Elio ending explained: Pixar’s cosmic tale of belonging and identity

Released on June 20, 2025, Elio is a Pixar animated film that follows a lonely, creative 11-year-old boy named Elio, voiced by Yonas Kibreab, who feels like he doesn't fit in on Earth. Unexpectedly, he is mistaken for Earth's ambassador and accidentally beams up to the "Communiverse," an intergalactic council of alien civilizations.

As the story progresses, Elio has to deal with a diplomatic issue and the terrifying warlord Lord Grigon (Brad Garrett) with the help of his new alien friend Glordon (Remy Edgerly). Faced with a diplomatic crisis and a hostile warlord, Elio bluffs his way through a series of challenges. While he embarks on this extraterrestrial adventure, his aunt, Olga Solis (Zoe Saldaña), an Air Force major, tries to find him on Earth.

The film is a journey of self-discovery, where Elio must find the courage to be himself and finally understand that his place is back home on Earth with his family. During the conclusion, he successfully brokered peace by saving Glordon and helping Grigon accept his son for who he is.

After learning that his true place is with his family on Earth, Elio decides to return home despite being offered a permanent post as Earth's ambassador. The film concludes with Elio having a better relationship with his aunt and a sense of belonging. Also, the Communiverse's existence is revealed to humanity, opening the door for future adventures.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the film. Viewer's discretion advised.

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Elio movie ending explained: Post-credits scenes and key themes

A still from the film (Image via Prime Video)

The film's ending both opens the door to a broader universe and provides a touching finale to the young protagonist's adventure. Elio's main arc ends with a selfless act of empathy and a profound understanding of his role in the world after he accidentally becomes Earth's ambassador to an intergalactic council.

Elio returns to Earth in the final scene of the film and makes amends with his aunt, Olga. They work together to save Glordon, Elio's alien friend, who has accidentally landed on Earth and is in danger from the military. In an important scene, Elio and Olga pilot a spacecraft back to the Communiverse when the military is distracted by Elio's temporary clone.

Upon their return, Elio presents Glordon to his father, Lord Grigon, who, in a moment of emotional vulnerability, embraces his son and apologizes. Elio decides to return to Earth as he now understands his sense of belonging lies with his family and fellow humans on Earth. The entire Communiverse returns to Earth at the conclusion of the film, bringing Elio and Olga back and letting humanity know that there are aliens.

The film also offers two post-credit scenes. The first is a pleasant epilogue which appears after the opening titles. On a beach, Elio and his new friend Bryce are seen interacting with Glordon using a ham radio. Glordon's CommuniDisk is comically revealed to be on mute in this moment, highlighting the bonds formed throughout Elio's journey and suggesting that Earth and the Communiverse are still connected.

A visual from Disney's upcoming film Hoppers (Image via Disney)

The second post-credits scene, which appears at the end of the credits, provides a teaser for Pixar's next film, Hoppers. The scene depicts a lizard interacting with a touch screen, with a robotic voice repeating the word "lizard." This is followed by the film's logo and a March 2026 release date. In contrast to earlier Pixar blooper reels, this use of a post-credits scene continues the tradition of hinting at upcoming projects.

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Elio is streaming on Disney+. Stay tuned for more updates.

Edited by Suchita Patnaha