Godspeed (2022) summary and ending explained

Godspeed (2022) is a Turkish drama featuring an ex-army captain who travels to Dalyan to stop his friend’s beloved from marrying another man. However, grief and trauma from a combat tragedy mar his journey. It is currently streaming on Netflix.

Warning: This article contains heavy spoilers.

Plot summary

Godspeed follows the narrative of Captain Salih, a war veteran with a prosthetic leg, who finds most things in his everyday life prompt in-depth, clunky flashbacks to the traumatic times he’d sooner forget. Even a child playing hopscotch seems to trigger his PTSD from war. 

A man on the edge, Salih is introduced as he is stealing money and a gun from a house and then driving off with the intention to crash someone’s wedding, with his partner Kerim.

Salih’s comical sidekick Kerim, his sub lieutenant and friend, accompanies him in his journey as he gets frustrated at his car and constantly bickers and yells at him.

It is discovered that the wedding they are planning to break off is none other than of Kerim’s lover, who was supposedly being forced into a marriage.

They drive on Turkey’s picturesque highways in a vintage car making small talk and indulging in further robberies, heading towards this momentous showdown.

While on the road, Salih steals a bird from a shopkeeper which is later killed by some hunters. Kerim tells Salih to drop dead weight throughout their journey.

Meanwhile, Salih’s flashbacks are displayed at instances as his wife Duygu tries to get in touch with him when it is revealed that he escaped a hospital where he was supposed to be kept safe.

If you still have doubts about the ending, here’s a full breakdown.

Godspeed (2022) ending explained in detail:

On a quest

The film introduces Salih and his prosthetic leg, while he polishes his shoes passionately to utter perfection. Then appears Kerim, his sidekick, while they look for money all around the house.

As Salih finds the cash he was looking for, he also finds a gun, which Kerim warns him against but Salih promises to not actually use it.

On their way to what seems to be his car, Salih comes across children playing hopscotch, which triggers his Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, related to his lost leg.

Kerim uncovers Salih’s car, which seems to have been unused for a long while. As he struggles to start the engine, and Kerim mocks him, he yells at Kerim and wishes he never met him.

They decide on how long it would take to reach the wedding they are planning to crash and Kerim further mocks how his old car wouldn’t survive that long.

On the road, Salih mentions how much he has spent on fixing the vintage car. Kerim questions why he spent so much on that car while he could’ve gotten a new one. Kerim tells Salih to leave the dead behind.

They make a stop to get cigarettes and banana milk while Salih spots a bird that the shopkeeper plans to eat for dinner. He steals the bird and speeds away.

Salih announces that the bird deserves to be free, not to be eaten. Later, however, the bird is shot by a bunch of hunters.

Kerim reiterates that he should not carry the dead ones on his shoulder, that he should let go.

Unravelling grief

It soon becomes clearer that there is something uncanny about Kerim’s presence in the film. He is constantly seen itching his back, which Salih assures him is nothing but psychological.

Once he reaches the wedding of Elif – Kerim’s lover – he crashes the wedding and threatens to shoot the people present there if the celebrations are not halted soon.

Salih takes Elif hostage and yells at her dad that this was the worst day he could choose for the wedding to be held.

As Salih struggles with his prosthetic leg, he recalls everything via his flashbacks. It is then discovered that Salih sent Kerim to the lower ground to check on the enemy.

Salih spotted the enemy from high ground, who was ready to strike Kerim. Although he was successful in shooting the enemy, the bullet ended up hitting Kerim on his shoulder too.

Salih panicked and ran towards him, stepping on a mine which exploded one of his legs. Kerim, drenched in blood, smiled at him and asked him to call Elif.

Kerim turns out to be Salih’s figment of imagination while he is in denial about his loss and has not grieved yet.

Salih on the edge

Salih spent all his time in the hospital as Kerim was on his deathbed, comatose. As soon as Kerim’s stats declined, Salih seemed to have lost it and ran home to change into a better outfit and start his quest to crash Elif’s wedding.

It is then discovered that Salih was taking Elif to Kerim’s funeral, after which he accompanied the corpse in the boat.

He feels that he has no reason to live so he pulls out his revolver to blow his brains out just when he hears his wife’s voice.

Duygu calmly approaches Salih and holds him and takes the gun from him. Salih expresses that he has no reason to live without Kerim.

Duygu points at her stomach, revealing that she is pregnant, and tells him that Kerim has not left and that Salih has a reason to live. Salih finally grieves the death of Kerim and wallows with his wife.

Later, Salih is shown spending time with his son, discussing fishing, the topic that he bonded over with Kerim.

The final scene reveals that the boat Salih and his son are on is named after Kerim, concluding the film as a tribute to martyrs and veterans.


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