The Power of the Dog, which is now streaming on Netflix as well as playing in theaters, may seem like an exquisite but slow-moving character study for the majority of the film. But in the final 15 minutes of Jane Campion‘s critically-acclaimed western, the plot suddenly kicks into high gear. What you thought was merely a haunting slice-of-life movie suddenly feels like a thriller, because The Power of the Dog ending comes with a plot twist that will leave audiences reeling.

The story is based on the 1967 novel of the same name by Thomas Savage. Savage was a gay man—though not openly so at the time—who based parts of the plot and characters on his own experience as a teenager growing up on a ranch in Montana. That said, the story is still largely fictional—or, at least, so one hopes.

The Power of the Dog ending is as dark as it is shocking, and Campion—who both directed and adapted the script from Savage’s novel—doesn’t exactly spell out what happens for viewers. If you weren’t paying close attention, you may have missed some key details. Don’t worry, because Decider is here to help. Read on for The Power of the Dog plot summary and The Power of the Dog ending explained.

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2 years ago