'The Madness' Ending Explained: Netflix TV show delivers a twist we never saw coming
Contains spoilers for 'The Madness'
'The Madness' on Netflix has a lot of unpack in its finale episode. The protagonist, Muncie Daniels (played Colman Domingo) is framed for the murder of white supremacist leader, Mark Simon. He not only has to prove his innocence but also has to find the real killer in order to ensure the safety of his family and himself.
With multiple storylines and overstuffed narrative, the climax may come out as a little confusing for many. So, here's a look into how things end for Muncie and if the justice is delivered in this latest conspiracy thriller.
Who killed Mark Simon in 'The Madness'?
The main mystery in 'The Madness' is who actually killed Mark. If you have watched the series with attention you'd know that this questioned in answer before the finale episode but several pieces of the puzzle are yet to be put together to deliver a satisfying conclusion.
Rodney Kraintz turns out to be the main villain. He is a billionaire sponsoring and profiting off the disinformation being spread around the world. He killed Mark because he and his group, The Forge, were getting beyond his control. Mark was even gathering evidence against Rodney for the purpose of building a case and expose him.
Rodney was pulling all the strings using his fixer, Julia Jayne. So, even though Don Sloss Jr, and the person who Muncie killed, had assassinated Mark, they were just working for Rodney and Julia. Muncie is on a run, hiding to save his life. He also has evidence against Julia. On the other hand, Julia has orders to kill Muncie or else she'll be dead. As this becomes clear, let's further discuss what happens in 'The Madness' Episode 8.
What happens to Julia in 'The Madness' Episode 8?
In the beginning of the episode, we see Julia Jayne (Alison Wright) shooting up Isiah's cigar shop where Elena (Marsha Stephanie Blake) is hiding. Isiah is shot but he survives the attack. Meanwhile, Elena attacks Julia and kills her. However, during the struggle, Elena herself gets wounded by gunshot. She's rushed to the hospital and her life is at risk. Luckily, she recovers.
Who kills Rodney Kraintz in 'The Madness' Episode 8?
In the finale, Muncie goes on CNN and delivers an exposé on Rodney Kraintz, claiming that he was working with Julia. However, Rodney dismisses the allegations. Demetrius feels frustrated and he wants Rodney to pay for what he's done.
When Lucie shares the address of Rodney's office, Demetrius (Thaddeus J Mixson) grabs his father's gun and visits the address with an aim to kill him. However, Muncie arrives before any damage is done and he takes away the gun. But instead of leaving, Muncie goes into his office to confront him. He has the chance to kill him, but he doesn't. This is probably because he can draw the parallels between his story and his father's story. And therefore, he walks away, sparing Rodney.
But Rodney doesn't get to live much longer. Lucie (Tamsin Topolski) gives more information to the FBI, resulting in the arrest of several Forge members. This is because she wants everyone (including herself) to be held accountable.
So even though FBI clears the charges against Rodney in Mark's death, he's assassinated in broad day light. Could it be a Forge member? It doesn't matter because the wheel keeps spinning. Revitalize continues its operations, funneling funds to congressmen and propagating disinformation.
In the end, nothing really changes on a broader, political level, but we finally see Muncie returning to his normal life. After the storm, things are better for him. He isn’t trying to make big name for himself, or wanting to change the world. He has changed his priorities. He has left TV or good, and now works as a professor. We see him spending time with his both children Kallie (Gabrielle Graham) and Demetrius. And surprisingly, Eleana joins them too.
'The Madness' is now streaming on Netflix
