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Plot Summary

The Suicide Squad (2021) Plot Summary & Ending Explained

Release, runtime and language
2021 · 132 min · English
Echo score 74
JustWatch #4,057 28
Directed by
James Gunn
Starring
David Dastmalchian, Daniela Melchior, John Cena, Michael Rooker, Dwayne Johnson, Idris Elba
Budget
$185M

Within the high-security prison of Belle Reve, some of the world's most dangerous criminals are offered a chance at freedom. Recruited into Task Force X, they're sent on a perilous mission to Corto Maltese, facing off against enemy forces in treacherous jungle terrain. Led by the stern Colonel Rick Flag, this unlikely team of villains must battle their way through the mission, all while being monitored by government surveillance.

On this page (8)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 What happens: full plot
  3. 3 Plot questions answered
  4. 4 How it ends
  5. 5 The book behind the movie
  6. 6 Movie threads
  7. 7 Movies like The Suicide Squad
  8. 8 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch The Suicide Squad (2021)

Where can you watch The Suicide Squad? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on HBO Max, YouTube TV and Amazon Video: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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Full plot summary · contains spoilers

What Happens in The Suicide Squad: Full Plot Summary

The whole story of The Suicide Squad (2021) 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.

The movie begins in Belle Reve Penitentiary, where Brian Durland/Savant (portrayed by Michael Rooker) is amusing himself by tossing a ball around targets he carefully set up. He even displays his exceptional talent by bouncing the ball off the walls, resulting in the unfortunate demise of a canary. His playful moment is cut short when Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) intervenes to assign him a mission.

Savant is quickly thrust into Task Force X, also known as "The Suicide Squad" (or Team 2), which includes characters like Blackguard (Pete Davidson), Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney), Weasel (Sean Gunn), Mongal (Mayling Ng), Javelin (Flula Borg), The Detachable Kid (TDK) (Nathan Fillion), and Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie). Under the leadership of Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman), they head to Corto Maltese for their mission.

Upon their arrival, calamity ensues when Weasel unexpectedly tumbles into the water and drowns—an unfortunate revelation, as no one realized he couldn't swim. Onshore, Blackguard reveals his deception by leading the team directly into an ambush with mercenaries, resulting in his gruesome demise. As mayhem breaks out, Harley goes into action, firing her weapons, while Boomerang employs his signature projectiles to take down enemies.

During the chaos, TDK’s arms detach for his own version of offense, but to little effect. Unfortunately, Mongal meets a tragic end when her attempt to land a chopper results in her fiery demise. Boomerang faces a brutal fate as well when he is impaled and subsequently shredded by the helicopter's blades. In the midst of all the turmoil, Savant seeks to escape but is thwarted when Waller remotely triggers an explosive planted in his head, culminating in his bloody end. Determined, Waller dispatches a second team to complete the mission.

Three days earlier...

Amanda Waller proactively seeks out Robert DuBois/Bloodsport (Idris Elba), a mercenary infamous for shooting Superman with a kryptonite bullet. To manipulate him, she threatens repercussions for his daughter Tyla (Storm Reid), drawing Bloodsport into her plans. Following a heated confrontation that reveals his poor track record as a father, Waller recruits him into the ensemble which features Christopher Smith/Peacemaker (John Cena), Cleo Cazo/Ratcatcher 2 (Daniela Melchior), Nanaue/King Shark (Sylvester Stallone), and Abner Krill/Polka Dot Man (David Dastmalchian).

Waller elaborates on the political strife in Corto Maltese, now controlled by dictator Silvio Luna (Juan Diego Botto) and General Mateo Suarez (Joaquín Cosio), who are engaged in unsettling experiments known as "Project Starfish" at a facility called Jotunheim. The team's primary task is to locate Dr. Gaius Grieves/The Thinker (Peter Capaldi) to dismantle the machinations brewing in the facility.

As the motley crew traverses the jungle towards their goal, they mistakenly assassinate members of the local Freedom Fighters, leading to revelations about their misconceived targets. Tensions rise as Polka Dot Man reveals the source of his powers stemming from his troubled past, while the group forms a bond amidst chaos. Their journey is further complicated by Harley, who unexpectedly finds herself in the clutches of Luna—who attempts to woo her.

After a series of dramatic and comedic encounters involving javelins and gunfire, Harley escapes captivity, reuniting with the Squad to infiltrate Jotunheim. Inside, they confront the terrifying Starro The Conqueror, which unleashes chaos and destruction as Peacemaker's betrayal unfolds.

Bloodsport, Harley, and Polka Dot Man engage in a frantic struggle for survival, culminating in a climactic showdown against Starro. Amidst intense battles, Ratcatcher's unique skills come into play, mobilizing a rat army to aid in their fight against the monstrous alien and ultimately lead to its defeat.

The aftermath of the confrontation reveals the remaining Team members contemplating their next steps as Waller is coerced into releasing them. Bloodsport reconnects with Tyla, establishing a new dynamic as they reflect on their experiences.

In a mid-credits scene, Weasel resurfaces alive in the jungle, while a post-credits reveal hints at Peacemaker's unexpected survival, setting the stage for potential further adventures. The blend of action, humor, and heartfelt moments culminates in a finale that resonates with both chaos and camaraderie as the squad leaves their mark on both the city and each other.

Last updated: April 16, 2025 at 14:33

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Plot questions answered

The Suicide Squad Plot Explained: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask most about The Suicide Squad (2021): 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 did Peacemaker betray the Suicide Squad?

Peacemaker betrayed the Squad during the infiltration of Jotunheim because he was secretly working to protect the Project Starfish experiment. He believed the alien Starro could be used as a weapon for Corto Maltese's government, and he killed Ratcatcher 2's teammate Polka Dot Man to prevent the team from destroying the facility. His loyalty to the mission and his nationalist ideology clashed with the Squad's objective to dismantle the project.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Peacemaker emphasized his commitment to peace and his willingness to do whatever it takes, hinting at his rigid worldview that would lead to betrayal.

  • peacemaker betrayal
  • project starfish
  • jotunheim
  • polka dot man death
  • squad betrayal
Q2

How did Ratcatcher 2 defeat Starro?

Ratcatcher 2 used her ability to control rats, summoning a massive swarm of them to swarm across Starro's face and body. The rats' combined weight and movement destabilized the alien creature, causing it to lose its balance and fall. Bloodsport and Harley then took advantage of the opening to deliver the final blows that destroyed Starro.

Foreshadowing: Earlier in the jungle, Ratcatcher 2 demonstrated her connection with rats by calling them to her side, establishing her unique power set before the final battle.

  • ratcatcher 2
  • starro defeat
  • rat swarm
  • battle jotunheim
  • alien defeat
Q3

Why was Bloodsport forced to join the Suicide Squad?

Amanda Waller forced Bloodsport into Task Force X by threatening his daughter Tyla. She showed him a photo of her and made it clear that harm would come to his daughter if he refused to participate. This manipulation tactic is Waller's standard approach to ensuring compliance from her recruited criminals.

Foreshadowing: Waller's recruitment method is established early when she approaches Savant with the same intimidating demeanor, showing her pattern of coercion.

  • bloodsport
  • amanda waller
  • daughter tyla
  • coercion
  • recruitment
Q4

What was Project Starfish in The Suicide Squad?

Project Starfish was a secret government experiment conducted at the Jotunheim facility in Corto Maltese. The project involved capturing and experimenting on an alien creature later revealed to be Starro The Conqueror. The Thinker, Dr. Gaius Grieves, was overseeing the experiments that ultimately created a giant alien starfish that could mind-control humans through microscopic spores.

Foreshadowing: Waller mentioned strange experiments happening in Corto Maltese before the team arrived, hinting at the covert scientific operation.

  • project starfish
  • jotunheim
  • starro
  • thinker
  • gaius grieves
  • alien experiment
Q5

Why did the Suicide Squad kill the Freedom Fighters?

The Squad mistakenly killed members of the local Freedom Fighters because they were misinformed about their targets. The team was led to believe the Freedom Fighters were enemy combatants working with the Corto Maltese regime. In reality, the Freedom Fighters were rebels opposing the dictatorship of Silvio Luna and General Suarez, making them potential allies rather than enemies.

Foreshadowing: The briefing about Corto Maltese's political situation did not clearly distinguish between rebel groups and regime forces, setting up the tragic misunderstanding.

  • freedom fighters
  • corto maltese
  • mistaken targets
  • rebel group
  • betrayal
Q6

Did Peacemaker survive the final battle?

Yes, Peacemaker survived. In the post-credits scene, it is revealed that Peacemaker was alive and recovering in a hospital bed. While Bloodsport believed he had killed Peacemaker by shooting him in the neck during the Jotunheim battle, the wound was apparently not fatal. His survival sets up potential future appearances in the DC universe.

Foreshadowing: The post-credits scene shows a TV report about Peacemaker's survival, contrasting with the apparent finality of his death scene.

  • peacemaker survival
  • post credits
  • death scene
  • hospital
  • hc quinn sequel
Q7

Why was Harley Quinn captured by Silvio Luna?

Silvio Luna, the dictator of Corto Maltae, captured Harley Quinn because he became infatuated with her during the mission. Despite being a ruthless leader, Luna tried to woo Harley romantically, even showing her his collection of diamond hearts as gifts. Harley used this distraction to escape, eventually freeing herself and rejoining the Squad to continue the mission.

Foreshadowing: During the jungle sequence, Harley finds herself separated from the group, which sets up her capture by Luna's forces.

  • harley quinn
  • silvio luna
  • capture
  • romance
  • escape
  • corto maltese dictator
Q8

How did Weasel survive after drowning?

Weasel survived his apparent drowning because he was actually a metahuman with aquatic abilities, despite not being able to swim initially. In the mid-credits scene, Weasel is shown waking up unharmed in the jungle after the battle, leaving his survival unexplained but suggesting his physiology allowed him to survive underwater.

Foreshadowing: The movie never establishes Weasel as a metahuman before his death, making his survival in the mid-credits scene an unexpected twist.

  • weasel survival
  • drowning
  • metahuman
  • jungle
  • mid credits
Q9

Why did Blackguard betray the Suicide Squad?

Blackguard betrayed the team to save his own life. He made a deal with the Corto Maltese mercenaries, leading the Squad into an ambush in exchange for being spared. His plan backfired when the mercenaries killed him anyway, as they had no intention of honoring their deal.

Foreshadowing: Blackguard's cowardly personality was hinted at when he was first introduced as part of the criminal roster, suggesting he would prioritize self-preservation.

  • blackguard
  • betrayal
  • ambush
  • mercenaries
  • corto maltese death
Q10

Why did Amanda Waller send a second Suicide Squad?

Waller sent a second team because the first team (Team 2) suffered catastrophic losses almost immediately upon arriving in Corto Maltese. Weasel drowned, Blackguard was killed during his betrayal, Mongal and Captain Boomerang died in helicopter accidents, and Savant was killed by Waller's neck bomb when he tried to escape. With most of the team dead and the mission incomplete, Waller deployed Bloodsport's team (Team 1) to finish the job.

Foreshadowing: The opening sequence establishes Waller's pattern of using expendable criminals and her willingness to sacrifice them when they fail.

  • amanda waller
  • second team
  • first squad deaths
  • mission failure
  • task force x

Ending explained

What Happens at the End of The Suicide Squad?

How The Suicide Squad (2021) ends, in short: the final scene, the last twist and what it means for the characters. The full ending explained, with every spoiler, lives on its own page.

Read the full ending explained

The climax of The Suicide Squad reveals that the team’s mission to destroy Project Starfish was more complicated and morally ambiguous than it seemed. As they confront Starro the Conqueror—a massive, alien starfish creature capable of controlling minds—they discover that Starro’s origins are connected to secret governmental experiments aimed at weaponizing extraterrestrial life. It turns out that the US government and Corto Maltese officials had been experimenting with Starro in secret, using the chaos of the military coup as cover to hide their involvement.

During the final battle, Ratcatcher 2 and her army of rats are crucial in defeating Starro. They swarm the creature’s body, infiltrate its nervous system, and eventually cause its demise from within, harming its vital organs and ending its threat. Before Starro is killed, it nostalgically remarks that it was happily floating in space, staring at the stars, suggesting a sense of innocence or lost wonder before it was used as a tool by humans.

Continue reading the ending (2 more paragraphs)

Meanwhile, the remaining members of the team confront Waller, who had ordered their mission but secretly aimed to cover up the truth about the experiments. Bloodsport threatens to release evidence of the government’s involvement, which forces Waller to agree to give the team immunity and freedom. In the chaos, Waller attempts to detonate their explosive collars, but the squad rebels, and the session ends with them escaping.

In the aftermath, we see that Weasel is still alive, coughing up water, hinting that he survived. The movie ends with the team going free, while a key post-credits scene shows Peacemaker surviving his injuries and being taken to a hospital. There, Waller’s agents worry he might be used as a weapon, and the scene sets up the upcoming spinoff series, expanding on his character’s story. Overall, the ending emphasizes the corrupt nature of government experiments and highlights the team’s unlikely victory against a monster they didn’t fully understand, leaving open the possibility of future conflicts.

The Suicide Squad ending explained in full

Movie threads

More Movies Like The Suicide Squad, by Mood & Story

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

Raucous Anti-Hero Team-Ups like in The Suicide Squad

Where a band of misfits and criminals must reluctantly work together. Discover movies like The Suicide Squad, featuring chaotic missions with teams of outcasts and anti-heroes. These films share a similar vibe of violent, comedic action and the themes of reluctant cooperation among a band of misfits forced to work together.

  • chaotic
  • violent
  • comedic
  • raucous
  • dysfunctional team
  • unhinged
  • Tone: dark, comedic
  • Pacing: fast, chaotic
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Narratives typically involve a group of morally grey or outright villainous characters being assembled, often under coercion, for a dangerous objective. The journey is defined by internal conflict, unexpected camaraderie, and high-casualty missions where survival is never guaranteed.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped here for their shared focus on a specific team dynamic: chaotic, violent, and comedic stories about groups of anti-heroes. They match a distinct blend of high-intensity action, dark humor, and the theme of found family among the unlikeliest of people.

Bloody & Absurd Action Comedies like The Suicide Squad

Over-the-top violence meets relentless, absurd humor. Explore movies like The Suicide Squad that blend extreme violence with absurd dark comedy. This thread gathers high-energy films where over-the-top carnage is punctuated by relentless humor, creating a uniquely chaotic and entertaining viewing experience.

  • darkly funny
  • gory
  • absurd
  • carnage
  • over-the-top
  • slapstick violence
  • Tone: darkly funny, violent
  • Pacing: fast, relentless
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories in this thread often have straightforward plots that serve as a vehicle for spectacularly violent set pieces. The narrative rhythm alternates between building tension and releasing it with a comedic or brutally violent payoff, prioritizing a consistent, high-energy vibe over complex plotting.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their distinctive tone and pacing: a specific mix of high-intensity, graphic violence with a strong, persistent comedic undercurrent. The shared experience is one of chaotic entertainment where the stakes feel high but the mood remains darkly funny.

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Every angle

The Suicide Squad (2021) Explained: Plot, Ending, Timeline & Characters

Everything about The Suicide Squad in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning, the ending explained and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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