Go Ahead Brother Ending, Explained: Does Oskar Rescue Sylwek?

At the end of Netflix’s ‘Go Ahead, Brother,’ a desperate Oskar has to dig deep within himself and resort to even more crimes to save Sylwek from a grisly death. All his previous crimes finally start catching up to him as he becomes a pawn in a much bigger game played by the leaders of the underworld. Moreover, tensions flare between him and his sister, Marta, who accuses him of turning everything into hell wherever he goes. The harsh indictment comes as a final straw in his long line of failures as he races against time to rectify the situation before it gets even worse. However, matters are not as straightforward as they seem, as Damian has his claws deep in Oskar’s situation, leaving him few options to climb out of the rut. SPOILERS AHEAD.

Go Ahead, Brother Season 1 Plot Recap

The story follows Oskar Gwiazda, a member of a special law enforcement tactical unit working alongside his brother-in-law Sylwek at the police department. One night, during a mission, Oskar has a panic attack that cripples his ability to perform on the field, which leads to the tragic death of one of the team members, Sokol. Subsequently, the protagonist is ousted from the force and finds himself in a depressing situation where he has to reintegrate himself as an average civilian. However, matters at home are terrible as Oskar’s aging father has gambled away most of the family fortune, leaving a gaping hole in the finances. In frustration, Oskar tells his father to die, which, unfortunately, the elder denizen takes to heart and passes away in a suicide incident.

After consultations with his sister, Marta, and her husband, Sylwek, Oskar learns that the family’s wealth situation is even worse than previously imagined. A crime lord named Tomczyk has a debt over the whole family. With no avenues left, Oskar has to start working for Tomczyk at one of his brothels to pay it off. A simpler method would be to sell his father’s house, but he refuses to do so. One day, out of the blue, an opportunity to escape the abyss arises when Oskar finds a new job as the security guard at a local shopping center. There, he observes the mall manager launder vast sums of money and carry them away. After tailing him for a while, Oskar realizes he is part of a wealthy family. He plans a robbery and sneaks into the house. However, things go awry, and Sylwek has to show up to save Oskar.

In the heist’s aftermath, Oskar splits the profit between him and Sylwek. He plans to rob people and finally help his family escape their impoverished roots. Unfortunately, Oskar does not realize that the person he stole from was another influential crime family headed by a man named Damian and his father. They start a gang feud with their rival, Tomczyk, imagining that he had something to do with the robbery. Meanwhile, Oskar starts developing romantic feelings for a worker at the shopping mall, Yeva, who acts aloof from her colleagues. He tries wooing her while also planning his next move and trying to escape the clutches of Damian and his mob with the help of Sylwek. However, they can only run so far before biting their own tail.

Go Ahead, Brother Season 1 Ending: Does Tomczyk Die?

The final episode of season 1 bookmarks the conclusion of several concurrent plot threads, one of which decides the fate of Tomczyk. Although there are no out-and-out bad guys in ‘Go Ahead, Brother,’ as most of the characters are shown to be capable of making bad decisions, Tomczyk is certainly close to being the primary antagonist of the piece. He makes Oskar’s life a hell by exacting huge debts on his family, which he cannot escape even if he tries. Additionally, the criminal mastermind showcases how manipulative he can be as he tries his best throughout the narrative to sneak into Bogdan’s good graces and get his hands on the whole criminal enterprise. So, it comes as a relief for Oskar to end his life in the penultimate episode, not only for vengeance but also to save Sylwek’s life.

As Sylwek had been abducted and used as leverage by Damian against Oskar, the latter had no choice but to carry out the demands made by the kidnapper. Season 1 shows how Damian and Tomczyk were vying for that top spot in Bogdan’s criminal empire. However, it felt more and more likely that Tomczyk would be handed the reins over to Damian, as he seemed less violent and more well put together. This was all a ploy by Tomczyk, who utilizes clever trickery and manipulation over brute force to get what he wants. He even attempts a coup against Bogdan but gets chased down by Damian and his brother. Thus, Damian is ruthless in his desire to end Tomczyk’s life once and for all and get his hands on the throne he desires, which he does by using Oskar.

Is Sylwek Alive?

Despite his nonchalance, one of Oskar’s primary concerns throughout the show revolves around ensuring Sylwek’s well-being. Even if the protagonist does not always show it, he cares deeply for his brother-in-law and exhibits a sense of loyalty towards him that he reserves for no others in his life. Therefore, when Sylwek falls into the hands of Damian and his lot, Oskar is willing to trade himself for the retrieval of his ex-colleague and friend. Additionally, as he is married to his sister, Oskar knows that if anything were to happen to Sylwek, his sibling would never forgive him for life. Thus, in the end, when Damian forces Oskar to commit a number of heinous crimes in exchange for Sylwek’s freedom, the protagonist does not hesitate to show his ruthless side. It ultimately pays off as Sylwek is returned safe and sound.

From the beginning, Sylwek maintains a distance from Oskar as he finds his decision not to sell the house and pay off Tomczyk’s debt to be foolish and unnecessary. However, he still worries for Oskar, just like his brother-in-law worries for him. It’s the reason why he shows up at the last moment to save Oskar from being killed during the first heist. Unfortunately, it also makes him an accomplice in the whole affair and leaves him with no choice but to follow Oskar down the path of crime. He is also enticed by the promises of a better standard of living with the use of the money. Still, his eventual capture at the end leads to everything going awry in the worst manner possible. Thus, Oskar is grateful to rescue Sylwek somehow, even if it means he has to carry the guilt of even more horrifying crimes.

What Happens With Marta’s Pregnancy? Does the Baby Die?

Amidst the chaos of the finale, one of the more tragic subplots revolves around Marta’s pregnancy and its conclusion. She and Sylwek spend most of their efforts ensuring that the baby’s arrival will be smooth and free of any complications. However, because both Sylwek and Oskar end up getting entangled in the affairs of the gangs, it disrupts the peaceful family life led by Marta. When Damian shows up at their doorstep with guns, the family has to hatch an escape attempt, which takes a toll on Marta’s already fragile health. On top of that, she is also stressed out, with Sylwek suddenly going missing and ending up in Damian’s hands. Therefore, after she gives birth on her own at the hospital, she is heartbroken to find out that her child has passed away.

Narratively, the death of the baby adds an even bigger blemish on Oskar’s decision to embrace a life of thievery and crime to help his family escape poverty. Ironically, his motivation to aid Marta and her husband ends up being the very reason why they both lose the most precious thing to them: their unborn baby. It also means that Marta’s relationship with her brother is now at its lowest point, considering how supportive she has been thus far. Unlike Sylwek, she has been the one trying to fight in Oskar’s corner, but upon the revelation that her baby has died, she clearly turns vitriolic towards Oskar. This means that the brother and sister have a lot of mending to do going forward, as his decision cost the family a new beginning and only got them further trapped in a cycle of desperation.

Does Oskar Start Working for Damian? Do He and Yeva End Up Together?

The ending of season 1 leaves Oskar in a bind. After handling a bulk of misdeeds for Damian in exchange for Sylwek’s life, the protagonist is now trapped in the workings of the gangster’s operation and is likely a key member of it because of his skills. Despite its caveats, he embraces the new life and works for the crime family. However, considering how Oskar feels guilty for everything that came to pass, it is likely that his taking on a role in Damian’s family is a voluntary decision to keep his sister and her husband far from any harm. He possibly feels that they deserve to have a life that is not shackled by the troubles that have plagued him, and he should no longer bring his problems into their orbit.

While it may seem a somewhat dejected ending for Oskar, there still seems to be a positive aspect to his life at the end of the first season: Yeva. After the topsy-turvy nature of their relationship and Yeva’s eventual confession that she was working for Tomczyk, both Oskar and her seem to have reconciled their differences and established a closer bond. Given how lonely Oskar is in his new role, her presence is sure to give him a little bit of solace and hope for the future. There are still a number of broken relationships he has to mend and reflect upon, but for the time being, he has a new lease on life that did not come to him without costs. Whether he manages to break free from Damian’s grasp or falls into it further could be the territory of future seasons.