The Last Voyage Of The Demeter Ending Explained: How Does the Movie End?

The Last Voyage of the Demeter ends with the entire crew of the Demeter except Clemens getting killed. The supernatural horror film ends where it began: At the port of Whitby, with the ship having crashed into the harbor and the captain’s log having been found. Clemens, meanwhile, drifts at sea, having just witnessed the death of Anna, who reveals Dracula turned her.

Though Clemens’ blood transfusions staved off the infection for a while, Anna didn’t want to live the life of a vampire.

Knowing she now had a choice in the matter, whereas she didn’t when she was offered to Dracula by her people, Anna chose to be burned by the sun than live the life of the undead. After her death, Clemens makes it ashore. Instead of going on with his life, the doctor vows to pursue Dracula and kill him for the end he’s caused. Clemens starts with the mystery of Carfax Abbey.

Now that he knows Dracula can be burned by the sun, Clemens intends to kill him while he rests. But Clemens belatedly realizes his neck injury makes it so Dracula can sense him and vice versa.

1. Captain Elliot’s Last Words Explained

Captain Elliot is forever changed following the death of his grandson Toby, but he agrees that the Demeter must go down in the hopes of killing Dracula once and for all. Just before his death, Captain Elliot tells Clemens, “Let them know I was true to my trust.” While Elliot was speaking in general, perhaps about his honor as a captain, it’s more than likely he wanted others to know that he was right all along about Clemens.

He wanted to ensure that others knew he was right about Clemens and had not betrayed his trust. Clemens was long dismissed because he was a Black man, discredited, and not given opportunities despite his credentials. Captain Elliot believed Clemens was not only a good man but good at his job.

Elliot had always believed Clemens was a good man, even when everyone else was suspicious of him. He trusted Clemens with the lives of his grandson Toby and Anna, and he was right to do so. Clemens was a good man and did not deserve to be killed by Dracula.

In his final moments, Elliot was thinking about how he had always been faithful to his trust as a captain and a man. He had always done what he believed was right, even when difficult. He had always put the safety of his crew and his passengers first. And he had always thought in Clemens, even when no one else did.

Elliot’s last words are a reminder that it is essential to be true to oneself, even in the face of death. They are also a reminder that it is necessary to believe in others, even when they are different from us. We should never judge someone based on their appearance or their background. We should always give people the benefit of the doubt and be willing to trust them.

Liam Cunningham and Corey Hawkins in The Last Voyage of the Demeter (2023) | Source: IMDb

2. Why Dracula & Anna Are Buried In Soil?

The entirety of Count Dracula’s cargo was made up of crates of soil. Dracula and Anna were buried in them so deeply that no one realized at first that there was anyone inside.

Initially, the soil seemed like an odd choice. It covered up Dracula well enough, but he brought it to London because the earth was from Transylvania, Dracula’s homeland. The Transylvanian world is needed for Dracula to restore his strength during the day while he sleeps.

This is especially pertinent because Dracula was leaving Transylvania behind for London, and the soil was a requirement as he made his home in a new place.

Without being surrounded or buried in Transylvanian soil, Dracula would not be as powerful as he aimed to be. Of course, Demeter’s crew didn’t know the soil was so important, only that it was odd to be buried in. If Anna had a clue about why he needed to be buried in it, the crew could have devised a plan to rid Dracula of his beloved soil, sapping him of his energy.

3. The Meaning Of Dracula’s Dragon Symbol

The dragon symbol on the crates carrying Dracula’s coffin in The Last Voyage of the Demeter has a few different meanings.

  • It is a symbol of Dracula’s power and strength. Dragons are often seen as powerful and fearsome creatures, and the dragon symbol on the crates reminds them of Dracula’s power.
  • It is a symbol of Dracula’s evil nature. Dragons are often associated with evil and darkness, and the dragon symbol on the crates reminds me of Dracula’s dark and twisted character.
  • It is a symbol of Dracula’s origins. Vlad III Dracul, the historical figure on whom Dracula is based, was a member of the Order of the Dragon, a knightly order founded to fight against the Ottoman Empire. The symbol of the Order of the Dragon was a dragon, and this symbol is still used by the Order today.

The dragon symbol on the crates is powerful and evocative, and it helps to create a sense of dread and foreboding in the movie. The sign reminds us of the evil lurking just below the surface, foreshadowing the horrific events that are to come.

In addition to the meanings mentioned above, the dragon symbol may also have a more personal sense for Dracula himself. The dragon symbolizes transformation, and Dracula may see himself as a dragon in the process of becoming something more powerful and evil. The dragon symbol may be a reminder of Dracula’s power and potential, and it may also be a warning to others about the danger that he poses.

Ultimately, the meaning of the dragon symbol is up to the individual viewer to decide. However, it is clear that the symbol is powerful and plays an essential role in the movie The Last Voyage of the Demeter.

Javier Botet in The Last Voyage of the Demeter (2023) | Source: IMDb

4. How Does ‘The Last Voyage of the Demeter’ Set Up a Sequel?

Now in the city, Clemens is at a bar where he asks for directions to where he knows Dracula spends the daytime in hiding. However, as it is night, he fears going after him would be too dangerous.

Wouldn’t you know it? Dracula is also there at the bar!! He knocks on the ground with his cane, echoing a recurring element from the film where characters would bang on the ship to communicate, and it rattles Clemens to his core.

When he subsequently gathers himself, he chases after his target but cannot catch him. This rather silly ending implies that there is a desire for a sequel in which we explore what it would be like to try to hunt for Dracula in London. Besides that, there is little else to it, proving to be one of the oddest conclusions to a film this year. Only time will tell how seriously we are meant to take this tease.

5. About The Last Voyage Of the Demeter

The Last Voyage of the Demeter is a 2023 American supernatural horror film directed by André Øvredal and written by Bragi F. Schut Jr and Zak Olkewicz.

It is an adaptation of “The Captain’s Log”, a chapter from the 1897 novel Dracula by Bram Stoker. The plot follows the doomed crew of the merchant ship Demeter led by Captain Elliot (Cunningham) who attempt to survive the treacherous ocean voyage from Transylvania to London while being stalked by a vampire, known only as Dracula (Javier Botet).

The film stars Corey Hawkins, Aisling Franciosi, Liam Cunningham, and David Dastmalchian.

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