Macbeth (2015) Ending Explained – Final Scene & Meaning

Yes, Fleance is revealed to be alive at the end. He is being secretly hidden in the countryside by Ross, who has been secretly keeping him safe throughout the story. This differs from Shakespeare's original play, where Fleance's survival is only implied rather than explicitly shown on stage.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, the witches prophesied that Banquo's descendants would inherit the throne, making Fleance's survival crucial to that prediction.

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Ross secretly protects Fleance because he understands the prophecy that Banquo's line will eventually take the throne. By keeping Fleance alive and hidden, Ross is positioning himself to potentially control or influence the future king, demonstrating his manipulative and politically ambitious nature.

Foreshadowing: Ross's earlier interactions show him quietly observing and inserting himself into key political moments, revealing his opportunism.

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The flock of ravens that overshadows the final moments symbolizes impending chaos and violence. Ravens are traditionally associated with death and war, and their presence suggests that despite Malcolm's coronation, Scotland is far from peaceful. The ending implies that a new cycle of conflict and bloodshed is inevitable.

Foreshadowing: Supernatural elements, including the witches' presence, have lingered throughout the film, building toward this ominous conclusion.

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In Shakespeare's original, Fleance's survival is merely mentioned but never shown, and the ending concludes with Malcolm crowned and a sense of restored order. This film explicitly shows Fleance alive and hidden by Ross, adds the ominous raven imagery, and emphasizes that the political instability continues, creating a much darker and more ambiguous conclusion.

Foreshadowing: The film has consistently visualised elements that Shakespeare only implied through dialogue, making the ending a natural extension of this approach.

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Yes, Malcolm is crowned king after Macbeth's defeat. However, his position is far from secure. With no clear heir and a power vacuum left by Macbeth's death, combined with Ross's hidden manipulation of Fleance, the film suggests Malcolm's reign will be unstable and threatened.

Foreshadowing: Earlier scenes establish Malcolm as the rightful heir, but also show the political chaos that follows when legitimate succession is contested.

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The prophecy is both fulfilled and complicated. While Macbeth's reign has ended, the witches predicted that Banquo's descendants would take the throne. By showing Fleance alive and hidden, the film suggests this prophecy remains active, but Ross's manipulation means the throne's future is uncertain and potentially vulnerable to the same ambition that destroyed Macbeth.

Foreshadowing: The witches' prophecies have driven the entire narrative, and their predictions about both Macbeth and Banquo's line have shaped every major event.

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Lady Macbeth has already succumbed to her madness and guilt before Macbeth's final battle. The film shows her psychological destruction as a direct consequence of their shared crimes, with her downfall serving as a tragic parallel to Macbeth's own unraveling.

Foreshadowing: Her gradual descent into madness was meticulously shown throughout the film, from her obsessive hand-washing to her visible deterioration.

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No. While Macbeth is defeated and Malcolm is crowned, the ending deliberately avoids a triumphant conclusion. Ross's secret scheming, Fleance's hidden survival, and the ominous ravens all signal that Scotland faces more conflict. The cycle of violence and political intrigue continues, suggesting that Macbeth's rise and fall has merely opened a new chapter of instability.

Foreshadowing: The film has consistently shown how one violent act leads to another, establishing that Macbeth's removal does not automatically restore order.

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The ending feels unresolved because the film deliberately subverts the traditional happy ending of Shakespeare's play. Rather than a hopeful conclusion with Malcolm's coronation, the addition of Ross's manipulation and the ominous ravens suggests ongoing turbulence. The survival of Fleance also means the prophecy remains unfulfilled, leaving the audience with uncertainty about Scotland's future.

Foreshadowing: Throughout the film, Coen emphasizes the dark and fatalistic tone, making this ambiguous conclusion consistent with the overall vision.

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