“Ad Vitam” Ending Explained: What Evidence Did Léo Have — and Did Franck Get Justice for Nico's Death?

Warning: Ad Vitam spoilers ahead!

International espionage, government coverups and paragliding action scenes — Ad Vitam has got it all.

The French Netflix thriller follows Franck (Guillaume Canet), an ex-elite agent racing to uncover a dangerous conspiracy after a group of armed, masked men kidnap his pregnant wife, Léo (Stéphane Caillard).

Their demands for her safe return? Hand over the only evidence that could pull back the curtain on a major scandal and coverup by French ministers that led to the death of his former partner, Nico (Alexis Manenti).

After debuting on Jan. 10, Ad Vitam was ranked No. 1 on Netflix’s Top 10 Movies. Its mix of over-the-top fight scenes and iconic Paris landmarks grabbed viewers’ attention, but the dicey ending leaves many unanswered questions.

So, how does Ad Vitam end? Here's everything to know about the thriller's final moments and what they mean for the future of Franck, Léo and the French government.

How did Ad Vitam end?

All seems lost when Franck and fellow agent Ben (Nassim Lyes) confront the man holding Léo hostage: Vanaken (Johan Heldenbergh), a mercenary hired by high-level French officers to destroy the key evidence Franck possesses.

Through a clever ruse, the trio manages to escape, but Léo is shot and starts going into labor. Franck’s focus shifts from exposing the truth to getting his pregnant wife to safety.

An intense chase ensues from the Rambouillet Forest through Versailles to Paris, where Franck takes Léo to the hospital to get treated and give birth.

After one final showdown with Vanaken at the hospital, Franck is arrested by the National Gendarmerie Intervention Group (GIGN) — the tactical police force he used to belong to. He’s accused of being a government mole and thrown into prison.

What happened to Franck and Léo at the end of Ad Vitam?

At the end of Ad Vitam, Léo has delivered a baby girl and reveals that she now holds the key evidence that could exonerate her husband and expose the criminal activity the French government has been covering up.

Throughout the entire kidnapping, she had held onto a hidden key that could access the evidence. After Franck is imprisoned, Léo frequently visits him while he awaits trial and the couple plan how to get justice.

Léo then uses the evidence as leverage in court to clear Franck’s name, reveal the truth about Nico’s death and expose the government’s role in the conspiracy and the effort to silence her husband.

Franck is eventually released and reunites with Léo and their daughter.

What does Ad Vitam mean in Latin?

The film’s title is a Latin phrase that means “for life.” This thematic mantra is shown both in Franck’s efforts to save his wife and unborn child and the evidence he needs to expose the truth.

Flashbacks reveal that Franck’s late father was also a member of the GIGN. When Franck follows in his footsteps and joins the force, he’s given his dad’s police badge. On it is an inscription that reads “Ad Vitam.”

After Nico dies and the GIGN dismisses Franck on the grounds that he put his team in danger, Franck finds a bloodstain on the badge. He gets it DNA tested and proves that his theory was right: the men he and Nico faced that fatal night weren’t small-time crooks like the GIGN insisted. Instead, they were actually high-ranking government moles.

When the journalist he trusts with this information also turns out to be a mole, Franck and Léo are hunted down by mercenaries hired to silence them and destroy the badge, kicking off the movie's action.

Will there be an Ad Vitam sequel?

Netflix has not announced any plans for a sequel film. But the ending of Ad Vitam does position the possibility for Franck and Léo to, once again, be at the center of a government conspiracy.

Though the final scenes paint a happy ending for the couple, who are raising their new daughter, Franck and Léo made plenty of powerful enemies and some may want to silence them for good.

Read the original article on People