The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Paz hesitates to kill Bourne because he begins to recognize the moral corruption in his own actions. During their confrontation, he questions Bourne about why he chose to spare him earlier, and the assassin delivers the chilling line about "look at what they make you give," suggesting he understands Bourne is also a victim of the program. This moment of reflection leads Paz to let Bourne escape by not firing at him as he jumps toward the river.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Bourne had the chance to kill Paz at Waterloo Station but chose not to, which Plants the seed for Paz's later hesitation.

• paz
• rooftop
• spared
• assassin
• moral dilemma

Pamela Landy discovers Bourne's true identity, David Webb, through her investigation of the Treadstone and Blackbriar files. As a senior CIA officer with access to classified records, she uncovers the original identity of the agent who was converted into Bourne. She reveals this during her phone conversation with Bourne in New York, using it as proof that she knows exactly who she is hunting.

• david webb
• identity
• pamela landy
• real name

Bourne is being hunted because he has become a liability to the CIA. After learning about his true identity and the illegal Treadstone program, he poses a threat to expose the operation. Noah Vosen, head of Blackbriar (the successor to Treadstone), orders assassins including Paz and Desh Bouksani to eliminate Bourne. The CIA also wants to recover classified documents and silence anyone who knows about the Blackbriar program.

Foreshadowing: The film opens with an assassination attempt in Moscow by Kirill, establishing Bourne as a target from the very beginning.

• hunted
• chase
• cia
• vosen
• blackbriar
• assassin

Nicky Parsons was a former Treadstone technician who worked directly with Bourne during his training. She feels guilt over her role in creating the program that turned him into an assassin. When Bourne finds her in Madrid, she agrees to help him locate Neal Daniels because she wants to expose the truth about Treadstone and Blackbriar, and possibly redeem herself for her part in the conspiracy.

• nicky parsons
• help
• treadstone
• technician
• redemption

Treadstone and Blackbriar are both covert CIA assassination programs. Treadstone was the original program that created Bourne and other super agents through memory implantation and intense training. Blackbriar is the successor program, expanded and even more ruthless, headed by Noah Vosen. When journalist Simon Ross mentions "Operation Blackbriar" during a phone call, the CIA panics because Blackbriar is an illegal operation that must remain secret.

• treadstone
• blackbriar
• cia program
• operation
• connection

Pamela Landy transitions from hunter to ally after she uncovers the extent of corruption within the CIA. When Bourne reveals that Ward Abbott, the former Treadstone head, is involved in criminal activities, she begins to question the legitimacy of her mission. By the time she confronts Vosen on the rooftop, she has aligned with Bourne, providing him with the Blackbriar documents and allowing him to escape.

• pamela landy
• helps bourne
• betrayal
• cia corruption
• vonen

Bourne jumps into the East River to escape certain capture or death at the hands of Vosen and his operatives. Trapped on the rooftop with no other escape route, he chooses to dive into the river below. The jump appears suicidal but demonstrates his survival instincts and training. The ending suggests he survives the jump and swims away, leaving his fate ambiguous but implying he escapes.

Foreshadowing: Bourne's survival throughout the film has been consistent, with his training and instincts repeatedly enabling his escape.

• east river
• jump
• escape
• rooftop
• survive

Simon Ross is assassinated by Paz, a Blackbriar assassin working under Noah Vosen's orders. Although Bourne attempts to warn Ross and save him, Ross's refusal to cooperate and his attempt to run leads to Paz shooting him dead. The assassination prevents Ross from revealing the details about Operation Blackbriar that he uncovered during his investigation.

• simon ross
• killed
• paz
• waterloo station
• assassination

Neal Daniels is a CIA operative who worked on both Treadstone and Blackbriar programs, making him a crucial link to Bourne's past. He possesses detailed records about the programs and their operations. Bourne pursues him across Madrid and Tangier because Daniels holds the evidence that can expose the entire Blackbriar operation. However, Desh Bouksani kills Daniels with an explosive trap before Bourne can question him, though Bourne recovers intelligence from Daniels' briefcase.

• neal daniels
• cia
• evidence
• blackbriar
• treadstone

Noah Vosen orders Desh Bouksani to eliminate Neal Daniels because Daniels possesses sensitive information about both Treadstone and Blackbriar operations. As the CIA tightens its investigation following Simon Ross's discoveries, Vosen cannot risk Daniels being captured or turning informant. Despite Pamela Landy's objections that Daniels is an asset, Vosen prioritizes protecting the Blackbriar program's secrets over operational protocol.

• desh bouksani
• kill
• daniels
• vonen
• orders

Bourne travels to Paris to inform Martin Kreutz about Marie's death because he feels responsible for it. In the previous film (The Bourne Identity), Marie was killed because of her association with Bourne. By delivering this news personally, Bourne attempts to face the consequences of his past actions and the collateral damage caused by his existence as an assassin.

• marie death
• martin kreutz
• paris
• guilt
• apologize

After Bourne jumps into the East River, news reports claim his body was found, but when authorities conduct an intensified search, no body surfaces. The film concludes with Bourne floating in the water before swimming away, confirming his survival. This ambiguous ending suggests he escaped and evaded capture, though his ultimate fate remains uncertain.

• body found
• river
• survives
• escape
• ending

Ward Abbott is the former head of the Treadstone program who is now implicated in the corruption surrounding both Treadstone and Blackbriar. Bourne mentions Abbott during his phone call with Pamela Landy, warning her that he is watching her and referencing Abbott's crimes. While Abbott does not appear onscreen in this film, his involvement represents the higher-level corruption within the CIA that Bourne is trying to expose.

• ward abbott
• treadstone head
• corruption
• cia
• referenced

This line summarizes the film's thematic core about how government programs like Treadstone and Blackbriar strip away humanity from their operatives. Paz recognizes that both he and Bourne have been weaponized by the CIA, forced to kill and sacrifice their moral values. The quote highlights the tragic transformation of individuals into controlled assets who must give up their humanity on command.

• quote
• meaning
• paz
• humanity
• sacrifice
• program