The Conjuring: Last Rites ending explained – Who survives the final haunting, the Mirror’s secret history, and the Warrens' emotional exit
The Conjuring: Last Rites ends the Warrens' story as they defeat a 1964 mirror demon, survive Ed’s heart attack, and pass the torch to Judy and Tony, bridging movie lore with their real history.
Last Updated: 06.44 PM, Feb 15, 2026
With the official release on JioHotstar (OTTplay Premium) in India on February 13, 2026, The Conjuring: Last Rites concluded the primary storyline with Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga). The film serves as the ninth installment in the expansive "Conjuring Universe" and aims to bring together a decade's worth of supernatural tales in a culminating, intimate showdown.
What happened during the 1964 prologue at the curio store?
This is a detailed analysis of the finale if you recently watched the film and are confused by the 1964 prologue, the Smurl haunting, and the Warrens' future.
At the beginning of the film, in 1964, we see children Ed and Lorraine exploring a curio store. An antique mirror with three carved faces inside its frame is their first interaction with it here. Lorraine, who is pregnant, goes into labour prematurely after touching the glass and seeing a violent vision.
How does Judy’s miraculous birth explain the Warrens' protective nature?
Judy (Mia Tomlinson) is born still, but thanks to Lorraine's prayers, she is miraculously revived. The fight between good and evil is set in motion when it is revealed that the demon bound to the mirror had "marked" Judy since infancy, perceiving her as a soul that was destined to be its own. This alteration in the past clarifies why the Warrens were overly cautious about Judy in earlier films, such as Annabelle Comes Home.
The 1986 story takes place in Pennsylvania and focuses on the Smurl family. A much darker, solitary demonic entity manipulates three spirits—a husband, his wife, and his mother-in-law—who terrorise them after receiving the same antique mirror as a gift.
What primary events lead to The Conjuring: Last Rites' climax at the Smurl residence?
The action culminates at the Smurl residence after the demon murders Father Gordon (Steve Coulter), drawing the semi-retired Warrens into the conflict. Three main events drive the conclusion:
As mere bait, the Smurl family was never the demon's intended target. It manages to take Judy under its control and wants her to kill herself in the attic so it can "reclaim" the soul it lost in 1964. Engaged to Judy, Tony Spera (Ben Hardy) intervenes at the opportune moment.
How did the Warren family finally defeat the mirror’s entity?
Lorraine has often told Judy to "shut out" the visions throughout the series. The finale of Last Rites flips this dynamic. It dawns on Lorraine that a regular exorcism won't work on the mirror. She tells Judy to quit trying to hide and instead accept her psychic gifts. The trio manages to break the mirror and cast the spirit out for good by combining their psychic abilities and chanting the Prayer to Saint Michael.
A plot point that is carried over from the previous film, The Devil Made Me Do It, is Ed's failing heart, which causes stress throughout the film. Ed has another heart attack in the midst of the last fight. Even if he comes out alive in the end, that ends his career as a "demon hunter" for good.
Which familiar faces return for Judy and Tony’s wedding?
Judy Warren and Tony Spera's wedding takes place towards the end of the film. Those who have been following the series for a long time will discover a significant surprise in this scene. Members of the Perron (The Conjuring), Hodgson (The Conjuring 2), and Glatzel (The Devil Made Me Do It) families, among others, are seen as the camera sweeps across the attendees as Judy makes her way down the aisle.
The central idea of the series is emphasised during this gathering: the Warrens did more than solve cases; they created a community of survivors united by faith.
What was Lorraine’s final vision during the wedding reception?
Lorraine confides in Ed about one final vision while they dance together at the reception to Comfort You by Van Morrison. Instead of a monster or a negative sign, she perceives a tranquil retirement.
This vision connects the fictional storyline of the film to the actual history of the Warren family. Lorraine envisions them settling into grandparenthood, penning their memoirs, and spending their golden years at their Monroe, Connecticut, home. With this, the film's cinematic journey comes to a close, offering a rare "happy ending" in the horror genre.
What does the post-credits scene reveal about the real Occult Museum?
If you stuck around to the end of the credits, you got to see a last shot of the genuine Ed Warren peering into the real "Conjuring Mirror" that they have in their Occult Museum. The mirror is still considered one of the most hazardous objects ever recovered, according to a title card.
In addition to setting the stage for the film's dramatisation, this scene explains the franchise's "true story" origins. It reimagines the name of the show as The Conjuring and implies that the "conjuring" effect has always been about the physical items that serve as portals to the afterlife, rather than merely the spirits themselves.
Is this truly the end of the Conjuring Universe?
Although Last Rites is the last film starring Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as Ed and Lorraine, there remains a hint of redemption left. At the film's conclusion, Ed hands over the key to the artefact room to Tony Spera, symbolically transferring the torch from one generation to the next, signifying his responsibility for safeguarding the evil lurking in their basement.
Although The Conjuring: The First Communion is supposedly set for release in 2027, the original duo's journey has officially come to an end, but the "Universe" will go on.
The Conjuring: Last Rites FAQs:
Q: Does Ed Warren die in The Conjuring: Last Rites?
A: No, Ed Warren does not die during the events of The Conjuring: Last Rites. While he suffers a severe cardiac episode during the final battle at the Smurl residence—a continuation of his heart issues from The Devil Made Me Do It—he survives to walk Judy down the aisle at her wedding. The film’s epilogue and title cards confirm he lived until 2006, passing away years later at age 79.
Q: Who is the demon in the mirror in The Conjuring: Last Rites?
A: The demon is an unnamed entity that has been attached to the "Conjuring Mirror" since at least 1964. It first targeted the Warrens during a prologue set in a curio shop, where it caused a pregnant Lorraine to have a vision that resulted in Judy being born stillborn. The demon views Judy as a "stolen soul" and spent decades waiting for the Smurl family to encounter the mirror so it could bait the Warrens into a final confrontation to "reclaim" her.
Q: Is there a post-credits scene in The Conjuring: Last Rites?
A: Yes, but it isn't a traditional teaser for a sequel. After the credits, a real-life photograph of the actual Ed Warren is shown. He is seen looking into the "Conjuring Mirror", which is still housed in the real Warren Occult Museum today. A title card explains that the mirror was used in rituals to summon spirits, suggesting the franchise title The Conjuring refers to this specific artefact.