Suzume Ending, Explained

Summary

Great dialogue and captivating visuals drive Suzume‘s Locking Up’s compelling narrative.
Souta’s resurrection and sealing the worm require teamwork and sacrifice for a satisfying resolution.
The poignant meeting of past and future selves brings closure and hope to Suzume’s journey.

As a storyteller who has journeyed through the realms of time and space with Suzume Iwato, I must say, this tale left me spellbound. The way the past, present, and future intertwined, creating a beautiful symphony of emotions, was nothing short of breathtaking. The resilience and bravery shown by young Suzume, navigating through the chaos, was a testament to human spirit.

Makoto Shinkai’s film titled “Suzume’s Locking Up” narrates the tale of mourning and acceptance as Suzume embarks on a trip across Japan in an effort to rectify her error and imprison a malevolent spirit. This journey offers 120+ minutes filled with tense action, eerie suspense, and poignant emotional moments.

In a nutshell, here’s an easier-to-follow summary of the conclusion of “Suzume’s Locking Up”:

Daijin, Sadaijin

The Western Keystone and the Eastern Keystone

As Suzume journeys to a location she once unintentionally entered through a door connected to the Ever-After, she encounters a black cat named Sadaijin. Similar to Daijin, Sadaijin serves as a crucial element that holds back a monstrous entity, with Daijin being in charge of the door in Kyushu and Sadaijin overseeing the gate in Tokyo. When Suzume partially seals the creature with Souta who has taken on the role of a new keystone, it frees Sadaijin from his restraints.

Instead of Daijin who’s all about fun and often neglects his duties, Sadaijin is focused on restoring normality. He senses Suzume is aiming for the same, so he joins her journey with the group. Upon reaching the Ever-After portal, Sadaijin transforms into a massive fox-like being, struggling to keep a creature resembling a worm under control while Daijin remains with Suzume, guiding her in search of Souta.

“Return everything as it was, with human hands.”

—Sadaijin

Souta, Resurrected

Return to Human

Character’s name: Souta Munakata
Voice Actor: Hokuto Matsumura (JP)/Josh Keaton (EN)

As told by Souta’s grandfather, when someone transforms into a keystone, they cannot reclaim their human nature. This implies that Souta will always function as the barrier that stops the worm from wreaking havoc in our world. However, Suzume remains skeptical of this claim. She holds onto her disbelief until she takes action to try and restore Souta’s humanity.

When Suzume discovers Souta perched precariously on a worm’s tail while still in his frozen chair form, she exerts her utmost effort to rescue him, but fails. She then starts shouting his name, desperately trying to reach and thaw his heart that was already close to surrender. Miraculously, Suzume’s voice penetrates Souta just in time, enabling him to break free from the worm’s grip.

Sealing the Worm

A Two-Person Job

Suzume Ending, Explained

Shouta’s liberty has eliminated any obstacles preventing the worm from exiting the Ever-After. Given the gravity of the predicament and her growing affection for Suzume, Daijin ultimately consents to resume his role as the key to seal the worm. Similarly, Sadaijin is prepared to assume the role of the key to seal the other end of the worm.

With Daijin and Sadaijn transformed back into their stone statues once more, I’m all set alongside Suzume for sealing away that pesky worm! A swift teleportation, courtesy of the keystones, places us at either end of this wriggling creature. Without a second thought, Suzume plunges Daijin into the worm from the west, while I simultaneously thrust Sadaijin through the eastern part. In a heartbeat, the worm vanishes completely, leaving no trace behind. But fear not, it’s just sealed again like old times!

I Am Your Tomorrow

When the Past Meets the Future

Straight away, once Suzume wakes up from sealing the worm, she spots a small child approaching at a distance who’s weeping and calling out for someone. Surprisingly, it turns out to be none other than Suzume herself.

In the aftermath of a catastrophe more than ten years past, tiny Suzume found a gateway leading to Ever-After. Curiously seeking her lost mother, she ventured through the door unaware it was a portal to another dimension. The Suzume she encounters now is from that same realm. Ever-After is an ethereal world where spirits dwell. This unique space allows for simultaneous occurrence of past, present, and future events, making it possible for Suzume to encounter her former or future self.

Suzume, understand this: Although you may feel sad at present, remember, you’re destined to mature and grow. Don’t let fear cloud your mind about the future. It might appear daunting now, but trust me, there are many wonderful people who will touch your heart, and vice versa. The long, dark night you find yourself in now will eventually pass, giving way to a bright day. I have no doubt that you’ll blossom under its light.

—Suzume, talking to her younger self.

In a moment of startling clarity, I found myself understanding that the woman from my long-ago dream was none other than my older self. With this newfound insight, I promptly rose and approached my younger counterpart. I sought to calm her, offering words of reassurance that all would be well. To her, I passed on a three-legged chair. After making sure that little Suzume made it back safely to her time, I and Souta stepped through our own doorway once more.

We Meet Again

Same Place, Same Time

Character’s name: Suzume Iwato
Voice Actor: Nanoka Hara (JP)/Nichole Sakura (EN)

Following their encounter with the calamitous worm, Suzume and Souta bid farewell to each other. Some time passes, perhaps around winter due to their choice of warmer clothing, and lo and behold, Suzume encounters Souta once more – at the exact same location where they first crossed paths. Their reunion is marked by warm smiles.

This is where the movie ends. The closing moments are clear enough on their own and don’t need additional interpretation. Given our previous discussions about the earlier scenes, it seems fitting to bring up this final act as well. And with that, we wrap up Suzume’s Locking Up.

Suzume’s Locking Up is available to stream on Crunchyroll.

2024-12-13 23:34