Spoiler warning: this post explains the full ending of The Running Man. If you have not finished the book, stop here and come back later.
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Quick answer: Ben Richards, a poor man competing in a deadly TV game show where he must survive while hunters chase him, hijacks a plane. Badly wounded, he refuses the network's offer to become the new chief hunter and flies the plane into the Games Network headquarters, killing himself and destroying the building.
Quick facts
– Book: The Running Man by Stephen King
– First published: 1982
– Type: A dystopian thriller (as Richard Bachman)
– Tone of the ending: Explosive and dark
Table of Contents
What Leads Up to the Ending
In 2025, Ben's daughter is sick, and he cannot afford medicine. He signs up for The Running Man, where contestants earn money for each hour they survive while being hunted by Hunters and the public. He travels across the country, hiding and sending videos.
What Happens at the End of The Running Man
After weeks on the run, helped by a few poor people who hate the Network, Ben is betrayed and wounded in a shootout. He escapes by taking Amelia Williams, a middle-class woman, as a hostage, and forces his way onto a plane with the Hunters aboard. In the air, he kills the chief Hunter, Evan McCone. Dan Killian, the show's producer, calls and offers Ben a job as the new chief Hunter, then reveals that Ben's wife Sheila and baby daughter were killed ten days earlier in a robbery. Ben lets Amelia parachute out. Bleeding and with nothing left to lose, he turns the plane toward the Games building and crashes it into the floors where Killian works, destroying it.
The Ending in 4 Quick Points
- Ben learns his family is dead.
- He refuses the deal.
- He destroys the Network.
- He dies.
What Happens to the Main Characters
| Character | What happens to them |
|---|---|
| Ben Richards | Dies in the crash |
| Dan Killian | Killed |
| Evan McCone | Chief Hunter, killed |
What the Ending Means
The ending shows rage against a cruel system.
Other Ways to Read the Ending
Readers see the book as a sharp satire of reality TV and class, written long before shows like Survivor. The 9/11-like ending feels very different now than in 1982.
Themes the Ending Brings Together
Media. TV exploits people.
Poverty. Ben is desperate.
Rebellion. Ben strikes back.
Is the Ending Happy or Sad?
Most readers describe the ending of The Running Man as explosive and dark. How you feel about it usually depends on what you hoped for the characters and what you expected Stephen King to do with the story, so it is worth asking friends how they felt before you compare notes.
Who Will Like This Ending
Readers who enjoy endings that are explosive and dark will find a lot to talk about here. If you prefer every thread tied up neatly, it helps to know in advance how Stephen King closes the story, which is exactly why many readers look it up. Either way, the final chapters reward a second look once you know where everything is heading, because small details from the middle of the book start to matter. If you are reading with a group, agree beforehand whether everyone has finished, so nobody has the last chapters spoiled.
Book Versus Adaptation
The 1987 film with Arnold Schwarzenegger turns the story into an arena action film with a much happier ending.
Discussion Questions About the Ending
If you are reading The Running Man with a book club or a friend, these questions work well once everyone has finished:
- Did the ending surprise you, or had you seen it coming from the first chapters?
- What does the final scene say about media, and do you agree with Stephen King's view?
- Which character made the most important choice in the last part of the book, and was it the right one?
- How would the story feel if it had ended one chapter earlier or one chapter later?
- Does the ending leave you hopeful about the characters, or do you worry about what comes next?
- Would you describe the ending as explosive and dark, or would you choose a different word?
How to Read the Final Chapters Again
- Compare the opening with the close. Look at how the first chapter introduces media and how the ending answers it.
- Track each final choice. The table above shows where every main character ends up, so ask which of those outcomes was earned.
- Notice what Stephen King leaves unsaid. Gaps in the last pages are often deliberate, and they are where most of the debate about the ending begins.
- Listen for echoes. Images, phrases or settings from earlier in The Running Man often return in the final scene with a new meaning.
Questions to Ask Yourself After Finishing
- Was the ending of The Running Man earned by what came before it, or did it feel sudden?
- Which character's final moment affected you most, and why?
- If you could change one thing about the last chapters, what would it be?
- Did the ending change how you think about the opening pages?
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Books to Read After The Running Man
- The Long Walk by Stephen King
- The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens at the end of The Running Man?
Ben Richards, a poor man competing in a deadly TV game show where he must survive while hunters chase him, hijacks a plane. Badly wounded, he refuses the network's offer to become the new chief hunter and flies the plane into the Games Network headquarters, killing himself and destroying the building.
Is the ending of The Running Man happy or sad?
Most readers call it explosive and dark.
What does the ending of The Running Man mean?
The ending shows rage against a cruel system.
Is the ending of The Running Man the same in the adaptation?
The 1987 film with Arnold Schwarzenegger turns the story into an arena action film with a much happier ending.
Who wrote The Running Man and when was it published?
The Running Man was written by Stephen King and first published in 1982.
Is The Running Man worth reading if I already know the ending?
Yes, especially if you enjoy dystopian thriller (as Richard Bachman)s. Knowing the ending can make a first read richer, because you notice how Stephen King prepares for it from the opening chapters.
Should I read The Running Man before reading the ending explained?
Yes, if you plan to read it, because this post gives away the whole ending.