The most interesting part of Conclave is the ending: we’ve explained it in this article, from the meaning of the final scene to the film’s symbolism.
Edward Berger’s political thriller Conclave is exciting and fascinating from start to finish. However, the most interesting part of the entire movie might be its ending, where everything we have seen before finally comes together. In this article, we’ve explained the ending of Conclave, where the final shots reveal the deeper meaning of the story with their symbolism and message.
The final scenes of the film finally answer the question that we have been wondering about since the very first shot: who will be the next Pope? At the beginning of the movie, Cardinal Thomas Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) has to call the conclave to elect the next Pope. As the dean of the College of Cardinals, he finds himself leading the very rigorous process while also looking into what the late Pope’s wishes might have been. As he searches for information, with the help of Sister Agnes (Isabella Rossellini), Lawrence finds out about some secrets the rest of the Cardinals would have wanted to keep hidden.
The Unexpected Outcome of the Papal Election at the End of Conclave
When the late Pope dies at the beginning of Conclave, there are four possible candidates who are considered to become his successor. Aldo Bellini (Stanley Tucci) is the American candidate and the most progressive one who is the polar opposite of the traditionalist Italian Goffredo Tedesco (Sergio Castellitto). Nigeria’s Joshua Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati) emerges as the social conservative candidate and Joseph Tremblay (John Lithgow) of Canada represents the moderate option. When Vincent Benitez (Carlos Diehz), the newly appointed Archbishop of Kabul, surprisingly arrives last minute to take part in the conclave, he suddenly becomes a new unexpected candidate who will end up winning the majority of the votes to become Pope, despite the fact that no one even knew his name, or his existence, at the beginning of the film.
The Final Twist of Conclave Explained
But, like everyone else in Conclave, Benitez also has his own secrets. Shortly after most of the cardinals overwhelmingly vote for Benitez, Lawrence finds out that the newly elected Pope had a suspicious appointment at a clinic in Switzerland. When he confronts Benitez about this, the latter reveals that he was meant to have a laparoscopic hysterectomy as he is intersex and was born with a uterus and ovaries. The operation did not go ahead because Benitez strongly believes that he is what God made him.
When speaking with Lawrence, he seems hopeful that his nature will make him a good Pope: “Perhaps it is my difference that will make me more useful. I know what it is to exist between the world’s certainties.” In a time that so desperately needs this understanding and acceptance, Benitez’s secret and personal history make him the perfect candidate for a world that is more just and open-minded towards the other.
Is the Ending of Conclave Different in the Book?
Most of the events in Conclave play out in a very similar way in the book as they do in the film. But some elements are not the same in the book. For example, the circumstances of Benitez finding out that he was born intersex are about are different: in the film, Benitez discovers this when he has an appendectomy, but in the book, he was examined by a doctor after he was injured in a bombing in Iraq. The core of this reveal, however, remains the same as the Church will now be led by an intersex Pope who has spoken at length about peace and acceptance in both cases.
The Symbolism of the Final Scene of Conclave Explained
Much like the rest of the movie, the ending of Conclave is filled with symbolism. Much of this is rooted in Christian tradition and some of the symbols it is associated with. For example, we see many religious symbols in the last scenes, such as the gold cross and white skullcap that the Pope is going to wear. Interestingly, all of these are only shown after the final twist revealing Benitez’s secret, perhaps suggesting that the latter is now ready to become Pope after having spoken about it out loud. Benitez’s choice of his Papal name is also symbolic. The name Innocent, both in its English connotation and in its Latin roots, evokes ideas of purity, virtue, and moral integrity, thus highlighting how all these qualities are valued by the new Pope who has not chosen to embody them.
After finding out the truth about Benitez, we see Lawrence pondering on everything he has just learned when he finds a turtle wandering inside the Vatican palace. Earlier in Conclave, turtles were associated both with Benitez, who sought them out during the titular conclave, and the late pope, who was apparently very fond of them. Therefore, the turtles could very well represent how Benitez was the one candidate the late Pope would have approved of. The dual nature of turtles as an animal – as they navigate both land and water – also makes the association between them and the newly elected pope even stronger. The fact that turtles can also survive in two very different environments paired with their long lifespan might also suggest that, like them, the Church headed by Benitez can adapt to survive the adversity we have seen earlier in the film.
The Papal Election at the End of Conclave
In the final scene of Conclave, the audience also witnesses the announcement of the new Pope with all the rituals that come with it. As many viewers might remember from the latest papal conclave in 2013, the religious tradition dictates that all the ballots are to be burned in the chapel after the count. In the film, this moment is especially symbolic as it also represents the fact that Lawrence is now ready to access Benitez as the new Pope, after having learnt the truth about him. The burning of the ballots produces that smoke that the crowds outside St Peter’s Basilica will see. In this case, as a new Pope has been chosen the smoke should be white, but we don’t see this in the film. Instead, we hear people cheering while the camera keeps a tight focus on Lawrence who is watching the smoke the audience cannot see.
When I first watched Conclave, I found this choice very fascinating as the film deliberately chooses not to show one of the most well-known visual signifiers of the Papal election. On one hand, I interpreted this as a way to remind us of the fictional nature of the film, despite being highly inspired by the real-life events of the 2013 Conclave. The movie ends on a hopeful note with the election of Benitez as a new Pope, but can the same be said for the state of the Catholic Church today?
Conclave does not take a stand on this, and by showing the characters rather than the symbol of a new era for the Church as an institution, reminds us that this hope might only remain fictional. The focus on Lawrence might also suggest how the twist that we have seen in the final part of the film – and the internal struggle that this has caused him – matters to him alone. While this seems like a significant step forward, the rest of the world will never know Benitez’s real nature, not while the new Pope is alive anyway.
The Role of the Nuns in the Final Shot of Conclave
The very end of Conclave shows Lawrence in his room. While he is sitting on his bed, the blinds open up and allow him to look at the outside world for the first time since the film started, now that the cardinals are not secluded anymore. The end of the film is also the end of the huge responsibility Lawrence has had during the conclave. While the characters in the movie often remind us of what a burden the papacy is, Lawrence’s role in the election of a new Pope has also proven to be extremely challenging for him.
As he literally sees the light at the end of Conclave, he realises that this has now ended and he might have made the right choice. As light and laughter fill the room, Lawrence sees a group of nuns walking out of the building, suggesting a brighter and more hopeful future for the Church in general but also for the people whose voice often goes unheard, as Sister Agnes remarks during the movie.
The Meaning: What is the Message of Conclave?
Overall, Conclave portrays a message of hope for the future as the Catholic Church in the film adapts to the rapidly changing times of our current world. Much of the film’s conflict is rooted in the opposition between the more liberal candidates as opposed to the conservative ones who want to enforce traditional values, as embodied by Cardinal Tedesco. The election of Cardinal Benitez suggests a new future for the Church, one where an intersex person not only can become Pope but also guide the institution towards the progress that so many cardinals seem to oppose.
Conclave is now available to watch on digital and on demand. Read our review of Conclave!
