Orion and the Dark's Ending Explained

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Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’ll be examining the conclusion of Netflix’s animated fantasy film, “Orion and the Dark.” If you have yet to see the movie, this video contains something much scarier than the absence of light: spoilers!

From a screenplay by that Charlie Kaufman and based on the children’s book of the same name, “Orion and the Dark” tells the tale of how an 11-year-old boy overcame his many (and we mean many) fears.

You see, young Orion’s long list of irrational fears include bees, bullies, dogs, falling off skyscrapers, locker rooms, public speaking, and the ever-dreaded murderous gutter clown. The overly anxious child is even fearful of talking to his classmate crush, Sally, who has invited him to sit next to her on the upcoming school trip to the planetarium.

But, the thing Orion fears the most is the dark! And so, one fateful night, the physical embodiment of his nightmare (the literal dark) pays him a visit to prove that he isn’t so bad. Through some clever coaxing, Dark convinces Orion to join him on a magical journey so he can face his fears once and for all.

It's then that we are introduced to the other night entities, each with a specific role to play in maintaining the “balance of the night.” They include Sleep, Quiet, Unexpected Noises, Sweet Dreams, and Insomnia. Unfortunately, Orion’s ongoing fears hinder their nightly duties. Despite this, however, the boy and Dark begin to form a genuine bond.

Unfortunately, the bond quickly shows cracks as Orion lets the other entities know that he actually prefers Light over Dark - as it makes him feel safe and warm. It’s not long after this inadvertent confession that the entire night crew decide to stop working at nighttime altogether. In a desire to embrace the light, they abandon Dark, leaving him on his own. This leads a dejected Dark to “give up.” As Light approaches, bringing about a new day, Dark doesn’t move out of the way – despite the desperate pleas from Orion. By letting the light wash over him, Dark vanishes, seemingly marking the end of Orion’s story.

However, that ending is short-lived. That’s because we have since learned that this tale, about young Orion facing his fears, is actually being told by an adult Orion to his daughter, Hypatia - in an effort to help her with her own fears. Hypatia isn’t shy about letting her dad know that she doesn’t like this ending. In fact, she has ideas of her own.

Inserting herself into the story, Hypatia uses a poem to show young Orion the chaos that occurs when there is nothing but light in the world. To bring Dark back, Hypatia and Sweet Dreams enter the subconscious of Orion. While they are able to successfully summon him, a black hole attempts to consume everything. It’s then that Orion conquers all his fears by ultimately saving Dark from an unknown fate. Once out of the dream, Dark returns to do his work, restoring much needed order to the world in the process.
After a tearful goodbye between Orion and Dark, it’s then time for Hypatia to find her way back to the future. This comes in the unexpected form of a boy in a time machine – Tycho. The young time traveler returns Hypatia to her home where adult Orion greets her with open arms. The two embrace as Tycho destroys a pesky interdimensional time monster in Hypatia’s bedroom.

Which brings us to the movie’s ending, and yet another jump to the future. This time, however, it’s revealed that the story is being told by an adult Hypatia to her young son. And, you guessed it, his name is Tycho. Naturally, it was Tycho who added the time traveling element to the bedtime story.

When Hypatia leaves her son to sleep (with the door closed), we see a series of framed photos leading down her home staircase. It’s essentially a timeline of events showing Hypatia growing up – from having braces to graduating high school to moving out. The last photo shows her with a baby of her own. As she steps outside to the porch, we find an elderly Orion reading amongst the stars. What’s more, it’s revealed that he’s not alone. Yep, Hypatia’s mom, Orion’s wife, is also there. But who is this woman? While never mentioned by name, the reveal clearly shows it to be an elderly Sally, Orion’s school crush.

If you’ll recall, before his adventures with Dark, young Orion was asked by a young Sally if he wanted to sit next to her on the trip to the planetarium. Orion was not only too scared to respond, but was too afraid to attend the school trip – going so far as to hide his permission slip from his parents.

The final moments of the film take us back in time to the school planetarium trip where we see young Orion and Sally sitting next to one another as they look up at the stars – much the same way elderly Orion and Sally do on the porch. The planetarium, of course, has special meaning in the story. This is the place where Orion grew most comfortable and would eventually work at. We see him take young Hypatia there and pass on various ideals. It’s also no coincidence that their names are linked to astrology. Yep, the planetarium became a fitting spot for Orion, one that always reminded him of the world’s beauty.

Whether Orion’s magical adventure with Dark was real, in part or whole, (the filmmakers leave it up to us to decide) the desired outcome of the journey was definitely achieved. The young boy had taken the steps needed to live a life free of debilitating fear. And, because of that, he went on to marry his school crush, have a child with her, and grow old as a grandfather. The best part, however, is that he was finally able to fully embrace the beauty of the dark!

“Orion and the Dark’s” ending shows how anxiety and fears are universal themes, spanning all generations. It lets us know that fear is a natural part of life. However, one doesn’t need to walk through it alone. While it’s up to each individual to conquer their anxieties, family and friends will always be there to help - whether they succeed or not.

Have you seen “Orion and The Dark?” What did you make of the film’s ending? Don’t be afraid to share your thoughts in the comments below.