The Last Mercenary ending explained: Is Richard able to protect Archibald?

The Last Mercenary is a French action-comedy that sees Jean-Claude Van Damme essay the role of a former agent. The movie is directed by David Charhon on a script penned by him, along with Ismael Sy Savane. It is now streaming on Netflix.

The Last Mercenary follows Richard Brumère, aka ‘The Mist’ (Van Damme), a former secret service agent for the French government. Richard went into exile after the infamous “Cup and Ball” assignment and chooses to remain silent about it in exchange for government security and monthly bank transfers.

Years later, Richard’s son Archibald Al Mahmoud (Samir Decazza) gets into trouble when the overzealous bureaucrat’s actions result in his security being revoked. However, his identity gets confused with a criminal who shares the same name and he ends up getting accused of arms and drug trafficking.

Richard, who now performs rescue missions for money, rushes back to protect his son from any harm. However, Archibald assumed his caretaker to be the father, and didn’t have any clue about Richard.

Richard rescues his son during the transfer, but fakes his identity as someone sent by his father for help. Accompanying them are Archibald’s friend Momo, and Momo’s sister Dalila. They are chased by two assigned mercenaries assigned to kill them. As the plot moves forward, Richard and the team track the criminal sharing the same name, and his interest in specific weapon technology.

Will Richard be able to protect Archibald?? Will he reveal his true identity to his son? Who is the criminal they are searching for? What is the highly powerful technology he is after?

The Last Mercenary ending explained in detail:

The escape

When bureaucrat Alexandre (Alban Ivanov) has an epiphany that he is the government’s scapegoat set in a trap by Commander Jouard (Patrick Timsit), he sides with Richard and the team.

They discover bureaucrat Paul is assisting the criminal and offered him security using Archibald’s identity.

The two mercenaries open fire on the home and they all rush to the panic room. The mercenaries fix C-54 explosives on the gate, and assume they all have been killed with the explosion.

But Richard manages to escape with the others through the secret exit in the room. He tries to tell Archibald that he is his father, but the conversation fades away in the middle.

A futile attempt

Richard sends Alexandre to the office to further investigate Paul (Eric Judor). He comes back with the information that Paul will have a deal tomorrow with that criminal. The criminal is interested in buying Big Mac, a weapon so dangerous that it can take out a city’s power grid.

While they stay in the hideout for the day, Alexandre refers to Richard as Archibald’s father by mistake. Archibald realises the truth but feels dejected as Richard was not there with him when he needed him the most.

Richard and the team visit the pool to find out the identity of the buyer and to stop the deal, without Archibald as his identity is at stake. He takes Marguerite (Miou-Miou) along with him for assistance, but their mission turns out to be a complete disaster as Archibald shows up there to investigate the buyer himself.

He gets hold of his original and fake passport and finds out that the buyer’s real name is Simyon Novak, while he is using Archibald’s name for security.

When Archibald gets caught in a troubled situation, Richard comes to his rescue and gets into a brawl with the mercenaries. Archibald knocks Simyon at the back of his head and they all escape.

Betrayal by allies

Alexandre informs Richard and the others that Simyon is the son of the king of Taarghistan, whose father has called him back to his land. Unfortunately, it also means there will be no proof of the crime as there is no sale made. 

Richard comes up with the plan and calls Paul. By imitating Simyon’s voice, he invites Paul to make the deal at the Taarghistan Embassy in exchange for 30 million. Richard calls the Russian whose son he rescued in the beginning and demands the cash. On receiving the payment, they head toward the embassy to execute their plan.

While they wait for Paul, Richard mends his relationship with the son. When Paul arrives, Archibald suits up as Simyon and makes the deal. However, when the plan fails, Richard combats with the mercenaries and other guards. 

Richard assumes that Marguerite arrived there with the attention to assist, she turns against them and reveals that she is Paul’s mother and did everything for his son, who never got money or protection like Richard’s son. The Big Mac deal will make her and her son millionaire.

As Richard and Marguerite get into opposition, Commander Jouard appears in the middle to kill Richard, assuming he is the bad guy in the situation. However, Marguerite shoots him and tries to get away with Big Mac and money.

When the officials order protocol 62, with armed guards barging in, Jouard appears with Richard and the others, saved by his bulletproof tuxedo. The guards arrest Marguerite and Paul and take them away. In the final scene, Richard presses the button, turning all the lights off, and escapes without any trace.

In a post-credit scene, Richard returns on the occasion of Archibald and Dalila’s child’s birth.


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