‘Feria: The Darkest Light’ Ending, Explained: Was Elena Responsible For The Killings?

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‘Feria: The Darkest Light,’ is a Spanish supernatural thriller, that takes us to a secluded village in Spain, where some mysterious killings become the reason for unrest among the residents. The series has been directed by Jorge Dorado and Carles Torrens. It runs for eight episodes and makes us privy to a satanic cult operating in the small town. Like every cult, this one, too, was governed by solid and unshakable beliefs and was driven by a philosophy. How it came into inception, what did the members exactly believe in, what havoc it caused in the lives of the residents of Feria, were some of the questions that we would try to look into. So let’s dive into this world and try to understand the different facets of fanaticism and how it affects those who choose not to be a part of it.


‘Feria: The Darkest Light’ Plot Summary – The Mysterious Killing Of 23 People

The series opens in 1975, where we see an old man, chained inside a mine. A blast takes place, and we jump 20 years ahead to 1995. 

Sofia and Eva were getting ready for the midsummer fair in San Juan, which was quite a thing in Feria. Sofia, the younger sister, was a bit reluctant to go, as she is not exactly the kind of girl who loves going to parties or likes socializing. She likes to keep it to herself. Compared to her elder sister Sophia was more open and accepting towards things and perceptions. Things are not completely black and white for her. She doesn’t mind giving the less obvious things a chance to explain themselves.

Strange things happen with Sofia at the fair. She sees an apparition in the woods nearby, but does not understand what she saw. She goes for a swim in the reservoir with her friend Chisco. All of a sudden, she starts hallucinating. It feels as if she is being sucked into this parallel reality. She finds herself standing in this tiny tunnel on a cliff. On the other hand, she sees her mother standing naked and urging her to stop and return to reality from this slumber.

Sofia wakes up the next day only to find out that she had passed out inside the reservoir and had to be pulled out by Chisco. Eva gets mad at her for not being responsible enough and putting her life at stake. The girls noticed that their parents were not at home. They get a little worried when they do not hear from them till late in the evening. Just then, a squad of police breaks into the house and takes the girls to the police station.

At the police station, Lieutenant Alvaro Guillen, the investigating officer, tells them about the incident and the bizarre footage that made things even more complex. Twenty-three people were found dead in the compound of the old mine that had been closed for years. The footage showed people going inside the mine, one of whom was Sofia’s and Eva’s mother, Elena. We see that she meets Pablo, her husband, who doesn’t go inside. Almost a couple of hours later, the people who went inside emerged and began falling to the ground as if poisoned. But Elena never comes out. A suspicion is raised that Elena and Pablo were responsible for the whole fiasco, which ‘Feria: The Darkest Light’ tries to explore further.


Major Spoilers Ahead

What Happened In 1975? 

Twenty years earlier, Francisco Franco, the Spanish dictator, was the head of the state. Elena’s father was hiding from him in the mine when he discovered this cult of light. There were a lot of people holding high positions in the administration who were involved in the cult. One of them was the Mayor of Feria, Mr. Barnes, whose daughter, Candela, was to play a significant role in the rituals of the cult. The mayor’s secretary, Samuel, was also involved in the proceedings. The mine was closing at that time, and a topographer was called in to study and blast the area to shut it forever. That topographer was none other than Pablo, who eventually married Elena.

Elena’s father, who headed the cult of light, was a staunch believer and had lived for 20 years in hiding. During the ritual, a creature came out of Elena’s father’s mouth. It went inside Candela. People realize that she was the chosen one. The creature was called Dekta, and it belonged to a parallel world which the members referred to as The Kingdom.

After Dekta went inside Candela, Mr. Barnes realized that his daughter wouldn’t make it to the other end alive. Elena, too, had her doubts. Deep down, she knew that the rituals would lead to something that is abominable in nature. Samuel, an assistant to Mr. Barnes, was a zealot who was not ready to compromise, even when a lot of members had a change of heart. He knew that they might have to wait, but he would make Elena perform the last ritual and lift the 5th and final veil that would lead them to the Kingdom.

The Mysterious Killing Of 23 People in Feria
Credits: Netflix

What Was The Kingdom? 

Valentinus was a Christian Gnostic theologian, and his philosophy had a deep connection with the cult of light in the town of Feria. Estrella, who was assisting Lieutenant Guillen, as a psychologist, came across this piece of information and drew parallels to the horrific events that had happened in the town. Valentinus believed that our world was created by a lesser god. Humans have the capability to escape this world and go to the Kingdom.

The Kingdom was a place that was devoid of any pain or suffering. If one opened the door to the Kingdom, then everybody would be free from the adversities of life. The human species would be free from the repetitive cycle, i.e., birth, love, sickness, and death. The cult considered that human flesh is a prison and that this world is nothing but a shadow of the real one. That is why they wanted to open the door to free everybody from the nightmares. But the door could not be opened by any random person. Human beings are divided into three basic types by:

  • The Perfect Ones: the purest of all those who had the ability to open the door. They were not bound by this physical realm and were more aligned spiritually.
  • The Psychics: They were the ones who didn’t possess true knowledge but could adapt if guided in a proper manner.
  • The Somatic: These were hopeless types for whom salvation was impossible. They were the non-believers who didn’t deserve to be in the Kingdom. The members believed that this world was like a dragon biting its own tail. There was no end to the suffering, and they deserved to go to this promised land.

What Was The Role Of “A Vessel”? 

Blanca was chosen to be a vessel by Elena as she saw some eccentric qualities of sacrifice in her and found her ready to embrace the Kingdom. The Kingdom had minor gods that were called the Archons. These gods could cross the threshold and come into this world. They needed a human body to inhabit and survive. The Vessel was a person who carried the Archon and became the transmitter of light. It was through the Vessel that Archon operated. Dekta was the name of the Archon that had crossed the threshold. It was a chameleon-like creature that had only one limitation: it could not do anything to a person who was approaching death. Guillen was suffering from leukemia, and that is why Blanca gets petrified when she sees him.

Dekta was not the only one. There were other archons, too, like Umma, who were far more powerful than Dekta.


How Was Sofia Lured To Open The 5 Veils? 

The cult needed someone who was the perfect one. Through whom the door of the Kingdom would be opened. Samuel, who was kind of spearheading the process, realized a bait must be thrown at Sofia to lure her into the scheme of things. She was brought to the hideout where, through Blanca, she was shown this vivid dream where she could see her mother. Elena was asking her to lift the veils and open the door to the Kingdom. Sofia was least interested in the Kingdom, but she was interested in meeting her mother again. 

Relinquishing the flesh through baptism, sacrificing a human, taking Dekta from the mouth of the Vessel, were some of the essential acts that were to be done for the veil to be lifted. Though the cult members tell Sofia that opening the door is the only way to meet her mother, she remembers what her mother had said when she had hallucinated for the very first time in the reservoir, during the San Yuan Fair. Her mother had told her to go back as none of it was real.

Elena Responsible For The Killings In Feria
Credits: Netflix

Was Elena Responsible For The Killings In Feria? 

Elena never wanted to be a part of the cult after what happened in 1975. She tried running away from it, but she realized that there was no way out. She believed that if somehow she got through the altar and closed the gates, then this nightmare would be over. But she forgot that she was not the only “Perfect One.” There were others. Her own daughter, Sofia, was one. After Elena gave her life, Pablo went into hiding. He was found by Guillen with Eva’s help. Pablo had contacted Eva, as he wanted to meet his daughters and tell them about the impending doom. He wanted to tell them the reality of the cult and its intricacies, as no one else had complete knowledge of it. But Eva informed the police, and that’s how he got captured.

Pablo tells Guillen that doom is inevitable. He claims that the Kingdom is ruled by demons rather than Gods. Once the door is open, the demons will find a way to come to this world, and everything will be finished. Though Guillen does not believe him for obvious reasons, he eventually comes aboard when he sees Dekta coming out of Blanca’s mouth.


‘Feria: The Darkest Light’ Ending Explained

Sofia completes all the rituals that were required to open the five veils. She opens the gates of the Kingdom. Throughout “Feria: The Darkest Light,” her mental state was like a pendulum. There was a constant battle that she was fighting within herself. She tried convincing herself that she should not be a part of the cult and should not open the veils, but on the other hand, the urge to meet her mother was overpowering her time and again. The powerful forces were able to brainwash her into believing that it was the only way she could be reunited with her mother. Halid, who was also a member, realized that the Kingdom was, after all, not what they were coerced to believe it was. It was like being in a state of coma, devoid of all passion and feelings.

Halid gives one last shot and obstructs Dr. Belda in order to buy time for Sofia to run. But it was too late. Sofia is taken inside the temple in the old mine by Dr. Belda. Sofia is adamant that she will not open the door. She picks up a gun to shoot herself as she cannot find any other way to stop what is happening. But once again, she sees her mother, and gives in to the feeling. Feria: The Darkest Light, Season 1 ends on a cliffhanger as Sofia opens the door of the Kingdom at the end.


‘Feria: The Darkest Light’ is a Spanish Occult Fantasy Television series created by Agustín Martínez and Carlos Montero. Season 1 is streaming on Netflix.

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Sushrut Gopesh
Sushrut Gopesh
I came to Mumbai to bring characters to life. I like to dwell in the cinematic world and ponder over philosophical thoughts. I believe in the kind of cinema that not necessarily makes you laugh or cry but moves something inside you.

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