Stephen King’s books are widely celebrated and acclaimed, but one aspect of the author’s work that is sometimes criticized is how his stories end. FromThe Gunslinger’s opening line,“The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed"toIt’s opening with Georgie Denbrough,Stephen King’s best bookshave strong beginnings that immediately hook the reader and capture the imagination. He is just as effective at keeping the reader engaged throughout the entirety of his stories.
Despite these strengths,Stephen King’s stories sometimes have an ending problemand feature conclusions that do not prove to be fully satisfying after the often lengthy stories that preceded them. While this is true for some of King’s books, many of them do have fulfilling endings.The best endings are those that provide a sense of meaningful and memorable closurefor the characters and the various plotlines, along with making the story feel truly complete.
10Under the Dome
Published In 2009
Under the Domeis among the endings that are frequently criticized, but it does bring the book to a mostly satisfying conclusion. The ending sees Julia Shumway making contact with an alien who placed the dome around Chester’s Mill and convincing them to remove it.The dome is finally lifted off of what remains of Chester’s Mill, releasing the toxic air trapped underneath it, and allowing Julie and Dale “Barbie” Barbara to continue with their lives.
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While this may seem overly simplistic after a story that spanned more than 1,000 pages, it works because the story was never really about the aliens or even the dome. It was always about the characters and the small town of Chester’s Mill, with the dome simply being a plot device that pushed the town’s residents to their breaking point. The ending is ranked toward the bottom of this list because it is somewhat anticlimactic, butit is still hopeful andproves that empathy will win out over the selfishness and manipulations of individuals like Big Jim Rennie.
9Carrie
Published In 1974
After retaliating against years of torment and abuse with her destructive powers,the only way forCarrieto end is for the titular character to also die as a victim of the cruel world around her. Carrie’s fate is inevitable and the tragedy of what happened feels consequential. This is followed by the fallout from Carrie White’s actions as faculty members resign, a committee is formed to investigate what happened, and a woman sends a letter describing her young daughter’s telekinetic abilities that she claims her grandmother also had.
The question will be if those powers can be nurtured and used for good, or if they will fester and manifest in horrific ways as they did with Carrie after all the suffering she endured.
The letter about a young girl with telekinetic abilities further elevates the ending as it becomes clear that there are others withpowers in this Stephen King booklike what Carrie had. The question will be if those powers can be nurtured and used for good, or if they will fester and manifest in horrific ways as they did with Carrie after all the suffering she endured. The ending mostly works, althoughconcluding with letters, excerpts from Sue Snell’s memoir, and in news articles does feel somewhat impersonal, which is why it falls lower in these rankings.
8Misery
Published In 1987
Author Paul Sheldon finally escapes the terrifying Annie Wilkes after months of holding him captive and torturing and mutilating him. After Paul’s escape and Annie’s death, he returns to New York and struggles to recover from his traumatic experiences, whileMisery’s Returnbecomes a bestselling book.Eventually, Paul finds the inspiration to write again, and sobs because of what he endured and due to rediscovering the joy of writing.
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Miseryis a bleak story and creates a palpable sense of hopelessness as more time passes and Paul continues to suffer at the hands of Annie. This makes the ending bittersweet asPaul both mourns what he lost but also finds his creative spark againthat his self-professed number one fan nearly snuffed out. The ending does not leave as much of an impact as many other King stories, which is why it is ranked lower, but it works well in the context of the novel.
7The Stand
Published In 1978
The Standis another one of King’s endings that is often criticized, in this case, because of its use of “the Hand of God” setting off the nuclear bomb that defeats thevillainous Randall Flaggand all his followers. Larry Underwood and Ralph Brentner, two of the book’s prominent and likable characters, are killed during the detonation as well.The Standends with Stu Redman surviving as he is reunited with Frannie Goldsmith, and they settle down with their child in Ogunquit, Maine. The expanded edition also has an epilogue of Flagg emerging elsewhere after the nuclear explosion.
The expanded edition ofThe Standwas published in 1990.
As an epic tale of good versus evil and the power of faith, “the Hand of God” fits the tone and themes of the story. While Larry, Ralph, and many other beloved characters are lost, there is still a sense of goodness and faith being rewarded with Stu and Frannie’s happily ever after. The expanded edition brings a darker edge with its epilogue that is consistent with the ending of another King book,The Dark Tower.The Standhas an overall emotionally and thematically satisfying ending, although its overreliance on a deus ex machina causes it to rank slightly lower.
6The Shining
Published In 1977
The ending ofThe Shiningfeatures Jack Torrance dying and the Overlook Hotel being destroyedas Wendy Torrance, Danny Torrance, and Dick Halloran escape. The destruction of the Overlook Hotel is vital, as it was the real evil of the story that weaponized Jack’s trauma and alcoholism and turned him against Wendy and Danny. An epilogue showing Wendy and Danny still recovering from what they endured illustrates the long-term effects of experiencing trauma.
One of the keys toThe Shining’s ending is seeing the payoff of a recurring detail throughout the story. This detail is the hotel’s unstable boiler that was never fixed, which literally causesthe Overlook Hotelto explode, but also works as a metaphor for the darkness with Jack that festers and eventually boils over.The Shininghas a solid ending that wraps up the story well, but it is not as memorable as the more chilling parts of the novel, which is why it lands in the middle of the rankings.
5Salem’s Lot
Published In 1975
Salem’s Lotendswith Ben Mears and Mark Petrie defeating the ancient vampire Kurt Barlow. They then flee Jerusalem’s Lot with their lives, making them the only survivors, other than Father Donald Callahan, who left in shame after Barlow forced him to drink his blood, thereby corrupting the priest.An epilogue reveals that Ben and Mark returned to Jerusalem’s Lot a year laterand set fire to the entire town to kill the remaining vampires.
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Having only three characters survive the events in Jerusalem’s Lot makes the vampire threat feel consequential, as Susan Norton, Matt Burke, Jimmy Cody, and many other characters lose their lives. The ending would not feel complete without the epilogue, as Jerusalem’s Lot’s problems went beyond vampires, with the town itself needing to be destroyed.The ambiguous fate of Father Callahan does make theSalem’s Lotending feel somewhat incomplete, which is why it falls toward the middle of the list, but fortunately, the character is further explored inThe Dark Towerseries.
4It
Published In 1986
It’s controversial sewer sceneovershadows the novel’s otherwise effective ending.The book carefully alternates between the two timelinesof when the Losers Clubs are children and as adults when they face It again 27 years later. This builds to an epic finale that sees Bill Denbrough defeating It with Maturin’s help in the 1950s timeline and Bill crushing It’s heart in the 1980s timeline. There is also a sense of hope at the end as Bill’s wife, Audra, is reawakened from being catatonic after her experience with It.
Seeing the Losers Club confront It in both timelines, with Bill leading the charge, is immensely satisfying, especially since the story begins with It brutally manipulating and killing Bill’s younger brother, Georgie. Part of Derry being destroyed by a storm in the 1980s timeline after the confrontation also suggests that It may truly be defeated for good this time.The sewer scene works on a symbolic level for the Losers Club and their growth, but its problematic nature cannot be ignored, which is whyItis not one of King’s very best endings.
Published In 1979
As Johnny Smith’s health continues to decline and his clairvoyant visions continue to take more of a toll on him, a tragic sense of inevitability hangs overThe Dead Zone. While Johnny does die,he passes away knowing he prevented the apocalyptic future that Greg Stillson would have createdif he had become President of the United States. Further closure is provided by the letters Johnny leaves to his loved ones and Sarah visiting Johnny’s grave, with Johnny and Sarah’s unfulfilled relationship being at the heart of the story.
Johnny’s fate is equally appropriate as the humble and good-hearted character dies a hero, with most of the world not knowing how he saved them.
It is gratifying to see Stillson’s political career come to an endand to have his true self unmasked when the picture of him holding up a baby as a shield becomes national news. Johnny’s fate is equally appropriate as the humble and good-hearted character dies a hero, with most of the world not knowing how he saved them.The Dead Zone’s ending is only matched by two other King stories whose conclusions are more emotional and surprising.
211/22/63
Published In 2011
11/22/63has one of the most bittersweet endings of any King novelas Jake Epping returns to the future and is reunited with Sadie Dunhill. She does not know who he is or the relationship they had in another timeline, but he shares a dance with her, and tells her that he is"Someone you knew in another life.“For a story that dealt with time travel and its consequences, this was a simple, but deeply emotional and meaningful way to end11/22/63.
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This ending was the perfect way to end the story after Jake sacrificed the life he built in the late 1950s and early 1960s to save the future. Jake made the necessary sacrifice by leaving that life, including his relationship with Sadie, behind to return to a future where she does know who he is.It is both heartbreaking and wholesome to end with them sharing a dancewhen only Jake knows their history. This could’ve been King’s best ending if not for one story whose boldness gives it the top spot in these rankings.
1The Dark Tower
Published In 2004
After numerous books, thousands of pages, and a story written over decades, it seemed impossible to giveThe Dark Towerseries a proper ending. King pulls off this seemingly impossible task by having Roland Deschain reach the Dark Tower, go inside, and climb to the top, only to discover that he has made it to the Dark Tower before, and is stuck in an endless loop.Roland is sent back to where his journey began inThe Gunslinger, although this time he has the Horn of Eld.
Published in
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1974
1987
1978
1977
1975
1986
1979
11/22/63
2011
The Dark Tower
2004
This brilliant ending recontextualizes the entireDark Towerseries and everything that Roland did when knowing it is all part of a loop punishing him. Roland simply reaching the Dark Tower and saving the universe would have been too neat of an ending. Instead,King takes an enormous creative swing, but it worksand is consistent withThe Stand’s epilogue of time and fate being a wheel.The Dark Tower’s ending completes Roland’s journey throughout the series and gives it new meaning, all while making him start the journey anew, which makes itStephen King’s best ending.
Stephen King
Discover the latest news and filmography for Stephen King, known for The Dark Tower series, The Stand, IT, The Shining, Carrie, Cujo, Misery, the Bill Hodges trilogy, and more.
