Obsession Ending Explained: Does Bear Get His Wish?
Obsession is yet another gold-tier horror film in a year overrun by the genre.
In Obsession, Bear wishes that the object of his affection, work colleague and friend Nikki, would love him more than anyone else. Thanks to a ‘One Wish Willow,’ his dream immediately comes true, and the initial honeymoon phase is everything he ever dreamed of. But as Nikki’s fixation on him intensifies, Bear finds his life turning into a nightmare.
Directed by Curry Barker, Obsession leans into the be ‘careful what you wish for’ narrative but makes it his own exceptionally dark story. The ending, in particular, is brutal and perfectly encapsulates the malice of the movie. But if you don’t pay attention, you might miss a key moment. Here’s a spoiler-filled breakdown of Obsession’s final moments.
What Happens At The End Of Obsession?
Finally willing and desperate to put an end to his wish, though not Nikki’s misery, Bear tracks down another One Wish Willow. The problem is that he cannot use it to make another wish, as he has already had a turn. As the realisation sinks in that Nikki will be with him forever, Bear locks himself in the bathroom.
Frantic for a way out, he considers trying to kill himself as per the advice of both the voice on the helpline and the man in the crystal shop, but baulks at a violent end. Then, seeing no other way out of Nikki’s devotion, he begins to overdose on the same pills that killed his beloved pet cat, Sandy, at the beginning. After consuming the bottle, he once again experiences regret and tries to vomit the pills up before suddenly leaving the room and returning to Nikki.
If you don’t pay attention, Bear’s actions here can be read simply as him finally giving into his fate. He wished for Nikki’s love, and although he didn’t strictly want this level of intensity, he could not face the prospect of dying, and so he decided to simply go with it. This makes for a somewhat tragic end for Bear, with some perhaps reading his move as a sacrifice to save the woman he loves. However, this is not the case.
As Bear sits in the bathroom, you can clearly hear both a snap and the sound of a One Wish Willow being activated. Throughout the second act of Obsession, Nikki’s intensity is tied to her feelings of insecurity as she believes that Bear does not love her the same way she does him. Nikki is, of course, correct. Bear’s indecisive commitment and confusion send her into a spiral that results in the death of both Ian and Sarah. Bear’s arrival home is met with Nikki’s elation, but him disappearing into the bathroom causes another round of panicked shouts and screams.
Although it isn’t shown, the sound of the jingle and crack indicates that Nikki has discovered and used the One Wish Willow lying on the floor. Her wish is evidently one for Bear to reciprocate her love, and it is this event that causes Bear to halt himself mid-purge and exit the bathroom.
With Bear now equally fixated on Nikki, the pair embrace and kiss. A lesser film would end Obsession here, seeing Bear submit to the horror that he unleashed, but Obsession is not finished yet. As the pills begin to take effect, Bear dies in Nikki’s arms, leaving her distraught.
Obsession’s Dark Ending – And Why Bear Had To Die
Nikki’s distress at Bear’s passing almost triggers a Romeo & Juliet moment as Nikki reaches for the gun, but just as she is about to use it, Bear’s wish is broken and the real Nikki is back. In his death, Bear’s wish is undone, and Nikki is free. This is not the happy ending it might seem, though.
Nikki has been conscious to various degrees throughout her ordeal and in being granted full control of her body again the impact of the trauma she has experienced thanks to Bear leaves her a wailing wreck. It will only get worse when you consider that her body - even though she was not in control of it - was responsible for the death of both Sarah and Ian. Her DNA will be all over both crime scenes, and Nikki is going to spend the rest of her life either in a prison cell or in a psychiatric facility. After all, who will believe that a wish made her do it?
It is due to the devastation wrought upon poor Nikki that Bear has to die. His death, much like his life, was not an admirable one. He did not overdose to give Nikki her life back; he did it because he was unable to cope with her obsessive behaviour. His death, like every other action throughout Obsession, is selfish. Making someone else love you when they don’t feel the same is reprehensible action enough, but that Bear continues to let the wish play out, knowing that the Nikki in front of him isn’t really her, is vile.
At several moments through the film the repressed Nikki is able to fight her way to the surface. Eventually, she begs Bear to kill her, and when Bear asks what’s so bad about being with him, she replies that she has not been with him. This explicitly confirms that the excessively affectionate Nikki is some other entity possessing her body, and yet Bear remains resolute. Her words reinforce those of the agent on the helpline who offers Bear the chance to speak to the real Nikki, which results in Bear being confronted with anguished screams. Although both conversations make him wary, it isn’t until Sarah’s death and the fear for his own mortality that he seeks actual help.
Even when Bear finally admits that the wish has gone too far, it is not because of the need to help the real Nikki. Instead, Bear’s reasons are exclusively motivated by how he is being treated. Suddenly trapped in a relationship with an intensely jealous partner who is not above killing to keep him, Bear wants out. Although he wants an easier life, he still wants Nikki in it, and there is the distinct impression that were he able to make a second wish, it would be effectively the same, just with Nikki to be more chill. We see this during his helpline conversation when he asks if the wish could be altered, not cancelled.
Bear’s selfish decisions and lack of backbone throughout ultimately seal his fate. Were he to survive his wish, many of the audience would riot, and there will be few that can argue that he didn’t get what he deserved.
What To Watch Next If You Enjoyed Obsession
If Curry Barker’s Obsession has impressed you, why not seek out his YouTube movie Milk & Serial? Made for just $800, Milk & Serial marked Barker’s pseudo feature debut, and has to date been watched by over two million people, though that number is set to spike in the near future. Told in the found-footage format, Milk & Serial follows two influencers whose prank war with one another escalates with disastrous consequences.
Joe Dante’s Burying the Ex stars the late Anton Yelchin as the man stuck between Ashley Greene’s undead ex and Alexandra Daddario’s sweet new flame. Max is over his relationship with the overbearing Evelyn, but can’t bring himself to break up with her. Then Evelyn dies, and Max thinks his worries are over. He begins dating Olivia, only for Evelyn to return from beyond the grave. Still believing them to be together, Evelyn goes to great lengths to ensure her and Max will be together for eternity. Although Burying the Ex is a far lighter film than Obsession, there are some interesting parallels between them, primarily in the OTT intensity of Evelyn and Nikki.
Finally, if it is the wish gone wrong theme of Obsession that appeals to you, then give Wish Upon a whirl. The plot sees a teenage girl come into possession of a beautiful antique box that she discovers is capable of granting her seven wishes. The box takes the wording of her wishes very literally and so when she wishes the school bully ‘would rot’ her adversary is stricken with a flesh-eating virus. For every wish, the box claims the life of another, each following the Final Destination formula of teasing the audience with several different scenarios to claim the next victim. Another easier watch than Obsession, but there does remain a dark and violent undercurrent to Wish Upon that makes it a great follow-up film.
