Rebel Moon Part 2: Ending Explained

Rebel Moon 2's ending left fans with a huge cliffhanger, making everyone curious about whether a third movie is coming. The sequel explores the rebels' backstories but is mainly an intense battle as the rebels join the villagers of Veldt to fight Admiral Noble and the Imperium forces. There are some sacrifices in the battle, and the sequel resolves a mystery from the first movie about what happened between Kora and Princess Issa, the child she couldn't save, leading to her desertion from the Motherworld. However, the ending of Rebel Moon 2 takes a twist with a big reveal about Princess Issa. Let's dive into what happens in Rebel Moon 2. Be warned, spoilers ahead.

Who dies in Rebel Moon 2?

Before we get to the reveal about Princess Issa, it's worth mentioning that not everyone in Rebel Moon 2 has a happy ending—there are significant losses along the way. Once the battle begins on Veldt, Nemesis is in charge of keeping the women and children in the longhouse safe. She does an excellent job, but it costs her life as she's fatally stabbed by an Imperium soldier.

While most of the rebels are fighting on Veldt, Kora, and Gunnar sneak aboard Noble's ship, the King's Gaze, using Kora's old Imperium drop ship. They plan to make Noble blow up his own ship by setting charges on its world-destroying weapon, and he falls into the trap when he orders Cassius to blow up Veldt. As the King's Gaze explodes, Kora and Gunnar fight Noble in a final showdown. They manage to kill him by chopping off his head, but Gunnar is fatally shot in the process.

Kora and Gunnar escape the crashing King's Gaze using a drop ship, but when they land back on Veldt, Gunnar dies in Kora's arms. Devra Bloodaxe and her army also arrive on Veldt to finish off the Motherworld's forces, avenging her brother's death from the first movie.

Although the rebels win, the victory is bittersweet for Kora because Gunnar's death marks the loss of her first lover who was not part of the conflict. Director Zack Snyder explained that Gunnar's role was important because he was a simple, good guy, not a soldier or leader, which helped Kora in her journey of catharsis. His sacrifice is part of her path to healing.

What happened to Princess Issa?

The final scene in Rebel Moon 2 shows the villagers of Veldt honoring those they lost during the battle, including Den, who died in a courageous attempt to kill Noble early on. They also express their gratitude to the rebels for coming together to save the village, but Kora feels undeserving of their thanks because of her past actions involving Princess Issa.

Earlier in the movie, Kora shared with Gunnar the story of how the royal family was killed. It happened during a ceremony to dedicate a new ship, intended to be the last dreadnought that would bring peace to the realm. Kora was there as the personal guard for Princess Issa, but it turned out to be a trap set by Kora's adoptive father, Balisarius.

Balisarius killed the King and ordered his soldiers to kill the Queen, then forced Kora to shoot Princess Issa in the heart. She did as she was told, only for Balisarius to frame her for the royal family's murder. Kora managed to escape, but that incident is why Noble calls her the Scargiver.

What does this ending mean for the future of the Rebel Moon-iverse?

Despite many critics disliking it , the first Rebel Moon drew a significant number of viewers. We do know is that Rebel Moon was #1 on Netflix during the week it was released. For a movie that's essentially a mix of six or seven classic films with impressive VFX, that's pretty good.

It was once thought that this sequel would wrap up the story of Kora and the farmers of Veldt, but it doesn't. The final scene strongly hints at a third movie, suggesting that the Rebel Moon saga might not be over yet. Although a third movie hasn't been officially confirmed, Snyder has urged fans to use Netflix's double thumbs-up feature to show their support and possibly help greenlight the next installment.

Also, remember the extended "Snyder cut" of Rebel Moon that Snyder hinted at even before the first film came out?Snyder said that it could be released in late summer and would feature edgier, R-rated content. This could be exciting news for anyone who was hoping for a grittier version of the film.