Can anyone explain the end of the movie Donnie Darko?

Question

Can anyone explain the end of the movie Donnie Darko?

Answer 1

what he said

Answer 2

Donnie most likely saw the end of his life as a relief, since he WAS a bit tortured and had emotional problems.

In the film, he essentially went back in time to save his girlfriend because he knew what was coming and he sacrificed his own life to save Gretchen, and ultimately the tangent universe.

Future Frank (apparently a past friend of a friend) told Donnie all that would happen and it all hinged on the jet engine crash, (so since he was warned that time was looping back around to that event), either Donnie stays in bed, dies and his girlfriend lives (he wouldn't have met her had he been in bed in the first place AND she wouldn't have died if she hadn't met HIM), OR he stays out of the house and lives but never meets Gretchen.

Really, it's a love story where the protagonist sacrifices himself for his woman.

Apparently, Donnie was meant to die as far as I can tell AND meant to meet Gretchen. But, he couldn't live WITH Gretchen. That's the conundrum that drives the plot. He was used by Frank to right a lot of wrongs including the accidental death of Gretchen. In a way, Frank and Donnie were "partners in crime" to some degree.

Answer 3

Wow terrifice answer Chris! Thank you for clearing that up for me as well.  :)