Arka Mukhopadhyay
German director Roland Emmerich has been called a “master of disaster” after disaster movies like ‘The Day After Tomorrow’ and ‘The Patriot.’ His oddball 2008 epic timepiece ‘10,000 BC’ masters its disastrous recipe, topped with a story of insurgency, allure of the ancient times, CGI pyramids, and woolly mammoths. The narrative catches a whiff of the prehistoric past while mixing up myth, fancy, and the abduction-of-woman trope ever-present in the timeless epics. It probes into the lives of the Yagahl tribe and their grand tale of survival in the face of a hostile planet. The finale brings us to a cathartic closure, complete with a happy twist. However, you must be wondering to know what goes down in the final moments. In that case, let us refresh our memory. SPOILERS AHEAD.
10,000 BC Plot Synopsis
The narrative opens in the hostile Ural Mountains around 10,000 BC, and the hard-working Yagahl tribe needs a new owner for the White Spear. As the tribe holds the hunting of Mannaks (or woolly mammoths) in high esteem, the future leader must alone hunt down a mammoth before he can claim the White Spear. After the destruction of her tribe, Evolet has shelter under the wing of Old Mother, the shamanic guru of the tribe. The Old Mother prophecies that the Yagahls are yet to go on a final hunt, and whoever can defeat the four-legged monsters would marry Evolet and win the White Spear.
The chief of the tribe, the father of D’Leh, has left the village to find another way for their salvation since he does not believe in the prophecy. The villagers think of him to be a coward and a betrayer. D’Leh and Evolet have fallen in love since childhood. After growing up, D’Leh must try his luck and kill a Mannak to win Evolet and the Spear. However, after killing a Mannak single-handedly, D’Leh contends that he got lucky and is not ready for the Spear. The following day, a tribe of horsemen invades the village, taking the Old Mother and Evolet with them. With Tic’Tic, Ka’Ren, and Baku, D’Leh sets out on an epic journey to retrieve Evolet and defeat the Gods.
10,000 BC Ending: Is The Almighty Dead or Alive?
The movie is guided by a narrating voice, heightening the drama. The agent keeps introducing us to different myths and mystical allusions. The film unfolds through a series of legends, the first one concerning the hunting of the woolly mammoths. Although D’Leh is unsure of himself, he kills one of the mammoths and gradually fulfills the prophecy. On the journey through the dunes, the Yagahls almost expend all their energy. Tic’Tic gets sick on the way while D’Leh goes to fetch food for him.
The food search sends D’Leh to an underground cave, where he rescues a saber-toothed tiger. He meets the tiger again in front of the Naku village, and after some pleading from his side, the tiger takes leave. The Naku people are ecstatic since the man who speaks to Saber-tooth will free their people, according to a tribal prophecy. Another major warning in the latter half of the movie is concerning Evolet. For the workers in the Mountain of the Gods, a prediction entails that only the person with star-shaped marks on the body will be able to end the reign of the gods.
D’Leh is worried since he is not the subject of this prophecy. Although before dying, Tic’Tic tells him that a prognosis can come true in myriad ways. We later learn that Evolet and not D’Leh is at the center of the prophecy. After discovering the mark on Evolet’s arm, the oppressors of the pyramid get to work. They take her to the “Almighty,” an old veiled person who is supposed to be God. The movie ends with D’Leh and others confronting the Almighty. Although they are supposed to be rebelling, they bow before the Almighty, manifesting his divinity.
The Almighty is even willing to let go of Evolet since her presence is potentially fatal for him. However, he is not willing to dismiss his horde of workers, who are meant to stay captive and lend a hand in God’s work. D’Leh denies submitting, lodging a spear for the throne of the Almighty. It seems that D’Leh is quite a sharpshooter. The Spear claims its prey, and the Almighty comes tumbling down from his throne.
After the incident, a ruckus ensues, and we do not have a definite end for the fate of the Almighty. We realize in the course of the story that the Almighty is no God since he fears death. His whole arsenal of advisors shudders from fear as they identify the person with the star mark i.e. Evolet. The legend also has that there were four of them until the other three died. The three disappeared divine beings may hark back the triadic structure in the global religions. On the other hand, the “Almighty” is possibly a colonizer indoctrinating the natives and asking them to follow his orders.
In the colonial era, indigenous cultures were subjected to an epistemic onslaught. Missionaries unveiled vile atrocities in different parts of the new world, deeming their earthen ways and animistic gods evil. As consequence, the indigenous cultures eroded, making room for alien cultures that had no intention of forging a dialogue. Their attempts to preach the ways of God were not so godly. Similarly, the Almighty’s mishandling of the local tribes is more evil than good, put in a strictly theological sense. The “Almighty” can be an alien for all we know. More importantly, he looks different than the locals, and he is not omniscient.
Is Evolet Dead or Alive? Is the Old Mother Dead or Alive?
After the death of the Almighty, a war erupts between those on the side of God and the pyramid workers. D’Leh, Nakudu, and other workers raise hell in the so-called “Mountain of the Gods.” The Mannaks also help by trampling a few state-sponsored soldiers. However, in the commotion, the wounded general gets hold of Evolet, escaping the premises on a stallion. However, Evolet can counter by picking up an arrow from the general’s inventory and stabbing the general with it.
The general and Evolet fall from the horse, while D’Leh locates Evolet in the crowd. After finding her, D’Leh rushes toward her, but the general does not let that happen. Seeing D’Leh, Evolet also runs towards him. But the general aims for Evolet, and before the reunion can take place, Evolet touches the ground. She is supposed to be dead, but the legend of the child with the blue eyes entails Evolet getting a fresh lease of life. Therefore, the Old Mother seemingly sacrifices herself to bring Evolet back to life. Thus, Evolet returns to life, and her return to the village calls for a celebration.
Do D’Leh And Evolet End Up Together?
After parting ways with Nakudu and the Naku tribe, D’Leh, Baku, Evolet, and the remaining tribespeople return to the village. However, you must wonder if Evolet and D’Leh end up together in the aftermath of the tale. The answer to this is pretty much given, although not explored in the ending itself. After all, the prophecy binds D’Leh and Evolet, especially now that he has fulfilled the prophecy and become the rightful owner of the White Spear. Therefore, we conclude that D’Leh and Evolet end up together.
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