The final scene of
King Lear reveals the destruction of Britain and of Lear and Cordelia, Lear's beloved youngest daughter, at the hands of Edmund, the evil son of the Earl of Gloucester, and Lear's two selfish daughters, Goneril and Regan. The trio have together brought war and ruin to the kingdom.
At the beginning of the clip, Edmund is defeated and slain in a trail by combat with his virtuous brother, Edgar. The Duke of Albany, who is the husband of Goneril, reveals that he knows of the treachery of Edmund, Goneril and Regan. Goneril, who has already poisoned Regan and had planned for Albany to be killed and then to marry Edmund, runs offstage and commit suicide. Edmund reavals that Lear and Cordelia have been sentence to death by hanging.
At the very end of the scene Albany offers the crown to Edgar and the Earl of Kent, who remained loyal to Lear throughout while disguised as a serving man named Caius. Kent declines, stating he is too old, while Edgar accepts.