Mortal Engines

At the end of Mortal Engines, much happens that signifies both a conclusion to the immediate story and sets the stage for potential future conflicts. The city of London, a massive, mobile metropolis used for resource hunting, is finally destroyed after the protagonist Tom Natsworthy uses Fang’s flying ship, the Jenny Haniver, to attack its engine core, leading to its collapse. Anna Fang sacrifices herself in battle with Valentine, and Hester Shaw confronts Valentine on another airship, where she ultimately defeats him. Tom saves Hester and sends Valentine’s airship crashing to the ground just before it gets crushed by London’s treads, ensuring the Shield Wall remains protected—an essential victory for the Anti-Tractionists. The other anti-tractionist leaders and allies, including Katherine Valentine and Bevis Pod, survive this chaos, and Tom and Hester finally admit their love for each other as they fly away into the sky.

This destruction of London is no small feat—it marks a critical victory in the ongoing struggle against the oppressive city, which had instilled fear across Europe for generations. Its fall symbolizes hope and the possibility of forging new paths in a devastated world. The ending also reflects larger themes about environmental neglect and human greed, criticizing shortsighted leadership and highlighting the importance of responsibility toward the planet. While the immediate story wraps up with a sense of hope, it leaves open the broader conflict, hinting that this victory might just be the beginning of further struggles to come. The film’s final moments, where Tom and Hester embrace and fly away, suggest a future of exploration and peace, but the world itself remains fragile and full of unresolved tensions, promising more adventures in the series’ future. Their love story’s resolution signifies personal growth and freedom for Hester, who has struggled with her identity and past trauma, now finding purpose and belonging alongside Tom. The ending thus combines a triumphant victory with a hopeful outlook, leaving space for new stories to emerge amid the echoes of a broken world.

Last Updated: June 25, 2025 at 08:59