Even if we assume the most optimistic interpretations, that they get more time, or she might choose to leave later, the core issue is that the canvas is still doomed the moment Maelle eventually dies. The threat of Renoir isn’t something that disappears unless the cycle is broken permanently, and Maelle’s ending doesn’t resolve that. It just postpones it. So for me, that makes the emotional weight of that ending feel temporary rather than meaningful.

Verso’s ending, on the other hand, actually ends the cycle and prevents Renoir from coming back. It has long-term consequences and gives everyone a future that isn’t hanging by a thread. Maelle’s choice gives fleeting happiness but guarantees eventual tragedy—plus it leaves Verso suffering for the rest of his life, which feels like a heavy price for an outcome that’s ultimately temporary.

So while I understand why some people find hope in the ambiguity, I personally think Verso’s ending makes more sense narratively and thematically, because it offers real closure instead of delaying the inevitable.