The Signal Ending Explained, The Signal Cast

The Signal is a sci-fiction movie which was released in 2014, that involves a mysterious alien signal and it ends on a shocking note. In this article, we have updated The Signal Ending Explained. Read the complete article to get to know what happened at the end of The Signal.

by Maivizhi A | Updated Mar 15, 2023

The Signal Ending Explained

For the most part, The Signal unfolds like a mystery, as Nic gradually becomes convinced that he's being held captive in Area 51. His suspicions are reinforced when he discovers that his legs have been amputated and replaced with artificial limbs made of extraterrestrial technology. With the help of his girlfriend Haley, played by Olivia Cooke from Ready Player One, Nic manages to break out of the facility using his newfound abilities. As they make their way through the desert, they encounter a variety of unusual characters, but the movie's climactic scene sees Nic trapped on a road by Damon and his team. Despite his rage and his extraordinary alien limbs, Haley is taken away and Nic smashes through a glass barrier, unable to escape the confrontation.

In the concluding scenes of The Signal, Nic finds himself in an unfamiliar, warehouse-like space where Damon removes his hazmat helmet to expose himself as an extraterrestrial creature wearing a human guise. Upon looking outside the window, Nic discovers he's in outer space and realizes he was abducted by aliens who intend to merge human beings with their technology. The final shot depicts him within an alien test city that mimics Earth and is a component of a larger spaceship.

The Signal's plot twist is reminiscent of Dark City, a 1998 film that shared a similar concept of aliens creating a test environment with a city for human experimentation. While some critics considered the reveal too sudden and reminiscent of The Twilight Zone, the film's story had been leading up to this moment and uses it to develop its themes of emotions surpassing logic. Additionally, the movie often surprises viewers, making it fitting to conclude with the most significant twist of all.

The Signal Cast

The following are the Signal Cast

  • Nic Eastman is portrayed by Brenton Thwaites
  • Laurence Fishburne plays Dr. Wallace Damon 
  • Olivia Cooke plays Haley Peterson
  • Beau Knapp portrays Jonah Breck 
  • Mirabelle is played by Lin Shaye 
  • James is played by Robert Longstreet
  • Jeffrey Grover appears as Gil, the gas station clerk.

The Signal Ending Song

The ending song of the 2014 movie "The Signal" is titled "Pale Blue Dot" and is performed by the American alternative rock band, M83. The song was not specifically written for the movie, but rather was a pre-existing track from the band's 2011 album "Hurry Up, We're Dreaming".

"Pale Blue Dot" is a dreamy and ethereal song that creates a sense of awe and wonder. The lyrics reference the famous photograph taken by the Voyager 1 spacecraft in 1990, which shows the Earth as a tiny speck in the vastness of space. The song's chorus, with its repeated refrain of "This is the end / This is the end", adds a sense of finality and closure that is fitting for the movie's conclusion.

The song's instrumentation is also notable, with its lush synthesizers and soaring vocals adding to the song's otherworldly feel. Overall, "Pale Blue Dot" is a fitting and effective ending song for "The Signal", capturing the movie's themes of exploration, discovery, and the vastness of the universe.

The Signal Plot Explained

The plot of the movie "The Signal" revolves around three college students, Nic, Jonah, and Haley, who are on a road trip across the southwest United States. Along the way, they are lured off the main road by a mysterious hacker who seems to be taunting them. As they track the hacker to an isolated location, they are ambushed and Nic wakes up in a strange, high-security research facility, unable to move his legs.

Nic soon realizes that he and his friends have been abducted by a group of government scientists who are studying the effects of alien technology on human beings. Nic and Haley manage to escape with the help of a friendly scientist, but as they flee across the desert, they encounter strange and unsettling phenomena that challenge their sense of reality.

The movie builds towards a twist ending, which reveals that Nic's abduction was not what it seemed, and that the true nature of his captors and their agenda is far more sinister than he ever imagined.

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The Signal Ending Explained - FAQs

1. What is The Signal about?

The Signal is a science fiction thriller about three college students who are abducted by a group of government scientists who are studying the effects of extraterrestrial technology on humans. The movie builds towards a twist ending that reveals the true nature of their captors and their agenda.

2. Who stars in The Signal?    

The Signal stars Brenton Thwaites as Nic Eastman, Laurence Fishburne as Dr. Wallace Damon, and Olivia Cooke as Haley Peterson, among others.

3. What is the significance of the ending of The Signal?

The ending of The Signal reveals that Nic has been abducted by aliens who intend to merge human beings with their technology. The final shot depicts Nic within an alien test city that mimics Earth and is a component of a larger spaceship.

4. Is The Signal based on a true story?

No, The Signal is a work of fiction.

5. What is the meaning behind the title of The Signal?

The title of The Signal refers to the mysterious signal that lures the three college students off the main road and into danger.