Decades after the movie was released, there are still fans wondering why did Tyler Durden die in Fight Club. Based on the 1996 novel by Chuck Palahniuk, the story follows a protagonist who has mentally checked out from his monotonous routine. Upon randomly meeting a societal rebel, Tyler Durden, the two form an illegal underground fight club, leading to an army of testosterone-fueled alpha males, bringing forth the financial destruction of a capitalistic world. Through his vivid and insomniac mind, the Narrator explores his fear of confrontation and his lack of control. The reveal of Tyler being a figment of the Narrator's imagination leads to a cathartic climax where the Narrator shoots himself to kill Tyler.
The ambiguous nature of Fight Club's ending has often left audiences confused as to how the Narrator survives a shot to the head that only kills his imaginary alter-ego. While the audience is led to believe that he kills himself, the camera angle of the gunshot is angled very creatively to show otherwise. After he takes the shot, The Narrator collapses on the chair, and for a brief second, the camera moves across his face to show the bullet hole in his cheek. This confirms that while he does take on some physical damage, the bullet missed his crucial organs.
How The Narrator Tricked Tyler Durden
In answering the question of "why did Tyler Durden die in Fight Club," fans have to consider the relationship between the Narrator and Tyler. As soon as they meet, Tyler takes control of the Narrator, pushing him to do things he would never do and doesn't want to do. Even when the Narrator realizes Tyler is not real, his alter-ego is still more powerful. However, the Narrator is battling against his own mind which means he has to trick Tyler into thinking he actually kills himself. The shift in the Narrator realizing that he is holding the gun and putting it in his mouth is the first time Tyler is scared because the Narrator is convincing him that he'll pull the trigger.
The Narrator obviously angled the gun to ensure, as best he could, that he would survive the shot. However, simply pulling the trigger is what killed Tyler. That was the point at which the Narrator proves to Tyler that he was the one who was actually in control. However, the connection between the Narrator and Tyler was strong enough that simply imagining shooting Brad Pitt's Tyler Durden would have failed as it did earlier. There needed to be a dramatic action for the Narrator to take to convince himself that he was in control and to push Tyler out for good.
The Real Meaning Of The Narrator Surviving In Fight Club
The film provides a commentary on those with mental health conditions. It shows that to take control, it is not the action that counts, but the decision to take said action. Fight Club relies on the core conflict arising from psychological triggers, rather than materialistic ones. When he decides to shoot himself, it sends a clear indication to his mental demons that he is in charge. He arrives at a pivotal moment in his life by achieving control, making a tough call, and letting fate deal with the rest.
Director David Fincher, when commenting on the nature of his character, states that “He cannot find happiness in life, and so he embarks on an enlightenment journey in which he must kill his parents, god, and teacher.” By the start of the film, he has "killed off" his parents. With Tyler Durden, he kills his god by doing things they are not supposed to do. To complete the process of maturing, the Narrator has to kill his teacher, Tyler Durden.
There is a memorable scene in Fight Club about how a person who confronts their problems, will wake up to the best day of their life. They will have the best sleep, eat the best breakfast, and kickstart a new life. Similarly, this film ends with a spiritual release rather than a physical one. The Narrator addresses his deepest issues head first, and watches the world he knows crumble to the ground, taking comfort in the fact that tomorrow will be a better day.