Apex ending explained: What happened to the missing people?

by

(Warning: The following article contains major spoilers for Apex.)

The new action thriller starring Academy Award winner Charlize Theron and Golden Globe winner Taron Egerton is set in Australia. Theron plays Sasha, an adventurous rock climber, and her trip takes a dangerous turn when she meets Ben, portrayed by Egerton.

The film opens with a tragic scene: Sasha’s climbing partner, Tommy (Eric Bana), loses consciousness during a climb and falls to his death. This leaves Sasha with a heartbreaking decision – stay with Tommy and die with him, or cut the rope, saving herself but leaving him to fall.

The story begins with Sasha making a heartbreaking choice – leaving her partner behind to save herself. This difficult past deeply shapes her and prepares the audience for the intense challenges she’ll face.

Five months later, Sasha finds herself alone in Australia and has her first encounter with Ben. He strikes up a conversation with her in a shop, expressing concern after she has a tense interaction with some hunters who seemed threatening. Sasha politely declines his offer of assistance, determined to continue her travels independently.

Sasha was shocked to find her tent emptied of her belongings after a night of camping following a kayak trip down some rapids. Just then, she ran into Ben again, and it became clear he’d been trailing her.

Sasha first assumes Ben is flirting with her, but she’s shocked to learn he’s a hunter – not of animals, but of people who enjoy extreme sports like rock climbing and kayaking, just like her.

Sasha initially misjudged Ben, seeing him as just a bit odd, but she soon discovers his terrifying intentions: he plans to hunt her and kill her. This shocking revelation kicks off the central conflict of the story, turning it into a desperate chase where Sasha must evade Ben and avoid the same fate as other people who have disappeared in the wilderness.

The investigation uncovers a horrifying truth: Ben has murdered – and possibly cannibalized – numerous people, including his own mother. In a deeply disturbing moment, Ben explains his actions are rooted in what he believes to be ancient tribal customs. He’s even sharpened his teeth to points, making it easier to bite his victims.

He believes killing people allows him to take on their spirits, and he uses this idea to explain why he feels his mother is still present with him.

Sasha believes Ben’s actions are rooted in a difficult childhood, suggesting he was hurt as a child and is now projecting that pain onto others, including his mother and those he harms. However, the film never directly confirms this explanation.

Sasha is the first of Ben’s victims to truly fight back, even managing to break his leg. With a bone sticking out, Ben’s only hope for survival is to accept Sasha’s help to climb a mountain.

What happened to the missing people?

Sasha discovered a cave containing the bodies of Ben’s victims – the missing thrill-seekers. As they climbed the mountain, Ben nervously watched Sasha, fearing she would betray him. But Sasha had already planned ahead, secretly tying Ben’s rope to a broken branch. When he wasn’t looking, she caused the branch to snap, sending Ben falling to his death.

Sasha successfully navigated the mountain’s last, dangerous overhang, using the same challenging climb that tragically caused Tommy’s death earlier in the film. She was then able to find assistance and was rescued. After reaching safety, she contacted the police, and an official report was made.

After seeing reports about the victims on Australian TV, Sasha hopes the families of Ben’s victims can find some comfort in learning what happened to their loved ones.

The movie ends with Sasha, still grieving for Tommy, watching the sunset on a beautiful beach. It’s a poignant scene, acknowledging her survival while also remembering those who didn’t make it.

Authors

Alex Hewitt

Read More

2026-04-29 13:36