It Ends With Us Fixes A Massive Ryle Controversy

This article contains discussions of domestic violence and abuse.



MAJOR SPOILERS for It Ends With Us (2024) and Colleen Hoover’s It Starts With Us are ahead!

Summary

  • The movie adaptation of It Ends With Us fixes a controversial ending, strengthening the message about breaking the generational cycle of abuse.
  • It Ends With Us offers hope and comfort to abuse survivors, showing that abuse doesn’t have to define the ending of a story.
  • Ryle’s absence in raising Emerson highlights the importance of a support system in recovering from abuse and raising a child alone.

The movie adaptation of It Ends With Us fixes a massive Ryle controversy from the book, strengthening the core message and avoiding backlash. Based on the controversial 2016 Colleen Hoover book, It Ends With Us is a romantic drama that shows one woman’s experience trying to break the generational cycle of abuse after realizing that her marriage mirrors that of her mother and abusive father. Lily Bloom finally takes the steps to divorce Ryle Kincaid after giving birth to her daughter, recognizing that all her choices will impact Emerson.


The story and the incidents of abuse are harrowing, warranting It Ends With Us’ pg-13 rating and content warnings. However, the ending of It Ends With Us offers hope and comfort to abuse survivors by showing that abuse doesn’t have to be the endpoint of a story. In order to improve this message, the movie fixed the most controversial part of Ryle’s story, completely changing the final chapter of the book.

If you or someone you love is experiencing domestic violence or abuse, please reach out to the national domestic violence hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or visit
thehotline.org
for help.


It Ends With Us Implies That Lily Raised Emerson Alone

It’s A Huge Change From The Book

Image via Sony Pictures


After the birth of Emerson, Ryle Kincaid walks out the door and is never seen again in the movie adaptation of It Ends With Us. Later, Lily tells Atlas that “it’s just us,” implying that Ryle isn’t involved in raising his daughter. In an interview with TheWrap, director/actor Justin Baldoni about the Ryle change confirms that he didn’t have a role in Emerson’s life after her birth. He stated:

“…[T]he best ending for Ryle was to look at his wife and kid, and the life that he could have had, the life that he blew up, and to walk out the door and for us not see him again.”

However, Lily visibly has a support system to help with Emerson. During the montage of the year between her giving birth and meeting Atlas again, she continues to have a friendship and working relationship with Allysa. She also spends a significant amount of time with her mother, who seems to adore Emerson. This shows the importance of a support system when recovering from an abusive relationship and raising a child alone. Leaving isn’t easy, and support and resources can be the determining factor in whether someone takes that step.


Lily Bloom in It Ends With Us is in front of question marks and golden leaves.

Related

What Happens To Lily Bloom After It Ends With Us

After Lily Bloom leaves her abusive husband, Ryle Kincaid, at the end of It Ends With Us, her story continues in Colleen Hoover’s It Starts With Us.

How It Ends With Us’ Ending Drastically Changed Ryle’s Fate

It Erases A Huge Problem With The Book

Ryle’s fate in It Ends With Us is a big change from the book by Colleen Hoover. In the epilogue, Lily and Ryle are shown co-parenting, with Ryle being given unsupervised time with Emerson. Lily’s story in It Starts With Us, the sequel, confirms that she never reported the abuse to the police or tried to get full custody. Instead, their parenting agreement says that Ryle can have two days with Emerson every week, though Lily is flexible on when, where, and how. Sadly, she gives him too much leeway, even letting him show up unannounced at her apartment.


Colleen Hoover tries to justify Ryle’s involvement in It Starts With Us when Lily says, “Once two people agree on a custody agreement, you can’t use past evidence to modify an arrangement.” However, this causes two major problems. Firstly, it raises questions about why she didn’t fight to have full custody, to begin with. Secondly, this disregards multiple factors like the fact that she went to the hospital for the abuse, his act of domestic violence when he learns she spent the night with Ryle, the verbally abusive texts, and the threat he made towards Lily (which her employee witnesses).

Lily Bloom from It Ends With Us is in front of music notes and flowers

Related

It Ends With Us Soundtrack Guide: Every Song & When They Play

Between the score and the soundtrack, It Ends With Us pulled together the perfect music to shape the movie’s tone and the audience’s expectations.


Even if she can’t use the past abuse or the hospital report, Lily has the ability to fight for full custody with the new incidents in It Starts With Us. That isn’t to say Lily would win a custody battle, but it leaves a sour taste that she doesn’t even try considering her social support and financial resources.

Why Changing Ryle’s Ending Was Necessary

It Ends With Us Has A Stronger Message Without Ryle Co-Parenting

Ryle looks angry in It Ends With Us

Ryle disappearing from Lily’s life after Emerson’s birth might not be very realistic, but it was still a necessary change. It Ends With Us’ ending removes one of the most controversial parts of the book. In the original ending, Lily doesn’t definitively break the cycle of abuse because there’s a solid chance that Ryle will continue his abuse. Justin Baldoni brought up in his interview explaining the change that research shows abusers typically return to abuse. If Ryle never became abusive again, he would be an anomaly.


By removing him from the picture at the end of
It Ends With Us

,

there’s less debate about the morality of an abuser parenting their child.

Additionally, in the first book, Ryle doesn’t do anything to change his abusive patterns. He doesn’t even attend anger management classes until the end of It Starts With Us, only doing so because it is demanded of him. This doesn’t even guarantee that he will stop his abuse. According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, anger management classes can actually make abuse worse. Instead, they recommend Batterer Intervention and Prevention Programs.


Lily allowing Ryle to have Emerson at the end of It Ends With Us could have been seen as reckless and negligent. It would have weakened the message about breaking the cycle of abuse, which is how the ending of the book felt. Moreover, the book’s ending brings up moral questions about whether Ryle should even have access to his child. By removing him from the picture at the end of It Ends With Us, there’s less debate about the morality of an abuser parenting their child.

Sources: National Domestic Violence Hotline