Hellraiser The end of 2022 provides a satisfying conclusion to Riley’s rite of passage, but shrouds Roland Voight’s future in mystery. At first glance, the film promises a thrilling ride with its disturbing portrayal of infernal punishments that haunt those who cross paths with the Hellraiser iconic Cenobites of the franchise. However, in addition to the terrifying supernatural elements, the film also showcases a human core that explores themes of sacrifice and greed. It’s these themes that add multiple layers to the character arcs and make their scorching journeys through hell that much more captivating.
Hellraiser begins as a cat-and-mouse game between the Cenobites and a recovering substance abuser named Riley. This later turns into a full-blown showdown when Riley and her friends are trapped in a mansion, while the Cenobites are determined to do what they do best: inflict unimaginable pain. By the end, Riley manages to save herself from the extradimensional creatures, but her victory over them comes at a high price. Ever since the fate of Hellraiser‘s main characters, remains unknown in the closing moments, here’s an overview of the ending and all the plot points that lead to it.
What Happens In The End Of Hellraiser 2022
Riley, Colin and Trevor escape the Cenobites and hide in Voight’s caged mansion. Realizing that they will eventually meet the Cenobites, Riley plans to step out of the mansion with Colin, lure a Cenobite inside, and then stab him with the puzzle box blade to reveal the final configuration. They don’t realize that Trevor has always intended to betray them, having previously made a deal with Voight. Riley’s plan backfires and Voight’s sinister plan comes to fruition when he hits Trevor with the puzzle box and gets his blood on it. With the final sacrifice almost over, the priest, aka Pinhead, appears to bestow his second blessing on Voight. However, to Voight’s dismay, when he asks Jamie Clayton’s Pinhead/Priest to free him from his Liminal (Sensation) configuration, the Priest claims it can only be replaced with another one.
Voight eventually settles for Leviathan (Power) as a replacement for his Liminal (Sensation) configuration. This frees him from his nerve-racking device, but soon a chain buzzes from his ceiling and cuts right through his chest. It then pulls him into hell, as the priest maliciously remarks: “Oh yes, we have such sights to show you.Meanwhile, Riley cuts Trevor with the puzzle box to make him the final sacrifice instead of Colin. As a reward for completing the puzzle box, the priest grants her a blessing, but she declines Pinhead’s offer, knowing there is a snag.
Abandoned by her choice – or lack thereof – the priest (the original Hellraiser‘s Pinhead) announces that she has chosen the Lament configuration by default, which means she will spend the rest of her life regretting harming her loved ones. With what follows, the Cenobites leave, with Riley wondering if she made the right choice. In the closing scene of Hellraiser In 2022, Voight experiences the grotesque consequences of his chosen configuration as a powerful force skins and needles him, becoming a Cenobite.
Why did Trevor agree to help Roland Voight?
At first, Trevor seems just as naive about Voight and the puzzle box as Riley. When Voight later confronts him and reminds him of his mission to make sacrifices to the puzzle box, it becomes clear that Trevor has worked for the morally distorted millionaire from the start. Trevor’s reason for helping Voight is revealed much later when Voight comes out of hiding to make one last sacrifice for Hellraiser‘s central puzzle box. That’s when he tells Riley that Trevor has known him all along. He reveals that Trevor has been working for him since he paid him for it and that he will continue to help him because “it’s the best deal of his miserable life.Voight’s words ring true as Trevor remains his henchman to the end and even tries to set up Colin as the final sacrifice for the puzzle box.
Why Roland Voight wants a second reward in Hellraiser 2022
Hellraiser The opening scene of 2022 shows that after experiencing everything a human can do, Voight wants to feel something new by making many human sacrifices and solving the puzzle box to its penultimate configuration. He then persuades a young man to complete the box puzzle, which makes him the final sacrifice for Hellraiserthe terrifying Cenobites. To complete the puzzle, Voight can choose between Lament (Life), Lore (Knowledge), Lauderant (Love), Liminal (Sensation), Lazarus (Resurrection), and Leviathan (Power). Hoping to live a life of endless fun, Voight chooses the Liminal (Sensation) configuration as his reward, not realizing that the Cenobites have a twisted sense of fun. As a result, Voight’s greed turns to torment when a device that continues to twist his nerves is installed on his chest.
After living for years with the excruciating pain of his nerves being pulled back and forth, Voight wants to end his suffering by paying Trevor to help him complete the puzzle’s configurations. By doing so, he hopes to earn another boon, which he believes will help him get rid of the twitching device. However, not everything goes as planned, as Hellraiser‘s villain, the Priest (aka Pinhead), only offers him a replacement for his device. Voight settles for the Leviathan (Power) configuration, but HellraiserThe ending makes it clear that it’s no less torturous – if not more – than his previous Liminal (Sensation) punishment.
Why Riley doesn’t bring Matt to life with the Puzzle Box reward
Riley’s whole arc in Hellraiser revolves around her trying to reverse her mistakes. Once she learns the Lazarus configuration, she embarks on the destructive path of solving the box puzzle and earning a blessing with the intention of bringing her brother Matt back to life. Her reason for chasing the puzzle is arguably more noble than Voight’s, but it’s still self-serving as she clearly avoids taking responsibility for and repenting of her mistakes. After realizing that her desire to avoid living with regrets is nothing more than Voight’s lust for endless pleasure, she chooses to kill Matt (played by Brandon Flynn). 13 reasons whycast). Her choice qualifies her for the Lament configuration, bringing her story full circle, as it was the first configuration she solved to open Pandora’s box. Riley’s decision not to settle for a favor reflects how, unlike Voight, she realizes that the Cenobites always keep their promises, but never in the way expected.
Riley’s overarching story also reflects her history of substance abuse. Just as she has damaged her relationship with her loved ones because of her addictions, she puts her friends at risk when she obsessively tries to complete the puzzle. Her experience with the Cenobites forces her through a major catharsis. This ultimately helps her to settle for the pain and torment that comes with being human instead of finding an escape from her emotions. Her bow concludes by establishing that the Hellraiser reboot is not about a typical battle between good and evil. The film instead uses the Cenobites as mere narrative devices to depict the different spectra of morality that separate the human characters.
Will Roland Voight be a cenobit at the end of Hellraiser 2022?
Roland is seemingly pulled into the Cenobite realm after choosing the Leviathan configuration. In HellraiserIn the final scene, a powerful unseen force strips his skin and inserts needles into his throat, indicating that he too has turned into a cenobit. While this seems a little less painful than its previous Liminal setup, it will likely come with its own issues. Roland’s latest transformation is symbolic in Hulu’s Hellraiser reboot because it contradicts Riley’s climactic decision. While Riley holds onto her humanity by accepting the pain and regret that will follow, at the end Voight loses his sense of humanity to avoid pain and turns into a ferocious extra-dimensional being.
What the End of Hellraiser 2022 Really Means for Riley
Riley ends in Hellraiser maybe not as terrifying as Voight’s, but no less melancholic. She can’t blame anyone but herself for Matt and Nora’s deaths and will live forever regretting not listening to her brother. On the bright side, she’s now better equipped to face her reality rather than escaping it with drugs or other ephemeral pleasures. Given the hateful nature of Pinhead in Hellraiser, Pinhead and the Cenobites can attack Riley again and try to lure her into reaching for the puzzle box. However, HellraiserThe ending proves that Riley learned her lessons the hard way and will never reconsider going through the same self-destructive loop. given how Hellraiser rounding out Riley’s story, a sequel, if it happens, will likely introduce new characters along with Voight as a newly recruited Cenobite.
