If you finished the original Madoka Magica series and thought, "Wow, what a bittersweet, perfect ending," then watched Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie 3: Rebellion, you probably spent the next three days staring at a wall in total silence. I get it. Honestly, we all did.
It’s been over a decade since this movie dropped, and it still sparks some of the most heated debates in the anime world. Is Homura Akemi a villain? Did she ruin Madoka’s sacrifice? Or was she actually the only one thinking clearly in a universe that demands young girls trade their lives for entropy?
With the long-awaited sequel, Walpurgisnacht: Rising, finally slated for a February 2026 release, there’s no better time to look at what actually happened in that chaotic, flower-petal-filled finale.
The Setup: Why Everything Looked Too Perfect
The first half of the movie is basically a fever dream. We see the "Holy Quintet"—Madoka, Homura, Sayaka, Mami, and Kyoko—fighting "Nightmares" instead of Witches. They’re all friends. They have tea parties. Bebe (the witch formerly known as Charlotte) is a cute mascot.
It feels like a fan-fiction version of the show. And that’s exactly what it is.
Homura eventually realizes something is deeply wrong. She remembers the "Law of Cycles." She remembers that Madoka shouldn't exist in a physical form anymore because she became a concept to save all magical girls. This realization isn't just a plot point; it’s the moment the movie shifts from a magical girl romp into a psychological thriller.
Basically, the entire city of Mitakihara is trapped inside a Witch’s Labyrinth. But it’s not just any labyrinth. It’s Homura’s.
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The Kyubey Factor: The Incubators Messed Up
Here is the factual reality of why the movie happens: The Incubators (Kyubey) are curious. They noticed that "something" was taking away Soul Gems before they could fully turn into Witches. They suspected the Law of Cycles (Madoka) but couldn't observe it.
To catch a "god," they built an isolation field around Homura’s Soul Gem while it was on the brink of shattering. They essentially created a laboratory to see if they could control or exploit the goddess.
They wanted to go back to the old system. You know, the one where girls turn into Witches and produce massive amounts of energy. Kyubey is a middle manager who just wants to meet his quarterly energy quotas, even if it means torturing Homura's soul for eternity.
What Really Happened With Homura’s Betrayal?
This is the part everyone talks about. At the end of the movie, Madoka finally descends from her god-plane to take Homura away to "magical girl heaven." It should have been the end.
Instead, Homura grabs Madoka’s hands and tears her apart.
She doesn't kill her. She rips the "human" part of Madoka away from the "goddess" part. In doing so, Homura rewrites the entire universe. She isn't a Magical Girl anymore, and she isn't a Witch. She calls herself a "Demon" (or Akuma).
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Why did she do it?
People love to call Homura "obsessive" or "evil," but there’s a massive amount of nuance here. During the "flower field" scene earlier in the film—which was a genuine conversation between two souls, not a trick—Madoka (who had no memories of being a god) admitted she would be too scared to leave her friends and family behind.
Homura took that to heart. She decided that Madoka’s wish to save everyone was a burden that Madoka herself shouldn't have to carry.
Homura basically said: "I don't care about the universe. I don't care about the Law of Cycles. I want my friend to be a normal girl who can go to school and have a family."
The "Homura Did Nothing Wrong" Argument
It’s a meme, sure, but there’s a logic to it. Look at the world Homura created at the end of Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie 3: Rebellion:
- Sayaka and Nagisa are alive. They aren't dead spirits anymore; they are living their lives in the "real" world.
- The Incubators are suffering. In the final shots, we see a ragged, terrified Kyubey. Homura has forced the Incubators to take on the burden of the world’s curses.
- Madoka is happy (sorta). She has her family back. She’s no longer a lonely concept drifting in the void.
The cost? Homura is the ultimate pariah. She’s rewritten reality so that she is the "villain," ensuring everyone else gets a happy ending while she sits alone on her throne of broken half-moons. It’s the ultimate act of self-sacrifice, wrapped in the aesthetic of a hostile takeover.
Is Rebellion a "Bad" Sequel?
Some fans argue that Rebellion ruins the ending of the original series. Gen Urobuchi, the writer, originally had a different ending planned where Madoka simply takes Homura away. But director Akiyuki Shinbo suggested a more "rebellious" twist to keep the story going.
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Honestly? It works because it stays true to Homura’s character. She was never a "hero" in the traditional sense. She was a girl who lived through a hundred timelines of trauma just to save one person. Expecting her to just let go and be happy with Madoka being a "concept" was always a bit of a stretch.
What to Watch For in 2026
With Walpurgisnacht: Rising coming in February 2026, the stakes are absurdly high. The trailers suggest that the "false" world Homura built is starting to crack.
If you're planning a rewatch, pay close attention to the Clara Dolls. These are the tiny, mourning figures that follow Homura around in the labyrinth. Each one represents a different emotion or aspect of her psyche (like "Stubbornness" or "Pride"). There’s one doll missing: "Love."
That’s because Homura herself is "Love."
Practical Steps for Your Rewatch:
- Watch the background art: Gekidan Inu Curry (the design team) packed every frame with symbolism. The red spider lilies represent death and reincarnation. The nuts and bolts represent the mechanical nature of the Incubators.
- Listen to the lyrics: The ending theme "Your Silver Garden" by Kalafina is basically a confession from Homura. It talks about a garden where time has stopped—a perfect description of her new world.
- Track the Soul Gem: Notice how Homura’s Gem doesn't just turn black with despair; it turns "love-colored" (a deep, dark purple that defies the rules of the universe).
The ending of Rebellion isn't a period; it’s a colon. It’s an invitation to see what happens when a human heart becomes more powerful than the laws of physics. Whether you think Homura is a monster or a savior, you can’t deny that she’s the most interesting character in the franchise.
Now, you're ready to dive back into the madness of Mitakihara. Just remember: in this world, hope isn't free, and love can be the most dangerous curse of all.
Actionable Insight: Before the 2026 premiere, re-watch Episode 10 of the original series immediately followed by the final 20 minutes of Rebellion. The parallel between Homura’s initial promise to Madoka and her eventual "betrayal" clarifies that her motivation never actually changed—only her methods did.