Unlocking the Secrets: Decoding the Mind-Blowing Ending of Edge of Tomorrow

In typical Tom Cruise fashion, his character in the 2014 film Edge of Tomorrow repeatedly puts his life on the line in an endless loop to once again save the world from alien creatures. Directed by Doug Liman, this sci-fi action film, based on Hiroshi Sakurazaka's Japanese light novel All You Need Is Kill (later adapted into a manga), presents a unique twist on familiar science fiction elements.

While the film's final moments may be somewhat disappointing, it manages to avoid repetitiveness by exploring well-known sci-fi themes in unexpected ways. However, the ending diverges greatly from the original source material, leaving viewers with numerous questions about the conclusion of the story.

What Is Edge of Tomorrow About?

In the year 2020, an army of Mimics has been engaged in a fierce conflict with humans for the past five years, successfully capturing most of Europe. The film follows the journey of Major William "Bill" Cage, an American public relations officer who publicly admits to being "not a soldier." As the face of the global United Defense Force (UDF), Cage appears on talk shows to help recruit more soldiers. However, General Brigham disregards Cage's lack of combat experience and orders him to join a military operation in France, placing him on the front lines. Assigned to J-Squad under the leadership of Master Sergeant Farell, Cage tragically dies moments after arriving in battle, coated in the blood of an abnormally large Mimic. To his astonishment, Cage wakes up 24 hours earlier, back at the Heathrow Airport military base. He soon realizes he is stuck in a time loop, endlessly reliving the same day and forced to confront his past mistakes.

During one iteration of this repetitive cycle, Cage encounters Sgt. Rita Vrataski, a key figure in the UDF's first triumph against the Mimics at the Battle of Verdun. Vrataski reveals that she, too, was trapped in a time loop, allowing her to experience the battle repeatedly. However, after sustaining a severe injury and receiving a blood transfusion, Vrataski loses the ability to reset the day.

Vrataski brings Cage to Dr. Noah Carter, an expert in advanced microbiology, who explains that the Mimics function as a unified organism. The Alpha Mimics are controlled by the Omega, which reverts time whenever an Alpha is killed. This allows the Mimics to repeatedly fight the same battle until they emerge victorious, retaining their knowledge. Due to Cage's exposure to Alpha blood, he becomes part of this super-organism, resulting in his resurrection each time he dies. Vrataski also had visions of the Omega before being injured. If they can find its location, they can destroy the Omega and finally defeat the Mimics.

Taking advantage of the time loop, Cage undergoes intensive training to become unbeatable in his mech-suit. Vrataski shoots him in the head whenever he falters or when they reach a dead end in their fight against the Mimics. Cage repeatedly adjusts his strategies to reach the German dam where he saw visions of the Omega. However, in each timeline, Vrataski ends up dying. This leads Cage to ultimately venture to the dam alone, only to be ambushed by an Alpha. He realizes that the Mimics have intentionally led him there to drain his powers, eliminating his ability to go back in time. To regroup with Vrataski and devise a new plan to destroy the sentient beings, Cage intentionally drowns himself.

How Does Edge of Tomorrow End?

In the third act of the film, Cage and Vrataski make a decision to use Carter's confiscated prototype device to locate the Omega and kill the Mimics. Cage, whose blood is similar to an Alpha's, can be used as a transponder to find the location of the Omega. They break into the Ministry of Defense, acquire the device, and Cage uses it to discover that the Omega is beneath the Louvre in Paris. However, he sustains severe injuries while evading the military police and loses consciousness. When he wakes up, he realizes he has received a blood transfusion that severs his connection to the Mimics.

In his final attempt, Cage enlists J-Squad to join him and Vrataski in Paris to assist in killing the Omega. They steal a UDF plane and fly to the Louvre, but one by one, each soldier is slain by the Mimics until only Cage and Vrataski are left. Accepting that their survival is unlikely regardless of the outcome, Vrataski distracts an Alpha (and is subsequently killed), while Cage dives underwater towards the Omega. The Alpha pursues him and impales him through the chest, but Cage manages to drop multiple grenades into the Omega. In the resulting explosion, the Omega and all the Mimics perish, and Cage becomes immersed in its blood. He appears to regain his power during the Omega's ultimately unsuccessful attempt to reset the day.

Cage awakens at an earlier point in the past now, presumably due to the reset occurring before the invasion of France. He is once again making his way to meet Brigham when his helicopter touches down. Upon arrival, he is approached by an officer who shares the news that the tides of war have turned in their favor. A signal from Paris had obliterated all the Mimics earlier that morning, tipping the scales in their favor. As a result, Russia and China are now advancing towards Europe, ready to launch an assault on the western front. Upon reaching the Heathrow base, Cage discovers that both J-Squad and Vrataski are alive, completely oblivious to the preceding events. The film concludes with Cage grinning mischievously at Vrataski in response to her questioning his identity.

Is the Ending Different in All You Need Is Kill?

The Mimics in All You Need Is Kill follow a distinct set of rules, diverging from the traditional Omega and Alphas. Instead, there exists a Nexus and numerous Antennae, each capable of initiating a time reset. Upon the demise of a Mimic, it has the ability to transmit a signal to its past counterparts, enabling them to alter their course of action and evade death.

The central character, Keiji Kiriya, becomes trapped in a time loop after killing an Antenna. Rita Vrataski later explains the mechanics of this loop to him. After numerous attempts, Keiji and Rita manage to kill all the Antennae. However, their abilities make them Antenna-like and allow the Mimics to continue manipulating time. To break the loop, one of them must die before the survivor can defeat the Nexus. Reluctantly, Keiji and Rita engage in a fight, resulting in Rita's death. Keiji then proceeds to eliminate the remaining Mimics and the Nexus. Unlike previous loops, there is no reset this time. Rita remains dead, and Keiji becomes a war hero.