Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Final Destination Bloodlines!Death's plan is rarely cheated, and that leads to another deadly conclusion for the franchise with Final Destination Bloodlines. The sixth installment in the horror franchise reinvents the canon by seemingly tying all the entries together as part of Death's overall plan. After introducing the main cast of characters and Stefani's premonitions about her grandmother Iris and the Skyview incident, Final Destination Bloodlines' story unravels as the direct descendants of Iris' bloodline begin dying from oldest to youngest. It all starts with Stefani's uncle Howard dying shortly after Iris, followed by her cousins Julia, Erik, and Bobby.

This leaves Stefani, her brother Charlie, and their mom, Darlene as the last survivors of Iris' bloodline during Final Destination Bloodlines' climax. They head to Iris' house for protection, but Death catches up with them. It doesn't take long for Darlene to die saving Charlie. Charlie and Stefani believe they have successfully broken Death's cycle after he appears to bring her back to life after drowning. Borrowing the loophole concept from Final Destination 2, they seem to get their happy ending. That practically never happens in this franchise, though, leading to Stefani and Charlie dying in the closing shot.

Why Stefani & Charlie Still Die In Final Destination Bloodlines' Ending

Stefani's "Resurrection" Wasn't What It Seemed

The big reveal of Final Destination Bloodlines' ending is that Stefani and Charlie did not break Death's cycle. They thought this was done by following the advice given to them by William Bludworth. Earlier in the film, he confirms the two known exceptions to Death's rules. Final Destination 2 suggested dying, or flatlining, and then being resuscitated would break the cycle. Final Destination 5 then added the loophole that killing someone innocent would essentially transfer the victim's remaining years of life to the killer.

Charlie believes he brings Stefani back from the dead after she drowns on Iris' property. Darlene's RV flips over from the house exploding, and Stefani is stuck due to a jammed seat belt as water fills the vehicle. It appears that she dies, with the screen fading to black as her eyes close, only for her to then be shown outside the RV with Charlie helping her start breathing again. They fully believe that she was dead and that he brought her back to life, just like what happened to Kimberly Corman in Final Destination 2.

Final Destination Bloodlines confirms Kimberly Corman did cheat death and is still alive after Final Destination 2

However, it's revealed that Stefani did not technically die. Charlie's prom date's father, who is a doctor, makes this known to them, suggesting that Stefani was just unconscious before her brother saved her. They did not beat Death after all. Instead, they have let their guards down and allowed Death to execute a ridiculously complicated series of events that lead to their deaths. Since they did break the cycle by killing and reviving Stefani, Death finishes eliminating Iris' bloodline by having giant logs crush Stefani and then Charlie right before Final Destination Bloodlines' credits begin to roll.

Why Erik Still Died - Even Though He's Not Part Of Iris' Bloodline

He Becomes An Example Of Death's Power

After teasing the tattoo parlor sequence with Erik in the marketing, I was fully convinced that Erik would die a gruesome death. But, Final Destination Bloodlines delivered a surprise with how it happens and why. He does not die in the tattoo parlor fire as expected, and he dodges a few different near-death experiences the next morning, only for Julia to die. This is because he's not part of Death's plan, as he is not a biological relative of Iris. Unknown to him or anyone else in the family, Howard was not Erik's father. He was instead conceived during an affair Brenda had.

This gives Erik an out as far as the rest of the family is concerned. Since Death is going after Iris' direct bloodline, anyone unrelated to her by blood was not a target. This included Brenda and Stefani's dad, with Erik then also becoming the third family member who should have survived. Yet, Final Destination Bloodlines still kills Erik after they learn of the loopholes from Bludworth. Erik dies as he's crushed by a wheelchair being pulled into an overpowered MRI machine.

Erik's death is a surprise given the rules established in Final Destination Bloodlines, with even Charlie openly questioning why he died. Erik dies because he tried to mess with Death's plan. It is his idea to have Bobby eat peanuts to create a deadly allergic reaction, with the hopes of reviving him afterward. That was not what Death had in mind for Bobby, though. Since Erik was attempting to meddle in the master plan, Death killed Erik so that Bobby could meet the twisted fate he was destined to have.

Are All Final Destination Movie Deaths Descendants Of Bloodlines' Skyview Incident?

This Is Implied, But May Not Be The Case

Using Iris' entire bloodline as the hit list for Death is a new concept for Final Destination Bloodlines, and it has seemingly massive implications on the franchise. Iris' research shows that not only have every Skyview incident survivor since died, but so too have their direct descendants. This is because their blood relatives were never supposed to be alive if Death's original plan for the Skyview tower had happened. So, instead of just killing the survivors, Death is killing their bloodlines, too.

This suggests that... everyone who has died in these movies, or at least everyone who had premonitions, is a descendant of someone whom Iris helped save from Skyview.

The movie doesn't show a close-up look at any of the other names and obituaries that Iris collected, but her research includes connections to previous films. The book has drawings of the log truck from Final Destination 2 and the plane from Final Destination and Final Destination 5. This suggests that Final Destination Bloodlines delivers the biggest twist in the franchise: everyone who has died in these movies, or at least everyone who had premonitions, is a descendant of someone whom Iris helped save from Skyview.

However, this is not directly confirmed to be the case in the movie. It's actually a very difficult reveal to make sense of within the franchise's canon. The franchise's original star, Alex Browning, is shown having two parents who are alive. That does not fit with Final Destination Bloodlines' explanation of Death's plan unless either his mom or dad are not his biological parent. Since that is not suggested to be the case, it is left for a future Final Destination movie to confirm that the bloodline connection runs throughout the entire series.

Why Did Stefani Start Having Premonitions About Iris & The Skyview Incident?

Her Premonitions Are Irregular For The Series

While it is standard for the lead in a Final Destination movie to have premonitions, it is not regular for them to happen as they do with Stefani. She never has a premonition about her own death or the death of her brother, mom, cousins, or uncle. Instead, she receives the same premonition that her grandmother Iris got nearly 60 years earlier. It's unclear why Stefani begins having nightmares of Iris' premonition.

The closest the movie comes to explaining this connection is that Iris is dying. She was diagnosed with cancer two months ago, and Stefani began having her nightmares at the same time. For some reason, the premonition that Iris had decades before transfers to her granddaughter. A potentially twisted explanation is that Death implanted these nightmares into Stefani. It could have been part of Death's plan to kill Iris, knowing that Stefani could bring her grandmother into the open for the first time in 20 years.

What Happened To William Bludworth?

Is He Next?

Tony Todd pops up in Final Destination Bloodlines for only one, rather great, scene, reprising his role as William Bludworth. This proves to be a key sequence, as its revealed that he was meant to die on Skyview, too. Iris saved him, and they started a friendship many years later as they both attempted to evade Death and track its plan. He notes that he's leaving this life behind and exits the hospital to enjoy the remaining time he has left.

Bludworth knows that Death is about to catch up to him one way or another. He's sick and was the last person who was meant to die during the Skyview incident. His death was meant to come immediately after Iris'. Her death and the declining number of her descendants who are still alive make it clear to Bludworth that his days are numbered. He's next up on Death's list after Iris' bloodline is eliminated with Stefani and Charlie's deaths.

How Final Destination Bloodlines Sets Up Final Destination 7

A Familiar Face Could Return

Although Final Destination Bloodlines is the sixth entry in a 25-year-old franchise, these movies do not operate the same way as others when it comes to setting up what comes next. There are rarely opportunities for recurring characters since practically every target of Death dies by the end. Final Destination Bloodlines ends in the same boat. Everyone related to Iris is confirmed to be dead. Stefani's dad and aunt are the only people who are part of this story who are still alive, but they're unlikely to return for future installments.

The bloodlines connection is one way that this movie could pave the way for Final Destination 7. The next movie could continue exploring this idea and possibly move the target to Bludworth's descendants after his death. There's also now room for Final Destination 7 to be a prequel and explore how any of the many other survivors of the Skyview incident died over the past few decades.

Final Destination 7 is not yet in development

Final Destination 7 could also build on a major confirmation in Bloodlines and bring Kimberly Corman and Thomas Burke back after Final Destination 2. That film left them both alive, and while there was debate about whether they truly escaped Death's grasp, Bludworth confirms in Bloodlines that Kimberly survived. Knowing she is still alive opens the door for A. J. Cook to return as Kimberly, possibly with Michael Landes as Burke, too. They could be the new figures who help give Final Destination 7's new characters guidance on escaping Death, even though that could make them targets once again.

The Real Meaning Of Final Destination Bloodlines

Life Is Precious

Final Destination Bloodlines is first and foremost an entertaining movie meant to have audiences gasping as new, intricately designed death sequences play out. But, there are still some core themes and ideas the film wants to communicate. The importance of family and that bond is crucial for this story, as the familial focus allows the grief and deaths to hit harder. Families aren't perfect; they rarely are. But Bloodlines emphasizes that it's critical to be there for the ones you love through the most difficult times.

There's also a clear message sent through Tony Todd's monologue in what turned out to be his final performance. Bludworth tells Stefani and her family that "Life is precious" and that the best way to live is to "Enjoy every second." This really hits home, knowing how Todd was struggling with his health in real life and thinking about the life he's lived and how much time he had left. There are always going to be bad days and rough stretches in life. Final Destination Bloodlines shows that life is too short and we need to try our best to enjoy it.