The Ritual

In the film’s climax the exorcism reaches a breaking point. The demon that has been tormenting Emma grows so violent that Father Theophilius Riesinger can no longer sustain the rite, and the other clergy are forced to step back. It is Father Joseph Steiger, the skeptical priest who has been wrestling with his own grief and wavering faith, who finally takes the crucifix‑like medallion of Saint Michael—an heirloom he found among his late brother’s belongings—and confronts the darkness himself.

With the medallion pressed to Emma’s forehead and the ancient prayers uttered in a voice that has finally found conviction, Steiger commands the presence of evil to depart. The shadowy forces that have been flitting through the convent’s corridors recoil, and Emma collapses, freed from the convulsions and the guttural curses that have defined her days.

The victory is more than a supernatural triumph; it signals Steiger’s full‑circle return to belief. By confronting the demon he not only saves Emma, but also reconciles the loss of his brother—using the saint’s symbol his sibling once treasured to seal his own renewed trust in God. The film ends with Emma’s recovery and the two priests standing beside each other, the darkness expelled and the convent’s walls finally quiet, underscoring that faith, once reclaimed, can confront even the most harrowing shadows.

Last Updated: August 19, 2025 at 19:41