The pope has a major secret in ‘Conclave.’ The stars explain what it is — and what it means

Warning: This article contains spoilers for “Conclave.”

“Conclave” begins at a gathering to select a new pope in the name of God — though it becomes clear that selecting the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church is not a holy affair.

When the pope unexpectedly dies in the film, based on Robert Harris’ book of the same name, a fierce political battle quickly turns divisive amongst the College of Cardinals, the group of bishops and archbishops in the Roman Catholic Church who have been hand-selected by the pope.

Ralph Fiennes, known for his roles in “Schindler’s List” and as Lord Voldemort in the “Harry Potter” series, plays Cardinal Thomas Lawrence, the dean of the College of Cardinals, who presides over the election of the new pope in the film.

“I think the film asks the question: Who is the person that is best? Who is the right person to take this extraordinary position of spiritual leadership? And what we want them to be spiritually, to have a great spiritual foundation as a person. In the course of the film, I think we understand that person gets there,” Fiennes tells TODAY.com in an interview days ahead of the release of the film.

After several of the top contenders for the most coveted position in the church are deemed ineligible due to secrets from their past, which go against the church’s principles, less than a handful are left in the running.

Then, the truth comes out about the intentions behind some of the main players, like liberal-leaning Cardinal Bellini (Stanley Tucci) and conservative Cardinal Tedesco (Sergio Castellitto).

Meanwhile, a completely unknown cardinal arrives at the steps of the Sistine Chapel. Vincent Benitez, the archbishop of Kabul, Afghanistan, is played by Carlos Diehz — his first time acting in a major motion picture.

Against all odds, the Mexican cardinal ends up playing a central role in the selection of the next pope — and has a potentially explosive secret of his own.

Isabella Rossellini, who plays the head nun, Sister Agnes, hints at the film’s eyebrow-raising ending: “It was how to deal with such a problem that can really be explosive, but the intent was not to make it explosive — just to give you an interrogation mark.”

Here’s what to know about the controversial ending of “Conclave,” explained by Fiennes and Rossellini.

What happens at the end of ‘Conclave’?

Once the cardinals become sequestered, they begin voting on the new pope. And after days of inconclusive votes, secrets begin to emerge into the fray, taking Cardinals Joshua Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati) and Joseph Tremblay (John Lithgow) out of the running to become the new pope.

Rossellini plays a large role in disqualifying some of the cardinals, though she has few lines in the film. In one scene, she belts, “Although we sisters are supposed to be invisible, God has nevertheless given us eyes and ears.”

“I went to school with the nuns. I grew up in Rome, so the Vatican and the debate of the Vatican are very present. I knew that they were conservative and progressive people. I knew of scandals, I knew of non-scandals. I knew of saints and I knew of sinners, all within the Catholic Church,” Rossellini says.

“But I also knew that my nuns, although they decided to be nuns, and they accept the role of the patriarchal society of the Catholic Church, they are not submissive at all. So I felt very confident in playing sister Agnes with a lot of dignity and strength, because I’d seen it in my life,” she continues.

As the conclave, and Lawrence’s investigations, continue, only a few candidates are left.

When yet another round of voting begins, Lawrence moves across the room to cast his vote. As he’s giving a speech to the congregation of cardinals and stepping to submit his ballot, an explosion occurs outside, blasting through several windows and knocking Lawrence to the ground. None of the cardinals are seriously injured, but all are shaken.

They all gather in a theater inside the sequestered location. There, an ideological battle about the direction of the church in a conflict-riddled world breaks out between Tedesco and Bellini.

Benitez steps forward to share his thoughts on the future of the church after living through times of peace and war, ending the fight.

Benitez’s speech is so moving that in the next vote, he is overwhelmingly voted the next pope. The papers are signed and the smoke is sent into the air in Vatican City — alerting the public to the news that the newest pope has been chosen.

What is the new pope’s secret?

Lawrence appears to be relieved after Benitez is elected pope — but his peace doesn’t last long.

A member of the church comes bearing news he learned about Benitez’s mysterious, but canceled, medical procedure in Switzerland.

Once Lawrence finds out the nature of the procedure, he confronts Benitez in his chambers.

Benitez says he knows Lawrence would come eventually, explaining why he was refusing to get dressed in papal regalia. Lawrence asks why he canceled that medical appointment in Switzerland.

Benitez explains the appointment was for the removal of his uterus. Benitez learned he had a uterus and female reproductive organs during a routine surgery for appendicitis.

Benitez never identifies his condition by name in the film, but press notes characterize him as a man with an intersex trait.

When he learned of his medical situation, Benitez consulted the late pope. Ultimately, Benitez decided to not go through with the operation to remove his uterus and continue to live his life as God created him.

After that confession, Benitez becomes pope and chooses his name: Innocentius, or Pope Innocent.

Fiennes says the way Benitez is “positioned in their life is interestingly in a place between — a liminal place.” 

Similarly, in a movie full of ideological rifts, only Benitez is able to bridge the factions — perhaps because he is in between.

“And I think (the movie) is saying, you know, that is actually interestingly a wise position to be in. You’re neither this nor that. You’re just here, in between,” Fiennes says.

How the ‘Conclave’ stars interpret the ending

How Fiennes and Rossellini were confused by the ending when they first read the script.

“I remember saying to (director) Edward Berger, ‘I need clarity here.’ And actually — not that you’re asking for my opinion — but I think it needs to be on the page,” Fiennes says. “I think the text given at the end … is clearer now than it was the draft we read first.”

Rossellini says she read both the script and Harris’ book to figure out the ending.

“When I read the script, I have to say that I had to read the ending two or three times. And I thought, well, maybe I’m a foreigner, maybe I don’t understand it totally,” Rossellini says. “I called my agent and said, ‘Is that what’s happening?’ So I was taken aback.”

Now, Rosselini thinks the ending harkens back to a speech Lawrence made about the new pope needing to have doubt, because only through doubt is there a need for faith. 

“(Fiennes) has such a beautiful speech at the beginning of the film about certitude and doubt, and I think that was the core of the film. The film ends again in doubt,” she says.

OK, but what does the turtles and the nuns in the last scenes mean?

Fiennes notes the symbolism of the turtles, which are seen throughout the film. After the new pope is chosen, Lawrence spots a turtle in a building and brings it back to the pond outside.

“They’re a charming little beautiful animal. Amphibious, and aren’t they sort of symbols of spiritual independence? I think maybe they are.”

The film’s final shot centers on three nuns, all laughing.

“I think there is this sense of claustrophobia, because they are all inside Sistine Chapel. They are secluded, and then when you open up, there is not only the women and the laughter, but there is also the light, the sun, the air, and I think that was the contrast to that moment of great claustrophobia,” Rossellini explains.

Fiennes adds with a laugh: “I think there is something in the fact that the claustrophobia is broken and we see three laughing women nuns, and I think that’s a wonderful gesture to end the film after you’ve been confined with all these men for two hours.”