A Quiet Place: Day One ending explained – does Frodo the cat survive?

Set in New York City, on the first day of the terrifying extra-terrestrial invasion previously glimpsed in the two earlier films from John Krasinski, the spin-off focuses on two new characters: Nyongo's terminal cancer patient Sam, and Quinn's English law student Eric.

The pair encounter each other not longer after the onset of the carnage, as Sam and her beloved cat Frodo embark on a quest to get one last slice of pizza before her impending death, the significance of which becomes clear as the film goes on.

Pig director Michael Sarnoski takes the reigns from Krasinski and his stamp is all over the film – from the sombre tone to the strong emotional attachment to a pet – and the result is a film which expands the series in a slightly different key to what has come before.

It all leads to a touching pay-off in the final moments – if you've seen it and need a recap of what happened, read on to have the Quiet Place: Day One ending explained, including information about whether the cat makes it out alive..

A Quiet Place: Day One ending explained – is Sam killed?

After several tense moments and narrow escapes, Sam and Eric are successful in making it to Harlem, the location of the pizza joint – Patsy's Pizzeria – that Sam had been determined to reach.

It turns out that there was a very significant, emotional reason for her decision to set out on this quest: she explains to Eric that when she was a child, she used to watch her dad play jazz at a nearby club before they would go together for pizza – and she had wanted to recreate that experience one last time before she died.

Unfortunately, they reach Patsy's to discover that it has clearly been shuttered for some time, but Eric goes above and beyond to help Sam accomplish her last wish in some form. They head to the jazz club where her dad used to play and Eric finds a pizza at a nearby market, with the pair sharing a touching scene together complete with a silent magic card trick from Eric.

After some time, they realise that they need to leave – and spot several boats on the river carrying survivors away from Manhattan, although several of the vicious creatures stand between Eric and Sam's current location and the safety of the shore.

Accepting that, due to her cancer, her death is imminent regardless of what action she takes, Sam gives Frodo to Eric and attracts the attention of the aliens by smashing a load of car windows – allowing Eric to take advantage of the distraction and bolt his way to the water.

Despite a close shave, he is successful in reaching the boat and once aboard, he finds a deeply poignant note that Sam has left him. In it, she tells him to look after Frodo for her and thanks him for giving her one last great memory.

The film ends as Sam walks down an empty street and listens to Feeling Good by Nina Simone on headphones before smiling and unplugging the earphones to let the music play from her phone speakers – clearly now ready to die and accepting her fate.

In the final shot, we see one of the creatures appearing behind her and although we don't directly see it kill her, the implication is very clear.

Does Frodo the cat die in A Quiet Place: Day One?

No! Great news for cat lovers – Frodo makes it out of the film alive, despite some very tense moments basically whenever he's on screen.

By the end of the film he's been adopted by Eric and is safely out of reach of the invading creatures on a boat. Let's just hope he goes on to live a long and prosperous life in relative safety!

A Quiet Place: Day One is now showing in UK cinemas.

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