‘The Midnight Club’ Ending Explained: Breaking Down That Final Twist

All of the spooky stories in Netflix’s The Midnight Club may have ended, but there’s still more to this series. This young-adult thriller’s final episode revealed the truth behind its central cult, saw two of its characters grow up a lot in a short amount of time, and dropped a couple of major cliffhangers. If Netflix is open to a Season 2, there is absolutely potential there.

Looking for a guide to break down what you just watched? Not a problem. Here’s everything you need to know about The Midnight Club‘s Season 1 ending.

How Does The Midnight Club End?

Throughout Season 1, Ilonka (Iman Benson) formed a friendship with Shasta (Samantha Sloyan), a naturalist who used the special land around Rotterdam Home hospice to brew and sell her teas. But toward the end of the season, Shasta’s real identity was revealed. She was actually Julia Jayne, the woman who managed to heal herself while at Rotterdam Home and the person Ilonka has been researching all along. Julia was a disciple of Aceso — the leader of the Paragon cult — and was with her when Aceso tried to perform a ritual to give them all longer lives. Well, that was all the proof Ilonka needed ditch her alliance to Dr. Stanton (Heather Langenkamp) and side with Julia.

Julia, Ilonka, and some of her followers broke into the basement of Rotterdam Home where they tried to recreate that fateful ritual. But at the last minute, the ritual was interrupted once again. Dr. Stanton found out what was happening and prevented Ilonka from drinking the concoction Julia had given her. That turned out to be a really good move. Two of Julia’s followers who drank the potion collapsed on the ground and had to go to the hospital.

It was only after Julia fled that Dr. Stanton revealed the truth. Dr. Stanton believed that Julia never healed herself through any sort of magic. Julia only got better because she was lucky. All of Julia’s break-ins and her plan to poison Ilonka led Dr. Stanton to believe that Julia was sick again and was desperately trying to recapture the “magic” she once thought she found. In Dr. Stanton’s eyes, the Paragon cult is just a bunch of sick people who are desperate for solutions, no matter how far-fetched they seem.

“These ideas, they’re like cancer,” Dr. Stanton told Ilonka. “Once they catch on, it doesn’t matter how old you are or how smart you are or aren’t. All of us are at risk one way or another.”

Before leaving her office, Ilonka apologized to Dr. Stanton for what happened and told her that she planned on going home. But that wasn’t Ilonka’s only moment of growth. During a meeting with her father, Ilonka finally completed her preneed forms, which he will need for her funeral. Ilonka has accepted her death and is making the most of the life she has left.

She wasn’t the only one to take a big step forward. Kevin (Igby Rigney) finally decided to end his serial killer story. Ultimately, it became a saga about how Kevin feels like he’s let down everyone he loves. The rest of his friends didn’t love that ending, so they took matters into their own hands. The Midnight Club’s final story combined all of their tales into one giant tribute to Anya (Ruth Codd). Did it make sense? No, not really. But it was sweet.

Did Anya Leave a Sign from the Afterlife?

While looking through her stuff, Ilonka discovered that Anya’s broken ballerina statue had been fixed. She took that as a sign from the beyond from her departed friend. The Midnight Club doesn’t explicitly answer whether ghosts are real in this world or if they’re the product of drug cocktails and the overactive imaginations of a bunch of teens going through the worst life event imaginable. But if you believe that ghosts exist in this show, Anya kept her promise.

What Happened to Amesh and Natsuki?

Earlier in the season, Amesh (Sauriyan Sapkota) and Natsuki (Aya Furukawa) became a couple. As sweet as that was, it was followed by tragedy in “Midnight.” The final episode showed Amesh struggling with his motor skills and eyesight. Amesh’s time may be running out.

Do Ilonka and Kevin End Up Together?

The second Ilonka spotted Kevin lounging on a bench, we knew these two were going to smooch. But it took until Episode 10 for it to happen. After finishing his story, Kevin took Ilonka aside and told her that he broke up with his girlfriend and has feelings for her. Initially, Ilonka resisted, pointing out that she was dying.

“I’ve been thinking that dying is a really shitty reason not to live,” Kevin told her before kissing her. We’re glad these sweet kids get one nice thing.

What Does the Hourglass Tattoo Mean?

That kiss wasn’t the biggest twist of the series. No, that honor belongs to Dr. Stanton. In the final moments of the season, the camera zooms in on an article about the house’s former owners, Oscar Stanley Freelan and Vera Freelan. Now we know the names of the ghosts all the teens keep seeing. Afterwards, Dr. Stanton takes off her wig, exposing an hourglass tattoo. That’s right; she was part of the Paragon cult all along. Exactly what role she played and why she left are mysteries that are sure to crop up if there’s a Season 2.