‘The Blackening’ Ending Explained: Who’s the Mastermind Behind the Murders?

The Blackening reveals the killer’s identity and motives for orchestrating the deadly game. The 2023 horror comedy, directed by Tim Story and written by Tracy Olliver and Dewayne Perkins, is based on a 2018 short that Perkins created as a comedy sketch. 

The Blackening follows a group of friends who reunite 10 years after college on Juneteenth for a weekend of games and fun. They soon discover that they are trapped in a cabin in the woods and targeted by a malicious scheme based on their love for games. The friends struggle to survive and uncover who is behind the killings and their reasons.

The Blackening had an exclusive theatrical release window before streaming, allowing audiences worldwide to enjoy the thrilling and humorous adventure in groups. Throughout the film, the characters attribute their predicament to racism. 

The Blackening subverts horror movie tropes and clichés involving Black characters and gradually exposes the truth about what is going on. Here’s everything you need to know about the ending of The Blackening. 

Clifton is the Mastermind Behind the Murders

The Blackening’s ending reveals that Clifton is the mastermind behind the movie’s murders. Jermaine Fowler’s character initially appears to be a random guest who claims that he was invited by Morgan (Yvonne Orji). 

His involvement in the weekend seems to end when the group votes him as “the Blackest” out of spite and the TV shows him being shot in the chest with an arrow by the masked killer. However, The Blackening’s ending later reveals that Clifton is still alive and the one who planned the entire events of the weekend.

The revelation that Clifton is responsible for The Blackening’s murders might puzzle some viewers, as he joins the group for a large part of the night. The ending demonstrates that he has a belt pack that can control when doors lock or unlock, and lights turn on or off. 

Clifton does not have this device during the time when he is with the people he wants to kill. This is because he hired actors to play the masked killers. It is only later in the night that Clifton decides to take action himself and try to complete his revenge.

The Truth About the Masked Killers

Blackening’s ending surprises the viewers by showing that there are multiple men behind the masked killer. The group only discovers that there are two killers after Allison (Grace Byers) kills one and they notice that the one they stabbed in the foot earlier had different boots. 

They are the Connor twins, Camden and Clive. Clifton hired the two rednecks to wear the masks and kill his former friends. He paid them only $100 for each person they killed.

The Blackening subtly sets up the Connor twins as the killers throughout the film. Camden is the creepy gas station attendant who Shanika (X Mayo) finds odd, but Clive is not seen before. The reason why Clifton hired the Connor twins seems to be a matter of convenience. 

Camden and Clive’s family own the house in the woods where the friends stay for the weekend. The suggestion that the Connor family only rents out the house to white families, along with the Confederate Flag in one of the rooms, indicates that Camden and Clive were likely racists, making them agree to do the job.

Clifton’s Backstory: Why does he want to kill the friends?

The ending also reveals Clifton’s motives and backstory. He wants to kill the entire friend group because he blames them for ruining his life. 10 years ago, on the same day that the group reunited, Clifton’s life changed after a terrible game night with everyone who came to the house. 

He says that he always loved games, but he never learned how to play Spades. The friend group mocks Clifton for not knowing how to play Spades, including Lisa (Antoinette Robertson) saying his Black card has been revoked.

The humiliation drives Clifton to drink for the first time in his life, and he then drives while intoxicated. This is where his life changes, as Clifton hits a woman with his car and kills her. He receives a four-year prison sentence for the crime and grows to resent the people he once considered his friends. 

Lisa’s comment especially haunts him, which is why Clifton’s method of getting revenge in The Blackening’s ending is all about deciding who is the “Blackest” among them.

Does Clifton Die in the End?

The Blackening’s ending suggests that Clifton dies, but there is some room for doubt. Shanika shoots him in the chest with an arrow during the final showdown and then Dewayne (Dewayne Perkins) pushes him over a ledge and into the well. 

The group throws an object down the well soon after and hears it splash in the water below. This implies that Clifton might survive the fall into the well. He already survived being shot in the chest once before in the film, so it would not be too implausible that he survived another.

Will there be a sequel?

The Blackening does not rule out a potential sequel. Dewayne, Lisa, Nnamdi (Sinqua Walls), King (Melvin Gregg), Allison, and Shanika all survive in the end and wonder what they should do. 

They joke about the idea of calling the cops before agreeing to call firefighters. Since they killed the Connor twins, it is possible that the rest of the family will seek revenge. The film established early on that their names are on the rental agreement, so the Connor family could pursue revenge in a possible The Blackening sequel.

About The Blackening

The Blackening is a 2022 American comedy horror film directed by Tim Story and written by Tracy Oliver and Dewayne Perkins, based on the 2018 short film of the same name by the comedy troupe 3Peat. It stars Grace Byers, Jermaine Fowler, Melvin Gregg, X Mayo, Perkins, Antoinette Robertson, Sinqua Walls, Jay Pharoah, and Yvonne Orji. The film follows an all-African American group of friends who encounter a killer while staying at a cabin in the woods.

The Blackening premiered at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival on September 16, 2022, and was released theatrically on June 16, 2023, by Lionsgate.