The Rip Ending Explained: Who’s The Traitor (And What Those Tattoos Are About) In Ben Affleck And Matt Damon Thriller

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Be warned – this description contains spoilers! “The Rip” is a suspenseful mystery that unfolds during a police raid. What starts as a question of trust among the officers evolves into a deeply moving story about what’s right and wrong. Starring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, the film follows detectives dealing with the aftermath of a major drug bust.

As the group tries to pull off the heist, suspicion grows because someone is secretly working with enemies to steal the money. This betrayal creates a lot of tension, leading to a fast-paced story filled with action like shootings and car chases, but ultimately highlighting a strong moral lesson. This is what the film, The Rip, is really about.

Who Is The Traitor In The Rip?

A central mystery in The Rip revolves around figuring out who among the officers can be believed, ultimately revealing that Mike Ro, played by Steven Yeun, is the one attempting the theft. This creates a lot of suspense throughout the series, as the characters trade accusations, harbor old grudges, and become increasingly distrustful of each other.

Throughout most of the movie, Dumars appears more and more to be the one responsible. He avoids following proper procedure and gives different officers varying amounts of money, which makes him seem like another typical bad guy played by Matt Damon. But it’s later revealed that this was all intentional – part of a bigger plan.

Actually, Dumars didn’t do anything wrong. He was deliberately trying to provoke a reaction – to create trouble and make Byrne focus on him instead of the rest of the team. And it turns out Mo was the one who received the same information mentioned in the threatening call, which proves he was the one betraying them.

This suggests he was the one who requested reinforcements and initiated the attack. This is proven later when Dumars secretly takes Mo’s extra phone during an argument with Bryne. With their scheme revealed, Mo and his partner, Nix, attempt to flee but are quickly apprehended.

During Mo’s arrest, Nix is fatally shot by Byrne, primarily as revenge for Jackie’s death. This event highlights the film’s themes of trust and confirms earlier hints that, despite seeming gentler with Desi, Byrne was the newest member of the team and willing to manipulate anyone to get what he wanted.

How Did Desi End Up With All The Money In The Rip?

Desi stands out in The Rip because she’s one of the few characters who isn’t carrying a weapon and still plays a significant part. As the Colombian owner of the house used to store the cartel’s drugs, she immediately seems like she might be more involved with the cartel than she appears.

As the movie unfolds, it’s revealed that Desi is actually an innocent person who got caught up in the gang’s schemes. He was the one who contacted the gang’s old leader, Jackie, and was keeping her informed about what was happening. This led Mo and Niix to kill Jackie in an attempt to steal the money.

Desi receives millions of dollars as a reward for helping the authorities, and the story suggests she’s now under FBI protection to keep her safe from the cartels. Interestingly, the cartel leader in The Rip contacts Byrne and Dumars to clarify that the cartel isn’t involved in trying to get the money.

The cartel wasn’t involved in Jackie’s murder, and they’ve apparently stopped pursuing the money, deciding it’s not worth the violence or the risk to their operations. This means the bureau will likely recover the funds, and Desi will ultimately have a positive outcome.

This highlights the film’s exploration of right and wrong. Although the cartels aren’t portrayed as heroes in The Rip, they’re not simply villains – they’re depicted as intelligent adversaries. The true danger in the film comes from the police officers who think they’re beyond the law, and who are willing to compromise their morals for money.

The True Meaning Of The Rip

The movie, The Rip, explores themes of morality, and a key idea revolves around the tattoos of the main character, Dumars. He has ‘A.W.T.G.G’ tattooed on his left hand and ‘W.A.A.W.B’ on his right, which he tells Desi were his dying father’s last words to him.

The boy’s last question to his father was, “Are we the good guys?” Dumars’s reply – “We are and always will be” – showed that for him, what’s right and wrong is more important than money or simple loyalty. This response solidifies Dumars’s position as the film’s true hero.

Byrne, like the others, is motivated by sadness, but his grief is much more intense and unrestrained. When he kills Nix in their final fight, the scene immediately cuts to Jackie also firing a gun, suggesting that both actions are fueled by anger rather than justice.

The movie ends with the two friends on a beach, having reconciled after their disagreement. As they watch a young girl enjoy the sunrise, they become visibly emotional when they hear her mother call her “Jackie.” This moment powerfully reminds them of the people they lost and emphasizes the actions they took to honor their memories.

Dumars and Byrne are fundamentally motivated by their sense of right and wrong – whether it’s a need for justice balanced with the law, or a father keeping a final promise to his son. Unlike characters like Mo and Nix who are willing to compromise their morals for money, Dumars and Byrne simply aren’t able to do that.

This thriller builds suspense around the possibility of a traitor, but its main focus is actually exploring what motivates people to do what’s right. There are many possible reasons, but ultimately it comes down to individual choices. Thankfully, the film, The Rip, ends on a hopeful note, rewarding those good decisions.

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2026-01-16 23:19