MovieChat Forums > Beowulf (2007) Discussion > How the movie SHOULD have ended...

How the movie SHOULD have ended...

posted 15 years ago by kartoon-1
33 replies | jump to latest

As Grendals Mother rises up from the water to confront King Wiglaf.

She should have enticed him to join her as did Beowulf.
Then Wiglaf smiles and says quietly;
"Lass, Beowulf was stronger than me, faster and braver. But I always had one strength better. I'm not taken in by a pretty face."

And with that he whips out his sword and whaks off her head.
And as it sinks into the water glaring up at him, the camera zooms into a close-up and he says quietly...

"Bitch."

[–] TheFatDruidofNacyl 14 years ago

Interesting alternate ending, however I do agree with other posts about the meaning of the movie and temptation.

Although for fun I think this would be an interesting alternate ending too:

As Grendals Mother rises up from the water to confront King Wiglaf.

She should have enticed him to join her as did Beowulf.
Then Wiglaf smiles and says quietly;
"Lass, Beowulf was stronger than me, faster and braver. But I always had one hidden quality. I prefer men."

And with that he whips out his sword and whacks off her head.
And as it sinks into the water glaring up at him, the camera zooms into a close-up and he says quietly...

"Bitch."

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[–] Animam 14 years ago

I couldn't disagree more. The actual ending is perfect as it is, opened to interpretation.
If the movie had ended as the OP's suggesting I would have burst out laughing at the 'bitch' part cause it sounds so ridiculous.

[–] Chrispy_G 13 years ago

As light-hearted as the OP's suggestion is...I do think the film would have benefitted from a more conclusive enemy.

I mean, an open-ending has it's own qualities...but I don't think it works here.

Throughout the entire film, Wiglaf is constantly set up as the more rational, sensible of the two...he's a very no-nonsense type of character and is sort of a great counter-piece to Beowulf and his characteristics.

The entire film is sort of setting up him eventually taking over for Beowulf.

By the end of the film, Beowulf has fallen, Wiglaf has taken his place...and I don't think there is anything the audiance wants to see more then for Grendel's mother to be taken out.

I think if the film ended with the set up of Wiglaf being tempted...he wades out and meets her, and then stabs her with his sword or a dagger...that would have been a great ending.

Clearly, the way the movie was structured...Grendel's mother melted swords, and could dissolve/disappear at will...so having it end with her succumbing to a traditional weapon would have been sort of weird.

But you could argue that she saw Beowulfs swing coming, and so could teleport out of the way...she was able to knowingly use her magic to 'fade' the sword through her later, and also to melt it.

In the water, if her gaurd was down, and she was sure that she had just ensnared someone knew...maybe she would susceptible to a stabbing that she didn't see coming.

Of course, if I were in charge of the film...I would have removed her sort of supernatural elements of being able to melt swords, teleport, and have blades pass through her...precisely so that she could be killed by Wigfaf in the final scene.

In a way it would have been a perfect sort of passing of the torch...to see Wiglaf succeed where Beowulf, Hrothgar and every man before failed...it would have been a hell of an ending.

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[–] mrusty5 13 years ago

I don't think Wiglaf would have given in to Grendel's mother, his sensibilities would stop him - plus he's played by Mad Eye Moody!

[–] sebastian111 13 years ago

I don't understand why nobody sees this. Beowulf did nothing wrong by accepting the witch offer. She would have probably killed him otherwise. It was obvious that Beowulf strength was no match for her. She could melt swords and things would pass trough her body without harming her.

The only thing "bad" was the lying and the bragging, but those were offset by his true courage and heroics.

[–] Dream_Demon 13 years ago

That's particularly why I don't think the alternate ending would work. Grendal's mother is indeed killable, but it would take something like a magical weapon or a spell from a wizard to kill her. Since Wiglaf didn't have either of those things, I'd doubt he would be able to kill her.

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[–] Aqqk 13 years ago

Ok, to the people saying "no way would Wiglaf give in to her".. well thats kind of the point of the story. He was always 2nd in command, loyal to Beowulf, honest and never wielded power.. but now he has the chance to become powerful, rich and desirable and he can take it all for himself. When the opportunity presents itself any good man, no matter how honest, can become weak with desire.
Lord Acton says it best (you may have heard the quote):

"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men."

[–] LordElrondd 13 years ago

How it should have ended:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFeRN19Blr4

[–] bigBang8 12 years ago

If you've noticed the look on Wiglaf's face, you'd know he already done that. He was older and wiser than both Beowulf and Hrothgar, at the time they fell for "Mother"

[–] hbarca-1 11 years ago

Even better if he said , "sorry , I like men".

[–] KutWrite (1334) 4 years ago

Yes, good one.

My imagined ending was not so bloody, but Wiglaf wins, too. He plucks the magic ruby off the horn and tosses the rest at her. She loses her power and has possession of the horn, so he's safe.

...and he gets both the young babe and the Queen, who are friends now and share him creatively.