Season 5 of El Marginal revolves around Miguel as he is sent back to prison after his failed escape attempt while Diosito tries to make a life for himself outside by carrying out odd jobs. All episodes are now streaming on Netflix.
Warning: This article contains heavy spoilers
Plot summary
It’s been 3 years since Miguel and Diosito managed to escape from San Onofre. Diosito visits Triste to get some help finding a place to hide out while Miguel is caught after staying with Emma after she bled to her death.
Miguel spent the 3 years writing a book and cleaning up his act to deal with all the abuse he faced. Now he’s got a level of influence and respect inside the prison thanks to the acclaim that his book achieved.
Diosito has been living with a woman and her two children, running small-time scams for quick cash. Inside the Puente Viejo prison, Antín and Mario run things with the Sub-21 and the Brotherhood under Medina relegated to the lower rungs of the ladder.
Brian is set to be released soon and everyone from his gang is happy for him. Miguel takes special care to make sure he is taken care of on the outside and doesn’t get into any trouble.
Meanwhile, Mabel visits him and tells him that his son is being moved to a different youth institution because there was an incident. She tells him that it’s his fault that her sister is dead and she no longer wants to take responsibility for helping him with his son.
Diosito runs foul of the family housing him and is forced to go back to Triste for help. Miguel visits Judge Pineiro to help him get guardianship of his son but she refuses to provide her reference.
Later on, Miguel is visited by Luna who is now a lawyer and working with the judge. She says that she’s willing to help him even though he’s apprehensive because of their past. He suggests making Brian his son’s guardian once he is released and even Brian agrees.
Mario’s health is deteriorating and while Columbia’s loyalty is steadfast, Bardo is not so keen. He seems to have plans that also involved Medina and his brotherhood. At the same time, the Sub-21 are also getting fed up with the situation in the prison.
The day before Brian is set to be released, Mario decides to have a few words with the boy. Miguel shows up as well and the two of them rebuff any notions of help from the Borges boss. They tell Brian that he will pay for his disrespect.
Luna is supposed to pick up Brian upon his release but as soon as he walks out the door, he is gunned down right there on the street with everyone watching. Miguel and the rest of Sub-21 head to Borges’ cell because they believe that he’s responsible for the hit.
Things become quite frosty inside the prison with every gang on their toes. Outside, Diosito learns that he has a son who shares his name. Kari had his child and then left him with her friend Eli, who approached the Borges family for help but only received cash in return.
Judge Pineiro has decided to open an investigation into Brian’s death and begins questioning the prisoners connected to him much to the dismay of Antin. He is worried that any one of them could reveal his corrupt ways. The Sub-21 goes on a rampage, first attacking Mario in the shower and gravely wounding him.
Later on, they ambush Medina and his brothers to send a message to the Borges gang. Mario is taken to the hospital and Gladys shares this news with Diosito. The judge orders Mario’s room to be under surveillance because she believes Diosito will show up eventually.
With Mario on the outside, the Borges gang is weak and Bardo decides to switch sides and join Medina. Cesar thinks that this is the best moment to strike against Borges as well. Diosito visits Mario and makes amends with him but is then caught and sent back to Puente Viejo just as things are reaching a boiling point.
Gladys visits Diosito in prison and he tells her that they need to enact their plan to make sure Mario is free. At the same time, Luna visits the prison with Miguel’s son so that they can have a chat.
The judge is set to question Medina but Bardo stops him as he gets the sense that Medina is about the rat on them. Medina confirms that he’s willing to reveal that Bardo ordered the hit on Brian.
Bardo ends up killing him and then loses the plot as he orchestrates a hostile takeover of the prison and starts a riot inside. Miguel’s son is not able to get out and even the judge is taken hostage while Antin and his guards are stuck in his office while chaos ensues outside.
If you have any doubts about the ending, here is a complete breakdown.
El Marginal season 5 ending explained in detail:
Making moves inside and out
Bardo takes the judge hostage and calls the official outside to make his demands. He asks for a plane to be taken out of the country in exchange for her release.
Miguel gets Luna’s phone before they escape and she calls him to tell him that his son was left behind and is in the prison somewhere. He makes his way to the entrance wing to find out.
Gladys and Flaco visit Antin’s wife and hold her hostage while Diosito negotiates with Antin on the inside to facilitate Mario’s release. Antin tells him that they will have to wait out the riot and get away when the police storm inside.
Gaining safe passage
Miguel manages to make it to the yard and helps Cesar and the rest gain some semblance of control inside. They come face to face with the Borges gang and a fight breaks out.
Miguel sneaks away while Columbia ends up taking a knife to the chest to save Diosito before everyone disperses. Bardo calls the negotiator while he’s on the phone with Antin, and the negotiator tells him that he can come out with the judge.
Miguel finds Bardo and the judge and is finally able to take revenge on the man responsible for Brian’s death. He escorts the judge towards the entrance and also finds his son, but Bardo’s goons block his way.
He gets in a scrap with them but is overpowered when Diosito shows up and evens the odds. They fight them off and Diosito tells Miguel to get out while he can. Miguel, the judge and his son get out safely with the police taking them all in.
Road to redemption and peace
At the hospital, one of the prison guards shows up and injects something into Mario’s bloodstream, killing him. Gladys has to leave Antin’s wife and head there immediately.
Days after the chaos, Antin offers Cesar control of the prison. He reluctantly accepts even though he knows that Antin is the one with real power.
Miguel is given more privileges inside after his heroics and good behaviour. He’s able to work and visit his son and he wants to serve as a beacon of hope for other prisoners like him.
Diosito is informed about Mario’s death by Gladys and the two of them share some heartfelt parting words before hanging up. Then Diosito makes his way to the middle of the yard where the Sub-21 members gather around him and shank him to death, finally ending the story of the Borges gang.
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