Sung-moo survives the surgery, but the trauma leaves him broken. Meanwhile, the public and the publisher are shocked by the abrupt, tragic conclusion of their favorite series.

It is suggested that Kang Chul’s will to live—or perhaps Yeon-joo’s influence as his new "life key"—has restarted the story without the author's input.

With Kang Chul seemingly gone, the webtoon W ends with a definitive "The End".

Yeon-joo struggles to accept Chul's death, especially after seeing him suspended in the cold water of the Han River in a vision. The Resurrection Hook The episode's final moments change the game once again:

The episode picks up with the immediate aftermath of Kang Chul (Lee Jong-suk) entering the real world. Unlike previous episodes that teased the boundary, this one shatters it: