The Deer King's Ending, Explained (2025)

When it comes to medieval fantasy, anime fans point to properties like Vinland Saga as intriguing stories. Rightfully so. Conversely, there are classic properties from years ago, such as Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit. These franchises are filled with war and politics, which play for a Western audience, who love the likes of House of the Dragon.

One movie set in this vein is none other than 2022's The Deer King. This narrative focused on Van, a warrior who struggled with grief and trauma from his past. He was very much like Maximus from Ridley Scott's Gladiator as he tried to move on after losing his family, only to end up a slave. However, Van's journey quickly gave him a higher calling that not even he could have predicted.

The Deer King's Van Became a Magical Hero

Van Had Something Special In His Blood

• The Deer King was adapted from a novel series written by Nahoko Uehashi.
• It was illustrated by HACCAN.
• It ran from Sep. 2014 to Mar. 2019.

Van was a member of a tribe of deer-riders called the Lone Antlers. They were brave warriors who belonged to the kingdom of Aquafa. However, the neighboring Zol waged war, wanting to enslave and occupy Aquafa's territory. Things didn't go according to plan for Van. His wife and son died, while his legion later fell in battle.

Van was taken prisoner and put to work in a salt mine. Aquafa surrendered most of its land, giving Zol free rein. Capitalism then reigned supreme. Prisoners from both realms were thrown into the mine, which Van accepted as his destiny. However, a pack of wolves known as the "ossam" attacked, mauling people. Van got bitten, as did a young girl, Yuna. These wolves were tied to Aquafa's history. It was said that they defended Aquafa, spreading a plague that killed people from Zol only. Segragation occured, echoing what was seen in the likes of Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Once Aquafa brokered its uneasy truce, the only region that was said to have housed these wolves was the Fire Horse Village. Anyone who encroached would be attacked. The wolves and their infection (which manifested as a dark cloud) acted as a shield. However, while everyone died, Van and Yuna survived. Van actually developed magical powers and super-strength. He broke through the cell, rescued Yuna and set out. They healed up swiftly, which left Van wondering what this ethereal energy was in both of them.

Van eventually settled in a commune where people from both realms lived in peace. Van taught the commune about raising deer, which was a spiritual, sacred animal to them. Sure, it could be sold for money, but they still revered it. Deer milk was valuable. While the grass the deer ate ensured the meat would be rich. In short, it was a bountiful land, where Van -- as a deer whisperer and super-soldier -- thrived. He soon considered Yuna his daughter.

She filled the gaping hole in his life. She saw him as a father, too. It was a natural fit. However, Van sensed something was amiss. The infection was still around and inching closer to his new home. As this happened, The Deer King became as existential as any Studio Ghibli movie.

The Deer King's Aquafa Played a Game of Thrones

Aquafa Was Manipulating Zol Into An Ambush

• Uehashi also penned the manga adaptation.
• It ran from Jul. 2021 to Mar. 2022.

The virus killed many of Zol's people, which led to Prince Yotalu taking charge after his brother's death. He tasked a doctor, Hohsalle, and a bodyguard, Makokan, to retrieve Van. Their investigations determined that if he survived the mine and wolves, he could have immunity in his blood. Thus, he could be the means to a cure. Little did Yotalu know that the Aquafa regents in his council were plotting against him. They were working with the Fire Horse tribe and its general, Ohfan, to unleash the wolves and spread the plague.

They wanted to kill the Zolians, the visiting Emperor, and take back power. When they heard Van was a possible cure to their bioweapon, they had an Aquafa agent, Sae, hunt him. Once he was dead, their take on Game of Thrones could continue. They wanted a tipping point where both armies would meet on the battlefield, allowing the wolves to run rampant by forming a giant smoke bomb. As time passed, Sae and Hohsalle found Van, but he had problems of his own.

The wolves stole Yuna, beckoning him to find them. Sae eventually realized Van was a hero and that he wanted peace. She directed him where to find the Fire Horse clan. She began piecing together that a war was brewing, so she went back to learn more from the Parliament. Eventually, Hohsalle and Van found Yuna and Ohfan's people. Ofhan then revealed the Dog King, the man who Van kept seeing in visions. This gave the anime movie a very Isekai vibe.

He wanted to imbue his full power on Van. This was known as the "Inside Out' -- which connected him to all living things. He had grown way too old and wasn't fit for war anymore. But once Van powered up as this messiah, he could wipe out Zol. The problem was, Van wasn't up for it. He just wanted to take Yuna away and continue their little family. This enraged the Dog King. He tried possessing Van, but that didn't work. The memory of Van's family kept him from being corrupted. However, the wily Yuna became a vessel. As this host, she marshaled the wolves and Ohfan's warriors onto the field. They were going to wipe Zol's army out and purge the Aquafa traitors.

The Deer King's Van Forged an Era of Peace

Van Took the Plague Away Forever

• This movie was directed by Masashi Ando and Masayuki Miyaji.
• It was written by Taku Kishimoto.

Van, though, rode his deer into battle to talk Yuna down. Chaos ensued. The Aquafa regents killed Ohfan's crew, accepting that their operatives were pawns who needed to be sacrificed. Ohfan didn't mind because he became an extremist. This was for the greater good. But when the Zolians prepped to fire on Yuna and Van, Sae used her bow and arrow to slay most of their archers. She didn't want her friends to die, especially after seeing how Van was trying to deescalate things.

Van even saved Yotalu when Yuna tried to kill him. Van managed to pull the Inside Out from Yuna onto him. He knew what he needed to do. The wolves would be forever restless, so he went off with his deer to be their shepherd. Rather than use the power for bloodshed, he showed both armies that he could create an era of peace. With the plague gone, both armies dropped their arms.

It was a new day, evoking so many movies from Hayao Miyazaki. All tribes flourished thanks to Van's sacrifice. He did it because he saw the plague affecting some of Aquafa's younger generation in the Fire Horse region. He couldn't let anyone on either side die anymore. The kicker was, the virus didn't mutate. Hohsalle realized the deer milk was the cure. When the modern Aquafa generation stopped drinking the milk, they became vulnerable. It traced right down to the grass, which had unique healing properties. Zol didn't have deer, so their dynasties had no resistance in them. The scientist used this, as well as blood he took from Van, to create his serum to stop the pandemic.

This helped make the realm tranquil again. War was over. There was no health scare. To top it off, the Emperor lapped up the sense of order. People could garden, barter and expand communities. Even Makokan was at ease. He was very paranoid and became judgmental during the spread. He didn't mind killing anyone who had the virus. But luckily, Hohsalle was patient and showed him the path of mercy. Hohsalle lost his family to the virus, so he didn't want to push anyone else into a similar agony. He was not about executing people out of ignorance.

Hohsalle became that allegory for how faith and science mixed. He enjoyed hearing about religion, but he believed science would show him the way. Well, it was a combination of both. The post-credits showed this peacetime, and ended with Van looking over Yuna's commune. He was with his wolves, but he took the form of a deer. It affirmed he transcended into this god of nature. It honored his ancestors and tribe, giving him inner peace, too. Prior to Yuna, he wanted to be with his family's spirits. Ultimately, he became that roaming soul who could now walk both worlds and look after everyone selflessly.

The Deer King is streaming on Hulu.

The Deer King