The Isle (2018) Ending Explained – Sirens & Spirits

Did You Know? Female Revenge in Horror

The “Woman Scorned” or “Rape-Revenge” trope is a staple of the horror genre, ranging from the gritty realism of I Spit on Your Grave to the supernatural retribution of The Grudge. These films often explore the transformation of a victim into a monster as a way to reclaim agency.

In The Isle, Lorna fits the archetype of the Monstrous Feminine. Her death was the result of male entitlement and violence (William’s assault) followed by patriarchal silence (Fingal and Douglas covering it up). Her return is not just about justice; it is about total annihilation.

However, the film complicates this by showing how revenge can become indiscriminate. Lorna doesn’t just kill her murderers; she enslaves other innocent women (Lanthe and Korrigan) to kill innocent men (the sailors), proving that unchecked trauma eventually turns the victim into the victimiser. It’s a strange conflation of sympathetic victim and merciless antagonist.

Folklore Focus: The Siren

Originating in Greek mythology, Sirens were dangerous creatures who lured nearby sailors with their enchanting music and singing to shipwreck on the rocky coast of their island. Most famously appearing in Homer’s The Odyssey, they were originally depicted as bird-women, though later folklore often conflated them with mermaids.

In The Isle, the film strips away the physical monster aspect but keeps the functional terror. Lanthe and Korrigan become human vessels for this mythology.

Controlled by the spirit of Lorna, they perform the exact function of the Siren: standing on the cliffs and singing a hypnotic song that disorients the crew of passing ships, forcing them to crash onto the rocks below so the spirit can claim their lives.

Mythology Method: The Myth of Persephone

In Greek mythology, Persephone is the daughter of Zeus and Demeter. She was abducted by Hades and taken to the Underworld to become his queen. She embodies the duality of being both a spring maiden and the formidable Queen of the Dead.

In The Isle, the murdered girl Lorna adopts this persona. Like the mythological figure, Lorna was stolen from her life by a man (William) and cast into a dark grave (the sea). However, rather than remaining a victim, she returns as a ruler.

By calling herself Persephone, she takes on this exact same role, only in a much more restricted environment. Lorna asserts her dominance over the island’s dead. She is no longer the helpless girl who was murdered; she is the Queen of this specific underworld, controlling the living women and punishing the men who enter her domain.

Did You Know? The Horror of Complicity

The true horror in The Isle isn’t just the ghost; it’s the conspiracy of silence that created her. When Fingal and Douglas choose to bury Lorna at sea rather than report her murder, they prioritise the reputation of their sons over justice for a victim.

This mirrors an actual reality often found in isolated, tight-knit patriarchal communities. Whether in small towns or closed social groups, there is a documented history of crimes against women being suppressed to protect “prominent young men” or maintain social cohesion.

The film critiques this “Old Boys’ Club” mentality. By showing that the fathers’ decision to silence a woman ultimately led to the destruction of their entire community, the story suggests that while human laws can be evaded by powerful men, the moral consequences of such complicity are inescapable. Unfortunately, there aren’t any bad-ass sirens to enact revenge in real life which is something of a shame, really. The world needs more sexy vengeful ghost ladies.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who killed Bickley in The Isle?
Bickley was murdered by Lanthe, though not of her own free will. She was possessed by the spirit of Lorna (Persephone) at the time. Korrigan blamed Lanthe because she knew that Lanthe was the vessel the spirit used to commit the violence.

Why did Lanthe and Korrigan kill themselves?
They realised that Persephone needed living vessels to act as Sirens. By jumping off the cliff, they destroyed the physical hosts the spirit relied on. This sacrifice broke the cycle of killing and stopped the siren song, saving Oliver.

What was the ghost in The Isle?
The entity haunting the island was the vengeful spirit of Lorna, a local girl murdered years earlier by Lanthe’s brother, William. She adopted the persona of Persephone, Queen of the Underworld, to exact revenge on all men.

Did Oliver survive at the end of The Isle?
Yes. Following the women’s suicide, the supernatural mist cleared and the siren song ceased. Oliver is shown rowing away from the island in the lifeboat, seemingly escaping the curse.

What happened to William Innis?
William, who murdered Lorna, was the first victim of her vengeful spirit. She killed him shortly after her return as Persephone. His death, along with Jacob’s, left only their fathers (Fingal and Douglas) alive on the island, forcing them to live with the consequences of the cover-up they orchestrated.

A Note on Ending Explanations

While we aim to provide comprehensive explanations based on the events on screen, film analysis is inherently subjective. The theories and conclusions presented in this "Ending Explained" feature are personal interpretations of the material and may differ from the director's original intent or your own understanding. That's the beauty of horror, right? Sometimes the scariest version is the one you build in your own head.