Midsommar: Why The Murals Aren’t The Biggest Clue About The Movie’s Ending

The murals from Ari Aster’s Midsommar are known for giving away the movie’s plot from start to finish, but a seemingly inconspicuous painting reveals the ending before any of them do. It only appears briefly in Dani Ardor’s (Florence Pugh) bedroom after she discovers that her entire family has died and the title card disappears. The murals play a vital role in relaying a deeper meaning to Midsommar‘s ending and, while they were believed to be the only indicator of Christian’s (Jack Reynor) brutal death, the painting above Dani’s bed is the first to do so in the most blatant way.

Ari Aster is known for including a wealth of symbolism in his movies. While his filmography only includes two full-length features, Hereditary and Midsommar, they have proven that the director is a master of fine details and horror. Even the first ten minutes of the 2019 folk horror movie unveils that Dani was always destined to become the May Queen with brief glimpses of flowers above a photograph and the image of the May pole. The plot follows a group of friends who are traveling to Sweden to celebrate the Harga’s mid-summer festival. As tensions rise between Dani and Christian, their relationship begins to fall apart.

As the movie reaches its fiery end, the painting above Dani’s bed becomes more important to the story than it did before the mid-summer festivities concluded. The childlike image of a little girl with a bear may seem innocent, but it is actually unsettling. Here’s why the painting is the biggest and the most substantial clue to Midsommar’s ending rather than the murals.

How The Painting Revealed Everything About The Ending

The painting above Dani’s bed was created by Swedish illustrator John Bauer. He was known for illustrating folk stories and legends from Sweden that often contained an eerie message. This painting in particular is titled “Poor Little Bear” and accompanies Helena Nyblom’s story, “The Virgin’s Hike.” It depicts a young girl wearing a crown as she kisses a bear who appears to be shocked by the her actions. The painting reflects the ending when Dani is crowned the Harga’s May Queen and Christian burns alive in a bear suit; his face expresses a strikingly similar reaction.

Midsommar is both a horror movie and break-up movie that contains the story of how Dani was able to overcome her grief with the help of the Harga cult. When Bauer’s painting appears, Dani’s back is facing Christian as he enters the room, which symbolizes that she does not find comfort in his presence despite him being her boyfriend. Once the movie reaches its end, she must choose between a stranger and Christian. Dani must face him head-on and make her decision. The kiss the little girl gives the bear appears to be one meant to also indicate that their time together is over, just like the couple’s. The title of the image, “Poor Little Bear”, reveals that, despite caring deeply for her boyfriend, Dani has chosen to move on from their strenuous relationship, but still pities him. She screams while the building burns with Christian inside.

Ultimately, the painting in Dani’s room represents the multiple layers that the ending contains. It mirrors her rise as the May Queen and Christian’s death in the bear suit while also indicating that she accepts that she must let him go and move on. The murals constructed with the intent of telling the story are a blatant clue at the movie’s entire plot, but the inclusion of John Bauer’s “Poor Little Bear” in the beginning of Midsommar is actually the biggest hint to the movie’s ending.

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