‘Sleepaway Camp’ Ending, Explained

What better way to spend a hot, humid summer night than to watch the cult classic Sleepaway Camp? With one of the most terrifying (or cheesy — you decide) endings of all-time, this slasher is sure to be a welcome addition to any horror movie marathon you’ve got in mind. Just pair it with Netflix’s new Fear Street trilogy, which includes a similar plot twist-y summer camp story to keep you nostalgic for short-shorts and sweaty summer camp memories. Wondering what, exactly, goes down in the ending of Sleepaway Camp? We have answers.

Angela, Angela, Angela! Sleepaway Camp is all about shy newbie Angela (Felissa Rose), who comes to town with her boisterous little cousin Ricky (Jonathan Tierstan). When murders start infiltrating the cozy cabins, the whole camp is sent into a tizzy. The creepy occurrences have a real effect on camp manager Mel (Mike Kellin), who goes on a mad hunt to figure out who the killer is. He has his eyes set on that little rat Ricky, but could it be someone else? Watch this campy romp to find out.

From where to watch the cult classic to whether there were ever any sequels, here’s everything you need to know about Sleepaway Camp‘s ending — spoilers ahead, of course:

What happens at the end of Sleepaway Camp?

“My god, she’s a boy!”

While Mel still seeks out Ricky, he soon finds out he’s wrong. Frank, the police officer watching over the camp, discovers Ricky, who is alive but unconscious, meaning he can’t be the killer. Meanwhile, Ronnie and Susie search for the killer and stumble upon Angela and her (cheating) summer fling Paul.

Paul, having asked Angela to come skinny dip, is now dead — meaning Angela is the killer. With a creepy hum, Angela stands up and turns around to face Ronnie and Susie. Since she’s naked, she reveals herself to them, showing that she actually has male genitalia. There’s a reason why that happened, so keep reading.

What does the ending of Sleepaway Camp mean?

Let’s take it back to the beginning of Sleepaway Camp, if you will. In the opening of the film, there’s a horrific speedboat incident with a huge casualty. The man who dies in that turns out to be Angela’s father, so Angela is sent to live with her aunt, a doctor. Since her aunt only has a son, she forces the young boy into being a girl (Angela) — who is the killer we have today. Plot twist!

What comes after the Sleepaway Camp ending? Is there a Sleepaway Camp sequel?

That surely can’t be all, right? We find Angela again in the sequel films to Sleepaway Camp, which are as follows: Sleepaway Camp II: Happy Campers (1988), Sleepaway Camp III: Summer Wasteland (1989), Return to Sleepaway Camp (2008), and most recently, Sleepaway Camp IV: The Survivor (2012).

Where is Sleepaway Camp streaming? Where to watch Sleepaway Camp for free:

Sleepaway Camp is currently streaming for free with ads on Pluto TV, Tubi, and Peacock. You can watch it with ads over on Shudder. If none of those suit your fancy, Sleepaway Camp is also available to rent for $3.99 or purchase for $9.99 over on iTunes or Prime Video.

Where to watch Sleepaway Camp