Not the same as the
climax of a story; the denouement is the conclusion, where the author ties up loose ends (sort of a wind-down, an anti-climax). Very often left out these days in
novels for which the author or script-writer plans on writing a
sequel. The denouement (screw the
accent, I'm lazy) is a good thing; it means the author has a clear idea of where his work is going and where it's been, without regard for turning the book into a
franchise.
Very often used, along with words like enjambment, by third-rate educators wanting to sound intelligent. I've found nothing pisses them off more than mispronouncing it.