The Ending Of Netflix's Spy Kids: Armageddon Explained
Contains spoilers for "Spy Kids: Armageddon"
Director Robert Rodriguez returns to the world of "Spy Kids" for a new entry that delves into uncharted territory. Not only is it the first film in the franchise to skip theaters and premiere directly on Netflix, but it also doesn't feature anyone from the Cortez family — not even a cameo. Instead, it aims to be a total reboot that focuses on a new family of spies. While Terrence (Zachary Levi) and Nora (Gina Rodriguez) are seasoned spies for the OSS, their children — Tony (Conner Esterson) and Patty (Everly Carganilla) — are totally unaware of their parents' actual jobs. However, after a nefarious tech giant named Rey "The King" Kingston (Billy Magnussen) steals the OSS' powerful AI tech known as Armageddon, Tony and Patty must take on spy roles to save their parents and the world from Kingston's plans.
"Spy Kids: Armageddon" might be the start of a new era for the long-running family-action franchise, but it still feels like a classic entry. There are plenty of wild gadgets that elevate the action and some tech-influenced settings that make for fun fights, especially in the finale. Yet with "Armageddon," Rodriguez takes the opportunity to mix in some interesting themes tied to concerns over our growing dependence on technology that audiences of all ages can connect with. So, let's delve into the film's ending, dissect its themes, and see how this reboot charts a new path for the "Spy Kids" franchise.
What you need to remember about the plot
Before we dive deep into the film's finale, let's look at some important details that influence the final mission. As said before, both Terrance and Nora have been working as spies together under the OSS, using a powerful AI known as Armageddon in their missions. Armageddon has the power to let its users hack into any device from around the globe, and is seen as both a resource and a problem for the OSS. If it falls into the wrong hands, it could cause unimaginable destruction. When Tony brings home Kingston's latest game, Hyskor, it allows Kingston to hack into the family's computer and steal part of Armageddon. With this newfound power, Kingston infects half of the world's tech devices with his game — locking people out of crucial devices until they beat his levels.
With Kingston sending his lackeys to take the rest of Armageddon's codes from Terrance and Nora, they're forced to reveal to Tony and Patty that they're spies. Unfortunately, Kingston's cronies end up kidnapping Terrence and Nora. Tony and Patty make it to the safe house on their own and ultimately decide to train themselves to become spies. Although they struggle to learn all the important aspects of espionage, these two eventually show some promise and make their way to Kingston's lair to put an end to his plans and save their parents.
What's the fallout of Operation Fireball?
Once Tony and Patty navigate the castle and reach their parents, they're able to free them from their prison cell. But then the family hears that the Armageddon countdown has begun and Terrence says that he wants to use the same plan he and Nora used in their most memorable mission — Operation Fireball. When Patty asks what the mission exactly entailed, Terrence and Nora tell them what happened when they were tasked with stopping a nefarious man named Vargos (Neal Kodinsky). In the mission, Terrance and Nora used their gadgets and fighting skills to defeat Vargos and blow up his operation in a fiery explosion. While Tony loves the story, Patty criticizes their tactics, saying that there could've been a more peaceful solution — and frankly, she's not wrong.
When Tony and Patty reach the central computer, Tony puts in the rest of the code to try and stop the countdown. Unfortunately, this causes the entire code to fall into Kingston's hands, and it's here where he reveals his motivations for stealing Armageddon. It turns out that Kingston is Vargos' son and that Vargos actually created Armageddon to try and help the world. However, Terrence and Nora completely destroyed his operation and stole the Armageddon code for the OSS. So it turns out that Patty was right about Terrence and Nora's tactics only causing more destruction, and now they have a villain that they're unable to stop.
What's the family's final plan?
Once Kingston leaves, it feels like the end of the world is in sight. With nothing else to do, Terrence half-heartedly says that the kids should teach them how to play Hyskor — which gives Patty an idea. Since Kingston is currently in the game, Patty says that they should use the remaining VR pods to go into the game. If they reach the end of the world, they can challenge Kingston to a fight and if they beat him, then they gain control of Armageddon. With everyone on board, they head to the VR pods and warp themselves into Hyskor.
Inside the game, the family eventually reaches the final level and decides that Tony will face Kingston while everyone else deals with Kingston's powerful champion — the Heck Knight. Although Terrence and Nora initially fight only with their fists, Patty gets them to think with their hearts — which ultimately earns the respect of the Heck Knight. Tony is also inspired by Patty's beliefs as he decides to not use cheats to defeat Kingston and to fight fairly. At first, this only results in Tony's swift defeat. However, the game rewards Tony with a special item called The One Hit — which lets Tony beat Kingston with one brutal hit. Still, Tony uses the moment to change Kingston's heart and make him realize that he can continue his father's desire to help people through technology.
What happens at the end of the movie?
After Tony convinces Kingston to give up Armageddon, he shuts it down just in time — meaning that the world is saved. When everyone returns to the real world, they are greeted and congratulated by Kingston's henchmen and eventually Kingston himself. Thanks to Tony, Kingston seems ready to turn over a new leaf. That is, until Devlin (D.J. Cotrona) walks in and arrests Kingston, saying that he's going to be taken to prison for his actions. Patty doesn't agree with that sentence and says that Kingston should be sent back into his game until he beats it –- since he'll actually learn and grow from that rather than just being chucked into a prison cell to be forgotten.
At first, Devlin is going to ignore Patty's request. But he's put in a bad spot when the Tango-Torrez family turns the tables on him. Not only does Patty say that they get to decide Kingston's fate because they're the highest-ranking agents who caught him, but Terrence and Nora say that they're willing to quit the OSS over it. So, Devlin gives in to their demands and even says that he'll change the way the OSS thinks — starting with destroying the Armageddon. Later, Kingston is shown to have escaped the game and is using his tech skills to help people under the guise of the Court Jester. As for the Tango-Torrez family, they're all OSS spies now and heading on a new mission.
What does the end of the movie mean?
One of the overarching themes of "Spy Kids: Armageddon" is finding ways to resolve things peacefully. Although the general mindset of the OSS is to take care of problems however they can — regardless of how messy it is — and trust no one, Patty never believes in that philosophy. Rather, she believes that lying, cheating, and thinking that things can only be solved through conflict leads to more destruction. Instead, she feels that things can be solved with real heart-to-heart conversations and non-violent methods. While most of the adult characters dismiss her perspective as an innocent but naive view of the spy world, everyone comes to learn that Patty's way can be achieved.
Patty's family becomes inspired by her perspective, and they make choices that reflect her mindset. Terrence and Nora use kind words instead of fists to get Kingston's henchmen to stop fighting them. Patty earns the respect and trust of the Heck Knight by warning him about the ground breaking. More importantly, Tony forgoes cheating and decides to fight fairly against Kingston even if it means losing — which earns him a special item for his actions. Patty's way also changes the hearts of Kingston and Devlin — who promise to think of ways they can be more altruistic in how they go about their work. So, Patty's sense of kindness allows for real lessons about the impact of our actions.
Another explanation?
"Spy Kids: Armageddon" also touches on growing concerns tied to AI. As AI becomes a more prevalent part of our society, there have been vast concerns about our overreliance on the technology and the devastating power of its capabilities. There have been a lot of movies lately that have touched on it, and "Spy Kids: Armageddon" adds its own perspectives on the power of AI. In a conversation between Terrence and Nora, they both make interesting points about their feelings on the new technology. While Terrence acknowledges how AI makes them so much more capable of stopping evil around the world, Nora shows concerns about it falling into the wrong hands, and whether it's better off being destroyed.
Ultimately, the film settles the debate by having Devlin order that they'll no longer use Armageddon in their missions and instead rely on the hearts and minds of their agents. Given how powerful Armageddon was in the hands of Kingston and how cold it made the OSS in their missions, the world is probably better off without AI like Armageddon. However, Kingston does remind viewers that technology can still be used for good through his own actions. So, "Spy Kids: Armageddon" adds another layer to the growing conversations around AI.
Playing fair is the only way
While "Spy Kids: Armageddon" has topics and themes that are more connected to things adults are currently dealing with, it also speaks to the importance of fair play in a way that both adults and kids can learn from. Near the beginning of the film, Patty notices that Tony cheats in order to win a copy of Hyskor, and it's an early moment that reveals her mindset. As the film goes on, Patty expresses her beliefs that fighting fair and with compassion is more important than simply winning through whatever dirty trick you can pull. Patty truly embodies the essence of fairness, and her perspective actually influences the rest of her family — most notably Tony.
The importance of fighting fair is actually a pivotal aspect of Tony's arc, as he makes a notable sacrifice to maintain the impact of Patty's inspiration. It's what makes him worthy of earning The One Hit and what inspires him to try and change Kingston's perspective as well. It's true that cheaters never win, and Patty's personal beliefs are key in reminding viewers of the importance of treating others fairly and not resorting to low, cheating tactics.
That came in handy
While Terrence initially believes that Tony and Patty are better off having their technology use restricted — he thinks that they play too many games already — he comes to learn that his kids' tech skills shouldn't be doubted. When Kingston initiates his virus and causes people to be locked out of devices unless they beat his levels, Terrence and Nora are pretty much hopeless. They simply don't have the same gaming skills as their kids, and are forced to rely on them to get out of tight situations. It's actually a good reminder to never doubt someone's skills — even if they seem unimportant on the surface — since you never know when they'll come in handy.
Sometimes a seemingly innocuous hobby can end up being the key to solving a major issue or help to show a different perspective on tackling a problem. Terrence comes to learn this the hard way and gains a whole new perspective on his tech-influenced kids. It's a more grounded and relatable theme that viewers — most likely parents — can really be impacted by, and it makes for a strong component of Terrence and Nora coming to see how capable their children are as spies.
Parental concerns about tech
Although it's easy to poke fun at Terrence's view of technology and how it's influencing Tony and Patty, it's hard not to blame him. Given how rapidly technology has advanced over the years and how accessible things like social networks and messaging apps are, there are many reasons for parents to be concerned about their kids using it on a daily basis. That fear is the core of Terrence's view that he can lock his kids out of tech if things get too scary, and it's likely something that a lot of parents can relate to. The film's subtle themes around parental concerns about technology and their kids' use of it are a big part of Terrence and Nora's arcs in the film.
With their own knowledge of how dangerous technology like Armageddon can be and how vulnerable they are because of it, Terrence and Nora have real fears that their children will be at risk because of how connected they are to technology. Real-life parents easily have similar anxieties, and even the film's depiction of Kingston taking advantage of Tony through a video game he brought home exemplifies this. There is something fascinating about seeing technology evolve, but it's a big reason that parents both in this film and in real life fear its impact on their children.
What does the ending mean for the franchise?
Now for that all-important question: Is there a sequel to "Spy Kids: Armageddon" on the way? Maybe, but there's no clear answer currently. Netflix hasn't announced any plans yet to continue the franchise, and the film doesn't hint at a future storyline or villain. It's likely meant to be a reboot for the franchise, though, so it's probably that there are intentions for more to be done with these characters or this world. If the franchise sticks with the Tango-Torrez family, the next film could easily follow their upcoming adventures together.
However, there are options for the franchise to expand or potentially go back to fan-favorite characters. If fans express no interest in seeing more from the Tango-Torrez family, a new family could be introduced to further develop the world of "Spy Kids." Or maybe it'll be time for a check-up with the Cortez family and see what they've been up to after all this time. The only thing that's very certain is that if there ends up being another "Spy Kids" film, Robert Rodriguez will likely return to write and direct –- after all, he's stuck with the franchise for five films. It's hard to say if "Spy Kids" will really return. But if "Armageddon" ends up being a hit on Netflix, the chances are high.