WARNING: The following article contains major spoilers for Deadpool 2, in theaters now.
It should come as no surprise that Fox holds nothing back in Deadpool 2, with Ryan Reynolds reprising his role as the wise-cracking assassin. Only this time it's more personal than business, as the Merc with a Mouth clashes with Josh Brolin's Cable, a time-traveling soldier on a mission to kill a young mutant named Russell (Julian Dennison).
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However, Deadpool simply won't allow that, because he's, well, grown a conscience, and assembles a team to save the kid. Ultimately, fans are left laughing, crying and even a tad confused, as director David Leitch ends on a note that reiterates just how much potential there is in this corner of Fox's superhero universe.
In the film, after Wade Wilson's job against a New York drug cartel is botched, hitmen kill his girlfriend Vanessa (Morena Baccarin), just as they're discussing a family. After exacting revenge, Wade spirals into depression, trying to commit suicide. He's eventually rescued by Colossus (Stefan Kapičić), who tries to mend his wounds by making him an X-Man, but things quickly go awry.
On their first job -- subduing an out-of-control Russell, aka Firefist, at the Essex School -- Deadpool loses it. He knocks Russell out, but upon realizing the sinister nature of the orphanage, where teenage mutants are abused and subjected to experiments, he starts gunning down the orderlies. This results in Colossus incapacitating Wade, finally losing all hope for his redemption.
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Wade and Russell are then taken to the Icebox, an isolated prison with other mutants, where they first encounter Cable, who wants the boy dead to prevent him from killing his wife and daughter in the future. Deadpool barely manages to defeat him, but realizing he'll never stop Cable's pursuit of Russell, he recruits X-Force. However, that doesn't turn out well for Wade's new team, except for the always-lucky Domino (Zazie Beetz).
Neither Deadpool nor Cable end up with Russell, who begins his villainous descent by partnering with Juggernaut in order to exact revenge against the headmaster of Essex School. Cable and Deadpool reluctantly agree to team up, with Domino and Dopinder accompanying them to battle to save Russell's soul. However, Cable gives Wade just 30 seconds to try to redeem Russell or else he'll kill the kid. Colossus, Negasonic Teenage Warhead and her girlfriend Yukio join the fray, and take down Juggernaut, but it appears Russell is still lost to the darkness. Wade, however, slaps on a power-dampening collar, which suppresses his regenerative powers, in order to protect the headmaster: Russell will have to kill him to get to his enemy.
In an emotional moment, Russell hugs Deadpool, but it's only a ruse, as he blasts the Merc out of range and gears up to kill the headmaster. However, as Cable shoots his last remaining bullet at the boy, Wade jumps in the way and takes one to the chest. Realizing Deadpool really did love him like a son, Russell powers down, and in a comedic, drawn-out finale, Wade dies.
But Cable realizes he actually succeeded, and the future is safe again, as his daughter's teddy bear is no longer charred. Instead of returning to his family, however, Cable travels backward, using his final time-slide to save Wade by placing a skee-ball token from Wade's first date with Vanessa on Wade's chest, right where the deadly bullet was meant to strike. With the timeline reset and Wade surviving, Cable tells Wade he has unfinished business in the present, hinting at further adventures together.
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All in all, the ending of Deadpool 2 does provide a resolution: Cable's family is safe; Russell finds the light; Wade is living up to Vanessa's last request, to be a true hero; Colossus has become less uptight; Domino has a new family; and Dopinder finally gets to kill someone, by running over the headmaster with his taxi.
And that's all before the mid-credits scene ...
Directed by David Leitch, Deadpool 2 stars Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool, Brianna Hildebrand as Negasonic Teenage Warhead, Leslie Uggams as Blind Al, Stefan Kapičić as the voice of Colossus, and Karan Soni as Dopinder, with newcomers Zazie Beetz as Domino, Josh Brolin as Cable and Julian Dennison as Russell. The film is playing in theaters everywhere.