For those who have seen Whiplash, I'd like to discuss the ending. (Spoilers obviously)

So this is a repost from my comment in the official discussion thread, but I feel like it may get lost in the shuffle. And I am really interested in reading what others think of the ending. Because while on the surface, the ending seems to be this exciting moment of triumph, a cathartic, happy ending, I felt it was actually sort of subversive and dark. Yes, it is triumphant. He spends the whole movie striving for greatness and he finally succeeds in proving his worth... but what exactly does he win in the end?

I think there is a theme running throughout the movie that "greatness comes at a price." At dinner with his family Andrew says that he would rather be unforgettable but dead at 34 than live to be rich, old, and happy, but forgotten. Fletcher's old student who killed himself is described as a student with drive who went from nothing to eventually become a great musician. To be great, you can't lead a normal life, have normal friends, have a healthy romantic relationship. You have to be obsessed with perfection, severely ambitious, even selfish. And Andrew has those qualities. He honestly isn't all that likable in the film. Andrew doesn't want friends, or a relationship that would lead to compromising his life's goals. He doesn't want perspective. He doesn't want peace. He doesn't want happiness. He wants to be great.

So to me the ending is a happy ending, of sorts, because he gets what he always wanted: the respect of Fletcher; greatness. But we know the cost of greatness means that he could die young like Fletcher's old student or like Charlie Parker. Or, more likely, he will grow up to be a lonely, bitter, obsessive old man like Fletcher himself. Anyone who doesn't agree with the interpretation that the ending is more of a warped, disturbing "happy" ending, go back to that final drum solo and try to remember Andrew's dad's reaction. His face isn't one purely of pride and gratification. There is a look of awe and maybe even a hint of fear in that face, because he realizes he doesn't really understand his son, or what his son has become. Once Andrew starts wailing on the drums and Fletcher starts to see Andrew realizing his potential, Fletcher's reaction sort of felt like Emperor Palpatine calling him to the dark side.

Let's get a discussion going about this film. What were your thoughts on the ending? Am I way off? So many comments on the discussion thread read like "my whole theater applauded at the end, everyone was cheering!" or how "glorious" and "triumphant it is. Could there be something a little darker just beneath the surface?