Why The Turtles In Conclave Are So Important & What They Really Mean

Warning: This article contains spoilers for Conclave.Conclave, one of the year’s buzziest movies, centers on the titular conclave of cardinals as they work to elect a new pope following the sudden death of the Supreme Pontiff. The film also features a unique set of cast members: a group of turtles. The amphibians appear throughout Conclave, acting as a key symbol and a tool to foreshadow its surprise ending.

The turtles in Conclave are primarily associated with Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes), but are also tied to Cardinal Benitez (Carlos Diehz), who suddenly arrives at the Vatican following the death of the Pope. He is initially viewed with skepticism, having been named in pectore by the previous Pope, but he soon becomes a critical character as the cardinals seek out a new leader for the Catholic Church. Cardinals Lawrence and Benitez’s connections to the turtles tease Conclave‘s ending, while maintaining a key theme throughout the film.

The Symbolism Of Turtles In Conclave Explained

Conclave’s Turtles Are a Key Symbol

The turtles make their most impactful appearance at the end of Conclave, when Cardinal Lawrence finds one of the reptiles inside the Sistine Chapel. He returns the turtle to its home in a fountain during a sequence that’s since been widespread on social media platforms like X.

Changed the LCD Display in my computer so it shows the Conclave turtle gif pic.twitter.com/40vmymf83s

— adrian (@grandeures) January 5, 2025

But the turtles are more than just a fun addition to Conclave. In an interview with Today, Fiennes explained their role in the film, detailing just what exactly they symbolize. “They’re a charming little beautiful animal,” he explained. “Amphibious, and aren’t they sort of symbols of spiritual independence? I think maybe they are.”

Spiritual independence is a key theme in Conclave as the various cardinals have competing ideas about what Catholicism truly means. Cardinal Lawrence, in particular, struggles with his relationship to his religion, divulging to Cardinal Benitez that he is struggling “with prayer” after the two have an early discussion about the turtles. Cardinal Lawrence remarks that the turtles have been escaping, serving as a metaphor for his religious turbulence. When he returns the turtle to the fountain, it indicates that both he and the Church are in a more peaceful state, having found their faith by the end of Conclave after choosing a new Pope.

How The Turtles Foreshadow Benitez’s Story

The Turtles Hint at Benitez’s Reveal at the End of Conclave

Conclave‘s turtles also hint at the movie’s ending. Towards the end of the film, the cardinals are stunned when the Sistine Chapel is attacked in a violent explosion. Cardinal Tedesco encourages a religious war after learning that the attacker was a suicide bomber, but Cardinal Benitez counters his point. The latter speaks to his fellow cardinals about the importance of peace and unity, which eventually leads him to being elected as the Pope.

Ralph Fiennes in his red robes looking downward in Conclave

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The turtles’ appearances act as a subtle way to foreshadow Cardinal Benitez’s ultimate reveal at the end of Conclave. After being elected Pope, Cardinal Benitez reveals to Cardinal Lawrence that he was born intersex, and not as a biological male. This trait is not unique to humans, and, in fact, pertains to turtles, who are sometimes born with both male and female reproductive organs. Cardinal Benitez’s interacting with the turtles earlier on in Conclave hints at his secret. After the successful election, Cardinal Lawrence silently returning the lost turtle to its fountain mirrors his decision to keep Cardinal Benitez’s identity under wraps, which allows for a peaceful continuation of the papacy.

Source: Today