Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen ending explained: Rachel becomes the new Witness

The Netflix horror series culminates in a bloody finale as the curse claims more victims

Mar. 30, 2026 at 10:07pm

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An extreme close-up of shattered glass and glittering shards, capturing the high-contrast, high-fashion aesthetic of a wedding gone wrong through an abstract, conceptual composition.The bloody finale of 'Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen' shatters the glamour of a wedding day, leaving behind a trail of broken glass and unanswered questions.Boston Today

Netflix's horror miniseries 'Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen' follows engaged couple Rachel and Nicky as they head to his family's remote cabin for their wedding, unaware that Rachel is carrying a generations-old curse that will turn their big day into a blood-soaked nightmare. By the time the wedding arrives, the curse has already claimed several lives, and Rachel is forced to make the ultimate sacrifice to stop the carnage.

Why it matters

The show's shocking ending subverts traditional horror tropes, as Rachel is resurrected as the new Witness tasked with attending every wedding in Nicky's family to ensure the curse continues. This twist leaves viewers with a sense of unease and uncertainty, reflecting the show's overall themes of generational trauma and the inescapable nature of fate.

The details

In the finale, Rachel and Nicky reach the altar, but Nicky hesitates, shaken by his mother's affair. When Rachel warns that canceling the wedding could unleash fatal consequences, Nicky dismisses her, no longer believing in the curse. As the sun sets, the curse spreads through Nicky's family, causing any married member who doubts their spouse to bleed to death. In a last-ditch effort, Nicky goes through with the ceremony, but it's too late to save his sister Portia. Though Nicky survives, believing Rachel is his soulmate, Rachel dies from the curse. However, in a shocking twist, she is resurrected as the new Witness, doomed to attend every wedding in Nicky's family for generations to come.

  • As the sun sets on Rachel and Nicky's wedding day, the curse begins to claim victims.
  • Nicky's sister Portia becomes one of the curse's victims after the delayed wedding ceremony.

The players

Rachel Harkin

The bride, who is carrying a generations-old curse that threatens to turn her wedding day into a bloodbath.

Nicky Cunningham

Rachel's fiancé, who initially doubts the existence of the curse but ultimately goes through with the wedding in a last-ditch effort to save his family.

The Witness

A man who explains the deadly family curse to Rachel and is forced to attend every wedding in her bloodline to ensure the curse continues.

Portia Cunningham

Nicky's sister, who becomes a victim of the curse after the delayed wedding ceremony.

Victoria Cunningham

Nicky's mother, who is among the first to fall victim to the curse when she doubts her marriage.

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What they’re saying

“It makes sense to me that Nicky would still believe she's his soulmate. He's such a romantic, and ultimately, I think he's doing what he thinks is the right thing.”

— Haley Z. Boston, Showrunner

“I don't think he even knows if what he sees is real.”

— Adam DiMarco, Actor

“In that final moment, Nicky comes off as 'such a loser'.”

— Camila Morrone, Actress

What’s next

The show's shocking ending leaves viewers with many unanswered questions, such as what will happen to Nicky and the rest of his family now that Rachel has become the new Witness, and whether the curse will continue to haunt them for generations to come.

The takeaway

Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen subverts traditional horror tropes by turning the protagonist, Rachel, into the new Witness, doomed to attend every wedding in her husband's family. This twist reflects the show's themes of generational trauma and the inescapable nature of fate, leaving viewers with a sense of unease and uncertainty about the future.