Slingshot‘s ending has left fans wondering if John (Casey Affleck) is dead or alive.
The 2024 psychological thriller follows a trio of astronauts who embark on an important mission to Saturn’s moon, Titan, to collect valuable resources for Earth.
However, one of the astronauts named John, struggles to maintain his grip on reality which makes it difficult for the rest of the crew to achieve their mission.
Joining him in the quest are Captain Franks (Laurence Fishburne) and Nash (Tomer Capone).
Slingshot was released in the United States on August 30.
Slingshot’s Plot Summary: John & His Space Hallucinations Explained
At the center of Slingshot’s story is John’s consistent hallucinations while he is aboard the Odyssey 1. These hallucinations get worse every time, putting him in conflict with his peers in the space station, Captain Franks and Nash, and with himself.
But how do these hallucinations manifest in John’s mind? Part of the protocol in Odyssey 1 includes hibernating for long periods of time so that their supplies and facilities will be preserved for the journey.
Hibernating includes injecting certain medications every 90 days and John experienced its side effects firsthand after not remembering the last name of his girlfriend, Zoe (Emily Beecham).
Aside from seeing visions of his girlfriend, John also has to deal with his two bickering comrades in space as he is forced to pick a side.
What Is the Conflict Between Nash and Captain Franks?
The drugs’ side effects on Nash lead him to believe that there is an overarching conspiracy behind the authorities who sent them on the space mission to Saturn’s orbit, pointing out that they are being pushed to further danger instead.
As a result, Nash wants to use the “slingshot” moment as a way of escaping.
The slingshot is a term coined by the astronauts as the moment when the spacecraft would utilize the momentum from Jupiter’s gravitational pull to launch them towards Saturn.
Instead of navigating them to Saturn, Nash wants to use the moment to launch them back to Earth instead. However, Captain Franks does not want to waste the opportunity, pointing out that all of the effort and finances to get them there would be put to waste.
This dilemma forces John to assess the situation amid his vivid hallucinations. Eventually, though, he chooses the captain’s side, much to Nash’s dismay.
In a shocking move, Franks murders Nash in front of John for insubordination.
Throughout the film, Captain Franks’ strict yet calm demeanor suggests that the drugs had no effect on him, but the fact that his murderous self emerges against Nash makes it clear that he has been affected by the medications as well.
Wait, Is Zoe Real? Her True Role Explained
Zoe is at the center of John’s hallucinations, with his visions focusing on their meet-cute at a conference to eventually sleeping together.
It even comes to a point where she tells him that she loves him, but John rejects her since he wants to focus on his space mission.
Captain Franks ultimately reveals that Zoe is a fake and she is merely a woman employed by the agency to test his dedication to the program.
John thinks that Franks is lying and this leads to a violent confrontation where he comes out on top.
He then goes into the computer to access his file and this is where he unearths a shocking revelation: the Odyssey 1 mission is a one-man job and his real name is Captain John Nash Franks, implying that his two other comrades are not real.
As he experiences a downward spiral through reality, Zoe is able to contact him through the radio to tell him another version of the truth.
She reveals that he is not in space and he is inside an underground facility in Mexico where the agency is testing the drugs on him to ensure that he can survive the mission and the hibernation process.
So What Happens to John? Slingshot Ending Explained
After learning about the truth, John races against time to find the exit since Zoe tells him that a rescue team needs a signal of sorts for them to be aware that he is still alive.
While trying to find the exit to the vault, another vivid hallucination of Captain Franks tries to stop him, telling him to focus on the mission at hand.
However, he dismisses the so-called captain and he eventually finds the exit. Much to his relief, he climbs up a ladder to reach the surface.
In another shocking twist, John realizes that he is indeed in space and all of what he encountered in the previous moments (Zoe and the underground base) are just parts of the side effects of the hibernation-inducing drugs.
It is too late, though, for John since he is last seen falling into the void of space without protective gear, presumably dying.
It is an unfortunate and tragic ending for John since it showcases him as a worthless test subject sent to space without knowing the true side effects of the drug.
The fact that he is alone contributes to his descent into madness. It is also sends a message of corporate incompetence since the agency does not utilize the proper safeguards to ensure John’s safety.
Elsewhere in 2024, other notable psychological thriller movies include M. Night Shyamalan’s Trap starring Josh Hartnett, and Blink Twice featuring Channing Tatum and Naomi Ackie.
Slingshot is available for purchase on major digital platforms.
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