Sumith Prasad
The digital release of the buddy cop film ‘Bad Boys: Ride or Die’ ends with a post-credits scene that was not included in the theatrical version. The particular scene delves deeper into the madness Marcus Miles Burnett unleashes after having a near-death experience due to a heart attack. Hilariously, it can also be seen as the origin story of the two detectives, who have been looking after each other for decades. Set in 305 B.C., the scene makes it clear that the “bad boys” have been together for centuries, and they are nothing but inseparable. The flashback montage that accompanies the sequence is a testament to it! SPOILERS AHEAD.
The Inseparable Bad Boys
One thing that makes Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett unique is that they are inseparable. Their companionship and efforts to bring bad guys down have threatened not only their lives but also the lives of their loved ones. Even in ‘Ride or Die,’ Marcus’ son has to kill twelve adversaries to protect his mother from getting killed, while Mike’s wife gets kidnapped. None of these alarming developments are enough for the duo to consider putting an end to their adventures and call it a day. As the film’s climax depicts, they are “bad boys” for life, and they will face any danger together, even if they have to put their lives on the line, only to overcome the same and relax by having a barbecue day.
The post-credits scene begins with a montage that reveals that their companionship formed millenniums ago, especially when Mike was a donkey, and Marcus was the animal’s owner. Even then, the two of them didn’t stop annoying each other. Marcus wanted the donkey to walk faster to escape from the heat, only for the latter to slow him down. Since he couldn’t ride the animal like a horse, Marcus cursed him. On the other hand, Mike didn’t tolerate his partner’s impatience and resisted doing whatever the latter demanded as much as he could. Centuries later, Mike and Marcus are no different. The last thing they do is listen to each other, which is made evident by Mike’s war against Marcus’ beloved Skittles.
Since their existence in 305 B.C., Mike and Marcus must have been reborn multiple times. The montage shows several things and figures, such as the Egyptian pyramids, the Great Wall of China, Stonehenge, Beethoven, Albert Einstein, and Charlie Chaplin, to show the passage of time. Even the Crusades and several other armed conflicts took place in between, rewriting the fate of the world. Regardless of these events changing the existence of humankind, Mike and Marcus were able to reunite once again in the 20th century A.D. in a police department in Miami, with the same characteristics they shared in the third century B.C.
The Origin Story of the Bad Boys
Ultimately, the post-credits scene of ‘Bad Boys: Ride or Die’ is a creation of Marcus Burnett’s near-death experience. After suffering from a heart attack, his subconscious creates a meeting with the late Captain Conrad Howard, someone closer to his heart. Since his superior’s murder, the detective must have been hoping to meet the former on the other side, which nearly gets fulfilled due to the life-threatening heart attack. However, Marcus remains alive, only for him to feel that he is an enlightened being who has beaten death. The knowledge he apparently receives from the other side makes his mind conceive a strange first meeting between him and his inseparable partner.
Irrespective of its authenticity, the post-credits scene can be seen as an origin story of Mike and Marcus. In the last few years, the demand for prequels detailing the history of beloved characters has increased. ‘Dexter: Original Sin’ will explore the emergence of Dexter, while ‘NCIS: Origins’ will trace the growth of Leroy Jethro Gibbs. ‘House of the Dragon’ is also present in the mix as the prequel of ‘Game of Thrones.’ The conclusion of ‘Ride or Die’ can be seen as a comedic twist in the line of these origin stories. By making Mike a donkey and Marcus a hothead as two beings who annoy each other, the sequence explores why the two best friends cannot stop giving one another a hard time.
Read More: Where Was Bad Boys: Ride or Die Filmed?
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