Cell 211

Juan Oliver reports to work a day early as a prison guard. A falling projectile strikes him during his tour, knocking him unconscious and sending him to Cell 211. His colleagues flee the scene, leaving him to wake among the riot's chaos.

The projectile is revealed as a diversion that enables the inmates to riot and seize control of the facility. The guards abandon their posts, and the prison descends into chaos as Juan remains trapped in his cell. The stage is set for a dangerous power struggle inside the walls.

When he wakes, Juan pretends to be a homicide-convicted inmate. He is brought before Malamadre, the riot's leader, and proposes variations to the riot that could aid negotiation. The ruse aims to keep him alive and inside the inner circle while he searches for a way out.

Juan covertly maintains lines of communication with the prison guards and the GEO team preparing to storm the building. He signals he can influence the rioters, while secretly seeking a window for a peaceful resolution. Malamadre begins to see him as a useful, if uneasy, intermediary.

Malamadre discovers that Basque terrorists are being held in the prison and intends to use them as political leverage. News of the riot spurs protests across the Basque Country, and Spanish ministers hesitate to authorize a GEO intervention. The political stakes escalate as the standoff widens beyond the prison walls.

Juan's pregnant wife Elena travels toward the prison as protests erupt outside. She is struck by a police officer during the clashes. Inside the prison, a TV news feed reveals Elena's presence at the protest, deepening Juan's fear for her safety.

The authorities provide information on the injured, and Malamadre demands names. He decides to extract a brutal show of power by threatening to kill an ETA prisoner, but Juan intervenes and suggests they cut off an ear instead. Juan is pressured by the rioters into performing the act, escalating the violence inside the cell block.

The authorities update the injured and confirm Elena is in the hospital, recovering from the protest injuries. Juan longs to speak to her but is rebuffed. Utrilla, the guard who struck Elena, is suspended as the system begins to reckon with the consequences of the assault.

Apache, an inmate close to Malamadre, learns the truth about Juan through a smuggled cell phone and contacts a friend in the police. He tells Juan he will give him a chance to defend himself before informing Malamadre. This creates a tense dynamic as trust fractures inside the riot.

Malamadre compels Juan to face a brutal truth as footage of Elena being beaten surfaces. Elena and her unborn child are confirmed dead, and Juan confronts Utrilla in a violent exchange, ultimately slitting Utrilla's throat in a moment of vengeance.

Overwhelmed by loss and guilt, Juan makes a suicide attempt in his cell. The attempt fails, leaving him alive but morally fractured and more entangled in the prison's turmoil. The personal collapse compounds the already volatile situation.

A government negotiator provides Juan's employment records to Malamadre, confirming Utrilla's claims. Malamadre refuses to kill Juan and instead demands a formal public acceptance of the agreement. The standoff shifts toward a political bargaining phase rather than a simple prison mutiny.

The government agrees to Malamadre's demands, but Juan drives Utrilla's corpse to the government liaison to force a public commitment. He warns that without a public agreement, the ETA prisoners will be harmed. The moment crystallizes the delicate balance of power between inmates and state authorities.

The GEO team storms the prison, quenching the riot. Apache kills Juan and severely injures Malamadre, who then pivots to cooperate with the government against Apache. The raid ends the jailbreak attempt but leaves the power dynamics altered and loyalties redefined.