Hangman

In the end, Leon manages to confront the demon known as the Hangman, who is actually Damon, a once-dying boy turned into a vessel for a vengeful demon. Throughout the film, it’s revealed that the racist villagers, including the cult of Baal, sacrificed young Damon to become the Hangman, perpetuating their quest for immortality through the suffering of others. They believed that sacrificing someone young and in pain would transfer the demon’s power into a new host. Jesse’s tragic history—particularly Maya’s death and his own emotional scars—make him the perfect candidate for this dark ritual. The cult’s plan is to sacrifice Jesse so that the demon can return and grant them extended life. Leon, driven by remorse over his past and love for his son, fights to save Jesse from the evil’s grasp.

In the climax, Leon faces Billy and fights through the hellish landscape of Damon’s prison. He manages to shoot Billy in the eye, causing her to fall into a trap, but in the chaos, he is also pulled into hell. There, Leon witnesses Damon’s transformation into the Hangman and relives the moment his wife Maya was murdered. As he reaches out to Jesse, who is on the verge of becoming the demon vessel, Leon confesses his love and apologizes for his silence about Maya’s death. This emotional connection prevents Jesse from fully giving in, breaking the cycle of pain.

Leon then confronts Damon, reminding him that he is Damon, not just the monster, and fights him with a cross that punctures his heart, effectively banishing him back to hell. Although Leon is nearly pulled into the abyss himself, he escapes with the help of a pulley system and returns to the surface. The film ends with Leon rescuing Jesse, having stopped the ritual and ending the curse of the Hangman. The story suggests that love, honesty, and confronting past trauma are the true weapons against evil, and that overcoming hate is essential to breaking destructive cycles.

Last Updated: June 25, 2025 at 09:00