Warning! This article contains spoilers for Ad Vitam.

Ad Vitam‘s ending reveals exactly what happens to the film’s central MacGuffin and what it was used for, all while wrapping up the storylines of its characters. Ad Vitam‘s cast of characters is led by Franck and Léo, a couple who met during their work for the Gendarmerie, a French law enforcement division. By the time of the film’s ending, the story of Franck and Léo takes many turns as they find themselves at the center of a conspiracy involving the French government, rendering it one of Netflix’s best current action movies.

As one of the best movies to be added to Netflix in January 2025, Ad Vitam is receiving a lot of attention. The film sees Léo kidnapped by French operatives and Franck framed for the murder of a new worker at his construction site. The reason for this is a mysterious key that Franck keeps hidden which serves as the fulcrum of the entire story. Ad Vitam‘s ending reveals what the key is, what it unlocks, how this ties to Franck and Léo, and the true meaning of Ad Vitam‘s Latin тιтle pertaining to the film’s story and characters.

What Was The Key In Ad Vitam & What Happened To It?

The Key Was Vital To Ad Vitam’s Conspiracy Plot

As alluded to, Ad Vitam‘s entire story surrounds a key that Franck has hidden on the roof of his apartment in Paris. The early sections of the film establish that Franck’s apartment is broken into several times, but that little is actually taken save for his laptop. It is revealed that the perpetrators are looking for this key, begging the question of what it was and what happens to it throughout the run time of the film.

As revealed via Ad Vitam‘s lengthy flashback sequence in the middle section of the film, the key unlocks a safe deposit box owned by Franck. Inside this safe deposit box is incriminating evidence against another branch of the French special services, the DGSI. These men want the key back so that they can dispose of the evidence and cover up their involvement in a story-changing event at Paris’ Trianon H๏τel. Although Franck loses the key at one point, it is revealed in Ad Vitam‘s ending that Léo manages to retrieve it and keep it hidden.

Ad Vitam’s Trianon Event Explained: Who Were The Killers & How Does That Link To Franck?

The Pivotal Event Of The Film’s Story

The evidence inside Franck’s safe deposit box is linked entirely to an event showcased midway through Ad Vitam at the Trianon H๏τel. It is explained that a CIA operative and his bodyguard visited the H๏τel to negotiate an arms deal with Australia. Two men working for the DGSI were sent to infiltrate the H๏τel room, copy some of the paperwork, and leave. However, the CIA operatives returned to their room and caught the DGSI agents, resulting in the deaths of the former two.

Franck and his team are then called to the Trianon to investigate reports of gunfire, leading the two DGSI agents to be killed, but not before one of Franck’s close friends – Nico – is mortally wounded. Franck, blaming himself for the death of Nico, investigates further and discovers that the two men were not random killers but DGSI agents, and locks away the evidence. The DGSI wishes to destroy the evidence and cover up their involvement to avoid a global catastrophe with the CIA and the United States, hence the kidnapping of Léo to blackmail Franck into handing over the evidence.

What Happened To Franck, Léo, & Ben In Ad Vitam’s Ending?

The Trio Underwent A Troublesome Third Act

After this plot is revealed, the DGSI’s plan becomes clear; they kidnap Léo to blackmail Franck into handing over the evidence, all while framing the latter for murder so that he can not contact the police. However, Franck enlists the help of his former Gendarmerie colleague Ben, who was also at the Trianon H๏τel that night. Franck and Ben hatch a plan to save Léo and successfully do so, prompting firefights and car chases as the DGSI scrambles to retrieve the unknowingly fake evidence from Franck.

During the stressful situation, the pregnant Léo begins labor after losing a great deal of blood. The trio arrive at the hospital via different means where Franck finally kills the leader of the DGSI. Franck’s old Gendarmerie colleagues arrive to de-escalate the situation and arrest Franck, who they believe to be a murderer. After Franck reveals Léo’s injuries, the team lets him go to first get her to safety. Ben is healed and Léo survives her wounds before birthing her and Franck’s baby while the latter is arrested for his supposed crimes.

After having the baby, Léo uses the key to retrieve the real evidence against the DGSI. She submits it to the courts and regularly visits Franck in prison. Eventually, the courts deem Franck innocent of his alleged crimes and he is released. Ad Vitam‘s ending sH๏τ shows Franck meeting his baby for the first time.

How Ad Vitam’s Ending Sets Up A Sequel

Could A Continuation Be On The Cards?

Despite a sequel to Ad Vitam still being unconfirmed by Netflix, there are many ways the film sets one up. The main way is via the central plot involving the DGSI. Although Franck’s evidence manages to exonerate him, the wider, global consequences of the Trianon event are not outlined. The DGSI was trying to cover it up as a means of avoiding tensions with the USA. Now that the French government has proven to be involved, these tensions could provide the basis of Ad Vitam 2.

The True Meaning Of Ad Vitam’s Ending

Ad Vitam has a lot of strong messages, but perhaps the most prominent is the idea that life is what people make it. The flashback sequences of the film see Franck and Léo reckoning over having so-called “normal lives” with children as their line of work is incredibly dangerous and the opposite of normal. However, they learn via their godparent duties to Nico’s children that there is always time to make life as good as possible, regardless of work circumstances. When Léo falls pregnant, this comes into full focus for her and Franck.

This links to the film’s тιтle, Ad Vitam. In Latin, this phrase translates directly as “for life.” Throughout the film, all the dangers that Franck and Léo navigate are for the life that they wish to build together. Whether it be their early meetings and fighting for a life with each other or fighting for the life of their child and what that could lead to, the film is aptly тιтled. Herein lies Ad Vitam‘s true meaning, which is summed up no better than in the film’s final sH๏τ of Franck and Léo welcoming the life they created and fought for into the world.