Something Very Bad Is Going To Happen Ending Explained: Does Rachel Survive?

Warning: This article includes MAJOR SPOILERS for Something Very Bad Is Going To Happen!

Netflix’s “Something Very Bad Is Going To Happen” is a thrilling horror series that blends dark deals and family legacies. It builds to a shocking and satisfying conclusion, and cleverly examines the anxieties surrounding marriage through a female lens. The series was created by Haley Z. Boston and brought to life with the help of the Duffer Brothers.

The film introduces Rachel (Camila Morrone) and Nicky (Adam DiMarco), a couple heading to a secluded family cabin for their wedding, bringing along their loved ones. But as soon as Rachel arrives, she’s overcome with a sense of foreboding, convinced that something terrible is about to happen, though she has no idea what it will be.

With her wedding day approaching, Rachel discovers a family curse that threatens her life. She begins to question if her fiancé, Nicky, is truly the one for her. This Netflix thriller combines psychological and horror elements, building to a suspenseful ending that reveals whether Rachel makes it through her wedding.

How Rachel (Kind Of) Survives Something Very Bad Is Going To Happen

In this Netflix horror movie, Rachel faces an impossible choice. If she marries Nicky and he’s her true love, they both survive. But if she marries him without that connection, she’ll die. If she leaves him at the altar, she becomes a ‘Witness’ and Nicky’s entire family is cursed. There’s no way for Rachel to win.

Rachel’s selfish fiancé creates a terrible situation for her. He abandons her at the wedding, leaving her to fulfill the role of Witness, and then manipulates her into marrying him after the curse has already taken hold. They clearly aren’t meant to be together. As a result, she dies, but returns as a ghost, which is how she ultimately survives.

Rachel is trapped in a situation she didn’t create, forced to play a role despite not being responsible for the events leading to it. Her real error wasn’t anything she did, but rather trusting the wrong person and allowing him to manipulate her into a marriage she didn’t want.

This situation really highlights how damaging the wrong marriage can be. Marriage isn’t right for everyone, and a true life partner would respect your feelings and not pressure you. Rachel should have been more assertive, and now she’s facing the consequences of not doing so.

The Details Of Something Very Bad Is Going To Happen’s Family Curse

In the Netflix series, Rachel’s family is haunted by a curse that goes back many generations, but it didn’t actually begin with them. The story starts with a couple madly in love. Sadly, the man dies in a hunting accident before they can marry. Heartbroken, the woman pleads with Death to return her beloved, and makes a deal with terrible consequences.

I was absolutely stunned when Death actually said she could have him back! There was a catch, of course – if she married him, she’d die on their wedding night, and he wasn’t the one for her, not her true love. She went ahead with it anyway, believing it only affected her. I wish she’d known… her decision wasn’t just for her. It doomed every woman in her family, for all time. It’s a heartbreaking thought, that her choice echoed through generations.

The curse didn’t end with the original family. When a man with the curse abandoned his wedding, the curse transferred as punishment to his fiancée, Marion. She then married Thomas Harkin, and this is how the curse began for Rachel’s family line.

Like we all know, there’s this tradition – if you’re engaged, you absolutely have to get married by sunset on your wedding day. It’s just how things are done!

If the couple are soulmates, they both survive, and any children they have will also be affected by the curse. If they aren’t soulmates, the person dies on their wedding night due to internal bleeding. If one person chooses to end the relationship, the curse will instead fall upon every living family member of their intended spouse.

Why Rachel Chooses To Trust Nicky Despite His Betrayal

Rachel researched her family history and learned that one relative actually broke the curse. With Portia and Nell’s help, she contacted this ancestor, who shared a potion recipe with her. The recipe requires a peculiar mix of ingredients: one of Rachel’s own bones, her fiancé’s sperm, a strand of her future mother-in-law’s hair, and her own blood. Drinking the potion is supposed to transform Rachel into the perfect match for her fiancé.

Rachel carefully prepared the potion, but in the end, she chose not to drink it. She recognized her own imperfections, understanding she wasn’t any better than the person she was targeting. Ultimately, she decided to trust that he would meet her halfway.

Rachel also appears to be worried about the potion changing who she is at her core. She’s previously resisted losing herself in roles like wife or mother, and she’s determined not to compromise her personality or beliefs to fit in with Nicky’s family. Ultimately, choosing to trust Nicky means believing in her own self-worth and staying true to herself.

Who The Witness Is & Why He’s Following Rachel

I was totally hooked by this show, Something Very Bad Is Going To Happen. There’s this really unsettling guy who keeps following Rachel, and he repeatedly asks her, “Are you sure he is the one?” It’s super creepy! Then, about halfway through, you find out his name is Zlatko, and he’s actually the current Witness – talk about a twist!

Zlatko abandoned Marion at their wedding, which triggered a family curse. Now, he’s forced to witness every wedding, knowing one of the partners will die. He’s compelled to attend Rachel’s wedding, and his only chance to break the curse is to make Rachel doubt if her fiancé is the right person for her.

Why Nicky’s Family Is Acting So Cagey In The Netflix Show

The film Something Very Bad Is Going To Happen starts by misleading viewers into thinking Rachel’s fear stems from problems with Nicky’s family.

The Cunningham family is hiding something and ominously hinting at an upcoming disaster. They’re pressuring Rachel to conform to their expectations for her wedding, insisting she wear specific dress and jewelry. Meanwhile, Rachel discovers an old spellbook, Jules possesses a dangerous drug, and the husband is secretly digging a grave. A disturbing effigy of Rachel’s wedding dress is found hanging in the woods.

Everything suggests the Cunninghams are plotting against her. I wouldn’t be surprised, considering how secretive they’ve been acting.

Okay, so I’ve been thinking about all the strange stuff happening, and it turns out it’s not supernatural at all! Everything – all the odd interactions and little details – except for that creepy doll, is actually about the family dealing with their mom, Victoria, being sick. They all knew she was dying, but didn’t want to talk about it, so they basically turned the wedding into a way to say goodbye, and that’s why everyone was acting so weird and controlling. Rachel and Nicky were the only ones who didn’t know what was really going on, which makes so much sense now!

The Sorry Man Myth, Explained

The legend of the Sorry Man began with a story from Jules’s childhood. As a boy, he reportedly got lost in the woods and heard a woman screaming, no matter where he went. He then saw a frightening man with long, dirty fingernails and a bloated stomach. This man brutally attacked a woman, repeatedly apologizing while seemingly turning her inside out. The Sorry Man is drawn to blood and is said to be searching for a wife.

Like many stories that get passed around, this one began with a bit of truth but became more frightening as it spread. The “Sorry Man” is actually Rachel’s father, Jay Harkin. When Jay and Ali came into the room, Jules escaped to a cabin nearby and hid under the bed.

Jules witnessed Ali’s death and immediately believed Jay was responsible. He then saw Jay perform a horrific act, surgically removing Ali’s unborn baby, Rachel, from her body. It isn’t until years later, when he tries to rescue Rachel from a dangerous man known as the Sorry Man, that Jules discovers the true story of what happened.

The True Meaning Of Something Very Bad Is Going To Happen’s Ending

The creators of Stranger Things are sending a powerful message with their next project: true trust is essential before getting married.

For generations, the women in Rachel’s family have faced a pattern where marriage means losing sight of who they are. This reflects a common experience for women, where they feel pressured to give up their individual interests, personalities, and passions when they become wives. They essentially lose themselves in the role.

The story suggests women are pressured to conform to a specific ideal to fit their husbands’ expectations, mirroring a theme Rachel discussed earlier. As Rachel’s ancestor implies, a successful marriage hinges on a woman transforming herself to match her husband’s desires. It’s telling that the potion recipe demands Rachel sacrifice a part of herself to become the woman Nicky wants.

The novel Something Very Bad Is Going To Happen uses a long, drawn-out story to show what can happen when someone – particularly a woman – doesn’t marry the person they truly connect with, someone who understands and accepts them for who they are. However, the story also offers a bit of hope, suggesting that the right person won’t try to change you.

2026-03-26 13:41