'Ballerina' Ending and Post-Credits, Explained
The much-anticipated John Wick spinoff Ballerina, the full title of which is From the World of John Wick: Ballerina, is now in cinemas. The movie is set between the third and fourth chapters in the John Wick franchise and introduces Ana de Armas's new protagonist, Eve Macarro. Trained by the Ruska Roma after her father's death, the film follows Eve on a journey of vengeance, where she receives a bit of help from Wick (Keanu Reeves) himself.
Here's what happens at the end of Ballerina, and after the credits. Be warned: major spoilers follow.
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What is Ballerina about?
Ballerina follows Eva Macarro (Ana de Armas), who, after the murder of her father, goes to train in both ballet and assassination with the Ruska Roma, overseen by the fearsome Director (Anjelica Huston). After a mission goes wrong, resulting in the apparent death of comrade Pine (Norman Reedus) and the kidnapping of his daughter, Ella (Ava McCarthy), Eve must hunt down the Chancellor (Gabriel Byrne), who runs a deadly cult and happens to be the man who killed her father.
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Is Ballerina worth watching?
If you're a John Wick completist, chances are you've already seen Ballerina. If you're not, or are just a casual John Wick fan, it's unlikely Ballerina will do much for you. Despite a reliably committed lead performance from de Armas, Ballerina neglects much of what made the proper John Wick movies so impressive. There's hardly any of the witty world-building or sharp plotting, just a barrage of increasingly chaotic action sequences which lack any coherent stakes or geography. Reeves's much-hyped involvement is utterly perfunctory and comes close to undoing the magic he worked so hard to create with John Wick. At one point, a character tells another, "We've lost track of John Wick." "You certainly have!" you'll undoubtedly be tempted to shout back.
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What happens at the end of Ballerina?
Eve arrives in Austria to face down the Chancellor, where it's revealed that assassin Lena (Catalina Sandeno Moreno) is actually her long-lost sister. The Chancellor orders their deaths, but while Lena is killed Eve manages to escape with her life. He then calls the Director, telling her that there will be a war between his faction and the Ruska Roma if Eve is not killed. The Director then calls upon John Wick, who travels to Austria ostensibly to assassinate Eve.
But after a fight with Eve, Wick is unable to assassinate her. Instead, he serves as her wingman during the final fight, picking off bad guys from a sniper tower. This comes in handy, as the Chancellor calls on all of the town's occupants to hunt Eve. Eve manages well on her own, until one guy with a bad dye job and a flamethrower nearly does her in. Wick, however, fells him with a well-timed bullet.
The Chancellor finds Eve and tells her that she won't be able to save Ella, but Eve shoots him in the head before he can finish speaking. Ella is then reunited with her father, who's recovering in the hospital. Eve returns to the Continental, where Winston (Ian McShane) tells her that she's still being hunted. Despite the warning, Eve decides to attend the performance of her former classmate. Whilst watching the show, Eve's phone pings and it's revealed that the Ruska Roma has taken out a $5 million contract on her head. Eve smiles to herself and exits the theater.
Does Ballerina have a mid or post-credits scene?
No, Ballerina does not have any scenes in the middle or after the end credits. Once the final credits begin, the movie is over.
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