Mickey 17: Shocking Clones and Sacrifices – Which Mickeys Survive?

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Hello there! It’s Joon-ho again, the renowned South Korean director who has returned with his first movie since the 2019 Oscar-winning Parasite. However, the finale of Mickey 17 has left us somewhat perplexed. Be advised: spoilers lie ahead!

Firstly, We’ve got more instances of Robert Pattinson than we can handle comfortably. It’s hard to predict exactly how many of him will appear in the upcoming film, each one being discarded after completing a perilous mission for the sake of space exploration.

Beyond the narrative itself, it follows Joon-ho’s signature approach, offering biting critiques and a plethora of bizarre concepts that will leave you speechless. The concept of a space colony inhabited by creatures resembling “croissants made of filth” (an accurate quote and my favorite aspect of the film) barely scratches the surface of the mind-bending ideas presented.

However, another aspect has puzzled us as well. To grasp this, you should be aware of the entire conclusion of Mickey 17, specifically who among the Mickys survives.

Mickey 17 ending is one brave sacrifice

In the movie Mickey 17, it concludes with an intense conflict between Kenneth Marshall’s (played by Mark Ruffalo) extraterrestrial settlement and beings known as “Creepers.” To prevent these Creepers from annihilating everyone in the colony after Kenneth took a baby Creeper captive, Mickey 18 steps in to eliminate Kenneth and negotiate a ceasefire by giving up his own life.

Mickey Barnes found himself in this situation – disenchanted with earthly life and burdened by a debt owed to a loan shark. In an attempt to break free, he accepted the role as an “Expendable” on Kenneth Marshall’s space colonization mission to Nilfheim, while his friend Timo (Steven Yeun) secured a legitimate pilot position. The term ‘Expendable’ refers to individuals who consent to be replicated using advanced technology, allowing scientists to create infinite copies of someone after their demise.

Throughout their learning process, Mickeys 1-16 endure harsh, grueling fates while performing ordinary tasks in the name of scientific research. This involves exposure to massive radiation levels outside the spacecraft and serving as test subjects for a vaccine essential for human survival beyond the spacecraft. The narrative begins with Mickey 17, who we encounter at the onset of the film.

He’s managing as well as possible under the circumstances. Mickey shows us around the ship, his partner Nasha (Naomi Ackie), and we begin to understand why Kenneth and wife Ylfa (Toni Collette) are unbearable. One time, Mickey narrowly escaped death after being abandoned in a chasm for Creeper attack. Timo assumes him dead and informs base, but instead, the Creepers rescue him, allowing him to return to safety.

Upon his return to the vessel, trouble arises. Mickey 18 has been manufactured, resulting in multiple copies. This term is often pejorative and refers to any duplicates produced by the machine. The “moral” resolution, as dictated by the courts, is to destroy all clones and their memory banks. (The specifics of human cloning being permitted off-world due to Kenneth’s manipulation after public outcry over its ethical implications has been omitted.)

The Mickeys cross paths, let out cries of discontent, and harbor mutual animosity. While Mickey 17 is gentle, fragile, and kind-hearted, Mickey 18 carries a grudge and seems to despise everything around him. Nasha intends to retain custody of both characters, and there’s quite a bit of complication involving Kenneth, Ylfa, and a lavish dinner that Mickey 17 manages to win (a meal that nearly costs him his life due to some underhanded testing). A drug-related plotline also unfolds.

Chaos ensues during one of Kenneth’s broadcasts as two Creeper infants, hidden inside a rock meant for territorial marking, are discovered. Simultaneously, Mickey 18 attempts to attack Kenneth, while Kenneth’s associates end up killing one of the Creepers and capturing the other. Two significant events transpire: First, it’s uncovered that there are multiple Mickeys when number 17 catches the remaining Creeper; second, adult Creepers storm the ship.

Essentially, these creatures (Creepers) are constantly crying out and moving in circles, yet their purpose remains a mystery. A debate ensues between Mickey and Nasha, who attempt to persuade Kenneth and Ylfa about the intelligence and kindness of the Creepers, while Nasha simultaneously argues for the existence of the Mickeys. Kenneth suggests exterminating the Creepers using a recently created nerve gas, but Ylfa manages to convince him to deploy the Mickeys instead to gather 100 Creeper tails for her to prepare into sauce. If the required amount of tails isn’t collected, there’s a risk of an explosion occurring.

In a precarious situation, our almost extinct Creeper dangles above a molten lava pit, clinging to life thanks to Nasha’s sharp teeth. Mickey 17 and 18 then resolve to locate the Creeper mother, utilizing a translation device developed by scientists. It seems we’ve taken a step back in time – the Creepers demand their young returned, and retribution is imminent. Kenneth becomes enraged, spurring him to lead an armed team outside to eliminate the Creepers directly.

At this point, we reach our climactic scene featuring Mickey 17. Through blurry security footage, we witness 17 handing over the baby to Nasha. In response, Nasha assaults Ylfa to retrieve the creeper. Simultaneously, a group of security personnel rise up against Kenneth’s administration, expressing their disapproval of his actions. As for Mickey 18, they attack Marshall in a tragic turn of events that ends in both a murder and suicide, fulfilling the mother’s desperate plea.

That’s not all of Mickey 17’s story

Yet, contrary to what might seem, our story doesn’t end with the murder-suicide. Instead, Mickey 17 skips ahead six months, showing Nasha’s rise to power in the colony. She abolishes human cloning completely, making a grand statement by exploding the machine in full view of everyone present.

Initially, all those implicated in the ousting of Kenneth were confined in the ship’s prison. It was Timo who managed to eliminate the loan associate who had traced him aboard the vessel. Over time, Nasha chose to instigate reform within the colony, securing a resounding victory in the election.

17th clone of Mickey, now known as Mickey Barnes, transitions into a standalone individual, no longer required for expendable missions. It appears that Creeper creatures and humans are managing to live harmoniously, thanks to advancements in the scientific community’s translation devices.

Mickey queries the mother if she had been joking when she claimed that Creepers could cause an explosion in humans due to their loud screeching, discovering that she was telling the truth.

The dream sequence hardly makes any sense

During the heart of the ceremony, I found myself slipping into a surreal dream where Ilfa, who had tragically taken her own life following Kenneth’s passing, seemed to materialize, using a pool of her own blood to replicate Kenneth. The sight left me utterly bewildered, as if Ilfa was inviting me to uncover the truth. But as her hand transformed into a river of blood, I recoiled in shock.

After careful discussion among us here at TopMob, we’ve come to agree that the overall tension and excitement of this production is well-executed, but its meaning remains unclear. To put it simply, we think the climactic scene could be eliminated for clarity’s sake.

Let’s discuss possible scenarios here. If someone had the audacity to pull off a fake death and then clean up their deceased husband’s blood to create a duplicate, it’s highly probable that Ilfa could have done it. While it may sound far-fetched in our current reality, there might be an alternate universe where such events transpired. Since we know of 18 different versions of Mickey’s mind existing in the present timeline, it isn’t too far-fetched to consider that similar occurrences could take place in other universes as well.

A less engaging interpretation might be that Mickey is subtly grasping the idea that cloning is wrong and humans are complex through this storyline. It’s clear that there’s no such thing as pure innocence in Nilfheim, and every choice leading to the creation of the cloning device has had a ripple effect. Regrettably, this seems to be the most probable explanation.

In essence, this movie by Bong Joon-ho is known for its twisted social commentary, and this film has been a critique of society and politics throughout. Some might argue that it’s not as powerful as his earlier works like Okja. However, this particular scene serves as the climax after two hours of subtleties. Essentially, it’s a condemnation of those who have let power corrupt them, in this case, white wealthy individuals. It also raises ethical dilemmas in space exploration. If you find yourself internally expressing disapproval during this scene, then that’s the intended message.

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2025-03-07 11:31