twisted ending
Unexpected story conclusion
A twisted ending is a narrative conclusion that subverts expectations through an unexpected revelation or reversal.
The twist recontextualizes what came before—a trusted character was the villain, the protagonist was dead all along, the narrator was unreliable.
The movie's twisted ending made me want to watch it again immediately.
A good twisted ending feels surprising yet inevitable in hindsight; a bad one feels like a cheat.
- surpriseUnexpected event causing astonishment
- shockViolent sudden disturbance
- revealMake something visible
- unexpectedNot anticipated beforehand
- suspenseAnxious uncertainty about outcomes
thriller · red herring · cliffhanger · betrayal · deception · hidden identity · mystery · unreliable narrator · foreshadowing · gasp · jaw-dropping · reversal · cunning · sinister · dark · irony · dramatic · unmasking
- thrillerssuspense, thriller, nail-biter, page-turner, cliffhanger
- mindbendersparadox, illusion, puzzle, riddle, enigma