Abhiroop Das
Co-directed by Ernesto Contreras, Alba Gil, and Alejandro Zuno, Netflix’s ‘I’m Not Afraid,’ or ‘No Tengo Miedo,’ is a Mexican adaptation of a classic Italian novel of the same name. At the heart of this mystery thriller series is the disappearance of a little boy named Felipe, which sends shockwaves through the city of Veracruz, as the rest of the world celebrates the 1986 FIFA World Cup. When 10-year-old Miguel discovers Felipe in captivity underground, he wonders if he should tell the truth to his parents or take matters into his own hands. While wrestling with this dilemma, he comes face to face with the cold harshness of reality, and how his preconceived, often romanticized notions about the people in his life might not always be true. SPOILERS AHEAD.
I’m Not Afraid Plot Recap
‘I’m Not Afraid’ begins in the year 1986, with Miguel, a 10-year-old boy who hails from a small village in Veracruz, enjoying summer vacation with his friends. To make things even better, this is the World Cup season, which means that children and adults alike gather together to watch their favorite football legends play every day. However, one day, while they are playing football in a forest field, the ball is flung into an abandoned mansion that is believed to be inhabited by a witch. When Miguel breaks in to retrieve the ball, he comes across a covered-up well in the ground, where a little boy roughly his age is being held captive. Initially afraid to venture any closer, Miguel eventually develops a friendship with the boy, bringing him food and discussing football as he attempts to break him free of the chains.
We learn that the boy, named Felipe Betancourt, was declared missing a few weeks ago, and while Miguel now has the option to tell his parents and get the boy to safety, he chooses to hold back for now. The man who has kidnapped Felix is the elder brother of one of Miguel’s friends, Calavera, and, upon making the connection, the duo plans to free Felipe in secret. However, Miguel’s best friend, Chava, grows envious of their bond and reveals the truth to Felix, causing all hell to break loose. As Felix ambushes the kids and brings them to a new hideout, they end up meeting their own parents, who are revealed to have been a part of the kidnapping this entire time. Felipe is actually the son of a businessman who hired Pino, Miguel’s father, which is how the plan started.
A flashback to five years ago reveals that the village used to have a flourishing coffee farm, owned by Chava’s father, Rodrigo. However, after a disease wiped out all the crops, Rodrigo and his workers, many of whom are parents themselves, found themselves struggling for money. In a desperate bid, Pino’s brother and sister-in-law suggested that they kidnap Felipe, who is very trusting of strangers and can become an easy target. However, as the number of co-conspirators grows, no one wants to do the actual kidnapping. Here, Felix steps in, promising to take care of Felipe, but soon forces the child underground and subjects him to horrible conditions. Meanwhile, Felipe’s parents reveal that they are broke and cannot pay the ransom money, causing the kidnapping plan to backfire.
In the present, when Miguel and his friends learn the truth, they decide to secretly take matters into their own hands and rescue their friend. As in-fighting and paranoia among the adults grow, Pino’s sister-in-law, Margerita, tips off the police in the hopes of getting a reward, but is arrested instead. Soon, the police arrive at the Esmeralda Farm, causing all of the adults to leave, but not pinning the blame on Felix. The kids, however, use these events as a distraction to sneak out and break Felipe free, following which they begin a long walk through the forests, in the hope of finding help. However, moments away from making it to a highway, Rodrigo catches up with them and attempts to shoot down Felipe before their cover is blown entirely.
I’m Not Afraid Ending: Is Miguel Dead or Alive? Will He Survive?
At the end of ‘I’m Not Afraid,’ Miguel is accidentally shot by Rodrigo, just when search and rescue helicopters arrive in the skies above. Though he is still conscious, the last we see him is in Pino’s arms, and the show ends before we learn his definitive fate. However, the fact that rescue helicopters are right above means that there is a very good chance that Miguel will be rescued, even if it’s a particularly close call. Another detail that ties into this fact is the narration, which so far has been through Miguel’s voice. Even when he falls unconscious at the end, the narration continues, with Miguel describing his experiences as if he’s already lived through them. The implication here is that Miguel has been recounting the story this entire time, which ensures his survival in the grand scheme of things.
While Miguel is likely to make it out alive, the psychological scar left behind is unlikely to fade away any time soon. In a way, the final bullet serves as a crystallization of all the horrors perpetuated by the adults in his life, in the name of protecting their family. All of that twisted logic is thrown out of the window when Rodrigo shoots Miguel, as, while it may have been accidental, it nonetheless shows that the parents’ actions are actually destructive for their own children. Ultimately, it’s not the parents, but Felipe himself who sticks with his friend to the very end. As the helicopters shine above, Felipe forgoes his self-preservation and instead calls for Miguel’s rescue, which speaks to where his priorities lie.
As it stands, Miguel’s recovery from the near-fatal injury is only the first step in a long, long journey. While we do not know what becomes of his family, it is likely that he will have to witness a complete legal battle regarding Felipe’s fate, and potentially even serve as a witness. For a 10-year-old boy, these experiences alone can easily be overwhelming, but for Miguel, this is only one of the many traumatic experiences. Miguel’s refusal to follow in his parents’ footsteps gives way to a forced maturation, where an early loss of innocence makes him realize just how cruel the world can be. In a way, some psychological component of him does perish after he is hit with the bullet, and it may just be his remaining faith in the idolization of adults and life at large.
Is Felipe Rescued? Does He Reunite With His Parents?
On a brighter note, the conclusion of ‘I’m Not Afraid’ all but confirms that Felipe is about to be saved. The helicopters that arrive at the scene are most likely in touch with the police, which basically means that the search for Felipe has reached its successful end. This is in no small part due to the brave efforts of Miguel and his friends, which brings the irony of their parents’ actions full circle. From here, Felipe is likely to be flown to a hospital, where he can reunite with his parents at last, after more than a month of separation. The relief is bound to flow in several layers, as Felipe was conditioned to believe that his parents had been killed and sent to the afterlife. The reality, however, is far more optimistic, and after days of untold suffering, this is exactly the break he needs in life.
While being rescued is one thing, managing the physical and psychological impact of this traumatic experience is likely going to be a challenge on a whole other level. Add to that Felipe’s anxiety about potentially losing Miguel, and we are looking at a long recovery journey. If there is one thing that Felipe learns from this haunting incident, however, it is that he cannot playfully trust things in life ever again. The real world is full of tragedy and peril, and more often than not, such peril can push people to become monsters. Though Felipe starts this story in fear of the Worm Man, by the end, he realizes that it’s not the mask that he needs to be wary of, but rather, the person hiding their face behind it.
Are the Adults Arrested? Where Does Rodrido Go?
Though all the parents except Pino make a run for it after the police arrive, it is unlikely they will get far before the police catch up. Pino is likely to be arrested immediately, and at this point, it wouldn’t be surprising if he confesses to his crimes, as saving Miguel’s life matters more. With Rodrigo disappearing into the bushes, the police might have a harder time capturing him. However, with the confessions from Felix and potentially Pino, the fact that Rodrigo is the mastermind isn’t likely to remain hidden for long. This entire tragedy started because of his inability to take care of his farm or give his employees fair wages. Now, with their lives and business effectively over forever, Rodrigo doesn’t exactly have anywhere to run to, which is why his fall is a matter of time.
While Pino and Rodrigo make it into the forest, their wives and children are given very specific instructions to escape as deep into the village territory as they can. However, in one scene, we catch a glimpse of a police vehicle tailing their truck, suggesting it’s only a matter of time before they are pulled over and arrested. With Felix, Margerita, and Rosalio already behind bars, it’s very likely that the police already know that all the parents took part in this crime. As such, even if one of them tries to shoulder all of the blame, getting out of the case will almost certainly not be easy. However, the court might reach a different, more lenient conclusion if it becomes clear that some of the characters were coerced into participating. However, that doesn’t shave away a lot of their culpability when it comes to the abuse and neglect of Felipe.
What Will Happen to the Kids?
As there is a strong chance that the parents of Miguel, Barbara, Chava, and the others will be put behind bars, the question of what happens to the children is a tough one to answer. The most logical course of action is to send them all to a different guardian, an orphanage, or a children’s center, where they will have to start their lives anew. While this is a traumatic shift as is, it is also one they have come to anticipate, having witnessed firsthand how dysfunctional their families have become in this short span of time. While none of them may have a concrete conception of the future just yet, their experiences indicate that they are capable of carving out a path of their own, regardless of support from adults.
While we know that Pino has relatives in a different town, who may become Miguel and Maria’s guardians in the future, we hardly have any information about the other children. It is particularly difficult in the case of Calavera, as his father and brother are likely the only family he’s ever known. With Felix now arrested, Calavera may have to rely on governmental support, and the same goes for Lupe’s three children, if not Chava as well. In the cruelest of ways, the mess created by adults has effects that persist beyond their arrest and trickles down into the lives of their children. There is a real risk of the abusive cycle restarting with Miguel and company, but their close call with these horrors is likely why they refuse to give in, even when the road ahead is fraught with challenges.
Read More: Is I’m Not Afraid Based on a True Story?
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