What destroys the Round Table?
The exposure of Lancelot and Guinevere's relationship divides loyalty between Arthur, Lancelot, and Gawain. Mordred exploits the conflict to seize the throne.
What happens in the last battle?
Arthur kills Mordred but receives a mortal wound. Bedivere returns Excalibur to the lake, and a barge carries Arthur toward Avalon.
What happens to Lancelot and Guinevere?
Guinevere enters a convent. Lancelot later takes religious vows, outlives her briefly, and dies after helping bury her beside Arthur.
Themes and What the Ending Means
Chivalry and contradiction: Knights promise justice and loyalty while pride, desire, and private vengeance repeatedly defeat those ideals.
Legitimate kingship: Arthur's right to rule must be recognized, defended, and renewed through public action.
Worldly and spiritual success: The Grail quest distinguishes martial greatness from moral purity.
Fellowship and fracture: The Round Table's strength depends on relationships that ultimately become incompatible.