us? What would they be after if they ever showed up? Thankfully, the wonderfully weird director Yorgos Lanthimos tackles this kind of thinking in .

The ending of Bugonia is sparking a lot of debate, which isn’t unexpected. Director Lanthimos often highlights life’s absurdity, and this film – a dark comedy about two conspiracy theorists kidnapping a CEO because they think she’s an alien – is a perfect example. From the start, the very premise feels outlandish, leading most viewers to immediately assume, “She’s obviously not an alien!” But…

Bugonia’s Ending is Surprisingly Unexpected

Bugonia, a reimagining of the South Korean film Save the Green Planet!, follows Teddy Gatz, a beekeeper and warehouse worker, who enlists his cousin Don to kidnap Michelle Fuller, the CEO of Auxolith. Driven by theories he found online and through conspiracy videos, Teddy believes Michelle is an alien with a mission to destroy humankind.

As a movie fan, I was totally gripped by Teddy’s story! He’s not just trying to solve the mystery; he’s driven by a really personal anger towards Michelle. Apparently, her experimental treatment left his mom in a coma. He and Don basically hold Michelle captive, trying to force a confession and get her to reveal where her… well, where her ‘mothership’ is. But things get seriously messy when Teddy shoots a police officer, and it turns out this guy was someone from his past – his old babysitter, and someone he believed had abused him. It was a shocking twist that really upped the stakes!

After being subjected to electric shock, Michelle admits to being an alien, though it appears to be a trick to appease Teddy and escape. The film later reveals that a closet in her office is a gateway to her mothership, and she’s actually the leader of aliens from the Andromeda galaxy. Following her capture, she decides humanity is unworthy and creates a bubble around a small Earth, instantly and painlessly killing everyone on it.

Bugonia’s Ending Has a Much Deeper Meaning

Okay, so the ending of Bugonia is really throwing people for a loop, and I get why. Some are seeing it as the film undermining its own message about online conspiracies. But after sitting with it, I’m starting to think the movie wasn’t really about that culture to begin with. The reveal that Teddy was right all along – and Michelle is actually the one pulling the strings, whether you see her as a villain or a twisted savior – totally reframes everything. It makes you question what the film was actually trying to say, and honestly, I think it’s a much more interesting read when you consider that possibility.

Today, conspiracy theories are often linked to far-right political groups, especially those associated with the “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) movement. Over the last ten years, people connected to these groups have widely spread false claims about things like COVID-19, election integrity, autism, and vaccines. A prominent example is Alex Jones, a far-right radio host, who falsely claimed the Sandy Hook school shooting was a hoax.

Conspiracy theories aren’t new – they’ve existed online since at least the George W. Bush years. Around the time the film Save the Green Planet! came out, for example, theories about the 9/11 attacks were already spreading. While some of those early theories came from people on the right, conspiracy theories really gained traction during the Trump administration.

Lanthimos and Tracy deliberately avoid stating the political views of their characters in Bugonia, particularly Teddy. This seems intentional, encouraging the audience to form their own ideas about each character’s politics based on factors like their job, income, and how they speak. The film then subverts these expectations with a surprising ending. Teddy is initially presented as leaning far-right due to his intense focus on discrediting a female CEO, a perception reinforced by his rural Georgia location and low-paying job, but this is ultimately complicated.

Bugonia Challenges Political Stereotypes

In Poor Things and The Favourite, director Yorgos Lanthimos explores why we tend to trust powerful, wealthy figures more than those who are struggling or considered different. His film Bugonia feels like a social experiment, designed to see how easily modern audiences turn characters into symbols of political ideas. While it pushes this idea to a fantastical level with aliens, the core question remains: who do we choose to believe, and why?

Conspiracy theories can be harmful, and it’s clear that someone’s actions were wrong, even if Michelle’s company contributed to the situation. However, is it also problematic to dismiss someone’s views simply because they have a mental health condition or because they seem to align with a particular political group, relying on stereotypes?

Ultimately, the film reveals Teddy was right, and director Yorgos Lanthimos suggests the rise of online conspiracy theories in recent years isn’t simply the fault of those who believe them. Instead, the film argues that a system of powerful people – the government and CEOs – deliberately sets up and then exploits vulnerable communities. They offer false hope, like they do with Michelle, creating a damaging cycle of betrayal and unfulfilled promises.

Yorgos Lanthimos has described the ending of his film as both ambiguous and sad. The final scene intentionally portrays the end of humanity as peaceful and considerate. Instead of a dramatic, catastrophic finale, people simply faded away. However, the ending isn’t truly optimistic, considering Michelle was exploiting a flawed healthcare system, and a single individual’s actions ultimately decided humanity’s fate.

Bugonia Acknowledges Humanity’s Role in the Climate Crisis

What’s remarkable about Bugonia, beyond its unique approach, is its ability to present multiple, seemingly contradictory viewpoints. In a time of strong disagreement, the film suggests that it’s possible to hold complex ideas simultaneously. It acknowledges that individuals like Teddy are often victims of a flawed system with limited options, which can unfortunately lead them to perpetuate abuse. Simultaneously, the film thoughtfully explores the dangers of spreading harmful conspiracy theories.

Corruption exists both on Earth and among the Andromedan species. While humans actively fight against it, the world of Bugonia takes a simpler approach. Instead of resolving the political and ethical conflicts shown through the intense relationship between Michelle and Teddy, Bugonia offers Earth a fresh start, now that those responsible for the climate crisis have been removed.

Beyond the main story, Bugonia touches on a troubling environmental decline, adding a layer of sadness to the film’s ending. Teddy worries throughout the movie that Michelle’s initial plan involves wiping out all the bees, which serves as a smaller reflection of the larger, long-warned-about environmental crisis. This problem is worsening due to human selfishness and technology that’s damaging the planet.

The conclusion of Bugonia serves as a stark warning to humankind, though it’s unlikely we’ll heed it. The story suggests the planet can only recover if humanity ceases to exist, highlighting the profound impact people have on the environment and the crucial role we play in protecting it. Unlike many sci-fi films that pit humans against monsters or aliens, Bugonia identifies humanity itself as the threat. It reflects the feeling that we’re just a small part of a larger, complex system, both in the story and in real life. While it’s a tragic outcome for humans, some might view it as a positive resolution for the planet, finally free from its exploiters.

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2026-01-08 03:38