Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind - Ending Explained

The central twist of "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind" is the revelation of the true nature of the Toxic Jungle. Throughout the first half of the film, the jungle is presented as a deadly and expanding threat to humanity. However, when Nausicaä and Asbel crash into the depths of the jungle, they discover a clean and non-toxic world beneath the poisonous flora. Nausicaä realizes that the trees of the jungle are actually purifying the contaminated soil and water left behind by the 'Seven Days of Fire.' The insects, particularly the Ohmu, are not mindless monsters but act as the guardians of this purifying forest. This discovery completely reframes the central conflict of the film: the 'enemy' is actually the planet's salvation, and humanity's attempts to destroy it would ultimately seal their own doom.

The film's climax revolves around the fulfillment of a prophecy that a savior, 'clothed in blue and walking on a golden field,' will reunite humanity with the earth. The Tolmekians and Pejites, blinded by hatred and fear, provoke a stampede of enraged Ohmu that threatens to destroy the Valley of the Wind. Nausicaä, in an act of ultimate empathy, places herself in the path of the stampede to protect a baby Ohmu and calm the herd. She is trampled and appears to die, her dress stained blue by the blood of the baby Ohmu. The enraged Ohmu, seeing her sacrifice, calm down. Their golden tentacles then surround Nausicaä and lift her into the air, miraculously reviving her. As she stands on the sea of golden tentacles, her blue dress fulfills the prophecy in a way no one expected. This ending solidifies Nausicaä as a messianic figure and reinforces the film's message that empathy and self-sacrifice, not violence, are the keys to salvation.

While the film's primary message is one of ecological harmony, some interpretations delve deeper into its philosophical and religious undertones. Nausicaä's self-sacrifice and subsequent revival by the Ohmu have led many to see her as a messianic figure, a savior who dies for the sins of humanity and is reborn. The prophecy of a figure 'clothed in blue, descending onto a golden field' further reinforces this Christ-like interpretation.

Another interpretation focuses on the film as a critique of blind faith in both technology and prophecy. The Tolmekians' faith in the Giant Warrior to solve their problems is shown to be catastrophic, while the prophecy of the savior is fulfilled in an unexpected and organic way, through an act of empathy rather than divine intervention. This suggests that salvation comes not from ancient weapons or waiting for a messiah, but from human compassion and a scientific understanding of the world.

The ending itself has been subject to debate. Some critics have found Nausicaä's revival to be a 'deus ex machina' that lessens the impact of her sacrifice. An alternative reading is that her revival is not a literal resurrection but a symbolic representation of the triumph of life and the healing power of nature. The manga, with its more complex and darker ending, offers a starkly different interpretation of Nausicaä's role and the future of humanity, suggesting that the film's more hopeful conclusion is a deliberate choice for a cinematic audience.