We discuss the ending of the 2023 Hulu film Jagged Mind, which will contain spoilers.
Jagged Mind follows Billy, a talented artist who crosses paths with Alex, a former model and successful career woman. They meet when Alex buys Rose a glass of wine in a dimly lit bar in Little Haiti. Billy has been involved with Crystal, another artist who runs a gallery, but Crystal only uses Billy for sex and shows no consideration for her feelings.
Jagged Mind Ending Explained
Meanwhile, Billy suffers from chronic “blackouts” and unexplained hallucinations of her death. Billy becomes convinced that she is trapped in a time loop. She repeatedly relives the same scene in the bar with Alex and experiences her death. However, that’s until she invites Alex to Crystal’s art exhibition.
There, she encounters Rose, a photographer who inexplicably comprehends what Billy is experiencing—the headaches, the deaths, the repeated days, and the lost time. Subsequently, Billy and Alex leave together, and their relationship deepens, she can exist without “resetting” her timeline back to the bar with Alex (akin to saving progress in a video game).
What is Alex’s connection to Rose?
Alex’s connection to Rose is that they used to be lovers. It was Alex who ended the relationship, and Rose had a difficult time moving on from it. However, it is later revealed that Rose obtained the crystal to manipulate Alex using “blood magic.”
Then, Alex gains control and discovers the magic’s power, wanting the crystal for herself.
How does Alex control the timeline?
Alex controls the timeline by utilizing a crystal she wears around her neck. Initially, Rose possessed the crystal, and the “blood magic” allowed them to repeatedly reset the timeline whenever there were issues in their relationship.
During this time, the truth about the cuts on Billy’s body is revealed—Alex was cutting her while she was unconscious and using Rose’s blood to fuel the crystal.
How does Rose discover that Alex is using blood magic?
Billy discovers that Alex is using blood magic when she finds a diary and a USB drive inside a spell box. The box is etched with a protective drawing that prevents Alex from accessing its contents. On the USB drive, Billy watches a video of Rose explaining the connection between Alex and herself and how Alex has been resetting the timelines.
The diary contains notes documenting Alex’s gaslighting and abusive behavior. Rose implores Billy to steal the crystal and reset the timeline to a point before Alex and Rose ever meet. Then, give the crystal to Papa Juste.
Who killed Christine?
We learn that Alex killed Christine during one of the time loop resets. She did so because Billy could not end her affair with Christine, and Alex believed that by eliminating her, she could eliminate the competition for Billy’s affection. As mentioned earlier in the film, Billy had difficulty “quitting” Christine, telling her friend Kim she preferred being with someone rather than being alone.
Alex’s thought process was that if she killed Christine, she could continue exerting control and perpetuating the cycle of abuse. As a reminder, a picture in the spell box depicts Alex following Christine into her home.
What does Billy do with the crystal?
Billy keeps the crystal for herself instead of returning it to Papa Juste. After discovering that the hallucinations of her death were instances of Alex killing her in numerous timelines, Billy hands over the crystal to Alex but retains the blade. Unexpectedly, she cuts Alex from behind. In response, Alex retaliates and knocks Billy down, causing her to land on and break a wine bottle.
Apologizing to Billy, Alex apologizes for her actions, which are driven by love. Suddenly, Billy stabs Alex in the stomach using the broken wine bottle. As Alex lies dying, Billy collects some of her blood with the blade and places it inside the crystal.
Then, employing a prayer she may have learned from Papa Juste, Billy resets the timeline to a point before Rose and Alex first met.
Alex returns the spell box to Papa Juste, only to find it empty. At the bar, Billy declines the drink offered by Alex and rejects Christine’s advances.
In the final glimpse of Billy, she gazes at Rose before focusing on her purse, where the crystal resides. She walks away with a smile on her face.
What did you think of the ending of the 2023 Hulu film Jagged Mind? Comment below.
