‘My Best Friend’s Exorcism’ Ending Explained: Does the Owl at the End Imply Andras Is Still Around?
The new Amazon Prime Original, My Best Friend’s Exorcism, is based on the book by Grady Hendrix. The story follows two best friends in the ’80s – Abby (Elsie Fisher) and Gretchen (Amiah Miller). After a night of taking acid gone wrong, Gretchen begins to act strangely, and Abby discovers a demon now possesses her body. While it looks like the girls get a happy ending, there’s one hint that all’s not well after all. Let’s take a look at the My Best Friend’s Exorcism ending and what it might mean.
[WARNING: This article contains detailed spoilers regarding the My Best Friend’s Exorcism ending.]
The demon in ‘My Best Friend’s Exorcism’ is based on a demon written about in the mid-17th century
Gretchen rejoins her friends after getting separated from Abby in the abandoned building the night of Margaret’s (Rachel Ogechi Kanu) sleepover in My Best Friend’s Exorcism. Still, Abby immediately notices something is off with the way she acts. Gretchen’s behavior gets increasingly more bizarre and cruel, so Abby sets out to save her friend, with or without anyone else’s help. When Abby returns to the spot she and Gretchen got separated the night of the sleepover, she sees the word “Andras” scrawled on the walls of the abandoned building. The audience and Abby realize that a demon took possession of Gretchen that night. Eventually, Abby discovers the demon’s name is Andras.
Andras is actually based on a demon written about in the mid-17th century. According to Wikipedia, Andras is “a Great Marquis of Hell, having under his command thirty legions of demons. He sows discord among people. According to the Goetia, Andras was a Grand Marquis of Hell, appearing with a winged angel’s body and the head of an owl or raven, riding upon a strong black wolf and wielding a sharp and bright sword. He is the 63rd of the 72 spirits of Solomon.”
Andras’s connection to owls plays an important role in the film, but it’s one people might not be aware of in general. However, director Damon Thomas sneaks owls in throughout the film.
Abby uses the power of her and Gretchen’s friendship to exorcise Andras
Abby recruits the help of Brother Lemon (Chris Lowell) to help her exorcise the demon from Gretchen’s body. She meets him during his group’s performance at school, and they later meet up at the mall to discuss demon possession over some frozen yogurt. (Natch. It’s the ’80s.) He offers to lead the exorcism, but it requires Abby to kidnap Gretchen and bring her back to Margaret’s cabin.
Once there, Brother Lemon chickens out halfway through the exorcism, but Abby refuses to lose her friend. When Gretchen attacks her, Abby stabs Gretchen with a fire poker, and Gretchen flees the cabin. Abby finds her body passed out on a dirty mattress in the abandoned building before using special moments in their friendship to coax the demon out of Gretchen. When it releases its hold on Gretchen, she sets it on fire using an old bottle of liquor. Both girls hug, and this leads us to My Best Friend’s Exorcism’s ending.
The ‘My Best Friend’s Exorcism’ ending hints at something a little darker than meets the eye
When Gretchen and Abby first discover the abandoned building, an owl sits on a tree stump out front. Gretchen even notices the owl and points it out to Gretchen. As it turns out, this was a subtle nod to Andras’ presence.
In the My Best Friend’s Exorcism ending, we watch Abby and Gretchen tearfully say goodbye as Gretchen gets ready to move away. Abby confesses to Gretchen her fear that they didn’t really get rid of Andras and wonders if the demon might eventually return. Gretchen admits they don’t know for sure but reassures Abby that she “finished it.” They promise to stay friends before Gretchen gets out of the car and Abby drives away.
As the camera pans out, viewers see an owl perched on a tree branch in front of Gretchen’s house. It then flies away toward Gretchen as she walks inside, and the movie ends.
Hendrix’s novel ends on a much different note, but the movie leaves the possibility that Andras might return for Gretchen eventually. Now that she and Abby don’t live in the same area, does this mean Gretchen won’t be able to fight him next time? It’s up to the viewer to decide.
Stream My Best Friend’s Exorcism exclusively on Amazon Prime Video.
