Sumith Prasad
When Auden starts to hang out with Eli in Netflix’s romantic film ‘Along for the Ride,’ their peers get startled to see the latter happy and in the company of someone after “what happened to Abe.” Auden hears about Abe multiple times and sets out to learn the mystery behind the individual. She talks to Maggie about Abe, who lets her know that he is dead. Even after his death, Abe continues to remain a significant presence in Eli’s life through the latter’s thoughts and memories. So, who is Abe? How did he die? Let’s find out! SPOILERS AHEAD.
Who is Abe? How Did He Die?
Abe is Eli’s best friend. The two of them used to be two inseparable friends and BMX riders, who always attended competitions together. Abe, like Eli, was exceptional in street BMX and won several competitions with his friend. Both of them dreamt of moving to a European city like Barcelona or Berlin, where the streets are perfect for their BMX capabilities. They even thought of starting a bike shop for their lives ahead. Abe and Eli made each other ambitious. Together, they were the most recognizable BMX rider duo in the town of Colby. However, their friendship reached an abrupt end in a tragedy.
After participating in an invitational competition in New York, Abe and Eli were traveling back to Colby in a car. They get hit by another vehicle, driven by a drunk driver, at 20 miles outside Colby. Although Eli survived, Abe died in the crash. Abe’s death unsettles Eli severely. The absence of his best friend became unbearable to him. The survivor’s guilt eventually made him a recluse. His friends and peers started to notice his absence among them and they realize that it is hard for Eli to be with them without Abe.
Abe’s death put an end to Eli’s life as a rider. The bikes started to remind him of his late friend. He stopped participating in competitions without his partner-in-crime. Everything that is connected to Abe started to hurt Eli. His ambitions became impossible without Abe. Eventually, Eli misapprehends that his life has come to a standstill. Since he and his best friend shared a very common life, he fails to find a distraction that is not associated with his late companion.
However, Auden’s arrival in his life changes his misapprehensions. She shows him a bright path for his life ahead. Auden becomes courageous enough to let Eli know that he is living a life Abe would have hated. She knows that Abe would be in immense pain if he was alive to see his friend living an isolated life, without any ambitions. Auden tries her best to make Eli realize that he can mourn his friend’s death without hurting himself. Her efforts make him understand that he should move on from Abe’s absence and pay homage to him by achieving their aspirations.
Eli returns to competitions and ultimately leaves for Barcelona to start a bike shop in the name of Abe, materializing the dream he once shared with his best friend. Auden’s intervention leads Eli to finally accept Abe’s death and move on from the same. He looks forward to a new chapter of his life, shared with Auden. By reviving himself to return to the tracks as a rider, Eli does what Abe would have wanted.
Read More: Does Belmont Cameli (Eli) Know Bike Stunts in Real Life?
