Summary
The ending of Trigger is fairly limp, building to the obvious conclusion without really challenging its ideas too intently.
When you really boil it down, the ending of Trigger, like the show itself, is a conflict over two competing ideologies. This theme is made incredibly literal by Episode 10, which contrives the reason for a rally and a counter-rally that bring the pro-gun and pro-gun-control arguments into direct opposition. And with them, Lee Do and Moon Baek face off over their own beliefs in what ultimately amounts to quite a lacklustre confrontation.
Ordinarily, I’d give a warning around this point that there’s a lot to go over, but there isn’t in this case. Not really. Trigger is about guns, of that there can be no doubt, but it’s particularly about whether the citizens of any nation, though in this case South Korea, should have unfettered access to them. That’s the crux of the narrative and the two key character arcs. There’s really very little going on beyond it, and whatever else was there has been covered in my comprehensive Season 1 recap. All that’s left are basic conclusions, none of which are surprising in context.
Still, let’s break it down.
A House Divided
Following the death of Sergeant Jo and the hospitalisation of Lee Do in the penultimate episode, Baek has managed to sink his hooks deeply into Korean society. Now, a gun legalisation rally is due to take place outside Gyeongin Stadium, with ordinary folks wielding placards from opposing sides of the aisle. It’s an extremely combustible environment.
The core of this debate is reiterated through flashbacks to an earlier conversation between Baek and Lee Do. They have a lot in common, these two – troubled childhoods, obsessions with justice and revenge, and a complicated relationship with guns. In short, Lee Do realised they weren’t the answer and abandoned them; Baek believes they’re the only path to true freedom. Joker-style, he believes that, if given the choice, people will side with him.
All of the finale’s tension is based around the idea that he’s right. It becomes increasingly obvious that his ultimate plan is simply chaos among the populace, and each step along the way works towards this goal. Lee Do is the only one who can thwart it.
A Rally Erupts Into Carnage
When Lee Do leaves Sergeant Jo’s funeral to meet with Baek, the latter reveals how he orchestrated all of the major events we’ve seen thus far to reach this eventual endgame. Outside the windows, the crowd is at a fever pitch. Things only get more tense when a giant truck pulls into the rally, and Baek announces to the crowds it’s full of guns. Carnage ensues.
Lee Do kills all of Baek’s goons, despite his injury, and gives chase outside. When he and Baek both spot each other in the crowd, multiple smoke grenades go off. They hold each other at gunpoint, but it’s a stand-off, since a single bullet will send the now armed crowd into chaos. Baek moves around a little, but a shot goes off in the smoke. When Lee Do whips around, Baek has been shot in the chest, though it isn’t clear who by. As he smiles and sinks to the ground, he’s proved right – everyone begins shooting each other.
Lee Do, heroic as ever, rushes to a nearby child who is caught in the middle of the frenzy, screaming. He grabs and holds him, which is caught on camera by Baek’s pet journalist. Seeing his selfless gesture, the nurse, So-hyeon, who was planning to shoot up the hospital, thinks better of it.
Peace Wins (More Or Less)
Lee Do hugging that little boy becomes a symbol of peace. The rally caused 70 casualties, but the story of his heroism and the proliferation of that snapshot of it helps to calm the tensions in Korea, and people, including So-hyeon, voluntarily surrender their firearms.
Not everyone agrees, of course. The journalist is shot dead for publishing his story, just when it seemed like he had made it to where he wanted to be, and the string-pullers above Baek only know one way of doing things. It’s made clear that Baek, thanks to significant blood loss and his history of cancer, is unlikely to survive his injuries, but a female assassin makes sure that he doesn’t.
Lee Do is unconcerned, though. He returns to his patrolman job, visits a recovering Mrs. Oh, and the ending of Trigger finds him walking home hand-in-hand with the young boy whose life he saved. It’s a small moment of satisfaction in an otherwise fairly limp climax.
