Uglies ending explained: What does Peris's future hold?

Based on Scott Westerfeld's 2005 dystopian novel of the same name, the American science fiction drama film Uglies directed by McG (Joseph McGinty Nichol) was released on Netflix on September 13, 2024.

The 102-minute film starred Joey King, Chase Stokes, Brianne Tju, Keith Powers, and Lavern Cox. They appeared in the roles of Tally, Peris, Shay, David, and Dr.Cable, respectively.

As people who have already watched Uglies noted, the film has made significant deviations from the book it is based on, including major twists involving Peris. In the latter part of the second half of the movie when David and Peris go against each other, Tally tries to save David and in the process ends up pushing Peris off the edge of the roof. He falls, but his future is not revealed in the film.

Audiences have theorised that Peris is still alive, given that he has been promoted to the coveted Specials unit which grants him certain regenerative powers. They have also noted that Peris's character is an important one in the Uglies's book trilogy, therefore if there are any future instalments of the film, the makers would want to keep his character alive.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers. Please read at your discretion.

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Peris is believed to be alive following the incidents of Uglies

As Dr. Cable successfully tracks down Tally and her companions from The Smoke in the second half of the film, she assigns Peris to the case. Peris belongs to an elite faction known as the Specials, which represents an advancement beyond the Pretties. Due to his status as a highly proficient Special, he reports directly to Dr. Cable.

It should be noted that being a Pretty or a Special comes at a cost in the Uglies universe. Besides cosmetic surgery aimed at alleviating one's external appearance the city's authorities also discreetly install systems that help them control the people who go through these procedures. Therefore, Peris is nothing but a victim of his circumstances.

So when he is asked to bring Tally and the rest of her friends to the city, he obliges and does so by brute force. He also ends up killing AZ on Dr. Cable's orders. Soon after the incident Tally, Maddy, and David are brought back and confined. They are eventually rescued by Troy, and Maddy obtains the necessary antidote to counteract the effects of the invasive cosmetic procedures inflicted upon the Uglies.

They are however stopped by Peris who refuses to let them go. David and Peris get into an altercation after the former decides to seek revenge for the death of their parent in the latter's hands. Tally tries to control the situation but when she finds that Peris is overpowering David, she pushes Peris off the roof. He falls several feet under, into the water with his fate still unknown.

As previously revealed, the consensus among the audiences is that Peris is still alive. Given his powers in the new role and the nature of the film, it would not be surprising if Peris survived the fall.

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Why does Tally eventually agree to be turned into a Pretty in Uglies

Towards the end of Uglies when Maddy reveals that she would need a subject to find out if the antidote for the Pretties works, Tally volunteers. She takes the step after Shay refuses to do the same as she does not want to risk being Ugly again, having found happiness in being Pretty.

To put the plan into action, Tally surrenders herself to Dr. Cable. The film then cuts to a scene where Tally is shown but she is currently living in a new home in the cities. She has been turned into a Pretty, depicted by her changed appearance, however, some of her core memories and unique external features (the mark on her hand) are still intact.

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The Uglies is currently streaming on Netflix.