Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Halloween Ends!Halloween Ends concludes with the death of Michael Myers, follows by a procession - and it is definitely a low point for the Halloween franchise. The scene consists of Michael's dead body being tied to the top of a car, with it then being paraded through Haddonfield while being escorted by police before arriving at a junkyard where Haddonfield's citizens throw the body into a crusher. This scene is a strange note to end the reboot trilogy on, as it seems to miss many of the themes of Halloween Ends.
Halloween Ends is a surprising twist on the long-running slasher franchise, putting Michael Myers on the sideline in order to explore the story of copycat killer Corey Cunningham. The film is mostly concerned with the evolution of Corey's character, following his relationship with Laurie Strode's granddaughter Allyson, as well as his attempts to hide his increasing levels of violence. By the end of the film, Corey is unceremoniously killed off by Michael Myers, leading to a fight between Laurie and Michael - culminating in the procession scene - that doesn't really feel earned. If Halloween Ends wanted to make the procession scene impactful, it should've focused more on the long-lasting conflict between Michael and Laurie. As is, though, the scene feels like nothing more than a tacked-on scene made solely to create shots for the trailer.
Why Michael Myers' Dead Body Was Paraded Through Haddonfield
Unlike the original Halloween, which mainly has Michael Myers' murders focused around a few babysitters, the reboot trilogy has focused on the legacy of Michael Myers, his influence on the town of Haddonfield, and how the citizens of Haddonfield have become monsters themselves. The reboot trilogy has created many strong side characters, expanding the world of Haddonfield far beyond what the original film did. Because of this, Halloween Ends concludes with the procession scene in order to highlight Haddonfield's triumph over Myers, announcing that the terror was finally over.
This procession scene goes against the themes of the previous film, Halloween Kills, which is all about the dangers of mob justice and witch hunts. By concluding Halloween Ends with a scene in which the people of Haddonfield throw Michael Myers into the junkyard crusher, it seems as if the movie has completely forgotten about the themes of its predecessors. This ending could have worked if the ending of Halloween Ends was going for a darker tone, showing that Michael has really won by making Haddonfield's citizens violent monsters, but as is, the ending doesn't seem to make that statement.
Why Michael Myers' Death Should Have Been About Laurie (Not Haddonfield)
The biggest reason that the procession scene is a Halloween low-point is that Michael Myers' death should have been about Laurie - not Haddonfield. Laurie Strode's character arc has involved her being paranoid about Michael while the rest of the town moves on. She has been the main character of the series since the beginning, but the procession scene makes it feel as if the killing of Michael Myers was a group effort. On top of that, Laurie was hated by Haddonfield citizens who harassed her throughout the film, claiming that Michael's return was her fault. Laurie killing Michael should be a triumph over not only Michael, but the entirety of Haddonfield. Instead, the procession scene is a celebration by the entirety of Haddonfield, meaning that Halloween Ends missed several opportunities to perfectly wrap up the themes of the series.