Narcos is back with a new aesthetic and cast of characters. The first season has just dropped so I thought I’d discuss the finale and the real-life events that inspired the show.
There will be heavy spoilers so if you haven’t seen the show of Narcos: Mexico then I highly recommend that you turn off now. For everyone else, Welcome to the channel, I’m Deffinition and I ruin it so you don’t have to!
Narcos: Mexico: Ending Explained
We follow DEA Agent Kiki played by Michael Pena. Kiki is an ambitious agent with his back against the wall that is trying to do good in the war on drugs and the cartels. Like the seasons that preceded it, Narcos is based on actual events and a lot of what happens in the show happened in real life too.
So if you have already Googled the character then you have likely seen that he comes to a tragic end.
Throughout the show, Kiki is tracking a drug trafficker named Felix Gallardo, who, in real life was described as The Bill Gates of Cocaine. Felix’ wealth was phenomenal and the show beautifully demonstrates how he was able to set the stage for the likes of Pablo Escobar and El Chapo. Throughout the show, Felix bribes and corrupts the US and Mexican Government so that he is able to operate freely due to their corruption. He graduates from selling Marijuana to Cocaine and rises quickly through the ranks to become a Kingpin.
The Betrayal Of Kiki
The show expertly highlights how people like Kiki were betrayed and sent to their deaths because of greed. Episode 10 climaxes with Kiki being tortured by Felix for information on the ins and outs of the anti-drug operations but the character does not give in.
In real life Camarena was tortured at Gallardo’s ranch over a 30-hour period before being killed. His skull, jaw, nose, cheekbones and windpipe were crushed, his ribs were broken, and a hole was drilled into his head with a power drill. He had been injected with amphetamines and other drugs, most likely to ensure that he remained conscious while being tortured.
It’s a horrendous death that really forced the US government to realise that the Mexican Police were corrupt and they began taking things into their own hands in order to avoid another high profile murder. Kiki’s death had a huge impact on the war on drugs as it forced The US to really analyse the situation and go above and beyond the confines of jurisdiction and work beyond it.
This really started the war on drugs and I absolutely loved the ending monologue that discusses that both sides are now fighting a battle at this level. The final scene showcases that the US is now using it’s own secret agents to infiltrate the country and take out the list of Top Drug Traffickers at any cost.
The Real Felix Gallardo
In real life was arrested in 1987 but it wasn’t until 1989 that he was officially charged. Felix and his family were moved from City to City and they enjoyed the benefits that corruption amongst law enforcement gave them. The arrest of Felix really exposed the corruption and showcased just how deep it ran. Even behind bars, Felix was able to continue Drug Trafficking through the use of mobile phones.
Police managed to put a stop to this by moving him to a 240 × 440 cm cell in a maximum security prison. He was not allowed to leave this area and often complained that it is torturous.
Felix still lives to this day, paying for the horrendous crimes he committed in order to become rich.
The show doesn’t capture this moment but at least there is some solace in the fact that Kiki’s death wasn’t for nothing.
Your Thoughts
So, what are your thoughts on the new Narcos season? Did you expect the tragic ending and how would you rank this run against the other seasons?
Comment below and let me know!
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