Sci-fi thriller ‘Stowaway’, directed by Joe Penna is now streaming, on Netflix. The film stars Anna Kendrick, Daniel Dae Kim, Shamier Anderson and Toni Collette.
The plot follows a crew of three professionals — Zoe (Anna Kendrick), David (Daniel Dae Kim) and spaceship commander Marina (Toni Collette) — heading to Mars. While they rejoice in a successful launch, they soon find out that Michael (Shamier Anderson), a launch-pad engineer has journeyed so far with them undetected, unconscious and trapped in the ship’s mechanism, due to an accident.
Michael puts an effort to assist the crew, even thought he isn’t trained for the journey. Soon however, Marina is alerted that they do not have sufficient oxygen for the survival for everyone on the ship. The crew hides this fact from Michael, and also considers sacrificing his life so that the remaining can be saved.
Zoe, who has begun to sympathise with Michael’s life, struggle and argues with the commander, and insists on finding a way. Meanwhile, David’s algae collection, that he had stored to complete his ambitious research project on Mars, has been entirely used up in producing some more oxygen.
Will Zoe’s concern for Michael bear fruit? Will the crew be successful in their quest to Mars and back?
‘Stowaway’ ending explained in detail:
David confesses to Michael
In sheer desperation and worry, David lets Michael know about the scenario. He provides him with a syringe that he can use to end his life painlessly. Michael is visibly hurt and reminisces about his sister, whom he much adored and also parented. Michael mentally prepares to take his own life.
Zoe sees Michael crying, with the syringe lying next to him. She immediately gets down to console him and tells him that the injection is a last resort, and that she is trying her best to come up with a better solution.
Zoe tells him a story from her youth, about a situation when she thought that her irresponsibility would cause a person to die, however, someone came out of the blue to save the day. She reassures Michael that something like that may happen, and nobody will have to perish.
Oxygen tank – the last hope
The crew acknowledges that the oxygen tank located 450 metres away from the core of the spaceship contains an indefinite amount of oxygen. Since some part of it was used up for the launch, they will have to check if the oxygen in it is sufficient.
Zoe and David make the climb to the tank with great difficulty. To their satisfaction, they find that there is enough oxygen for all of them. With canisters full, they try to return.
All of a sudden, the safety alarm rings with a warning for Zoe and David to reach the core of the ship within 20 minutes. In the anxiety of the moment, one full canister slips out of Zoe’s hands. They return to the safe chamber.
The final sacrifice
The solar radiations reach in close proximity of the ship and the oxygen tank starts leaking. The crew realises that someone will have to extract the remaining oxygen before it oozes out. However, whoever goes to bring it, will unavoidably be exposed to the radiations and will eventually die.
Michael volunteers to go, but Zoe remarks that he is untrained and if he makes a mistake, they will all lose their lives. Zoe goes herself and brings the remaining oxygen. The crew is saved, but Zoe’s life will soon end due to the exposure. She eventually makes the final sacrifice.
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