Captive State ending explained: Do the resistance succeed?

The setting is Chicago and the state is under martial law following an alien invasion in an alternate version of 2019. Many are trying to flee the city, including the Drummond family. After breaking through the city’s barriers, the family of four are confronted by the aliens who quickly kill the parents, orphaning Gabriel and Rafe Drummond.

Fast forward nine years and the human race has capitulated to their alien invaders but a resistance group operates underground that is now headed by Rafe (Jonathan Majors).

The alien-led dystopia tracks the movements of every human through implants, while criminals are sent to other planets and the aliens mine Earth for resources.

Not all humans are anti-alien. Chicago police commander William Mulligan (Goodman), who was previously the Drummond brothers’ father’s partner is what you would term pro-alien. His mission is also to neutralise the resistance, which is called Phoenix.

If you've seen the film and want some clarification about how that mission goes, read on to have the Captive State ending explained.

Captive State ending explained: Do the resistance succeed?

As the film goes on, Mulligan begins leaning on Gabriel regarding the resistance but refuses to give him any information.

Not long after, the resistance launch a successful attack against the aliens but it only brings further oppression as specialist hunters are brought in to bring down its leadership. Rafe survives the assassinations after being shot and arrested by Mulligan before he can swallow his cyanide pill. Gabriel is also arrested by the authorities.

Mulligan tortures Rafe and shows Gabriel, convincing him to contact the secret network the resistance operate within in an attempt to meet with their leader.

Gabriel then meets a prostitute named Jane Doe (Vera Farmiga) who confusingly knows him by name. She is abruptly and shockingly killed during a police raid.

In the aftermath of the raid, we learn that Jane bugged her own brothel to record important people in compromising positions, including current police commissioner Eugene Ivoe (Kevin Dunn). It is revealed that Ivoe divulged secrets about the alien operation which led to the resistance attack, with him subsequently removed from office and sent to another planet. Mulligan is promoted in his place.

Gabriel is mourning the failed resistance attempt to overwhelm the aliens, with Rafe now also deported from the planet.

He is then visited by Mulligan, who gives him a memory card. Later, watching the video contained on the card, Gabriel begins to piece together the various parts of the puzzle. The video is of his own baby shower and shows Mulligan enjoying beers with his parents as well as Jane Doe and other members of the resistance. The clip ends with Mulligan urging Gabriel to continue the efforts of the resistance.

With his promotion, Mulligan is now able to meet with the aliens at their base, which is underneath Chicago.

As he descends into their base, he ignites a suicide bomb, sacrificing himself to blow up the aliens, seemingly revealing himself as a deep cover agent all along who was loyal to the resistance.

Over the end credits, text reveals that rebellions grew all over the planet and successfully repelled the alien occupation.

Director Rupert Sanders clarified that Mulligan was in fact a resistance agent: “My co-writer Erica Beeney and I always had the intention of revealing Mulligan as the real Trojan horse. How we executed that in the final frames of the film was an open discussion.

“Did we want to make it explicit, or just infer it? Should audiences leave wondering 'ok, he’s in the Closed Zone, what will happen next?'

“But while making the film we decided that we needed to understand the full impact. With that came the shocking end moment, and that’s where the real power of the film lies.”

Captive State is now streaming on Netflix. If you're looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide or visit our Film hub for all the latest news.

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