Zack Snyder and Netflix have released the first part of Rebel Moon, introducing audiences to a new galaxy and filling it with some beautiful imagery but very little in the way of substance and character. Rebel Moon: Part One – A Child of Fire establishes the core players in the world, the Imperium and the revolutionaries they’re fighting against, including Kora, who it is revealed has a greater significance than just a farm girl. This is one of the more obvious Star Wars-isms that the film’s ending indulges in, alongside refusing to kill off a key villain, all of which will undoubtedly factor into the second part that releases on April 19.
Rebel Moon: Part One – A Child of Fire Ending Explained
Once all of Kora’s warriors have been assembled, and she’s obtained moderate backing from the revolutionaries known as the Bloodaxes, Kai, the dubious rogue, announces that he’s willing to join the fight, but only after he can drop off some equipment at an isolated outpost. This is a trap, where he turns on the warriors and hands them over to the Imperium. Admiral Atticus Noble appears, remarking their capture will gain him a seat in the Senate upon his return to the Motherworld.
He stops at Kora, revealing that he too knows she’s Arthelais, the adopted daughter of Regent Balisarius. Arthelais was a feared warrior within the Imperium and was kidnapped when she was a small child. Balisarius molded her in his image and even got her the high-ranking position of guarding the King’s daughter, Princess Issa. It’s explained at the start of the film that both the King and Princess Issa were killed, so Arthelais didn’t do a great job with her important task, likely why she fled the Imperium. The exposition audiences get about Kora’s backstory doesn’t unveil her role in their deaths, so this is likely something held back for Rebel Moon: Part Two – The Scargiver.
Does Kora defend Veldt and defeat the Imperium?
Some quick thinking from Gunnar, the unassuming farmer, enables him to overpower the treacherous Kai, and he frees his friends. This results in a huge fight, one where Darrian Bloodaxe sacrifices himself to destroy Noble’s dreadnought called the King’s Gaze. After such a loss, the Imperium forces flee, meaning Kora and her gang have managed to prevent war from touching the idyllic farmland of Veldt. The heroes return to the farm on the planet despite this, intending to relax and live out the rest of their days.
Unfortunately, this victory is likely to be short-lived. The final scene shows that the Imperium hasn’t suffered the catastrophic defeat Kora thinks, as Noble manages to survive the battle, and receives new orders from Regent Balisarius. While the Imperium has suffered a huge blow, they’re just getting ready for an all-out attack to defeat the insurgents on Veldt and capture Kora.
Does Admiral Atticus Noble die?
During their fight, both Kora and Noble fall onto a solitary platform high above the ground, away from all of the main characters. Here they engage in close-quarters combat, with Noble using his staff to attack Kora. The fight is long and bloody, but eventually, Kora manages to break several of Noble’s bones and pushes him off the edge. Of course, as A Child of Fire was inspired by Star Wars, Noble survives this fall, and a dreadnought picks him up.
How does Rebel Moon: Part One — A Child of Fire end?
On the ship, Noble and the Regent Balisarius exchange a transmission, where Noble explains that Kora is really Arthelais, the adopted daughter of Balisarius. This sends the Regent into a frenzy, as the news that Kora is allying herself with insurgents worries him greatly. He demands that Noble destroy the revolutionaries and return Arthelais to him alive, or Noble will suffer terrible consequences. While the heroes of the film return to Veldt thinking they’ve won without the Imperium returning, it’s clear that Noble and his forces plan to vaporize the farm from low orbit, bringing the fight right back to Kora.
What did you think of the ending of Rebel Moon: Part One – A Child of Fire? Comment below.
