The Elixir ending explained: How Sadimin’s pursuit of eternal youth doomed the world to a zombie apocalypse

Directed by Kimo Stamboel, The Elixir (Original Title: Abadi Nan Jaya) is an Indonesian zombie horror film which was released on Netflix on October 23, 2025. The plot follows the dysfunctional family of Rudi, Kenes, and their son Raihan as they visit a village near Yogyakarta to address the future of Kenes's father, Sadimin's, herbal medicine company, Wani Waras.

The core conflict begins when Sadimin’s experimental jamu, an "eternal youth potion," backfires, transforming him and subsequently the villagers into aggressive, flesh-hungry undead, forcing his family to fight for survival amidst the outbreak. During The Elixir final scenes, the outbreak could not be contained, and the infection is shown to have spread beyond the remote village.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers about the film. Viewer's discretion advised.

Also, there are a few survivors left during the film's conclusion, namely, Karina and young Raihan, who managed to escape into a ruined wider world, which has largely succumbed to the undead. The film also features a post-credit scene, which reveals that the outbreak has begun to spread in the posh gated socities.

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The Elixir ending explained: Was the outbreak contained, and what did the post-credit twist mean for the capital city?

A still from the film's trailer (Image via YouTube/Netflix)

The Elixir begins with Kenes, Rudi, and their son Raihan returning to a remote village near Yogyakarta to visit Sadimin, Kenes father, who runs the herbal medicine company Wani Waras. Before she separated from Rudi, Kenes wanted to convince her father to sell his herbal company, Wani Waras, for her to rebuild her life with Raihan.

However, when she puts forth the idea, Sadimin announces he has invented a miraculous new anti-aging jamu (herbal tonic), instead of agreeing to a profitable corporate buyout. This “elixir”, which was meant to reverse the signs of aging and secure the company’s future, catastrophically backfires.

Upon consuming the potion, Sadimin transforms into a savage, bloodthirsty zombie, setting off a chain reaction where those he bites quickly transform into zombies, plunging the entire village into an unstoppable undead apocalypse.

The Elixir climax centers on a desperate, last-ditch effort at the local police station, where the remaining survivors: Kenes, Karina, Raihan, Bambang, Ningsih, and Officer Rahman are cornered by the hungry mob of zombies.

Ningsih and Officer Rahman met their end together. After the survivors crash a van into the police station, Ningsih is accidentally bitten by a zombie locked in one of the cells. Knowing her fate is sealed, Rahman refuses to leave her side. As the station is overcrowded with the bloodthirsty, mindless creatures, Rahman draws his handgun and shoots as many zombies as he can.

Rahman took out the engagement ring, which he was going to use to propose to Ningsih. The couple sealed their love just moments before they were consumed by the zombies at the end of The Elixir. Ningsih died defending the others alongside Rahman. Bambang, on the other hand, achieves profound, self-sacrificing redemption.

A still from the film's trailer (Image via YouTube/Netflix)

With his leg trapped beneath the crashed van and the zombies closing in, he realises that he can be the one to ensure the others’ escape. He uses a firework to draw the horde towards him, putting himself next to the van’s leaking fuel tank. Bambang acknowledges his past mistakes and blows up the police station, killing himself and a large number of zombies in the process.

After witnessing the blast and finally reuniting with her son, Kenes prepares to flee with Karina and Raihan during the conclusion of The Elixir. However, she spots a bite mark on her arm, realizing that she has been infected. Unwilling to become the monster that hunts her child, Kenes makes the ultimate sacrificial choice.

She entrusts Raihan to Karina, ensuring her son has protection, before once again using a firework to draw the attention of the remaining undead. As the zombies approach, Kenes shoots herself instead of turning into a zombie. The only remaining survivors in the family are Karina and Raihan during the conclusion of The Elixir. Karina honors Kenes's last wish and drives away on a motorbike with Raihan, leaving the chaos behind.

Even though they managed to escape, Karina and Raihan's lives still remain in jeopardy as the breakout wasn't contained, which is revealed in the film's post-credit scene. The blast at the police station was far from enough to stop the contagion. The scene reveals that the zombie apocalypse has begun to spread beyond the remote village

It is hinted at by a possible customer/investor, Mrs. Grace, in Jakarta. She is shown proudly displaying her newly achieved youthful appearance after taking a sample of Sadimin’s ‘elixir.’ This post-credit scene confirms that the zombie threat is rapidly escalating and about to engulf the entire capital city.

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