#Birdman Ending Explained: Soaring Away

So, back to that ending. Does the inference of Riggan flying with the bird suggest a metaphor for transcending his legacy as Birdman, or an acceptance of it? The reaction of Sam smiling suggests a little bit of both. As she says to her father after showing him an embarrassing viral video of him running through the NYC streets with nothing but his underwear: “350,000 views in less than an hour. Believe it or not, this is power.” Sam’s understanding of popularity, fame, and relevance in the internet age is in conflict with Riggan’s need to be accepted as a serious artist. Riggan wants to be rid of his Birdman alter-ego, but it’s forever a part of his career. It’s what people know him for.

Riggan flies one other time in the movie, and it’s after speaking with the harsh theater critic Tabitha Dickinson (Lindsey Duncan), who tells him she’s going to write a scathing review of his play before even seeing it because she hates everything he and his portrayal of Birdman stand for. Contrarily, while he’s recovering in the hospital, Sam sets up a twitter page for Riggan and tells him “you got 80,000 followers in less than a day.” Perhaps in the end, Riggan understands the power of his mainstream identity as Birdman will always be a part of him but while still not fully defining him as an artist. He soars knowing that he can be both Birdman and Riggan Thomson and that ridding himself of one would be ridding himself of both.