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The movie Nickel Boys ends with an unexpected and profoundly affecting twist. Throughout the film, scenes from Elwood’s childhood and adolescence are intercut with later scenes from his adult life. Through a series of short vignettes, the film shows Elwood as he leaves the South for New York, moves in with his partner, begins a moving company, and meets up with Chickie Pete, a former student from Nickel Academy. In the 20th century, Elwood obsesses over news coverage of the revelations of unreported deaths of students at Nickel Academy, suggesting that he is haunted by the past and now struggles with the decision to publicly testify to what he witnessed and experienced at the reform school. He reads reports that investigators have found dozens of unmarked and unreported human remains, primarily belonging to Black students, in the “Boot Hill” part of the school’s campus, corroborating his own memories of deaths at Nickel. Through all these scenes of Elwood’s adulthood, he is filmed from behind, showing the back of his head in a manner that contrasts with the first-person perspective of the rest of the film. 

The climax of the film, however, reveals that Elwood was actually shot and killed during an attempt to flee Nickel Academy alongside Turner in 1962. When Elwood reveals that he has carefully documented the abuses at the Nickel Academy, Turner warns him that the school would sooner kill them both than reform its own ways and face justice. Their disagreement drives a wedge between the two close friends, and Turner, hoping to reignite their friendship, agrees to pass Elwood’s journal to the school inspectors, despite his own misgivings. Later, Jaime, a student at Nickel Academy, informs Turner that after finding out about Elwood’s journal, the staff have locked Elwood in a sweatbox on campus (nicknamed “Hell”) and plan to execute Elwood later that evening.  

Worried for his friend, Turner breaks into the sweatbox and rescues Elwood, who has been left in a dazed and weakened state by the sweltering heat. Despite earlier claiming that he would never bring a friend with him on an escape attempt as they would only slow him down, Turner physically supports Elwood as they escape from Nickel Academy. They put some distance between themselves and the campus, but ultimately, the staff catch up with them, shooting at the fleeing teenagers. Harper, who had previously been friendly to Elwood and Carter, nevertheless shows his allegiance to the school when he aims his gun at Elwood, killing him. Fearing for his own life, Turner successfully escapes into the woods, later arriving in Tallahassee to inform Hattie of Elwood’s death.  

The revelation of Elwood’s death confirms that the adult “Elwood” shown throughout the film is in fact Turner, who assumed Elwood’s name and identity in order to evade the police and honor his late friend. A quick montage of images shows a driver’s license bearing Elwood’s name and a photograph of Turner’s face, and an obituary for Hattie, which notes that she passed away several years later, predeceased by her beloved grandson. Jazz music plays as the film shows a range of clips and images, including Civil Rights-related photos from the early 20th century, wildlife, and actual news clips reporting on the discovery of unrecorded human remains, primarily of Black children and teenagers, at the real Florida School for Boys. In the final of these short vignettes, set in the 20th century, Turner’s partner asks him if he intends to go to Florida to testify to his experiences at Nickel. Though he does not respond to her question, he thinks of Elwood. In a brief scene that could be a memory, a dream, or Turner’s imagination, a teenage Elwood reaches out a hand to Turner, who clasps Elwood’s hand tightly, suggesting that he will testify on Elwood’s behalf. 

Next section The Unique Use of Perspective in Nickel Boys

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