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Iron Sky: The Coming Race (2019) movie poster

Plot Summary

Iron Sky: The Coming Race (2019) Plot Summary Explained

Release, runtime and language
2019 · 90 min · English
Echo score 34
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Directed by
Timo Vuorensola
Starring
Udo Kier, Emily Atack, James Quinn, John Flanders, Julia Dietze, Kit Dale
Budget
$8M

After a nuclear war devastates Earth, humanity’s remnants find refuge on a moonbase. As resources become scarce and conflict rises, the leader's daughter, Obi, discovers a mysterious map hinting at a powerful, buried source. This leads her and others on a perilous journey into Hollow Earth, where they face an ancient reptilian enemy determined to extinguish the last vestiges of humankind.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 What happens: full plot
  3. 3 Plot questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Iron Sky: The Coming Race
  6. 6 Every angle
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Full plot summary · contains spoilers

What Happens in Iron Sky: The Coming Race: Full Plot Summary

The whole story of Iron Sky: The Coming Race (2019) explained, from the opening scene to the final frame: every key event, every twist and what it all adds up to. Read it as a quick recap before the sequel, to check a scene you missed, or to finally understand what really happened.

In the year 2047, nearly three decades have passed since a catastrophic nuclear conflict between Earth's nations and the Moon Nazis rendered our planet uninhabitable. A band of survivors from the Third World War managed to board the last available spacecraft shortly after an uneasy peace descended, making their way to the former Nazi moon base, which has been rechristened as "Neomenia" by the surviving Nazi faction. Over the years, the Earth survivors and these ex-Nazis exist in a fragile state of coexistence, yet the dilapidated conditions of the base, coupled with dwindling resources and the emergence of a fanatical cult surrounding Steve Jobs, place the very survival of humanity at risk.

Among these survivors is Obianaju Washington, played by Lara Rossi, the offspring of James Washington and Renate Richter (portrayed by Julia Dietze), who has since risen to the position of leader within Neomenia. Obi, having devoted her life to maintaining the functionality of Neomenia's life support systems, finds her world turned upside down when a Walkyr flying saucer approaches the base. She assists the ship in safely landing and, upon receiving a group of Russian refugees, she inspects their vessel. It is during this critical moment that she encounters Wolfgang Kortzfleisch, the former Moon Führer, played by Udo Kier. Wolfgang reveals a shocking truth to Obi: he belongs to a Vril race of Reptilians that supposedly arrived on Earth when dinosaurs roamed the planet.

Kortzfleisch presents Obi with a daunting mission: she must venture to the subterranean city of Agartha and retrieve the Vrilia, which is the source of the Vril's immense power, to safeguard both Neomenia and the future of humanity. Joined by the pilot of the refugee ship, Sasha (played by Vladimir Burlakov), as well as security officer Malcolm (portrayed by Kit Dale), and a group of Jobsist followers led by Donald (played by Tom Green), Obi embarks on the perilous journey back to Earth. Their adventure takes a perilous turn as they crash into the treacherous realm of the Hollow Earth. Throughout this treacherous odyssey, they soon realize that the Vril have a singular and ominous agenda: to seize the moment to strike and eradicate humanity once and for all.

Last updated: November 07, 2024 at 23:50

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Plot questions answered

Iron Sky: The Coming Race Plot Explained: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask most about Iron Sky: The Coming Race (2019): what happens in the confusing scenes, why the characters do what they do, the twists, hidden details and what the ending means. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Why does Wolfgang Kortzfleisch reveal he is a Reptilian?

Wolfgang reveals his Vril (Reptilian) identity to Obi because he needs her help to retrieve the Vrilia from Agartha. As the former Moon Führer, he claims the Vril have been on Earth since the dinosaur era and possess knowledge crucial for humanity's survival. His revelation is strategic, he presents the mission as essential to safeguard both Neomenia and humanity, though the timeline later reveals the Vril actually plan to eradicate humanity once they regain power.

Foreshadowing: The film's opening establishes that the surviving Nazis have been living on the moon base, making Wolfgang's alien origins a logical twist on the Nazi obsession with occult origins.

  • wolfgang kortzfleisch
  • vril
  • reptilian
  • agartha
  • moon base
Q2

What is Vrilia and why does everyone want it?

Vrilia is described as the source of the Vril race's immense power. Wolfgang instructs Obi to retrieve it from the subterranean city of Agartha, claiming it is crucial for survival. However, the Vril's true intention in seeking Vrilia appears to be reclaiming their power source to execute their plan to eliminate humanity, rather than helping the survivors.

Foreshadowing: The Vril's superior technology and the Nazi's long history with occult sciences hint at an ancient power source underlying their capabilities.

  • vrilia
  • power source
  • vril
  • agartha
  • ancient technology
Q3

What are the Vril's true intentions toward humanity?

The Vril's agenda is to eradicate humanity entirely. While Wolfgang presents himself as an ally seeking to help humanity, the truth uncovered in Hollow Earth reveals the Vril see humans as a threat to be eliminated. Their plan involves using the Vrilia to regain their full power and finish what the nuclear war started, total human extinction.

Foreshadowing: Wolfgang's ominous phrasing about 'safeguarding humanity' masks his reptilian nature, which the film establishes as inherently hostile to humans.

  • vril
  • reptilian
  • humanity
  • extinction
  • hollow earth
Q4

What caused the nuclear war between Earth and the Moon Nazis?

The nuclear conflict erupted between Earth's nations and the Moon Nazis approximately three decades before 2047, rendering Earth uninhabitable. The exact trigger is not detailed in the summary, but the war represents a direct confrontation between Earth's surviving nations and the Nazi faction that established the moon base after fleeing Earth's defeat in World War II.

Foreshadowing: The uneasy peace that followed the nuclear war establishes the fragile coexistence between Earth survivors and ex-Nazis at Neomenia.

  • nuclear war
  • moon
  • nazis
  • earth
  • third world war
Q5

Why does Obi accept the dangerous mission to Hollow Earth?

Obi accepts the mission because Wolfgang presents it as the only way to save Neomenia and humanity from extinction. As the leader responsible for life support systems, she feels obligated to take any chance for survival. Additionally, her leadership position compels her to act when presented with what appears to be crucial information about an existential threat.

Foreshadowing: Obi's lifelong dedication to maintaining Neomenia's life support systems establishes her as someone who prioritizes survival duties over personal safety.

  • obi
  • mission
  • leadership
  • hollow earth
  • agartha
Q6

How did the Steve Jobs cult develop on Neomenia?

A fanatical cult surrounding Steve Jobs emerged among the Neomenia survivors, likely as a response to the desperate conditions and resource scarcity on the moon base. The cult represents one of several factions competing for influence in the fragile post-apocalyptic society, alongside Earth survivors and the ex-Nazis. Donald leads the Jobsist followers who accompany Obi on her mission.

Foreshadowing: The cult's presence illustrates the societal breakdown and desperate search for meaning and leadership in the aftermath of global catastrophe.

  • steve jobs
  • cult
  • jobsist
  • neomenia
  • faction
Q7

What is Hollow Earth and where is Agartha?

Hollow Earth is a subterranean realm accessible from Earth's surface, where the ancient city of Agartha is located. The Vril have supposedly lived there since the age of dinosaurs. When Obi and her team crash during their return to Earth, they enter this hostile underground world where the Vril have been biding their time.

Foreshadowing: The mysterious map Obi discovers hints at a hidden world beneath the Earth's surface, setting up the Hollow Earth reveal.

  • hollow earth
  • agartha
  • subterranean
  • reptilian
  • underground
Q8

Who are Obi Washington'a parents and why does it matter?

Obi is the daughter of James Washington and Renate Richter. Her mixed heritage, between an Earth survivor (James) and a former Nazi (Renate), makes her a symbolic bridge between the two main factions on Neomenia. This background likely contributed to her rise as leader, as she can represent unity between the formerly warring groups.

Foreshadowing: Obi's position as leader despite her mixed ancestry reflects the desperate need for cooperation in the resource-starved moon base.

  • obi washington
  • james washington
  • renate richter
  • parents
  • leadership
Q9

Why does Wolfgang help the humans if the Vril want to destroy them?

Wolfgang's assistance appears to be a long-term deception. While presenting himself as a cooperative ally, his true purpose is likely to manipulate the humans into retrieving the Vrilia, which would enable the Vril to execute their plan of human eradication. The timeline reveals the Vril intend to 'strike and eradicate humanity once and for all' once they have the opportunity.

Foreshadowing: Wolfgang's status as former Moon Führer, a position of power and manipulation, suggests his cooperation masks strategic intentions.

  • wolfgang
  • vril
  • deception
  • humanity
  • manipulation
Q10

What is Neomenia and how did it become a refuge?

Neomenia is the former Nazi moon base that was rechristened by the surviving Nazi faction after Earth became uninhabitable due to nuclear war. The base became humanity's last refuge, housing both ex-Nazis and Earth survivors in a fragile coexistence. Despite its dilapidated condition and dwindling resources, it remains the only known habitable location outside Earth.

Foreshadowing: The uneasy peace between Earth survivors and ex-Nazis established in the timeline highlights the ongoing tension that defines life on Neomenia.

  • neomenia
  • moon base
  • refuge
  • nazis
  • survivors

Movie threads

More Movies Like Iron Sky: The Coming Race, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Iron Sky: The Coming Race tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Apocalyptic Sci-Fi Satire movies like Iron Sky: The Coming Race

Bizarre, high-stakes sci-fi adventures that expose human folly through dark humor. If you enjoyed the darkly comedic and bizarre world of Iron Sky: The Coming Race, explore more movies that mix apocalyptic sci-fi with sharp satire. These films feature high-stakes survival, strange concepts, and a critical eye on human folly, offering a similar blend of adventure and cynical humor.

  • satirical
  • apocalyptic
  • bizarre
  • tense
  • grim
  • adventurous
  • Tone: dark, satirical
  • Pacing: fast, urgent
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories in this thread often begin with a cataclysmic event or a revelation of a hidden truth, sending characters on a perilous journey. The narrative uses this adventure framework to introduce exaggerated factions and ideologies, pitting characters against absurd yet dangerous enemies as a way to critique real-world issues, all while maintaining a fast, often chaotic pace.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped here for their shared DNA of combining high-intensity sci-fi action with a satirical, often darkly humorous tone. They share a focus on apocalyptic or conspiratorial settings, use bizarre concepts to explore serious themes, and deliver a viewing experience that is both thrilling and intellectually provocative.

Movies about journeys to Hollow Earth like Iron Sky: The Coming Race

Perilous expeditions into forgotten realms beneath the surface of our world. Fans of the dangerous descent into Hollow Earth in Iron Sky: The Coming Race will enjoy these other films about expeditions into subterranean worlds. Discover movies featuring ancient races, lost civilizations, and terrifying creatures in underground realms, all centered on high-stakes exploratory adventure.

  • adventurous
  • tense
  • anxious
  • bizarre
  • mythic
  • urgent
  • Tone: dark, adventurous
  • Pacing: fast, perilous
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern involves a catalyst—a map, a legend, or a crisis—that prompts a journey into an unknown, subterranean domain. The journey is fraught with physical danger and existential threats, often pitting the explorers against an ancient, powerful race. The plot revolves around survival, discovery, and a climactic confrontation that determines the fate of both the underworld and the world above.

Why they belong together: These movies are connected by their core premise of exploring a mythic 'Hollow Earth' or similar vast underground setting. They share a mood of adventurous dread, a fast-paced structure of discovery and conflict, and themes of encountering the ancient and unknown, creating a specific subgenre of sci-fi and adventure fiction.

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Iron Sky: The Coming Race (2019) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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