'12 Monkeys' Ending Explained: What should one make of the finale of Bruce Willis' film?

12 Monkeys, the science fiction film that had the concept of time travel at its centre, had released back in 1996. It features the likes of Bruce Willis, Brad Pitt and Madeleine Stowe in lead roles. The 1996 feature presentation was directed by Terry Gilliam, the person who is responsible for films like Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas & The Zero Theorem. The film is about a future (the year 2035) where a deadly virus has killed most living things on the planet, with the last of humanity being buried underground. 

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The main plotline of the film follows a group of scientists that are trying to make a vaccine, for which they must find the virus in its purest form. It is something which is not possible in the present timeline of the current film as in the present, the virus has mutated and cannot possibly be dissected for a cure. This leads to the last of humanity send James Cole back to the year 1996, a time when the outbreak was in its nascent stage. The hunt for the virus in its pure form and the organisation that is supposedly responsible for the outbreak, namely the 12 Monkeys, is what drives the film forward.

'12 Monkeys' Trailer

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'12 Monkeys' Ending Explained

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As per the 12 Monkeys Ending Explained Reddit thread, the ending of the Bruce Willis/Brad Pitt film is actually a happy one. The Redditor in question, namely TimWins_, spoke about the final moments of the feature as he dissected the same almost frame-by-frame. The Redditor spoke about how at first, it appeared as if the ending was a sad one as a Young Cole saw his future self breathe his last in front of him since viewers are shown Cole as a young child witnessing his own death. The Redditor further added that the choice of song for the end credits of the film is a clue in itself, indicating that the ending might have actually been a happy one. As Cole goes back in time, his actions end up altering the timeline to a supposedly happier one. As per the Redditor's understanding of mechanics of the film, each person that is sent back to carry out the mission as they get closer to the source. The additional part of the ending of 12 Monkeys explained below.

Ending of '12 Monkeys' Explained

As per TimWins_, the scientists do state they have sent others. But, it was James who did get and deliver what he had promised to another character who would supposedly begin work on finding the cure for the outbreak. They know now who is responsible and can now work to make a cure, as a result of all the efforts that have been put in by Willis' character. The events that concluded the storylines for other characters saw them working towards fast-tracking the process of finding the cure, and the same would also be expected from Madeline Stowe's Katheryn Railey, a psychiatrist that Willis meets in '96. The events of the past lead to a future in which one can assume that the younger version of Cole, who although died at the end of the film, will go on to live a relatively happier life in a world that will probably not be affected by a pandemic.

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