Delving into the ending of Netflix's sci-fi Atlas (2024)

Atlas ending spoilers follow.

Atlas' ending brings humanity and AI together, as Jennifer Lopez's heroine and her witty high-tech suit join forces to save Earth from total destruction.

Netflix's new sci-fi epic follows a brilliant analyst (Lopez) who becomes humanity's last hope after AI terrorist Harlan (Barbie's Simu Liu) reveals his plans to destroy humankind.

They share a history together – Atlas' mother designed Harlan and they grew up almost like siblings before he found a way to modify his own code to declare war on humanity. He was defeated and abandoned the planet, but he continued scheming from a distance.

Almost three decades later, an adult Atlas joins a highly trained team led by Colonel Elias Banks (Sterling K. Brown) to find and arrest him for good.

However, she will need to reconcile her distrust of AI machines and her traumatic past in order to survive. That means syncing with ARC9, aka Smith (voiced by Gregory James Cohan), a suit that can enhance all her skills.

Now that it's out on Netflix, let's delve into the ending of Atlas to explain what happens to Smith and whether Atlas managed to save the day.

Atlas ending explained

Before getting into what happens at the end of Atlas, we need to talk about Atlas' dark secret, which is revealed in a very emotional scene.

When she was a kid, Atlas was jealous of Harlan because her mother found him more fascinating than her.

One day, she asked the AI machine to "make her better" in the hopes of getting her mother's attention again. Harlan told her that to do so he needed to alter his Neural Link device, something her mother wouldn't approve of because it means the data would go both ways and AI could control the human they're connected to.

He only needed a human's command to change the code, so he tricked Atlas into giving him what he needed to take control. Atlas was scared it would hurt, so Harlan told her to squeeze her favourite chess piece, the Queen, which we see her carry during the whole movie as a sort of anti-stress ball.

When Atlas got connected to Harlan's Neural Link, he saw stock-like images of animals, plants and other nature-related landscapes, but also humanity's worst face through polluted areas, fires and armed conflicts.

"I've seen what your kind will do, and now I understand what must be sacrificed," he said afterwards, taking control of Atlas' mother's body (she was at the other end of his Neural Link) and forcing her to shoot herself.

In Atlas' eyes, she was responsible not only for her mother's death, but also for the extermination of three million people due to Harlan's open war on humanity. She has carried that guilt for almost three decades, and now she has a chance to stop the monster she helped unleash.

At the moment of this confession, it feels the odds are against her – having obtained the needed clearance codes, Harlan is about to send the lethal stolen battleship Dhiib to crash into Earth causing mass destruction.

Harlan's ultimate plan is to destroy the vast majority of humanity so, from the ashes, he can build a new reality of coexistence. One that accepts AI machines are superior to humans, of course.

"We are simply the better versions of you," Harlan tells Atlas in his classic villain speech.

He actually orchestrated this whole mission, from Casca's capture at the beginning of the movie to Atlas' involvement, all to get to this moment and see the battleship take off towards Earth.

However, his plans crumble at the last minute when Atlas destroys the ship with a truly remarkable shot, and Colonel Banks sacrifices himself to take down most of his army of AI bots.

Amid all the destruction, only Atlas and Harlan are left standing, so they fight. Harlan is fast and lethal, but Atlas is able to read his movements thanks to Smith's technology and her own outstanding analytical skills.

"I was humanity's last hope. In the end, you will destroy yourselves," Harlan tells her at one point. "I have faith we can do better," she claps back, stating that Smith is "the best version" of AI technology as she lands the killer blow.

With this, Atlas settles its ultimate message: #NotAllAI.

Harlan is defeated, but not before he irreparably damages Smith's core. The machine uses his last remaining energy to fill Atlas' oxygen reserve, giving her enough time to be rescued. After all, his one main goal has always been to protect his ranger.

Atlas and the AI say their goodbyes as a rescue team arrives on the planet to take her home.

Back in LA, Atlas seems like a different person. A weight has been lifted from her soul (no more guilt trip) and her scientific career has been filled with new purpose.

In fact, she has designed the next generation of ARC, ARC10, following Smith's demise. However, we are in for a surprise... Smith is not dead!

When Atlas gets synchronised with ARC10, we expect to hear the classic introductory protocol, like the one shown earlier in the movie. Instead, the AI's voice remembers she likes her coffee with three sugars and doesn't bother asking if she prefers pie or cake, because he already knows.

She asks for his name, and he simply says: "Guess."

How is Smith still operative? We have no idea and the movie doesn't bother explaining it, but it's a good thing – imagine if Atlas has to make a new friend now. Good Lord.

Atlas is now available to watch on Netflix.