Amelia's Children Movie Twist Ending Explained

Alba Baptista's new horror movie Amelia's Children still has fans discussing its wild ending.

By Richard Nebens Posted:
Amelia's Children ending

The newly-released horror movie Amelia's Children has impacted fans months after its release thanks to its crazy ending.

Written and directed by Gabriel Abrantes, Amelia's Children delivers a cautionary tale about knowing too much about one's history as a mild-mannered New Yorker takes a DNA test after his girlfriend asks for it.

Exploring creepy themes like abduction along with a hint of supernatural plot devices, the story does not take long to get scary as a lost family is found and ultimately tested.

What Happens in Amelia's Children?

Brigette Lundy-Paine as Ryley in Amelia's Children
Hulu

The basic premise of Amelia's Children centers on a young man named Edward from New York City who suddenly finds out he has a family, including a twin brother and his mother.

After finding this out through an ancestry test that connects Edward to his long-lost brother, Manuel, he and his girlfriend, Ryley, book a flight to Portugal to learn more about his family.

What the audience knows already is that Edward was abducted in the prologue to the main story - something Ryley is unaware of. This also comes after Edward begins having nightmares and visions, seeing ghosts in the bathroom and horrible sights of infanticide in his mind.

Anabela Moreira and Carloto Cotta in Amelia's Children
Hulu

As they arrive in Portugal and try to find their destination, locals on the road are terrified when they show them the house they're trying to get to. Although this could be a sign of something bad coming, they find their way to Manuel and his mother, Amelia, reuniting the family in an emotional moment.

While Edward learns of a massive fortune he and his brother are set to inherit upon their mother's death, he starts noticing weird things around him.

As the visions become more visceral and prominent, Manuel explains the secret behind his family to his twin brother.

Explaining the Ending of Amelia's Children

Anabela Moreira in Amelia's Children
Hulu

Eventually, Edward and Ryley learn that his family's house was previously owned by a Portuguese witch, somewhat explaining the strange things happening. Amelia is then revealed to be a witch, but there is a creepy twist regarding how she keeps her magic.

She is granted the ability to live forever, provided she reproduces and has children with her sons. If she has daughters, she consumes their bodies and souls to maintain her perpetual youth.

Ryley later hears a voicemail left for Edward about his DNA test, which proves to have traces of inbreeding, confirming the stories she heard from the locals.

As Ryley snoops around the property, she finds a dead body hidden in the garage, confirming her need to get out of there as fast as possible. After being chased by Manuel, she walks in on Amelia raping Edward to reproduce with him, leaving her almost paralyzed in shock.

Killing Manuel with a hammer blow to the head, Ryley has to fight off Amelia, but the decaying body of Edward's father holds Amelia back as Ryley and Edward escape.

Alba Baptista in Amelia's Children
Hulu

By the end, Amelia regains her youthful appearance and raises a new baby with Manuel, keeping her life force alive as her magic thrives.

Themes Explored in Amelia's Children

While this movie has its fair share of grotesque visual imagery, the themes highlighted are much more psychological, specifically with the incestuous nature of Amelia's powers.

Using seduction and a form of bribery with her money and her estate, the film's central character comes close to ensnaring her son and bringing him into the same lifestyle she and Manuel already share.

The supernatural side of the story combined with the incest adds a different kind of creep factor to the story, especially considering the secret is not revealed until over halfway through the story.

While the plot turns out to be fairly simple, those ideas add to how scary the final product becomes as Manuel and Amelia show a willingness (almost eagerness) to spill blood to survive.


Amelia's Children is streaming on Hulu.

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- About The Author: Richard Nebens
Richard Nebens joined The Direct in March 2020, now serving as the site's Senior Writer and also working as an assistant editor and content creator. He started his journalism career as a hobby in 2019 and is passionate about sharing news and stories from the entertainment industry, especially comic book movies, comedy, and sci-fi. Richard looks to expand his knowledge about movies and TV every day, and he is eager to stay locked into the latest releases and breaking news at every opportunity.