The Empty Man (2020) Plot Summary & Ending Explained

In the Ura Valley of Bhutan in 1995, four inseparable friends—Greg (Evan Jonigkeit), Paul (Aaron Poole), Fiona (Jessica Matten), and Ruthie (Virginia Kull)—embark on a hiking trip to discover a elusive location they've been searching for. As the journey unfolds, a message ominously flashes on screen reading "DAY ONE." After Paul plays a haunting tune on what resembles a flute, he becomes entranced, hearing a strange call that lures him into a treacherous crevice. Greg hastily descends to rescue him, only to find Paul fixated on a bizarre skeleton that appears to twitch, sending chills down his spine. Managing to extract Paul just in time, the group stumbles upon an abandoned house where they decide to seek refuge.

As Day Two arrives, Paul’s condition worsens, leaving him in a silent stupor. Ruthie ventures outside into a fierce snowstorm, where she eerily spots a figure in the distance. Panic strikes as the apparition mirrors her movements and charges towards her. She barely manages to shut the door behind her, questioning Greg and Fiona about whether they witnessed anyone outside, only to be met with denial. The atmosphere in the house grows tense, and later, as Ruthie drifts off to sleep, she feels Paul whispering ominously in her ear.

On Day Three, an unsettling transformation occurs. Ruthie, seemingly consumed by an inexplicable force, brandishes a knife and brutally attacks Greg and Fiona, disposing of their bodies over a cliff before tragically taking her own life, leaving Paul, entranced by the flute, utterly alone. Fast forward to 2018 in Missouri, where former detective James Lasombra (James Badge Dale) grapples with the haunting memories of his wife Allison (Tanya van Graan) and son Henry who died in a tragic car accident. Plagued by a mysterious voice asking him "Where were you?" James develops a keen interest in his friend Nora (Marin Ireland) and her troubled daughter Amanda (Sasha Frolova), who has recently gone missing.

Nora, filled with anxiety, turns to James for help when Amanda’s whereabouts become alarming. They discover a cryptic message left on Amanda's mirror: "The Empty Man made me do it." Eventually, James embarks on his own investigation, starting with a visit to Amanda's high school, where he encounters Devara Walsh (Samantha Logan). Devara recounts a chilling night where Amanda, along with other friends—Brandon (Joel Courtney), Duncan (Owen Teague), and others—attempted to summon an urban legend known as The Empty Man, following a horrifying pattern that promises imminent death over three days.

As James investigates deeper, he makes a horrifying discovery beneath the bridge where the teens played—he uncovers their lifeless bodies hanging, alongside a repeated message from Amanda's mirror. Meanwhile, Devara becomes yet another victim of The Empty Man's sinister influence, her death ruled a suicide under dubious circumstances. This pushes James to delve into the cult-like origins of The Empty Man, leading him to the enigmatic Pontifix Institute where whispers of an unfathomable power linger.

By Day Two, James becomes embroiled with the cult, discovering an older Paul, now in a vegetative state, being revered by cult followers in a chilling display of devotion. Despite being warned away by other detectives, who question his involvement, he digs deeper, seeking answers from a community cloaked in mystery. His relentless search leads him to encounter the cult face-to-face in the haunting woods, where their chilling intentions become terrifyingly clear.

On the final day of his investigation, James finds an entranced Amanda, who now embodies the cult’s sinister agenda. She reveals a harrowing truth: the Empty Man thrives on despair and manipulation, forcing James to confront his darkest secrets tied to the night of his family's tragic demise. As he succumbs to the weight of his guilt and the call of the Empty Man, he returns to the hospital, where Paul lies unresponsive. In a dark turn, James unleashes his fury and unloads his weapon into Paul’s head—an act that transforms him into the cult's new embodiment of darkness.

In the final moments of The Empty Man, it is revealed that James, the troubled protagonist, is actually a tulpa—a construct of collective belief created by the cult, the Pontifex Institute. Throughout the film, James has believed himself to be a real person on a mission to stop the supernatural entity known as the Empty Man, but the truth is much darker. The cult engineered James to serve as a vessel for the Empty Man, and over time, they manipulated his perceptions and realities, making him believe in his own existence and his quest. When James finally confronts Amanda in the hospital, she reveals that he is a tulpa—an idea brought into flesh by the cult’s collective belief—and that his purpose now is to become the new host for the Empty Man.

In a disturbing turn, James accepts this fate without resistance, fully embracing his role as the vessel. The film’s ending visually demonstrates this transformation: James shoots Paul, the previous host, dead—symbolizing the transfer of the Empty Man’s consciousness—and is then shown being worshiped by cult members disguised as hospital staff. This scene signifies that James has become the embodiment of the entity. The final shot leaves viewers questioning what is real—are the characters’ interactions genuine, or are many of them illusions crafted by the cult? The hospital is empty, and James's interactions with others seem questionable, emphasizing how much of his life and experiences might have been fabricated.