Student of a Film School once told me that the ending of Pan’s Labyrinth is confusing. I agreed, as I saw it too, but I am willing to argue this throughout this guide.

The famous Spanish director has employed an impeccable, and rather ingenious intellectual tactic that highlights the struggle of being misled in a world where everything we see and hear is only a representation of the reality which they are trying to convey. The film ends like a fairy tale – finding hope in the impossible, but with a hint of bleakness in the message it holds.

Pan’s Labyrinth 2006 Meaning

Before I get into the detail of things, it is important to note that these interpretations are subjective and they contradict each other. It’s up to you if this means anything or not at all!

Through the use of some theory issues and analytic tools, I have attempted to achieve an objective reading, using – at least from my perspective – hermeneutics.

The  ending of Pan’s Labyrinth is a reflection upon memory . The implied author wants us to “remember” that things aren’t as they appear; this becomes crucial later on in our analysis: In order for there to be no need for doubt about what has happened.

The film begins with a scene where a mother is taking her daughter through Labyrinth. In the process, she finds herself in constant danger which triggers sudden and violent scenes of death (many times inside the labyrinth itself) that makes her lose control of time at one point.

Pan’s Labyrinth 2006 Ending Explanation

Thirty years later, she watches her daughter. The girl is able to find a way out of the labyrinth but mysteriously encounters Captain Vidal and his crew which puts her in danger for life. 30 years have passed and we come so close to what was (and was not) supposed to happen that we can’t remember.

We can only hope for a better reality… We went there and found that the reality had drastically changed. The Captain, who was brave enough to enter the Labyrinth together with Panurge (the protagonist; her role as mother suffering in childbirth), has disappeared, along with his crew which we never hear tell of again.

Learning fromPan’s Labyrinth 2006

Fellow reader,  give your opinion on what you thought about the clues before taking a stab in writing yours! I understand English is not your first language but please try hard so as not to misuse and insult anyone; we are kindly advised against such bad behaviors, thank you for understanding. Please share some comments below if it helps others reading them feel better .

Because, you see if the human being has complete freedom of will and choice then he or she is responsible for all that happens. You can’t escape the responsibility. It’s kind  to blame Fate or God in order to try and manage your own helplessness but true misery always comes from self reliance carelessness.

Key characters from Pan’s Labyrinth 2006

Which of these characters do you most closely associate yourself with? And what about the ending? Tell us in the comments below. And yes, this Journey did change me; I have nothing to worry about now. Thank You again Daniela!

Pale Man

In the ancient world of Luce, humans bent to Fate by taking up a virtue as an offering. This is known  as Acceptance and leads them on their way into slowly deepening darkness where they prosper or perish under the blunting influence: dread La Puerta . It may be interesting for you to know that this La Puerta exists in our reality too; called Cage Earth .

Ofelia

In the ancient world of Luce, there is a type of man called Dark One. Ofelia’s father was one to be feared as he guards La Puerta with all his might until its destruction: destruction at last coming in the early twentieth century when darkness engulfs most of Europe during World War II .

Vidal

Ofelia’s father was called “Vidal” in homage to the bandit leader her parents used to be sweethearts with: placing them under Dicente ‘s sadistic rule. In Spanish, vida means life but also as a feminine name can mean widow/widows .

Mercedes

Mercedes is known as the most beautiful princess of all times. She was required to be a sacrifice for killing La Puerta . Ofelia escapes this fate as she has no interest in being sacrificed and her parents are still living.

Salazar’s Mouthpiece Merino

Final thought

Ever seen the movie “Pan’s Labyrinth” and wondered who or what the Faun was? Why does the Faun cry after being reunited with his daughter? What is the meaning of “Blue Skin”? And, why is Merida taken to the woods by her mother? For that matter, what is the ending of the 2006 Spanish drama “Pan’s Labyrinth”? In this blog, we covered all these and more! So, go through and learn what each of these films mean as well as how they end up.

FAQ

What Is the Meaning of Pan’s Labyrinth 2006?

“Pan’s Labyrinth” is a Spanish-language film written, produced, and directed by Guillermo del Toro. It portrays the odyssey of Ofelia through her encounter with Pan (played by Doug Jones) on fabled mythological world of fauns (Spanish: Fauno ) in Spain .

What Did They Mean by “the Labyrinth”?

The labyrinth in this case is the underworld itself. Ofelia has a front row seat to some of its goings-on and it’s quite gnarly seeing all the souls being trapped down there along with her imagination.

What Was Their Reason for Calling the Place a Labyrinth?

The labyrinth is used as the main metaphor in this film. Ofelia can’t find her way back to real world so she wanders through just about everything trying figure out what or where a way back home would be, because if there’s no meeting with Pan then her death will surely come sooner rather than later (or at least that’s how it goes).

Why Was It Important to Have This Interpretation?

Symbolism is a key element of the film. Del Toro wished to depict Spaniards as a people struggling with their identity, constantly in search for something else leaving traces of this way behind them every time they leave: From Madonna fleeing her sad fate and trying romance after her rape by being seduced into Catholicism (like Ofelia) to The Faun crying out loud from his blue skin because he cannot lose It again –every character .