Eddington ending explained: What happened to Ted and Joe?

Written and directed by Ari Aster, Eddington is the American filmmaker’s fourth film with production company A24. The film premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival on May 16, 2025, before being released in theaters on July 18, 2025. Although it is only Aster’s fourth film as a director, it is just as explosive and horrifying as his previous work and features another star-studded cast.

Disclaimer: This article is based on the author's personal opinion and may contain spoilers for Eddington. Reader discretion is advised.

By the end, Eddington leaves many viewers heartbroken and puzzled by its brutal ending. The story concludes with Sheriff Joe Cross, originally a mayoral candidate, becoming the film’s primary antagonist after he murders Ted Garcia and his son, Eric.

Cross then frames the protestors and his young protege for the murders and even kills a teenager, cementing himself as the villain in Eddington. Aster intensifies the chaos when a masked gunman arrives, chasing Joe across the town, trying to kill him.

---

What happened between Sheriff Joe Cross and Ted Garcia?

A still from the trailer (Image via YouTube/@A24)

Throughout Eddington’s 149-minute runtime, tensions between Sheriff Joe Cross and Mayor Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal) rise slowly but steadily. From the very start, director Ari Aster makes it clear that Cross doesn’t like Ted, and just after the film crosses its halfway mark, things take a dramatic turn. Joe publicly (and falsely) accuses Ted of abusing his wife, Louise, during the time they were in a relationship.

However, things don’t go well for Joe after the false accusation, as his attempt to replace Ted as mayor is now dead in the water, his wife Louise leaves him, and his life is quickly spiralling out of control. Unhappy at his situation, Joe goes to confront Ted about a fundraiser he’s hosting despite the town’s issues, only to be mocked and slapped by Ted.

Now enraged, Joe (Joaquin Phoenix) kills a homeless man who broke into Ted’s bar, hides the body, and then decides to kill Ted as well. Joe stealthily sneaks onto Ted’s property and kills both the mayor and his son, Eric, with a sniper rifle he brought with him.

He then frames the protestors for the murders and starts making aggressive statements about the group. Joe also frames his protege, Michael, for the murders to help him get away.

---

Where does Louise Cross go?

A still from the trailer (Image via YouTube/@A24)

Following her husband Sheriff Joe Cross’s false accusation, Louise Cross (Emma Stone) finally leaves both him and their house, furious about what Joe said publicly. Prior to that, Louise had spent most of her time trapped at home with her conspiracy theorist mother (Deidre O’Connell) while suffering from an unnamed trauma.

Over the course of the film, the true nature of Louise and Joe’s marriage is gradually unveiled, showing them on separate pages for most of the runtime. The breaking point comes with Joe’s false accusation, after which Louise decides to leave him and join Veron Jefferson Peak’s (Austin Butler) cult.

---

Who is the masked gunman in Eddington?

A still from the trailer (Image via YouTube/@A24)

Arguably the most mysterious character in the film, the masked gunman appears toward the end of Eddington, causing chaos all over the town. Unlike the normal protestors, clamoring for a better life, the masked gunman is hinted at being a paid agitator, especially after he arrives on a private plane.

They soon begin to incite all sorts of trouble across the town, which eventually leads to the film’s ending. The masked gunman lures Sheriff Joe Cross and his deputy, Guy, into a trap, using another deputy, Michael, as bait. The trap works, the two men arrive on the scene, and the masked gunman then proceeds to kill Guy with the help of an explosion.

However, after failing to kill Joe in the same explosion, the gunman starts chasing the sheriff across the town. Their mission to kill the sheriff eventually fails, thanks to a stranger's intervention, and the masked gunman leaves without ever being fully identified.

---

Interested viewers can catch Eddington now playing in theaters across the United States.

Edited by Shubham Soni