Explained: The Ending of Terrifier 3

Damien Leone’s eagerly awaited horror sequel, Terrifier 3, is now showing in theaters, featuring Art the Clown wreaking havoc in Miles County during the festive season. Sienna Shaw is striving to rebuild her life, but Art has other plans, relentlessly pursuing her with the help of his new ally, the possessed Victoria Heyes. With each installment, the franchise’s popularity continues to climb, showcasing beloved characters played by David Howard Thornton, Lauren Lavera, and Elliott Fullam, who are back for this thrilling ride.

Having premiered at Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas, on September 19, 2024, Terrifier 3 made its worldwide theatrical debut on October 11, 2024. Initial reviews have been favorable, achieving a critic score of 89% and a similar audience score of 89% on Rotten Tomatoes. The film has generated $18.3 million against a budget of $2 million, establishing itself as the highest-grossing film in the series and paving the way for future success in the horror genre.

What Is the Plot of Terrifier 3?

Terrifier 3
Cast	David Howard Thornton, Lauren LaVera, Elliott Fullam, Antonella Rose, Samantha Scaffidi, Margaret Ann Florence, Bryce Johnson, Clint Howard, and Jason Patric
Written By	Damien Leone
Directed By	Damien Leone

This intense slasher sequel kicks off in the current day, with Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton) invading a family’s home and brutally killing the parents. Taking us back five years, we learn that Art’s headless corpse was taken to an asylum, where the possessed Victoria Heyes (Samantha Scaffidi) is held captive. After giving birth to his head, they murder a nurse and a guard and escape to an abandoned location. Victoria ultimately takes her own life in a bathtub, while Art remains dormant in an attic chair.

In present action, horror hit Sienna (Lauren LaVera) is released from the hospital and moves in with her aunt Jess (Margaret Ann Florence), uncle Greg (Bryce Johnson), and cousin Gabbie (Antonella Rose). Plagued by survivor’s guilt, Sienna is haunted by visions of her deceased best friend Brooke. Meanwhile, her relationship with her younger brother, Jonathan (Elliott Fullam), is strained, as he tries to adapt to college life. Art and Victoria are revived by two workers who discover their bodies in an abandoned house, leading to another violent spree as Art resumes his killings. He encounters a Santa Claus impersonator at a bar, murders him and others, then causes chaos at a local shopping mall, killing several people in an explosion. Sienna catches a glimpse of Art at the mall just before the devastation, but her family dismisses her concerns as delusions.

At the university, Sienna visits Jonathan, who introduces her to his roommate Cole (Mason Mecartea) and girlfriend Mia (Alexa Blair). Mia is captivated by Sienna, a host of a true-crime podcast, and wants to feature Sienna and Jonathan to discuss the tragic Miles County massacre. Sienna declines, sharing her belief that Art is still alive and shows Jonathan letters Art sent her during her hospitalization. These letters suggest that demons can inhabit a host, potentially implicating Victoria. Sienna plans to revisit the Terrifier haunted attraction to reclaim her father’s sword. Concurrently, Art appears on campus and gruesomely kills Cole and Mia while they are intimate in the shower.

From now on, showers will have a different connotation.

What Is the Ending of Terrifier 3?

After hearing news about the mall bombing, Sienna becomes alarmed, suspecting Art’s involvement. She dreams about becoming an angel warrior and wakes to find Art and Victoria in her home; Art strikes her with a mallet. When she awakens, she sees Greg’s body gruesomely pinned to the wall, with Jess tied up across from her. Victoria shows Sienna a head that has been eaten by rats, claiming it is Gabbie’s. Art kills Jess using a tube and blowtorch, while Gabbie becomes a hostage, with Victoria revealing that the decapitated head was Jonathan’s.

Victoria attempts to possess Sienna by placing a crown of thorns on her head. Nevertheless, she resists and opens a Christmas gift from Gabbie—her father’s sword. She uses it to stab Victoria, decapitating her in the process. Art retaliates, wielding a chainsaw, but Sienna fights back. Victoria’s blood ignites, opening a portal to hell, causing Gabbie to slip and fall, despite Sienna’s desperate attempts to rescue her. Meanwhile, the notorious killer, Art, escapes and boards a bus, leading Sienna to devise her own plan to rescue Gabbie. A new sequel is already in the works as the Terrifier franchise captures a wider audience in the horror scene.

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