Zack Snyder's latest epic, Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire, is here – and while it's full of explosive action and massive worldbuilding, it also has one dramatic cliffhanger.
With so much going on, you might have missed some of the finer details of what exactly goes down in the Rebel Moon ending. That's where we come in. We've broken down the twists and turns of the sci-fi film to explain just what's going on in the finale – and how it sets up the sequel, Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver.
It should go without saying, but there are massive spoilers ahead for Rebel Moon – Part One! Turn back now if you haven't seen the movie yet! If you are up to speed, head to the below for all you need to know.
Rebel Moon ending explained *spoilers*
Rebel Moon has quite the explosive ending. After Kai says he has some cargo to drop off before he can wipe the slate clean and become a rebel, the gang heads to finish up his business. But, when they arrive, Kora quickly realizes that they've been betrayed.
Before they have time to react, the entire team is captured by the Motherworld, and Admiral Noble arrives. He's especially thrilled to have Kora in his custody, and it's revealed that Kora is the Scargiver herself – though, at the moment, we don't really know the full extent of what that means.
When Kora asks Kai why he betrayed them, the smuggler reveals that the Motherworld decimated his home planet. Rather than seek revenge, though, he decided it's safest not to step foot on the wrong side of history – and he thinks Kora and her new friends are the types of people who won't even make it to the history books.
Gunnar, the naive farmer who is in love with Kora, is tasked by Kai with killing the rebels, beginning with Kora herself. Gunnar can't bring himself to do it, and, in a moment of bravery, manages to free Kora from the machine holding her. A huge fight breaks out, and in the chaos, all the other rebels are freed, too.
A huge battle ensues, and Kora and Noble end up battling it out head to head in a duel. Kora defeats Noble and he falls to his – apparent – death far below.
Meanwhile, Darian is killed attempting to take out a pilot gunning down the other Bloodaxes. In his last act, however, he manages to both kill the pilot and send his ship crashing downwards, saving the others.
When all is said and done, Kora, Gunnar, General Titus, Tarak, Nemesis, and Milius head to Veldt. There, Tarak remarks that it would've been a beautiful place to die – and then we see Jimmy, with a new set of antlers, standing in a field.
That seems like the end of the movie, but the action isn't over yet. We see Noble's body collected from where he fell, then he's hooked up to a machine with some strange-looking wires. He's surrounded by the red priest-like figures that we've seen throughout the movie, who are doing something very mysterious to him.
Noble is sent to what seems to be another plane of existence, where he meets with the sinister Regent Balisarius. Balisarius is Kora's adoptive father and also ruler of the Motherworld – and he wants Kora returned to him so he can publicly execute her. If Noble fails to deliver Kora, Balisarius says, then Noble will be the one publicly executed.
Noble then wakes up back on the operating table, screaming – he survived his ordeal.
Who is Kora really?
We learn pretty quickly that Kora isn't any old Motherworld defector – she's actually the adopted daughter of Balisarius, the brutal commander who devastated her home planet, killed her family, and took her with him when she was a child. She was also guardian of the slain Princess Issa.
There's more to the story than that, though, as we also learn Kora has another name – Arthelais – and that she has a reputation. She's also the enigmatic Scargiver, which is the title of the upcoming Part Two. What does it all mean? It's not revealed just yet, but expect universe-shaking answers in the sequel.
Is Admiral Noble dead?
Though Noble's injuries are severe, he survives the events of the movie thanks to a creepy intervention from those priests. They hook him up to some kind of machine and transport him to another plane to talk to Balisarius. When he returns, he jolts awake with a scream. Apparently, whatever just happened fixed his wounds and restored him to life.
That might not be the case for long, though, since Balisarius tells Noble that, should he fail to capture Kora, he'll be publicly executed. Gulp.
Is that Balisarius at the end? What does he want?
Noble is indeed taken to visit none other than Balisarius himself in the final scenes of the movie. Balisarius is in charge of the Motherworld, now, but under mysterious circumstances – just how he went from commander to regent is unknown, but we're betting it has something to do with the king's death.
It seems Balisarius would like his daughter Kora back, but not out of any kind of paternal love. He actually wants Kora so he can publicly execute her. Sinister…
What does the Scargiver mean?
At the moment, the meaning of the Scargiver moniker is a mystery. It's a title bestowed upon Kora, but it's currently unclear what Kora did to earn herself the name. But, Part Two is titled The Scargiver, so expect answers very soon.
What happened to the king?
The king has been killed, and Noble says it had something to do with the monarch giving charity to an off-worlder. Beyond that, what happened to the fallen king isn't fully explained just yet.
What's going on with Princess Issa?
As revealed in a flashback, the young Princess Issa had magical powers – she brought a bird back to life in front of Kora. The princess was named after an ancient queen believed to have the power to give life (aptly named Lifegiver), so it seems Issa possessed that same ability. Sadly, Issa was killed before the events of Part One.
What will happen to Veldt?
The Motherworld arriving to subjugate the peaceful farming moon of Veldt is what kickstarts the story of Part One. After Noble's apparent death, though, the rebels think Veldt will be safe. They head back to the moon and Tarak remarks that it would've been a beautiful place to die. Well, he might get his wish in the sequel…
How does Rebel Moon Part One set up Part Two?
Rebel Moon – Part Two is coming in April, and from the finale of Part One, it's pretty clear where everything is headed. Admiral Noble is still alive and has been tasked with hunting down Kora, while the rebels have returned to Veldt, which is safe – for now. Clearly, it's all building to a showdown between Kora and co. and the brutal armies of the Motherworld. Plus, Jimmy the robotic knight has found himself some new antlers, but what that means for him is unknown for now.
Does Rebel Moon have a post-credits scene?
Rebel Moon does not have a post-credits scene. Though, there is a special teaser for Part Two available to watch on Netflix, so make sure you don't miss out on the sneak peek.
Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire is streaming on Netflix now. For more on the movie, check out our interviews with Zack Snyder and the cast on mythology, female empowerment, and griffin taming, as well as Snyder and the cast on what to expect from Part Two. You can also check out Snyder's update on the future of Army of the Dead universe.
To fill out your watchlist, head to our roundup of the best Netflix movies streaming now.
