Sicario 2 ending explained: What happens to Isabela?

Sicario 2, officially titled Sicario: Day of the Soldado, released on June 29, 2018, follows the intense and dangerous world of the war on drugs.

The movie continues the gloomy portrayal of how the war of drugs works on both sides of the border. Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) and Alejandro Gillick (Benicio del Toro) are the main characters in the story. They are supposed to start a war between two Mexican drug cartels.

Things get worse for them on their mission, leading to adverse and violent results. The ending serves as both a conclusion and a springboard for future events. Isabela is saved by Matt at the end of the movie.

The official synopsis of the film reads:

"FBI agent Matt Graver calls on mysterious operative Alejandro Gillick when Mexican drug cartels start to smuggle terrorists across the U.S. border. The war escalates even further when Alejandro kidnaps a top kingpin's daughter to deliberately increase the tensions. When the young girl is seen as collateral damage, the two men will determine her fate as they question everything that they are fighting for."

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The ending of Sicario 2 - Moral conflict of Matt Graver about saving Isabela

Matt Graver’s decision to save Isabela, despite orders to eliminate her, is a pivotal moment in Sicario 2. Throughout the movie, Matt is portrayed as a calculating and ruthless operative willing to follow any orders.

However, as Alejandro and Isabela face imminent danger, Matt's cold exterior cracks. He chooses to protect Isabela, a move that goes against his typical demeanor.

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Alejandro’s near-death experience

Alejandro is shot in the head by a smuggler named Miguel. It is one of the most shocking parts of the movie.

Viewers are led to trust that the movie's main character, Alejandro, is dead. Later, he is found alive.

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Isabela’s role in the war on drugs

A still from the movie (Image via Sony Pictures Entertainment)

Isabela Reyes, the kidnapped daughter of a cartel leader, represents the collateral damage in the war on drugs. At first, Isabela is shown as a rebellious teen, but as the movie goes on, her situation becomes more fragile.

After being the daughter of a powerful man, she is no longer safe. Now she is a pawn in a dangerous game.

At the end of Sicario 2, Matt offers to put her in witness protection, but this only shows how little power she has over her own life. Isabela's character stands for the innocent people who are caught in the middle of the drug war.

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Matt’s approach goes in vain

A still from Sicario 2 (Image via Sony Pictures Entertainment)

In Sicario 2, Matt’s brutal approach to the war on drugs is ultimately shown to be flawed. His plan to make the cartels fight back doesn't work as planned, leading to unexpected outcomes.

The mission was approved by the government at first, but when the public looked into it, it fell apart, forcing Matt to give up his wicked tactics.

Like the main idea of Sicario 2, this failure shows that even the best-laid plans can go wrong when people are unpredictable.

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Alejandro’s transformation

Alejandro’s character develops significantly throughout the movie, particularly in the final moments. After surviving a fatal gunshot, Alejandro goes up to Miguel, the young smuggler who shot him, and confronts him. Alejandro asks him instead of getting back at Miguel if he wants to be a Sicario.

This vague offer makes it look like Alejandro wants to hire Miguel because he might see him as a possible successor.

The ending shows that Alejandro's goals have changed from getting revenge on someone to something bigger, like playing a new role in the ongoing conflict.

The ending of Sicario 2 leaves many doors open for a third installment. Alejandro is now free from the restrictions of dealing with the CIA.

This perhaps keeps him for a more autonomous and scary future. Matt's choice to save Isabela implies that his character might still battle the moral consequences of his deeds.

Though her future is unknown, Isabela's path suggests that she might be more involved in the war on drugs moving ahead. In the end, the film prepares viewers for a new chapter where the paths of these people will probably cross in an even more dramatic fashion.

The unresolved questions and shifting character dynamics in Sicario 2 hint at a deeper exploration of the war on drugs, personal revenge, and moral conflict in future sequels.

The movie is currently available on Hulu.