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The Ending of ‘Fight Club’ Explained – Film School Rejects
Ending Explained is a recurring column in which we explore the finales, secrets, and themes of interesting movies and shows, both new and old. This time, we consider the ending of the cult classic Fight Club. Yes, prepare for spoilers.
In 1999, David Fincher’s Fight Club became a cultural sensation. College dorm rooms weren’t complete without at least one poster that spouted the movie’s cheeky slogan: “Mischief. Mayhem. Soap,” the song “Where Is My Mind?” by The Pixies took on a whole new meaning, and fans spent hours upon hours scouring the film for easter eggs.
Fight Club was (and remains) immensely popular for a wealth of reasons. Of course, there’s Brad Pitt shirtless, and then there’s the added bonus of endlessly-quotable one-liners and exhilarating fight scenes. But perhaps most important to the film’s legacy is that it boasts of the most shocking and rewarding twist endings in the history of cinema.
Fight Club follows a nameless narrator (Edward Norton) who struggles with insomnia, depression, and the crushing weight of mindless consumerism. He’s ready to end it all when handsome, charismatic bad boy/soap maker Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt) whirls into his life like a handsome hurricane and encourages him to step out of his shell and co-found a fight club.
Things get out of hand when Tyler, The Narrator, and their devoted fandom create “Project Mayhem”: an anti-capitalist terrorist organization that plans to (literally) destroy money-sucking organizations like credit card companies.
But before he can save the world, The Narrator makes a shocking discovery. Tyler is actually – drum roll – a figment of his imagination: a cooler, sexier, braver, smarter version of himself that he thinks up to help himself cope with his achingly tedious life.
At the end of Fight Club, The Narrator decides that the only way he can get rid of Tyler and his maniacal, murderous schemes is to kill himself, too. So he sticks a gun in his mouth and pulls the trigger but misses, shooting the bullet into his cheek instead of his brain. But even though he is alive, he still manages to have gotten rid of his rebellious alter-ego.
After he fires the gun, The Narrator’s kinda-girlfriend Marla (Helena Bonham Carter) enters the room and sees what he’s done to his face. Cool as a cucumber, he grabs her hand, and the two watch a credit card headquarters go up in flames. Cue: The Pixies. Roll credits.
Even if you haven’t seen Fight Club, chances are you know this final shot. But apart from being an undeniably iconic frame, why did Fincher see this particular image as the perfect ending for this film?
Fight Club’s ending makes a lot more sense when you look at the movie through the lens of control. Indeed, The Narrator’s craving for control is the very reason he spawns Tyler, to begin with. Before meeting his alter-ego, he makes desperate attempts to acquire control over some element of his life: first by furnishing his apartment and then by attending illness support group meetings in the hopes of feeling something other than boredom.
But it isn’t until he creates Tyler that The Narrator is taught the true meaning of control. Tyler’s core philosophy states that, in order to really live, you have to relinquish control. We see this when he holds hot lye against The Narrator’s hand and tells him to surrender to the pain; we see this when he lifts his hands off the steering wheel while speeding down the highway, and we see this in the ethos of Fight Club as a whole: there is freedom in rejecting our resistance to pain and our obsession with law and order and just letting someone beat the living crap out of you.
Indeed, Tyler’s doctrine is the opposite of The Narrator’s in the first quarter of Fight Club. Where The Narrator believes control will make him happy, Tyler knows that abandoning control will ultimately set him free. So if Tyler has helped The Narrator find the true meaning of life, why does he kill him?
The moment that The Narrator realizes that he is Tyler and Tyler is him is the moment he no longer needs him. The Narrator now knows that he is capable of things he never thought he would be capable of: burning down his own apartment, getting people to care about what he has to say, and, above all, fighting for his own life. Perhaps he needed a cool alter ego to achieve those things, but what matters is, right before the credits roll, he realizes it is him that is capable of them, not Tyler.
The way he gets rid of Tyler is also a significant element of Fight Club’s ending. Indeed, it goes without saying at this point that Tyler isn’t actually real. Fincher drops hints of this fact throughout the film: The Narrator repeats, “I know this because Tyler knows this,” for example, or he and Tyler had the same briefcase, or the two of them paying one single bus fare; the list goes on and on. Given this, The Narrator didn’t need to physically kill him. But he does so by sticking a gun in his mouth because he knows that, like Tyler always taught him, he needs to do something dramatic to take control of his own destiny, and if he didn’t get rid of Tyler in such a brash way, then his sidekick’s lessons would have been for naught.
It is also worth noting that The Narrator has a very real brush with death in this scene. But this fact just makes Tyler’s teachings ring that much more true. You have to want to fight for your life, and sometimes it takes a brush with death to realize how important it is to you. The Narrator seems to go into the scene thinking that because Tyler is him, the only way to kill Tyler is to kill himself. But it wouldn’t be a stretch to assume that he moved his hand at the last minute because he realized he finally doesn’t actually want to die.
Not only does The Narrator realize that life is important to him in the last moments of Fight Club, but he realizes that love is, too. Indeed, it was “Tyler” that was sleeping with Marla throughout the film, but in the final frame, The Narrator grabs her hand. He gets the girl, and they watch fireworks out the window. How’s that for a fairytale ending?
It is important to note here that Fight Club didn’t originally have a happy ending. In Chuck Palahniuk’s 1996 book that the film was adapted from, The Narrator ends up in a mental institution while members of Project Mayhem carry out various destructive missions, waiting for Tyler to come back. The film’s optimistic twist suggests that fighting for your life is always worthwhile (but please don’t break the law to do it).
So what’s next for The Narrator? We know that he has a new lease on life and is starting a relationship with Marla. We also know, since he contentedly looked out the window while the credit card company went up in flames, that he is aware that Project Mayhem is too big for him to put a stop to. But hey, you can’t control everything, right?
And what about Tyler? Is he just… gone? The short answer is yet, but a part of him will undoubtedly stay with The Narrator forever. Earlier in the film, Tyler discusses his time as a projectionist, explaining that he would splice crude images between frames to mess with audiences. And before Fight Club’s credits roll, lo and behold, we catch a glimpse of one of these images. Tyler lives on.
Related Topics: Ending Explained
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What time is Floyd Mayweather vs. John Gotti III today? Schedule, main card start time for 2023 exhibition boxing fight – Sporting News
Floyd Mayweather once again steps inside the ring to compete in an exhibition fight. This time, he faces someone with legit combat sports experience and a last name nobody will ever forget. Mayweather faces John Gotti III, the grandson of infamous gangster John Gotti, on June 11.
The fight is inside the FLA Live Arena in Florida and airs on the Zeus Network.
Gotti turned pro in 2017. Winning five in a row to start his MMA career, Gotti lost his last fight in 2020 against Nick Alley. The 30-year-old has since competed in boxing bouts, winning two contests in the past eight months.
Calling this fight a “pinch-me moment,” Gotti has nothing but respect for Mayweather. However, he will not let his fandom get in the way of what he needs to do.
MORE: Boxing vs. MMA history: Mayweather vs UFC’s McGregor and more
“I’ve been following him since I was eight years old,” Gotti said via Boxing Scene. “This was my idol. This was a guy I did school projects on. It was a guy I looked up to. The fact that I’m in a position to stand across the ring from Floyd is a tremendous honor. But make no mistake, June 11, I’m bringing bad intentions to that man. I don’t care if it’s an exhibition or not. You signed to fight me, there’s no quarter. It’s kill or be killed.”
This is the latest exhibition for Mayweather, who retired in 2017 at 50-0. In 2018 he teamed with RIZIN and beat young kickboxing star Tenshin Nasukawa via TKO. Mayweather fought Logan Paul and former training partner Don Moore in non-scored bouts. He beat Mikuru Asakura and YouTuber Deji in 2022 via TKO. In February, Mayweather went the distance against MMA fighter Aaron Chalmers.
Here is all you need to know regarding Mayweather vs. Gotti, from the time, channel, and card.
Mayweather vs. Gotti begins at 6:30 p.m ET | 3:30 p.m. PT. Ringwalks are scheduled for 10 p.m. ET | 7 p.m. PT, depending on how long the undercard fights last.
MORE: How to bet on combat sports
Floyd Mayweather vs. John Gotti III can be streamed on Zeus Network.
Fans in the U.S. can pre-order the fight for $15.99. They can also sign up for the network at the annual rate of $59.99 per year. In the U.K., the pre-order price is about £13, $21 in Canada, and $23 in Australia.
MORE: History of boxing video games
Daniel Yanofsky is a combat sports editor at The Sporting News.
Chuck Palahniuk’s Fight Club 2 comic brings back the character played by Jared Leto in the movie for an unexpected, but critical role.
Angel Face, played by Jared Leto in the Fight Club film adaptation, makes a surprise return in Chuck Palahniuk's comic book sequel to his original Fight Club novel – coming back with both revenge, and, oddly enough, love on his mind, following the vicious beating he received from the Narrator a decade earlier.
Fight Club 2 – by Chuck Palahniuk, Cameron Stewart, Dave Stewart, and Nate Piekos of Blambot – features the son of the Narrator and Marla Singer being kidnapped, with a returning Tyler Durden being the prime suspect, compelling the Narrator to reintegrate himself into Fight Club. In the closing pages of the series' fourth issue, the permanently-scarred Angel Face reappears.
In a brutal display that directly mirrors the original, Angel Face administers a brutal beating to the Narrator. He ends up knocking the Narrator into unconsciousness, which triggers Tyler Durden to awaken in his place at the start of Issue #5. Angel Face knows what's happened immediately, and subsequently is horrified as Tyler mercilessly returns the meeting. It is not until a few issues later, in Fight Club 2 #9, that it is revealed Tyler has been having an affair with Angel Face for quite some time. The Narrator discovers this only when he's awake, rather than Tyler, at a moment Angel Face kisses him.
As the Narrator's therapist says, on the same page as the reveal, ""a sociopath will sleep with anyone to gain her allegiance … or his." The re-emergence of Angel Face gives readers a glimpse of exactly how being a Fight Club member for so many years has worn on Angel Face's body. Aside from the distorted face the Narrator gave him ten years prior, he is littered with scabs, scars, and bruises from decades of sparring. It's clear that Angel Face has clung on completely to the ideas that Tyler put in his head years prior, whether it is because he's a true devotee, or he has nothing else.
Angel Face is depicted as not only unflinchingly loyal to Tyler Durden's ideals, but to the man himself. It remains ambiguous in the text whether Tyler returns Angel Face's feelings, or the extent to which he can feel at all. Angel Face is in love with Tyler – for Tyler, a physical relationship may just be a way to retain Angel Face's loyalty, to continue holding power over him. In this way, it is reminiscent of how the Narrator describes Tyler's relationship with Marla in the opening pages of the original book. "This is about property as in ownership. Without Marla, Tyler would have nothing."
Tyler's connection to Angel Face may not run as deep as with Marla in Fight Club, but Angel Face is still a useful vessel for him, one that someone as possessive as Tyler isn't willing to give up so easily. On the chance that Angel Face may have harbored these feelings in the original Fight Club, it also re-contextualizes their previous dynamic. It certainly offers a new explanation as to why Angel Face stays a follower of Project Mayhem/Fight Club for a decade after the Narrator beat him up. Most certainly, it further complicates Fight Club's iconic twisted love triangle of Marla, Tyler, and the Narrator.
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Joe Anthony Myrick (or JAM) is a comics writer who specializes in, of course, covering the big figureheads of the industry (Marvel and DC), as well as lesser-known indy parties and some personal favorites like BOOM! Studios.
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Ryan Garcia vs. Oscar Duarte fight results, highlights: 'King Ryan' bounces back for late TKO win – CBS Sports
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Although it was far from perfect, Ryan Garcia reminded boxing fans of his explosiveness on Saturday as the junior welterweight star successfully rebounded from the first defeat of his career.
Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs), despite a fight week soaked in drama amid a war of words with his own promoters, showed no mercy to Mexican slugger Oscar Duarte (26-2-1, 21 KOs) in an eighth-round TKO inside the Toyota Center in Houston.
Not only did the victory mark the 25-year-old Garcia’s return to the win column just eight months removed from his knockout loss to Gervonta Davis in their pay-per-view blockbuster, it also marked a successful debut of his new partnership with 2022 trainer of the year Derrick James, who became Garcia’s third head coach in as many years.
“It was a great performance but I just want to give honor to God and give him the glory,” Garcia said. “I fought hard to find myself again. I did a lot of soul searching and I just wanted to thank him.
“[Duarte] was a strong fighter. He took a good punch. He’s a Mexican fighter like me and he’s tough. I hit him with some hard shots but he just kept coming. I started using my legs, just as Derrick told me to between rounds, and it opened up the shots.”
Garcia’s ability to focus was impressive considering the potential distraction of his nasty feud with Golden Boy Promotions, which geared up to an all-new level at Thursday’s final press conference when Garcia, Oscar De La Hoya and Bernard Hopkins took turns airing out their private laundry.
“It just comes with the territory,” Garcia said. “I am a person about moving forward and having a kind heart and showing forgiveness so I just keep it at that. I want to show positivity in this world. I said what I said but I hold no hard feelings.”
Despite the highlight-reel finish to the fight, which began when Garcia stung Duarte with a beautiful check left hook in Round 8, the total sum of Garcia’s comeback performance was a mixed bag.
While it’s certainly a result that could be excused for the first fight of a new relationship between trainer and fighter, Garcia continued to show puzzling (and potentially dangerous) reactions to Duarte’s pressure and spent most of the middle rounds avoiding exchanging of any kind as the crowd booed Garcia’s constant movement.
Yet, the very thing that makes Garcia so dynamic — the lethal combination of his speed and power — exploded virtually out of nowhere in Round 8 to instantly combust a close fight. After hurting Duarte badly with his counter left hook, Garcia exploded with combinations to eventually drop Duarte.
Even though Duarte was able to beat the count, referee James Green didn’t like the look in his eyes and waved off the fight at 2:51 of the round.
“I have a killer instinct,” Garcia said. “Sometimes, when I am hurting somebody that bad, I am just cracking them. But I caught him with a perfect left hook.
“I just had to slow his momentum down. He was building momentum, momentum and I knew I had to cut this off somehow.”
The fact that Garcia outlanded Duarte by a single punch, according to CompuBox, explains how close this fight felt until it was over. Garcia praised James for his effort after the fight and called for a title shot at 140 pounds against WBA champion Rolando “Rolly” Romero.
“It’s our first fight. [James and I] worked hard,” Garcia said. “We are going to build off this and are committed to get better. I’m committing to becoming a world champion so, if Rolly wants it, let’s do this.”
CBS Sports was with you throughout the entire way on Saturday with the live results and highlights below.
R8: Duarte beats the count but the referee doesn’t like what he saw. The fight is stopped! It’s a dramatic finish for Ryan Garcia. Result: Ryan Garcia def. Oscar Duarte via eighth-round TKO
R8: Big left hand from Garcia hurts Duarte and down he goes!
R8: Duarte simply isn’t throwing enough to take advantage of Garcia lowering his output.
R8: The main issue here is that Garcia is actively avoiding any punch exchanges by moving which suggests either an injury or insecurity.
ROUND 8: Good sticking and moving from Garcia, even though the crowd isn’t wrong to boo his lack of output.
R7: Garcia takes the round despite angering the fans late. Score: 10-9 Garcia (Overall: 68-65 Garcia)
R7: Garcia spends the last minute on his bicycle actively avoiding Duarte. The only issue is he isn’t throwing while doing this. It draws boos from the crowd.
ROUND 7: Big attacks from Garcia with powerful right hands. Duarte was covering up and only absorbed partial impact but that statement was felt. Garcia catches Duarte big again with a right cross.
R6: Good counter right hand from Garcia caught Duarte coming in. Score: 10-9 Garcia (Overall: 58-56 Garcia)
R6: Good defense from Garcia as Duarte came forward with punches. Duarte continues to hammer away at the guard of Garcia, hoping one slips through.
R6: Right hand to the body from Garcia. This is almost a modified shoulder roll defense from Garcia and he doesn’t look fully comfortable with it.
ROUND 6: Big right uppercut from Garcia and Duarte looks hurt. Back comes Duarte, however, with body shots.
R5: Close round but Garcia landed the cleaner shots. Score: 10-9 Garcia (Overall: 48-47 Garcia)
R5: Left hook to the body from Garcia lands low and the crowd boos following the referee’s warning.
R5: Good head movement from Garcia to avoid Duarte’s aggressive punches. They trade body shots in the clinch. Garcia is standing up strong this round.
R5: Big uppercuts from Garcia split the guard of Duarte.
ROUND 5: Garcia opens stronger with stinging left hooks to Duarte. Big uppercut from Garcia lands.
R4: Another round for Duarte and he mostly did it with pressure and body shots. Score: 10-9 Duarte (Overall: 38-38)
R4: Duarte warned for a low blow while the two fighters were tied up. Nice left hooks to the body from Duarte.
R4: Good body work from Duarte in the corner. He’s not landing everything flush but the judges have to be taking note of this momentum movement.
R4: The rabbit punch appeared partially to come because Garcia nearly turned his back on the action in trying to avoid Duarte’s pressure.
ROUND 4: More pressure from Duarte backs Garcia up to the corner. Nice body work. Garcia is starting to react in somewhat troubling ways to this pressure. Duarte gets warned for a rabbit punch.
R3: Garcia facing much more resistance here. Good round from Duarte with solid pressure. Score: 10-9 Duarte (Overall: 29-28 Garcia)
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