Firestarter ending explained: Does Charlie kill Rainbird and save her dad from Captain Hollister? (Spoilers)

Blumhouse's brand new production, Firestarter, is a remake of a 1980s film based on Stephen King's underrated novel.

Set around a couple desperately trying to hide their daughter, Charlie, from a federal agency that wants to harness her power to turn fire into a weapon of mass destruction, the film is directed by Keith Thomas with a screenplay by Scott Teems. It stars Zac Efron, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Sydney Lemmon, Gloria Reuben, and Michael Greyeyes.

Let's dissect and understand the ending of this sci-fi horror.

Note: This article contains spoilers.

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Analyzing the end of Firestarter: Summary

Firestarter opened with Andy and Vicky trying their best to give their daughter Charlie a normal upbringing, even though she's far from normal. Things get complicated in the McGee house when Charlie keeps lighting stuff on fire with her mind. Although the two are no strangers to superpowers, they hold powers of their own after participating in a scientific trial study in college.

Andy can push people into doing what he wants them to through mind control, which he uses in his job as a life coach. But there are side effects to the powers, such as bleeding from the eyes and several short hemorrhages.

Using her mindful techniques in Firestarter, Charlie suppressed her powers for years, but as things got more challenging at school, she found trouble controlling the urge to burn things, and sometimes people, to the ground. After causing a small explosion at school, her parents decided to move on as the secret government agency was on the lookout for them. The government's surveillance is also why Charlie is kept away from using the internet or anything that can help track her.

Unfortunately, their hideaway plan was short-lived when a superpowered bounty hunter, John Rainbird, was assigned to capture Charlie and bring her in for further experimentation.

A failed attempt to kidnap Charlie by Rainbird ended with Vicky's death, who held the power of telekinesis which was also passed down to Charlie. In Firestarter, when Andy and Charlie were out on the run, she learned that her father's mind-controlling powers were also passed onto her as they could communicate with each other, even when they were not together.

Eventually, Rainbird was able to find Charlie and her dad, but Andy used his powers to confuse him and buy Charlie some time to run away. However, Andy was taken to The Shop, where Captain Hollister interrogated him. She asked him to use his powers to get Charlie to come to him.

Charlie finally showed up at The Shop facility, burnt an agent’s face-off, stole his key card, and found her dad, who was nearly dead. She then learns that he never called for her. Instead, it was John Rainbird.

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Ending explained: Will there be a sequel?

As Firestarter progressed towards the end, Captain Hollister made her appearance and tried to explain to Charlie that Andy was dying because of the hemorrhaging caused in his brain when he uses his powers. She further explained how the same could happen to Charlie, but she could help her out. Hollister also stood behind Andy to keep herself safe, but Andy pushes Charlie to burn him and Hollister.

To overcome the grief and process of what took place right in front of her, Charlie adopted the 'burn it all down' way to escape the facility. She started killing people, and right when it felt like she would get captured, Rainbird appeared, killing the agents and offering himself up for her to kill. But Charlie decided to spare him and leave the building after burning it down. She then collapsed on the beach in tears but was offered a hand by Rainbird.

The final shot of Firestarter saw Rainbird carrying Charlie in his arms down the beach, implying that the two were a team now. This ending was different than the 1980s version of the film and the original novel, where Rainbird was killed, and Charlie relayed her story to the media. This could mean that the film might have a sequel featuring Charlie and Rainbird as a united front.

Firestarter is currently streaming on Peacock and is also playing in theaters.