Why Does Woody Harrelson’s Man from Toronto Quit Being an Assassin?

Netflix’s action film ‘The Man from Toronto’ tells the engrossing tale of the titular assassin (Woody Harrelson), who gets entangled in a mission that goes wrong. The Man from Toronto AKA Toronto’s mission to find the activation keys of a bomb for the former Venezuelan colonel Sebastian Marín goes haywire when Teddy, a fitness center employee, gets mixed up in the same. Teddy’s unintentional involvement in Toronto’s mission creates several consequences that threaten the career and life of the assassin. In the end, we see him quit being an assassin altogether. If you are wondering about the reason behind the same, we have got you covered! SPOILERS AHEAD.

Why Does the Man from Toronto Quit Being an Assassin?

Toronto’s decision to quit being an assassin is not spontaneous. He has been pondering about the same for a while and the consequences of Teddy’s involvement in his latest mission turn out to be the final motivation he wanted. Toronto’s life as an assassin started not by killing someone but by witnessing his uncle getting eaten by a bear alive. The incident impacted Toronto severely as he became unsentimental about bloodshed. Violence became a part of his life, which led him to become an assassin. As someone who grew up alone as an orphan, he found it easy to kill fellow human beings.

Image Credit: Sabrina Lantos/Netflix

However, Toronto isn’t inherently a violent man. Even though his troubled childhood made him unsentimental, his true nature eventually started to become evident. During a mission in Minnesota, Toronto allowed his target to escape when he saw a little boy nearby. Upon seeing the boy and remembering his own childhood, Toronto realized that he cannot kill the man anymore, which made him accept his vulnerability. The incident opened his eyes as he understood that there’s a part of himself who craves a violent-free life. The realization also led him to consider starting a restaurant for his future.

Toronto accepts Sebastian Marín’s mission to earn the money required to start a restaurant. He wants the mission to be his last one as he has suffered enough emotional turmoil being an assassin. Toronto’s mind has quit being an assassin the moment he failed to pull the trigger in Minnesota. He had to force himself to fulfill the missions after the incident only because he wanted enough money to start the restaurant. When the Handler and the Man from Miami deal with Marín, he takes the money after assuring himself that he is “out” from the world of crimes.

Image Credit: Sabrina Lantos/Netflix

Even though Toronto has been considering quitting being an assassin way before accepting Marín’s mission, Teddy’s involvement in the same makes it essential. The Handler realizes that Toronto isn’t able to offer the ruthlessness required for his job and sends the Man from Miami to kill him. Toronto’s incapability and vulnerability become evident, giving him no other choice than to end his career as an assassin. Even though he fails to use Marín’s money, he eventually starts the restaurant like he always wanted. In the closing scenes of the film, we see a contented Toronto, without violence or bloodshed haunting him.

Quitting being an assassin also helps Toronto to start a new chapter of his life with Anne, Lori’s friend. Toronto finally finds a friend in Teddy even though he hasn’t settled the affair of Debora, his car, with the latter. Becoming a restaurant owner after putting an end to his life as an assassin gives Toronto an opportunity to grow beyond his childhood self who got attached to violence as well.

Read More: Is The Man from Toronto Based on a True Story?

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