Orphan (2009) Ending Explained – What’s Leena’s fate at the end?

Orphan Plot Analysis

Is there something wrong with Esther? Well, Esther turned what was expected to be beautiful – as ugly and grisly as it can get. Let’s find out Esther’s horrific reality.

The strife between a married couple, Kate and John, escalates after they adopt a Russian orphan, Esther – who is anything but normal. Highly suspicious of Esther’s intentions, Kate tries to shield her family while trying to uncover the unsettling history of the 9-year-old.

Why do Kate and John adopt Esther?

The couple is heartbroken after the stillbirth of their child. They have had a rocky relationship due to Kate’s alcoholism. But, they are trying hard to add love to their marriage. Kate feels a new addition to the family might help the family come together.

They go to a local orphanage where Esther catches their attention.

What happens after Esther joins the family?

Kate, John, and their little daughter, Max, are delighted to have Esther in the family. But, their son, Daniel, isn’t ready to accept Esther as his sister.

Before long, the true nature behind Esther’s calm and composed exterior starts coming to surface. And, Kate notices every bit of it. Having been seen having sex with John, Kate goes to Esther to talk about it. Kate is taken aback when the 9-year-old discusses sex like an experienced grown-up. It’s soon found that the little girl has a quick fuse.

Though restraining her hostile behaviour in front of the heads of the family, Esther unleashes her true self when in the company of Max and Daniel. She brutally killed a pigeon and injured a classmate during play. She got the kids terrified, and Kate was highly concerned.

Esther’s hostility escalates

The controller of the Orphanage, Sister Abigail, is concerned about the safety of Kate’s family with Esther in it. She tells the couple that nothing is usual about Esther, and tragedy has always taken place where there is Esther – highlighting that though Esther has never been caught red-handed, she was at the spot of the accident almost every time. She further implies that Esther might have had a role to play in the killing of her last adoptive family.

Furious at Sister Abigail, Esther kills her on her way to the orphanage and coerces Max to help her hide the body.

She starts taking aim at Kate. After one of Esther’s horrendous acts, Kate gets angry and forcibly grabs her by her arm. Afterwards, Esther breaks her own arm and puts the blame on Kate.

Now, it’s one on one. Esther wants to remove Kate out of her way by having her resent to rehab. And, Kate is bent on discovering Esther’s truth.

Kate soon discovers that the orphanage where Esther claims to have come from doesn’t exist, instead, she comes from a mental institution, Saarne Institute.

What’s Leena’s fate?

When Max informs Daniel about the murder of Sister Abigail, he decides to search the treehouse for clues. Before he finds a thing, Esther sets fire to the treehouse. Though Max saves her brother’s life, he suffers serious injuries and is immediately taken to the hospital. She goes so far as to smother Daniel to death while he is in ICU. Angry, Kate slaps Esther.

Later, Esther is sent back home – where she tries to seduce John. Meanwhile, at the hospital, Kate gets to know from Dr Värava of Saarne Institute that Esther’s real name is Leena who is actually a 33-year-old dangerous fugitive – who is at least responsible for seven murders.  Due to a rare kind of dwarfism, she is a dangerous woman trapped in a kid’s body.  Freaked out, Kate rushes home.

After John rebuffs sexual advances made by Leena, she loses it and kills him. She then goes after Max who is all alone in the home. But, Kate arrives just in time to save her daughter. Leena attempts to shoot Kate and opens fire on Max. Kate and Leena’s scuffle reaches underwater – where Kate superkicks Leena’s face – causing her to drown in the pond.