Netflix’s Cursed Ending Explained

The first season of Netflix‘s Cursed tells a version of Arthurian legend like you’ve never seen it before, focusing on Nimue’s journey with Excalibur long before Arthur ever becomes king. The show has proven popular in its first week on the streaming service, and quite a lot of folks have probably already burned through all 10 episodes. Some TV shows end their first seasons with a cliffhanger, hoping to draw you in and convince you to tune in for another installment. Cursed takes that idea to the max, opening up several cans of worms simultaneously, using the season finale to establish quite a few mysteries heading into Season 2. There’s a lot to unpack in those final minutes, but we’ve got you covered.

WARNING: This article contains MAJOR Spoilers for Netflix’s Cursed! Continue reading at your own risk…

We’ll start with Nimue’s part of the story, since she’s the most important character and her journey will have the biggest impact on the second season. After the final battle on the bridge, Nimue was shot by Iris with an arrow, causing her to fall hundreds of feet down into the lake. She accomplished her mission of freeing the Fey people, but it potentially cost her her own life. The finale ends with Nimue in the water, slowly sinking deeper.

It’s hard to believe that Nimue would die after just one season, considering she’s the main character of the story. The creative team could kill her off, but it doesn’t seem likely, so let’s just assume that she makes it. This cliffhanger will go a long way towards setting up Nimue’s arc as the Lady of the Lake.

With Nimue gone, at least for a time, Arthur is now on a path to potentially have a relationship with Guinevere, following the traditional story from Arthurian legend. The raider known as Red Spear, who spent time with Pym throughout much of the season, was revealed to be Guinevere by the end of the finale. After saving the Fey from an attack, she and Arthur share a moment before leading everyone to safety, which indicates that their classic romance will come into play in Season 2.

Perhaps the most shocking reveal of the entire season came in the closing moments, as the Weeping Monk revealed his true identity to Squirrel. Talking about their pasts, Squirrel revealed that his real name was Percival, a fact that was made clear earlier in the season, making the young boy one of the eventual Knights of the Round Table. When he asked the Monk about his history, the mysterious warrior (who Gawain confirmed was Fey-born) said that his birth name was Lancelot. Of course, Lancelot is the most famous of King Arthur’s knights, which means that there is a lot in store for the Weeping Monk in seasons to come. He has turned to the side of good, and he will need to do quite a lot to mend the relationships with Arthur and the other characters. Luckily, he has already made progress with Percival and Gawain.

With Father Carden now dead, and the Weeping Monk working alongside the Fey, the church will need a new villain in Season 2. The Season 1 finale revealed who that will be, unsurprisingly setting up Iris as one of the main antagonists going forward.

And let’s not forget about Merlin and Morgana! With the sword in-hand, Merlin now has his power restored, making him one of the most powerful characters in the story. Morgana seems to be following the steps of classic Arthurian character Morgan le Fey, as she has essentially taken over the role of Death and is infused with dark magic.

There are a lot of threads to follow in Season 2, so hopefully Netflix will announce the show’s renewal sooner rather than later.