“You will bear that burden.” It has been 22 years since the original Cowboy Bebop concluded with its now notorious line, and due to the ambiguity of the show’s final scene, anime enthusiasts continue to bear its significance even today.
Did Spike endure to rise and relinquish his suffering? Was his fire extinguished like the star that diminishes in the night sky above him?
Shinichirō Watanabe’s Cowboy Bebop, a series featuring misfit drifters traversing space, profoundly explores the concept of weight, particularly the burden of the past and its impact on the four principal characters. Ultimately, each of our favored bounty hunters either overcomes their own trauma or succumbs to it, burdened by the weight of their past experiences.
With the show’s debut on Netflix and the introduction of a new live-action adaptation, it is an opportune moment to revisit and examine the fates of these iconic space cowboys at the conclusion of Cowboy Bebop.
Cowboy Bebop Ending Explained
Spike Spiegel’s narrative in Cowboy Bebop is a profound examination of love, loss, and existential anguish. To comprehend his destiny, one must initially scrutinize his history, which is progressively revealed throughout the series.
At first, Spike presents himself as a relaxed bounty hunter, radiating an aura of indifference. Yet, beneath this front exists a fractured heart and a deep sorrow that approaches nihilism.
Spike’s past is anchored in his association with the Red Dragon Crime Syndicate, where he collaborated with an individual dubbed Vicious. During this time, Spike developed romantic feelings for Julia, Vicious’s girlfriend, resulting in an unlawful romance.
Their scheme to flee together was obstructed when Vicious compelled Julia to murder Spike or confront her own demise. Unable to acquiesce, Julia concealed herself, leaving Spike in a condition of uncertainty, suspended between existence and oblivion, and plagued by an unsatisfied yearning.
Throughout the 26 episodes of the series, Spike forges significant relationships with the Bebop crew: Jet, Faye, Ed, and Ein. This surrogate family provides peace and companionship, assisting him in traversing the harshness of his life.
Nonetheless, his history resurfaces as Vicious attempts to seize control of the Syndicate. This initiates a series of circumstances that reunites Spike with Julia, rekindling his aspirations for an improved future.
Reunited with Julia, Spike aspires to a life liberated from the Syndicate’s control, possibly onboard the Bebop with his newfound family. This hope is ephemeral. Julia is slain during an encounter with the Syndicate, her last utterance, “It is merely a dream,” symbolizing the tenuousness of their ambitions.
Her demise renders Spike adrift, exacerbating his anguish. In Julia’s absence, existence transforms into a meaningless delusion, propelling Spike into a decisive encounter with Vicious.
The forthcoming confrontation involving Spike is characterized by a sense of inevitability. His farewells to Jet and Faye are heartbreaking, highlighting the profundity of his connections with them. Jet narrates a tale influenced by Hemingway’s The Snows of Kilimanjaro, emphasizing the human inclination to contemplate existence solely when confronted with mortality.
Likewise, Spike recounts a narrative concerning a tiger-striped cat that perished following the demise of its mate, representing his own sorrow regarding Julia’s death.
Faye, upset by Spike’s choice to confront Vicious, uncovers the reality behind his mysterious behavior and the importance of his heterochromatic eyes. Spike’s final statement was, “I am not going there to perish.”
“I will ascertain the authenticity of my existence,” resonates with a fatal irony. Both he and Faye comprehend that his trip will probably culminate in death.
The decisive confrontation with Vicious is the apex of Spike’s narrative. Despite incurring grave injuries, Spike vanquishes his opponent, inflicting a lethal blow to Vicious while taking a final injury himself.
The camera zooms in on Spike’s right eye, reflecting Julia. This significant element emphasizes that his pursuit of retribution and closure was ultimately for her.
With Julia departed and retribution fulfilled, Spike succumbs to unconsciousness, potentially death. For Spike, existence devoid of Julia constitutes a “nightmare,” from which he can never emerge. His narrative concludes as it commenced, a nuanced reflection on the delicacy of human relationships and the unavoidable influence of the past.
Is Spike Actually Dead?
As the final scene of the show evolves, a star extinguishes in the sky above Spike. This refers to an earlier occasion in the episode where Laughing Bull elucidates that an individual’s personal star will diminish upon the conclusion of their life. The phrase “You’re gonna carry that weight” is displayed on screen when the credits conclude for the final time.
This star pattern unequivocally implies that Spike has perished, or is at the very least on the verge of death. Upon his body striking the ground, white doves materialize, reminiscent of those observed before Julia’s demise. Even if Spike manages to survive his terrible wounds, it is reasonable to conclude that he is at least internally deceased.
The author of Cowboy Bebop, Shinichirō Watanabe, consistently intended to conclude the series with this confrontation. “Prior to producing the inaugural episode, I had already conceived the conclusion,” he stated to The Daily Texan in 2006.
“Although I had envisioned the conclusion independently, my staff opposed me.” They expressed their discontent, asserting that we would be unable to produce a sequel.
When inquired about Spike’s survival, Watanabe stated, “I have never officially declared that he is deceased.” At this juncture, I cannot ascertain if he is living or deceased. I believe that rather than being reprimanded for killing Spike, individuals are more distressed by the possibility of a continuance.
In 2017, Watanabe reiterated this point to IGN, stating that “Spike could be sleeping”. However, if our space cowboy is indeed deceased, Watanabe believes that Faye and Jet would not have provided each other with prolonged solace aboard the Bebop.
“It can be inferred that they would not coexist harmoniously,” which is quite poignant, since it implies that Jet would have been isolated in his sorrow, presuming that Spike indeed perished.
Consequently, there is no definitive solution, and perhaps this is advantageous. Spike has perpetually occupied a liminal space between life and death, sleep and wakefulness, rendering his conclusion equally unclear.
This approach allows fans to determine the truth of the final moments, maybe enabling us to release that burden and achieve catharsis.
Understand the legacy of Cowboy Bebop and look into Spike Spiegel’s significant journey of love, grief, and spiritual struggle. Look into the unanswered inquiries regarding his destiny and the show’s enigmatic conclusion. Visit our website for an in-depth analysis of this enduring work and engage in the discussion today!
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