Presence ending explained: Who was the ghost all along?

Throughout much of the movie’s duration, the ghost’s involvement remains relatively modest. However, the teenage daughter Chloe (Liang) intuitively feels its presence. She suspects that it could be the spirit of her dearly departed friend Nadia, whose untimely demise has left her deeply mourning and distressed.

Delving deeper into the film’s enigma, I uncovered intriguing hints that gradually unfolded the secret behind the spectral figure’s genuine persona. The climax was nothing short of riveting as the ghost made its intentions crystal-clear in a stunning revelation.

If you’ve watched the movie and have any questions about its conclusion, keep reading to unravel the mystery behind the ending of Presence – but be cautious, as there are potential spoilers ahead.

Presence ending explained: Who was the ghost all along?

Throughout the movie, Chloe grows particularly fond of Ryan, a friend of her brother’s (Ryan from West Mulholland). Eventually, they develop a romantic connection between them.

Yet, it soon becomes evident that Ryan is not the noble character he portrays, instead he tries to druggle Chloe’s orange juice in one instance. However, a helpful spirit intervenes and knocks the glass over just as Chloe was about to take a sip, preventing her from drinking the drugged juice.

As a film enthusiast, I find myself unknowingly stepping into a potential plot twist, blindly trusting Ryan’s seemingly sincere invitation to extend our time together, since he claimed he wanted more of my company. Little did I know, this would lead me to invite him for an overnight stay, all while my parents were conveniently away at a conference.

She’s a bit worried about finding a solution for getting her brother Tyler (Eddy Maday) out of the picture, yet Ryan reassures her that he has already taken care of it.

In due course, when it’s appropriate, Ryan appears at the door, feigning a casual visit to his friend Tyler. They spend some time together listening to music and sharing a few drinks. However, unbeknownst to Tyler, Ryan surreptitiously adds a substance to his drink, making him unconscious before proceeding to Chloe’s room.

Quickly carrying out his scheme, he manages to drug Chloe once more this time, and subsequently unveils himself as the murderer of her friend Nadia and another local girl. He then reveals that Chloe is his intended next target.

After a tense moment, the ghost observes silently, followed by the spirit rushing downstairs in panic, attempting to jolt Tyler out of sleep urgently.

It appears Tyler immediately grasps that a terrible situation is unfolding and feels compelled to act, promptly hurrying upstairs where he discovers Tyler towering over his sister who lies unconscious.

Acting decisively, he seizes Ryan and hurls them both out the closest window, plunging downwards. However, this fall resulted in their demise, yet they managed to save Chloe.

Later on, we leap ahead to a time not far off, where Chloe along with her family are considering vacating their home. Just before they depart, Rebecca (played by Lucy Liu) gazes into the mirror and emits a chilling shriek, as she’s startled to see Tyler’s image staring back at her.

It appears now that Tyler was the ghost all along. Earlier, when the family consulted a psychic medium, she mentioned that time operates differently for spirits. So, it’s as if Ghost Tyler traveled back in time to stop his sister from being harmed and killed by Ryan.

In the movie, Tyler appears quite unkind, particularly towards Chloe. Yet, his selfless act of sacrifice to save his sister can be seen as a form of character redemption.

In my view, delving deeply into the intricacies of the ghostly timeline’s logic might raise more questions than answers, so it seems wiser to appreciate it at a broader level rather than scrutinize it too closely.

However, it’s evident that Tyler was the mysterious figure all along, and he just needed to carry out his role to save Chloe.

It turns out that the medium’s earlier explanation holds true for Rebecca – her ability to see ghosts is linked to her past traumatic experiences.

Experiencing the loss of her son is undeniably a devastating ordeal, which could account for her perception of his spiritual presence now.