Sumith Prasad
Directed by Patxi Amezcua, Netflix’s Spanish film ‘Infiesto’ revolves around inspectors Samuel García and Castro, who investigate the reappearance of Saioa Blanco, who was kidnapped months ago. Samuel and Castro set out to find the kidnappers of the young girl, who managed to somehow escape from their hands. The two detectives’ efforts lead them to the mysteries hidden in the abandoned factories and mines of the mining town of Infiesto. The engrossing thriller film ends with a series of astounding and ambiguous developments and revelations. If you are intrigued about the nuances of the film’s ending, you are at the right place! SPOILERS AHEAD.
Infiesto Plot Synopsis
‘Infiesto’ begins with Saioa Blanco reappearing after getting kidnapped three months back. Two local police officers find and admit her to a hospital. Inspector Samuel García is dealing with the absence of his family and mother, who are separated from him due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Inspector Castro deals with her separation from her partner Carlos, who is quarantined in a closed-down room in their house. They are assigned to investigate the kidnapping and reappearance of Saioa. Samuel goes through the records of criminals who stay near the intersection Saioa was first seen, leading the detective duo to the stable of Manuel Gómez.
Meanwhile, Saioa’s forensics reports arrive and Samuel learns that the chemicals present in wine were present in the body of the young girl. Samuel remembers that there were wine barrels in Manuel’s stable and he joins Castro to arrest him. Before the detectives could capture him, Manuel kills himself. Samuel and Castro suspect the involvement of Manuel’s cousin in Saioa’s kidnapping but the cousin leads the detectives to the deceased’s real companion Santiago Marquina AKA the Demon. The detective duo arrives at the Demon’s place and tries to open his trailer, only for it to explode. While searching inside the burnt-down trailer, Castro discovers photographs of several children.
Samuel and Castro succeed in capturing the Demon with the help of one of the criminal’s closest acquaintances. While interrogating him, the Demon talks about a higher power named the Prophet, who is more powerful than him. His words make it clear that he is just an accomplice of the Prophet like Manuel. The detectives also learns that the children in the photographs were kidnapped every three months from distinct parts of the country. To confirm the existence of the Prophet, Samuel meets Saioa, who makes sure that three people kidnapped her. While the two detectives set out to find the Prophet, a young woman gets kidnapped, alarming the authorities concerning her potential murder.
Infiesto Ending: Who is the Prophet? Why Did He Kidnap and Kill His Victims?
Agent Ramos of the local police, who finds Saioa and admits her to the hospital with his partner Agent Altuna, is the Prophet. Before Ramos became a police officer, he was a renowned cult leader who hid in the abandoned mines in Infiesto. He was also a teacher at a local school, where he got closer to Manuel and the Demon, who became his disciples. The Prophet, who was beloved by the kids and townsfolk at the time, cherished a hedonistic lifestyle and encouraged others to follow the same. His hedonistic practices, however, grew to become barbaric when he got immersed in Celtic mythology.
While getting to know more about Celtic mythology, Ramos AKA the Prophet seemingly came across the Druids, a group of priests who enjoyed prophetic powers in ancient Europe, especially in Celtic cultures. Druids were the ones who did human sacrifices to appease the Gods and they believed in reincarnation. Upon learning about the Druids, Ramos must have thought that he is one as well. The notion of becoming a supreme authority or being and the ability to interact with and satisfy the Gods might have captivated him enough for him to think that he is a prophet or a chosen one like the Druids of the past.
It is this notion that led him to human sacrifices. He started to do rituals and use symbols concerning the “Druid world.” The round mark on the back of Saioa, the straw dolls found at multiple locations, and the mistletoes are all a part of the Druid culture. Ramos wanted to satisfy Taranis, the God of storms and tempests in Celtic mythology. Taranis had to be appeased on the occasions of summer and winter solstices and spring and autumn equinoxes. That’s the reason why Ramos kidnapped and killed someone every three months. Lidia Vega, the woman in the hoodie, would have been one of his earliest victims if she hadn’t managed to run away.
From Ramos’ interaction with Samuel, it is clear that the serial killer had been away from Infiesto for years. That can be the reason why his former victims are from other parts of Spain. Ramos might have gotten transferred to the mining town only after the start of the pandemic, which explains why there was a wait before he kidnapped someone from his hometown, starting with Saioa. If that’s the case, the residents of the town might haven’t been able to recognize him as the Prophet since he is wearing a mask in public and years have passed since his disappearance.
After Ramos’ return to Infiesto, Manuel and the Demon must have gotten attracted to his notions and ideals for them to defend the same, even if it means sacrificing their own lives. When the Covid-19 pandemic happened, Ramos started to believe that the end of the world is near. He must have considered the pandemic as the result of Taranis’ anger or dissatisfaction towards the actions of human beings. As the supposed chosen one, Ramos might have been thinking that it is his responsibility and duty to appease Taranis, which leads him to kidnap a young woman outside the hospital where Saioa is admitted to.
By then, Samuel notices the young man who wore a straw doll in the school photograph of Manuel and the Demon. He sets out to find him, only to encounter the Prophet who is wearing a mask due to the pandemic. Meanwhile, Lidia lets Castro know that the last name of the Prophet is Ramos, which makes her realize that the serial killer and kidnapper she has been searching for is none other than Agent Ramos.
Is the Prophet Dead?
Yes, Agent Ramos or the Prophet is dead. By the time Castro learns that Ramos is the Prophet and arrives at his house to capture him, the serial killer kills Samuel. Since she has to prevent him from killing the young woman who he kidnapped from the hospital premise, Castro goes to the mine near Ramos’ house. She must have remembered Lidia’s revelation that they were camped at an abandoned mine in the past. She enters the mine, goes to the underground, and sees the young woman tied up. While she sets out to free her, the Prophet attacks her from behind.
As far as the Prophet is concerned, he needs to appease Taranis by sacrificing the young woman regardless of the obstacles in his way. He even succeeds in firing at Castro but the bullet hits her hand. Before he could fire at her again, Castro takes advantage of an alarm that distracts the prophet and shoots him down. Before dying, he proclaims that “this is just the beginning.” The Prophet must have been thinking that he will reincarnate since he had sacrificed several human beings for appeasing Taranis. Since Druids believe in reincarnation, the Prophet must have accepted his death with the belief that he will have a second life.
By killing the Prophet, Castro avenges the murder of Samuel and saves the young woman, who gets nearly killed by the psychopath. She also puts an end to the killing spree that has been happening in the country by putting an end to the existence of the serial killer.
Read More: Is Netflix’s Infiesto Based on a True Story?
