Unwelcome (2022) Movie Ending Explained: When we move from one place to another, if we do not follow the culture and tradition of the place, we will be unwelcome visitors. ‘Unwelcome’ by John Wright is a folk horror movie that shows a couple, Maya (Hannah John-Kamen) and Jamie (Douglas Booth), wanting to live a peaceful life in rural Ireland. They weren’t welcomed in London, so they switched to Ireland. There too, they face nasty comments and discrimination from the Irish people but manage to adjust and gel with them.
Their attempts at a peaceful life are foiled when they call the Whelans to help repair the house. But they are deviants who can cause trouble at any moment. What occurs between them makes for the rest of the horror film.
Unwelcome (2022) Plot Summary & Movie Synopsis
Maya is excited that she is pregnant, announces to Jamie, and wants to celebrate the occasion. Jamie goes to a shop to purchase a non-alcoholic drink, but some goons verbally abuse him on the way. He avoids them at first. However, unable to control his anger, he shuts them with a verbal reaction. This enrages the criminals, who break into the home and begin punching Jamie. Maya quickly contacts the cops and defends herself and her husband with a knife.
The hooligans retreat, but both are traumatized by the incident. Niahm, the neighbor of their Aunt Maeve, calls and informs them about the death of their aunt and that the house is vacant and free to be occupied. Both celebrate the news of moving to another house for peaceful living and simultaneously remind themselves that they need to show some solidarity and sadness to the people around them mourning the death of Aunt Maeve.
Escape from anti-social elements in London to peaceful Ireland
Happy Maya and Jamie enjoy the wonderful green scenery as they travel to Ireland. At last, they feel relieved and rejuvenated to start a new life in a new place. Ireland is peaceful and has its own problems and issues to deal with. Aunt Maeve left behind a beautiful house and garden. But the house and the surrounding they lived in had their own stories to boast of. Maya and Jamie are welcomed by Niahm and explained about the various things in the house. Niahm also doesn’t fail to let them know about a ritual that they need to follow to reside in the village peacefully. A ritual that aunt Maeve followed faithfully.
The Blood Offering Ritual
Niahm informs Maya and Jamie that they need to remember to carry on the ritual of blood offerings to Far Darrig or Redcaps to keep them calm and avoid trouble. Far Darrig or Redcaps are mythical monstrous creatures who give a terrifying feel to the movie. The creatures need to be fed regularly. At first, Maya doesn’t take it seriously. She, being modern, does not believe in these superstitious practices. Nevertheless, when she sees the eerie-looking creatures, she starts faithfully performing the ritual.
The Unwelcomed Whelans
Maya and Jamie need help with the repairs of their house. Thus, they call the Whelans to help them get their house fixed. Unreliable and least worried, Whelans do not do their job well, creating more trouble. Eion, for instance, is negligent and unpredictable. At one point, you may see him emotionally wanting; at the other, he may be found sexually assaulting. Killian and Ash are both insensitive and unbothered about the work entrusted to them. They make fun of Maya and Jamie and leave them disappointed.
Colm, the father of the Whelans, is the dominating superior who calls the shots. Maya and Jamie are unhappy and frustrated with the shabby job the Whelans are doing. So they get into conflict with one another. When Eion breaks the glass, Jamie’s blood burns, and thus accuses him and wants the whole family out. But Colm, the father, physically abuses Eion, apologizes, and continues the work.
The Disappearance of Eion & the Beginning of the Conflict
Sad Eion goes to the woods to be by himself. But Maya meets him and consoles him. On the other hand, he takes advantage of the situation by trying to sexually abuse Maya. But Maya cries out for help from the Redaps, who drag Eion and kill him in the woods. The Whelans are unaware of this fact and therefore search for the missing Eion doubting Maya and Jamie. They physically assault and question Jamie several times, and when they obtain Eion’s head in a plastic bag, they plot vengeance. The remainder of the movie is about revenge turned upside down and Maya and Jamie becoming part of the Redcaps clan.
Unwelcome (2022) Ending Explained
The Irish Whelan family does not accept Maya and Jamie’s arrival from London. Therefore, they show a very distant and hostile attitude toward them. They don’t even do the work entrusted to their care. The Whelan family isn’t perfect, they have their own troubles going on. Perhaps their mother’s loss has made them feel abandoned, etc. Colm, their father, is frustrated too. He considers Eion responsible for the death of his wife, so he accuses him. The ill-treated Eion is hurt, and he goes and hides in the woods.
What happened to Eion?
While Eion hides in the woods, Maya comes across him and tries to console him as a mother would do. Maya becomes a healing balm to his soul. But then, he uses the situation incorrectly and tries to sexually assault her. Maya is resilient enough to fight back. And when she does, she never gives up. She fights Eion and, at the same time, cries for help. The eerie little Redcaps come to her rescue and drag Eion to the ground and kill him. They feast on him, leaving only his head. The Redcaps put the head of Eion into a plastic bag and deliver it to Maya.
Eion is dead, leaving the world of the Whelans shattered. But they aren’t aware of it. The Whelans search for Eion. The father expresses that he is sorry for treating him badly and requests him to return. The siblings, Ash and Killian, search for Eion restlessly and interrogate Jamie. Eion meets a tragic fate only because he shows his corrupt side. Maya protected Eion when Colm was physically abusing him. She had advised him to make a complaint against his abusive father. Moreover, Maya showed concern toward him. But it didn’t mean anything to him. The Redcaps, thus, offer him the desired end.
Why does Maya run into the woods?
When Ash finds Maya trying to escape with the head of Eion in the plastic bag, she confirms that Maya and Jamie are responsible for the disappearance of Eion. Hence, Maya desperately once again asks for help from the Redcaps, who comes to her rescue in the woods just as they helped her before. Maya runs into the woods because she believes that the Redcaps would assist her rather than be against her. She remembers the story of aunt Maeve and does the same. In fact, she is ready to repay the Redcaps with anything they desire if they save her family.
Knowing for certain that the Whelan family will not spare both, Maya was left with only one option. Thus, running into the woods was the best thing she did. The Redcaps come to the rescue of Maya and Jamie this time too. They kill Killian and cut open Ash. The Redcaps are so cruel that they discuss whether they should cut Ash more. Since Maya ran into the woods, the Redcaps responded to her call. The powerful Whelans were rendered powerless.
Will Maya give birth to her child & will it survive?
As the conflict takes place, Maya goes through a lot of pain, and when they fight back against the Whelans and kill them all, they feel safe. Maya experiences labor pains and Jamie helps her to deliver the baby safely and sound. She does give birth to the baby, but she had made the promise to the Redcaps that she will do anything for them if they come to her rescue. The promise wasn’t fulfilled, so the Redcaps secretly come to her house and take the baby when she is away from the child.
But Maya is adamant about rescuing her baby. She hasn’t forgotten her promise. But she has become a person who wants to care for her family since her husband acts a coward. The baby is taken to the hut or cave-like structure of the Redcaps and placed in front of their old queen. The old queen is wizened and has no strength left. She is the missing child the Redcaps had kept and has now grown. But Maya doesn’t allow anything worse to happen to her family. She fights back and kills the old queen, and rescues her child.
Why is Maya unharmed by the Redcaps as she kills their queen?
All these traumatic incidences in Maya’s life have made her feral. She becomes a beast who can do anything to safeguard her family. So when Maya kills the old queen, the older Redcap with a beard stops the miniature maniacs from hurting Maya. Because they understand and desire to have a new queen. Therefore, they chant, “Mother Redcap!”.
Maya realizes that she can be violent, too, if the world that surrounds her is not kind and gentle. She embraces her warrior self and becomes ready to lead the clan. Maya goes through the initiation ritual where blood is poured onto her and anointed as the new queen of the Redcaps.
Also, Read: Shiva Baby (2021): The Resonant Desperation of Youthful Dissonance
Unwelcome (2022) Movie Links: IMDb, Wikipedia
Unwelcome (2022) Movie Cast: Hannah John-Kamen, Douglas Booth, Colm Meaney
Where to watch Unwelcome
