Mars One ending explained: Did Tércia recover from her insomnia?

The recently released Brazilian movie Mars One on Netflix was met with positive feedback from fans and critics for its moving story and brilliant acting. The film was directed by Gabriel Martins, who is known for directing In the Heart of the World and O Nó do Diabo.

Mars One was officially selected for screening at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Following the film's success, the movie is now Brazil's official contender for Best International Feature Film at the 95th Academy Awards, which is scheduled to take place on March 12, 2023.

Mars One followed the story of a family of four, including mother Tércia, father Wellington, son Deivinho, and a daughter named Eunice. The family struggled with financial problems as both Tercia and Wellington worked as homemakers and caretakers, respectively.

The family was content with what they had. However, the movie's ending was especially unique, making several viewers question the heartwarming conclusion of the story. As such, this article will discuss the ending of the movie and what it suggested for the family.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from Mars One.

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Gabriel Martins' Mars One brings a satisfactory resolution to the entire movie plot with its heartwarming ending

In the final scene of Mars One saw the four family members lying in their home's backyard and gazing at the night sky when Eunice noticed that her mother had finally fallen asleep after days of struggling with insomnia.

However, right before that, viewers saw a dinner table sequence involving Deivinho and his parents. The son and her sister were supposed to travel to São Paulo on Saturday to attend a lecture by Neil deGrasse Tyson, but their father told him to attend the soccer trial instead, which was supposed to be held on the same day.

Deivinho tried to convince his father to let him go to Sao Paulo, but his request was denied. The day after Wellington made it to work, he got the news that his partner at his job robbed the apartment he worked in. However, he was considered equally responsible for the incident since he had given the keys to his partner. As a result, he got fired instantly.

Meanwhile, a heartbroken Deivinho injured his leg while riding the bicycle with his friends and was forced to miss the soccer trails. His mother, Tércia, wrecked a TV prank crew at a bus station for pulling a terrible prank previously in the film that deeply affected her mental health. Wellington saw his son injured and was further dejected.

He went down the street and wept, ending up finding comfort in alcohol once again. The day ended, and the family went on with their lives, suggesting a Sisyphean cycle of existence alongside hardships. Wellington and his wife then made it to the focus group, where he opened up about his issues and struggles with alcohol. He connected with his estranged daughter and told her that they were pretty similar. Soon after, the family finally accepted the reality and reunited.

In the end, the talented Deivinho made a makeshift telescope with scrap materials, and the entire family took turns looking at Mars. His parents were proud of him, and everyone was happy. The family then lay in the backyard of their home and gazed at the sky when Tércia finally went to sleep after days of insomnia.

The film came to an end here, bringing a satisfactory resolution to the otherwise tumultuous narrative. Mars One, which started with a focus on the family's financial problems and estranged bonds, successfully worked through the parents' relationship with their children and brought the four together. Although the father got fired, Tércia's sleep at the end was suggestive of the emotional contentment that settled over the family.