Emily finds peace and sets Victor free to marry Victoria. She transforms into a swarm of butterflies and ascends to the afterlife.
At the conclusion of Tim Burton’s “Corpse Bride,” Emily, the titular character, comes to the realization that her desire to marry Victor, despite being dead, is not fair to him or to Victoria, the woman he was supposed to marry while alive. Throughout the film, Emily grapples with her tragic past and her longing for the love and life that were stolen from her. However, during the wedding ceremony in the Land of the Living, when Victor is about to unwittingly bind himself to Emily for eternity, she stops the ceremony.
Emily sees the love between Victor and Victoria and understands that she cannot hold onto Victor. She recognizes that her own happiness cannot come at the expense of others. In a selfless act, Emily releases Victor from his promise, allowing him to return to Victoria. As she does this, she is surrounded by a magical aura, and her skeletal form is transformed into a cloud of butterflies, signifying her soul’s release from the earthly realm.
The transformation into butterflies symbolizes Emily’s freedom from her past and her acceptance of her death. She is no longer bound by her desire for revenge or her longing for a life that is no longer hers. The butterflies ascend to the sky, suggesting that Emily has found peace and is moving on to the afterlife, leaving the world of the living behind. This poignant ending provides closure for Emily’s character and allows for a happy resolution for Victor and Victoria.