Ava (2020) Plot Summary & Ending Explained

Ava Faulkner, played by Jessica Chastain, is a woman of complexity—a recovering addict, a former soldier, and now an assassin. The narrative unfolds as Ava meticulously devises a plan to kidnap her latest target, an English businessman named Peter Hamilton, portrayed by Ioan Gruffudd. Disguised as his chauffeur, she picks him up at the airport and proceeds to the serene French countryside, where the tension begins to heighten. As they drive, Ava appears to seduce him, eventually maneuvering the car into the wilderness where she climbs into the back seat, poised for her lethal task.

Before she delivers the fatal blow, Ava confronts Hamilton with a question that will unravel the narrative: why is someone after him? Unbeknownst to Ava, a woman has been shadowing her, eavesdropping on the crucial conversation that reveals Hamilton's financial misconduct, including money laundering and election tampering. Ava reports the successful hit to her handler, Duke, and plans a trip to Boston.

Upon her arrival in Boston, Ava reconnects with her estranged family—her sister Judy, acted by Jess Weixler, and her hospitalized mother Bobbi, played by Geena Davis. This bittersweet reunion is laced with anxiety as Ava has not seen them in eight long years, and she is unaware that her every move is being meticulously tracked. The narrative delves deep into Ava's past, revealing her transformation from a straight-A student to a soldier who succumbs to a life of addiction following a tragic accident where she lost her will to live.

Duke, who is not merely a handler but also her former army superior, sends Ava on yet another high-stakes mission to Saudi Arabia, where she is tasked with eliminating a German general implicated in illegal arms sales. The operation is shrouded in urgency and the need for discretion, as Duke reminds Ava: "This has to look like natural causes." Ava executes the mission skillfully but faces an unforeseen complication when her cover is blown. A frantic gunfight ensues, leading to chaos and her hurried escape from Riyadh, but not without her photograph catching the attention of the authorities.

The film intensifies as Ava seeks refuge on the Normandy coast, but her brief solace is shattered when Duke delivers sobering news—the botched operation was due to bad intel, a mistake that cannot be repeated. During a reunion with Michael, played by Common, her former fiancé who is now entangled with her sister Judy, the emotional stakes rise. As they reminisce, Ava reflects on her tumultuous past and the family dynamics that have grown strained due to her absence.

Across the ocean in British Columbia, Duke meets with his superior, Simon, played by Colin Farrell. In a twist of fate, it is revealed that Simon sees Ava as a liability, orchestrating events to ensure her demise. This treachery leads to a confrontation that causes shockwaves through Ava's already turbulent existence. As peril surrounds her, she must grapple with past demons while facing an uncertain future.

As the dramatic tension peaks, Ava is thrust into a violent confrontation against Simon and his associates, which culminates in her successfully removing the obstacles that threaten her life and the people she loves. Her journey becomes one not merely of survival but of redemption, as she seeks to protect her sister and reclaim her life. With her heart heavy for the loss of Duke, who sacrificed much for her sake, Ava offers her sister a way out, providing her with a financial lifeline to secure their escape from the turmoil.

In the end, as the dust settles and Ava strides emphatically toward her next chapter, she becomes poignantly aware that while the ghosts of her past may shadow her, she is determined to reclaim her narrative. However, a sense of foreboding lingers, as she finds herself being stalked by Camille, Simon’s daughter, teasing the possibility that Ava's fight may not be over just yet.

At the end of Ava, the titular assassin manages to confront and kill Simon, the organization’s leader, after a tense and violent confrontation. This act of killing Simon signifies her attempt to break free from the corrupt and dangerous organization that has been controlling her life. Following this, she convinces her family—her mother and sister—to leave the country and start fresh, showing her desire to protect them and seek peace. However, her liberation is complicated by the fact that Camille, Simon’s daughter, has been following her throughout the film. While Camille is not immediately a threat, her presence indicates that Ava’s story isn't over. The final scenes reveal Camille observing Ava from afar, hinting that she will become the next antagonist in a potential sequel. This sets the stage for more conflict, with Camille possibly trained as a formidable assassin to avenge her father’s death and continue the cycle of violence. Meanwhile, Ava leaves her past behind, believing she’s made a clean break, but the closing shot implies her danger isn’t entirely gone. The film’s ending leaves her fate uncertain, suggesting that although she has won her immediate battles, the threat from Camille—and perhaps her own personal struggles—may still loom. Ultimately, Ava closes with a sense of tentative hope for her future but leaves enough threads open for a possible continuation, hinting that her journey—and her battles—are far from over.