The Devil Wears Prada 2 ending explained
The Devil Wears Prada 2 ending explained (Photo Credit: Instagram)

In The Devil Wears Prada 2, the sequel to 2006’s The Devil Wears Prada, we return to Runway two decades later. The movie is not an ordinary continuation of the original movie’s plot. Like the first movie, it reflects the times we live in. Back then, a print magazine like Runway could not only survive but thrive. Today, digital media, viral social media trends, and corporate acquisitions are driving print media’s decline (if it is not already dead).

The world Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) once ruled with icy precision has, well, changed. The real threat in the sequel is not a tyrannical boss or a toxic workplace. It is something far more insidious: irrelevance. And to Miranda, nothing is more terrifying.

This sequel jumps straight into that fear. This is a world of fashion where having good taste is relevant or where institutions are forever on the verge of collapse by people who have no idea what they are doing. Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) is back at Runway, but she is not an inexperienced assistant like she was in the first film.

The Central Conflict: Who Controls Runway?

The film builds toward a power struggle over Runway. After the death of chairman Ira Ravitz, his son Jay inherits the company with the corporate passion that always spells instant disaster; cost-cutting, restructuring, running the magazine on a leaner, more “efficient” basis, which we know does not bode well.

To prevent the inevitable, Andy tries to get involved. She enlists the help of Emily (Emily Blunt) and her billionaire boyfriend, Benji (Justin Theroux), to acquire the publication. However, this is The Devil Wears Prada. There is no partnership without the element of selfishness.

Emily’s betrayal turns out to be the biggest shock in this story. In fact, Emily’s motive throughout the story was never to save Runway. Rather, it was to take over. All her years of abuse by Miranda turned her into a shrewd, calculating individual. But what surprises us is that the solution comes from a different quarter. It comes from Sasha Barnes (Lucy Liu), Benji’s former wife. She becomes the ultimate savior of Runway while also keeping Miranda in control.

Miranda & Andy: From Opposition To Uneasy Alignment

Whereas the former film revolved around Andy rejecting Miranda’s world, this one centers on her learning to understand it. It is a significant transition, clearly reflected in the film’s conclusion.

The fact that Miranda does not fire Andy but rather embraces her shows clearly where her priorities lie now. She decides to make Andy an integral part of Runway in the future, not just as her assistant but as someone who can serve as a connection between journalism and fashion.

It is equally important that Miranda does not suppress Andy when she learns about the latter’s plans to write her story. On the contrary, she encourages Andy to do what she feels she needs to do.

In this way, we see a whole new side of Miranda, as she accepts the price of her power. They should know there’s a price, she tells Andy, acknowledging the mistakes she may have made in life.

Nigel’s Redemption

One of the best arcs in the movie sequel belongs to Nigel (Stanley Tucci). Having been kept out of the picture again in the first movie, he finally gets his chance. When Miranda gets called away in the middle of an important show in Milan, she lets Nigel take her place in representing Runway on the international circuit. It is not just a triumph for his career. It is recognition for loyalty, which Miranda has never been given credit for before.

More importantly, Nigel is shown as the person who got Andy back on board in the first place, which was what started everything. In a movie where everyone is about power, Nigel stands for something else. The people who keep organizations going behind the scenes.

Emily’s Fall & Partial Redemption

Of all the characters in the movie, Emily Charlton has the most tragic storyline. Everything she does is perfect. She works within the realm of money, uses her powers of persuasion, and works hard to be at the top. Yet she loses it all: the marriage, the plan, and the power, ending up in a far less desirable position than before.

However, the movie doesn’t leave her entirely without hope. In her final appearances, she manages to make peace with Andy, acknowledging her wrongs and leaving behind her aggressive, selfish ways.

Who’s The Real Villain?

While the first movie raised questions about whether Miranda is the villain, the second one broadens the scope entirely.

Jay and Benji stand for something much bigger: corporate greed, disruptive technology, and art reduced to “content.”

The actual villain here is not even a person; it’s an ideology. The notion that everything has to be optimized, commoditized, and reduced to the least profitable thing. Such that publications like Runway are outdated unless transformed into something cheaper and disposable.

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