Turtles All The Way Down Ending Explained

Spoilers are ahead for Turtles All the Way Down.

Discussions of the main character's experiences with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and intrusive thoughts. Unrelated, discussion of a character's apparent death by suicide.

Summary After a harrowing experience in the hospital, Aza finds the strength and support she needs to pursue management of her OCD symptoms and intrusive thoughts, all while acknowledging she won't magically "get better."

Aza and Daisy forgive each other and acknowledge the ways in which they can both be more supportive.

Although Aza and Davis don't rekind their romance, Aza realizes she has a whole future ahead of her.

Adapted from John Green's bestselling young adult (YA) novel of the same name, Turtles All the Way Down features an incredibly poignant ending for its protagonist, Aza Holmes (Isabela Merced). As in the source material, Aza is a teenager who's still learning to live with the thought spirals and anxiety that stem from her obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). More often than not, Aza's rumination centers on microorganisms — both the cells that compose her body and the unseen germs that could lead to infection. For Aza, a particular obsessive thought focuses on contracting a life-threatening diagnosis, like C. diff.

...Aza navigates her mental illness and the lingering loss of her father.

Due to how her OCD symptoms manifest and the subject her thought patterns fixate on, Aza finds it difficult to get truly close to people. Not only does she have a hard time believing she's an individual — someone who isn't just hijacked by microorganisms or her mind's intrusive and obsessive thoughts — but she can't imagine having a boyfriend to kiss. Supported by her best friend Daisy Ramirez (Cree Cicchino) and her mom, Gina (Judy Reyes), Aza navigates her mental illness and the lingering loss of her father.

Davis is genuinely thrilled when Aza stumbles back into his life, even though the circumstances are grim.

However, things change when Aza is reunited with her childhood crush, Davis Pickett (Felix Mallard) — a boy she met at a grief camp. Davis, the son of billionaire construction magnate Russell Pickett, doesn't want to be known for his family's legacy. Sincere and charming, he's genuinely thrilled when Aza stumbles back into his life, even though the circumstances are grim. Ahead of a criminal investigation, Russell goes missing, and Daisy convinces Aza that they should use her connection to Davis to track Russell down and secure the $100,000 reward.

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Aza Consumes Hand Sanitizer To Stop Her Intrusive Thoughts About C. Diff

The Terrifying Moment Encourages Aza To Try Taking Her Medication Again

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Author John Green and Turtles director Hannah Marks have been candid about their desire to adapt the source material carefully and with intent. Characters with obsessive-compulsive disorder are few and far between, and when they are included in stories, they are often depicted in harmful ways. Turtles All the Way Down is careful to say that Aza's experience of having OCD isn't the only experience, but it does do a compelling job of illustrating her anxiety and thought spirals, particularly when she's overcome with the idea of contracting C. diff or another life-threatening diagnosis.

Turtles All the Way Down also illustrates that Aza won't "get better," but, instead, must learn to manage her OCD symptoms.

After getting into a heated argument with Daisy, Aza crashes her father's car. While Daisy walks away with a few stitches, Aza must remain in hospital due to a liver bleed. As she well knows, C. diff is most often contracted in hospital settings. Terrified, she begs her mother to leave, but it's just not possible. While alone, Aza is overwhelmed by intrusive thoughts. In order to quell her mind, Aza consumes hand sanitizer to kill any potential trace of C. diff. Although she knows it isn't rational, Aza feels it's the only way forward.

Luckily, Gina finds Aza moments later and the doctors are able to pump her stomach. In the wake of the incident, Aza resumes regular therapy sessions with Dr. Singh (Poorna Jagannathan). When Aza tells Dr. Singh that she doesn't take her prescribed medication because it doesn't work, Dr. Singh assures her that they will find something that does work. Although Aza had to go through a very traumatic and difficult moment, she leans on her support system — her mother, Dr. Singh, and Daisy. Turtles All the Way Down also illustrates that Aza won't "get better," but, instead, must learn to manage her OCD symptoms.

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Aza & Daisy Make Up After Their Car Accident In Turtles All the Way Down

The Best Friends Move Past Their "Nothing But Mustard" Argument

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Turtles All the Way Down's cast of characters wouldn't be complete without Daisy, Aza's best friend. Boisterous and determined, Daisy is a perfect foil and support for Aza, who is understandably overwhelmed by new experiences, situations, and people. Daisy is also a prolific Star Wars fanfiction writer, though Aza doesn't normally read her friend's musings. After having a challenging realization with Davis, Aza checks out Daisy's fanfiction, only to find that the stories' most burdensome character is her counterpart. When she confronts her BFF, Daisy admits that it's difficult to be Aza's friend.

Daisy goes on to tell Aza that she might be exhausting at times, but she isn't "mustard."

The two get into a heated argument, with Daisy likening Aza (and her OCD diagnosis) to mustard: Good in small doses, but overwhelming and exhausting if there's too much of it. Plus, Aza hardly knows anything about her best friend, which Daisy proves in a particularly harsh moment. Ultimately, this leads to the car crash and Aza's time in the hospital. When she comes to, her immediate concern is over Daisy's well-being. After taking some time to navigate her mental illness, Aza decides to attend her friend Mychal Turner's (Maliq Johnson) art show.

Mychal was the one who came up with Daisy's mustard analogy. When he sees Aza braving the abandoned construction site that's hosting the underground art event, he's deeply touched and apologetic. Aza finds Daisy and the two take a walk. “If you can’t tell, I’ve already forgiven you,” Daisy tells Aza almost immediately. Daisy goes on to tell Aza that she might be exhausting at times, but she isn't "mustard." While Daisy recognizes that being inside Aza's head must be truly exhausting, Aza admits that she could be a more supportive friend to Daisy and Mychal.

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Aza & Daisy Find Pickett's Body

Aza Breaks The News To Davis About His Father

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As in the source material, Turtles All the Way Down's movie adaptation sees Aza and Daisy discovering Russell Pickett's body at the underground art show. After reconciling, the best friends hang out inside an unfinished drainage system. Russell's company is not only responsible for the site, but Russell himself hasn't left. Aza and Daisy notice a strange object in the water with an unmistakable stench. Upon further examination, they find what Daisy dubs "the worst kind of letter" from Russel to Davis and Noah. Aza concludes that Russell probably jumped off the construction site and into the drainage system below.

Before Daisy alerts the police, Aza decides she should tell Davis the truth about what's happened. Aza feels that Davis shouldn't hear about his father's death from a stranger — and especially not a police officer or a headline. In a dialogue-less scene that's set to music, Aza tells Davis what she and Daisy found and comforts him. However, Aza's just there for Davis as a friend at the end of Turtles All the Way Down.

Davis Says He Needs To Be Liked Up Close

Davis & His Brother Move Away But He Remains Friends With Aza

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Before Aza and Daisy discover Russell Pickett's body — and before the two of them make up — Aza decides to meet Davis at Applebee's. While she was in the hospital, Aza received flowers (and a Dr. Pepper) from Davis, even though she'd told him that she wasn't ready to be in an intimate relationship. Feeling empowered by the steps she's taken to manage her OCD symptoms, Aza tries her best to sit next to Davis at the restaurant. Unfortunately, it's still too much for her. When she asks him if they can still text, he tearfully admits that he needs to be "liked up close."

People don't say goodbye unless they're hoping to see you again one day.

Although Aza and Davis don't rekind their romance at the end of Turtles All the Way Down, Davis does visit Aza two months later. Before letting Aza know and that he and Noah are moving away in the wake of their father's death, Davis gifts Aza the spiral painting she'd admired so much. Touched by his gesture, Aza is able to get physically close to Davis; it's a seemingly small step, and it doesn't restart their romance, but it's a huge moment for Aza. After Davis leaves, Aza recalls something from his blog: People don't say goodbye unless they're hoping to see you again one day.

Aza's Mom Learns To Take A Step Back

Aza Has College & A Whole Future Ahead Of Her

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Toward the middle of the movie, Gina tells Aza that she's redoing the garage in the hopes of transforming it into a post-high school living place for Aza. In Gina's mind, it's not safe for her daughter to attend college, especially if she can't manage her OCD symptoms. Frustrated by her mom's over-protectiveness, Aza feels beaten down (yet again) by her mental illness and how people treat her because of it. After Aza's time in the hospital, Gina learns that she can't control every aspect of Aza's life; sometimes, bad things will happen.

In addition to supporting Aza's dreams of attending college, Gina agrees to stop being a helicopter mom. It's poignant to see not just Gina but Aza realizing that a wonderful future is on the horizon. Although it will come with its challenges, that future will also be full of good things. This is further emphasized in Turtles All the Way Down's final scene. Nervous about her future, Aza asks Daisy if she'll ever find love. Daisy tells her best friend, "You’re gonna make a whole damn life for yourself."

Turtles All the Way Down is now streaming on Max.