'Banger' Movie Ending Explained & Summary: What Happens To Scorpex?

Netflix’s Banger is a comedy thriller film centered around a has-been DJ, Scorpex, whose mundane life took a drastic turn when he was approached by the National Intelligence specializing in drug trafficking. While people barely recognized Scorpex, he took pride in his past glory. He was envious of Vestax, a young, popular DJ he felt lacked originality. Scorpex had not produced music for a long while, and the public had pretty much erased him from their memories. Scorpex had made peace with the fact that his glory days were over, and playing a brief set before Vestax got on stage was the only gig he would get. One day at a record store, Scorpex crossed paths with a woman who completely changed his life. 

Spoiler Alert

Why was Scorpex hired by the National Intelligence?

Scorpex came across an enthusiastic fan at the record store who later turned out to be a secret agent named Rose. She wanted Scorpex to work for them because she believed he had an incentive to serve their purpose. According to Rose, Vestax owed his popularity to a criminal gang; they financed everything for him, from his music videos to his PR and even his music lyrics. Scorpex was not surprised; he expected no better from the talentless youngster. But Vestax was not the man the National Intelligence was after. They wanted Scorpex to hang out with Vestax and gather intel to help the national intelligence expose the criminal organization he worked for. Vestax was close to Molotov, the second most important person in the gang, and that was why Rose believed that Vestax also had a connection with the leader, Dricus Mascarilla. The National Intelligence had lost track of him after he underwent  facial reconstruction surgery post a poisoning attempt that left him with scars all over his face and body. Dricus was investing in a backup plan with his new identity. According to the information they had, he’d put money into legal businesses, particularly fashion, and they were convinced that he had a stake in the brand, Van Straat. Since Vestax idolized Scorpex, Rose was convinced that he would not struggle to befriend the gangsters. Rose wanted Scorpex to be Vestax’s new best friend and help her team apprehend Dricus Mascarilla. Such an unbelievable life twist was not something Scorpex had predicted, but the possibility of helping the authorities nab a criminal by just being himself felt like quite an honor to him. Bonding with the incompetent DJ did not come naturally to Scorpex, but he had a job to do, and he was ready to fake his way through. Also, the success of the plan guarantee the fall of Vestax, and that was something Scorpex looked forward to.

Why was Toni disappointed in her father?

Scorpex’s daughter, Toni, had moved in with him to spend some time together. While he was glad to have her by his side, he also struggled to keep the truth from her. There were days when he wanted to discuss the secret mission he was on, but he had to control himself. Toni was a jack of all trades, and she was trying to figure out if she could master one. She had inherited her father’s love for music and had been working on her own track. The more Scorpex got involved with the gang, the more he feared for the safety of his daughter. After he mistook a gang member for Dricus, the gangsters became extremely suspicious of the people they were dealing with. Scorpex had convinced Toni to spend 24×7 at his studio so that she could complete the track she was working on, also hoping to keep her away from the gangsters in the process. But unfortunately, Molotov had tracked Scorpex’s studio and found Toni there. As soon as Scorpex realized that Toni was not safe with him, he requested her to leave. Toni had hoped that one day she and her father would create music together, and perhaps Scorpex too wanted to do the same, but he had too much on his plate, and it resulted in a misunderstanding between the father and daughter. Scorpex and Vestax had to compose a track for the Van Straat fashion show, but Molotov rejected every option they came up with. Scorpex had to offer up something completely new, and he turned to the track Toni created. 

Was Scorpex Successful In Executing The Mission?

This was Scorpex’s only chance to redeem himself, and he was hellbent on making it work. When Vestax mentioned that the big boss would risk his life to attend the Van Straat show, Scorpex knew he had to come up with a banger track. When all options failed, he decided to ignore Vestax and directly approach the designer behind the brand, Tabitha. Since the brand was clearly very dear to Dricus, Scorpex thought that the only way to make sure that his track got approved was by incorporating Tabitha’s vocals. He requested Tabitha to come along with him to his studio and just record the thoughts and ideas that she believed the brand stood for. Tabitha refused to record unless Scorpex provided a background track. As luck would have it, Tabitha loved the track that Toni had created. Even though Scorpex knew that using his daughter’s music without her permission was unfair, he didn’t have a choice. The recording went smoothly, and the track was selected for the ramp walk. Vestax, unfortunately, didn’t make the cut as the sound designer, and Scorpex finally got the opportunity to soak in the fame. He had informed Rose that the boss would attend the show, and she had her team ready to track him down. The show was significant for Scorpex because it was his chance to reclaim the title of the best DJ in town, and also help the secret intelligence nab a notorious criminal.

Tabitha’s support system and an important member behind the brand, Capitani, thanked Scorpex for coming up with a brilliant track at the very last minute. He was in charge of the execution of the show, and he’d arranged a glamorous DJ booth for Scorpex. He guided Scorpex to the backstage, where the models were getting dressed for the event. Tabitha wanted everyone to sport Van Straat clothing, and Scorpex too was handed the clothes she’d selected for him. 

During Banger’s ending, when Scorpex entered the changing room, he noticed Capitani in the adjacent room removing his shirt, and that was when Scorpex realized that he’d been interacting with the big boss all along. As it turned out, Capitani was Dricus, and while he’d changed his face, his body scars confirmed that he was the same man. Rose had arranged for an earpiece that Scorpex could use to connect with her. He used it to inform her that Dricus was Capitani before the show began. To make matters worse, Scorpex discovered that his daughter was one of the models on the show. He was about to use her music without her permission, and he felt extremely guilty about it. Scorpex apologized to his daughter even though she didn’t know why yet. When the show began, Toni figured out what her father was talking about, and she didn’t know how to react. She kept a straight face while walking the ramp.

In Banger’s ending, a cat-and-mouse chase ensued. Dricus figured something was up when his men stormed the backstage. He tried to escape, and he stabbed whoever came in his way. Meanwhile, Scorpex was trying to explain himself to his daughter when he noticed Dricus walking in their direction with a dagger in his hand. He threw himself on the floor to protect Toni, and in the process, Dricus tripped and fell. Rose and the team handcuffed Dricus; the plan was a success, all thanks to the DJ. Toni embraced her father; she finally realized everything he’d told her was the truth, and that he would risk his life to protect her. She needed that reassurance, and she was glad that even though it was not the kind of collaboration she’d hoped for, unknowingly she and her father had created quite an impressive track. The final scene suggests that Scorpex chose spending time with his daughter over fame. Rose called him to inform him that she was about to start the debrief, and she hoped that he would attend the meeting. But Scorpex was a free spirit; he’d helped the National Intelligence, and he would perhaps continue supporting them in any way he could, but he didn’t care about recognition. He was already in another country with his daughter, playing music for a group of strangers. This had always been the life he’d envisioned, and he was glad that he could share it with Toni. Also, did Rose and Scorpex grow romantically fond of each other? Possibly so!

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