Emily finds peace and sets herself free from the world of the living.
In Tim Burton’s “Corpse Bride,” the character Emily is a kind-hearted but tragic figure who has been waiting for her true love since her untimely death. At the end of the movie, after realizing that Victor—the man she had come to love—truly belongs with Victoria, Emily decides to let go of her own desires for the sake of their happiness. During Victor and Victoria’s wedding ceremony, Emily stops the proceedings and acknowledges that her and Victor’s marriage was never meant to be. She then sees a vision of her former fiancé, who had murdered her, being taken to the afterlife to face justice for his crimes.
In a touching and visually stunning scene, Emily steps outside into the moonlight and releases a butterfly, symbolizing her unfulfilled life and love. As she does this, she is transformed into a flurry of butterflies, indicating that her spirit is finally at peace. She ascends to the heavens, leaving the mortal world behind, content that Victor and Victoria can now be together. Emily’s departure is a bittersweet moment, as it marks both an end to her suffering and the loss of a character that viewers have grown to empathize with throughout the film. Her selfless act is a poignant conclusion to her story, and it allows her to move on from the world of the living, where she no longer belongs.