This article discusses the ending of the Netflix film Dynasty Warriors (2021), so it will contain major spoilers.
Dynasty Warriors offers a historical live-action with fantasy tropes and a series of superpowers and swords. After the three brothers form as allies, Cao Cao’s journey to Luoyang, and the final battle between the three brothers and Lu Bu… what happens next?
After Guan Yu successfully kills Hua Xiong and sends his beheaded head to Dong Zhon’s palace, the three brothers are gifted with allies. Liu Bei becomes their commandant. Knowing about the killing of his general and Sun Jian’s army invading the city, the palace orders 500,000 soldiers to protect the Gate of Hualong and fight the riots. Meanwhile, Lu Bu leads his way to declare war on Sun Jian’s place. The allies gather to discuss the strategy. Almost half of the soldiers leave the allies after the war declaration from Lu Bu. Leaving only 200,000 allies left.
This leads to the sword-friendly sparring between Liu Bei and Cao Cao. This friendly sparring is meant to acknowledge each other’s intentions and values. Both Liu Bei and Cao Cao are the leaders of the pack, men of ambition and loyalty to the Han Dynasty. Anything that causes harm to the Han, especially its people, is their top death-note list. After affirming each other’s genuine motives, they plan to defeat Lu Bo and dethrone Dong Zhou. Cao Cao will head to Luoyang with his mission to save the Young Prince; Liu Bei and his brothers brace themselves at the gate of Hualong to fight Lu Bu.
After 200 years, Dong Zhou plans to move the capital of the Han Dynasty to Changan to save himself from rebellion act. In the meantime, the ruthless Lu Bu encounters Diao Chan, who tries to attempt suicide at the lake. He later claims her as his woman and promises his own blood to marry her after the war ends.
The final unresolved battle
Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei face a critical moment after having a neck-to-neck battle with Lu Bu, while Cao Cao’s allies face an exhausting battle on their way to Luoyang only to encounter nothing. The three brothers are overwhelmed by the great power of Lu Bo and his swords. Out of desperation, Liu Bei learns about the main power of their swords; the more blood, the stronger it gets. This awakening is to underline the key message that the sword’s destiny is in the hands of its owner. They attempt the idea of fleshing their own blood to unleash the true power of their swords—the lightning strikes of Lu Bu’s power clash with the emerging power of the three brothers. Suddenly, the palace sends a signal for Lu Bu to come back. The battle is left unresolved.
Why would they suddenly surrender Lu Bu and the soldiers? Is it because Dong Zhon is set to tie a knot with Diao Chan, who was secretly sent by General Wang Yu to trap both Lu Bu and Dong Zhon into a bloody fight afterward? After the marriage, the palaces move their way to Changan, leaving the palace in Luoyang destroyed after the act of rebellion. It is known that Sun Jian has arrived and stole the gate of the palace to build his own, while Cao Cao and his allies embark on their new journey of saving the young prince.
Netflix’s Dynasty Warriors ending explained
After several years, Cao Cao comes to visit Liu Bei and the brothers’ place. He drinks wine while reminiscing over the past. Cao Cao’s important question to conclude the film is: “Who deserves to be called the hero?” We can see the battle of perspectives between them which intends to affirm the motives of themselves and the roles of the other characters. Yuan Shao, the one who can predict but does nothing other than expanding his own allies; Sun Jian, who hides a superior motive to rule the country. Cao Cao stirs the conversation about how the separatist movement within the Han Dynasty cannot be avoided and concludes by calling himself and Liu Bei the true heroes. This conversation gives the audience a glimpse of Cao’s possibility in the future: to go after the thrones with his allies. Liu Bei, acknowledging the motive, confronts him.
The show ends rashly with an open ending and confusing cliffhangers. We didn’t get to see Lu Bu after he vanishes or what happens between Diao Chan and him. As far as we know, in the original story, a bloody mess will arise between Lu Bu and Dong Zhon because of Diao Chan.
But other than Lu Bu, one thing we get to witness is the last conversation between Liu Bei and Cao Cao and a glimpse of the direction of the two wolves packs. Liu Bei and the brothers stay loyal and dedicated to saving the Han Dynasty, while Cao possibly forms his own dynasty to lead a new direction to conquer the world. Leading to the story of the Three Kingdoms period.
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