M3GAN 2.0 ending explained: Does M3GAN die?

Need a recap of how it all pans out, and whether M3GAN dies or lives to fight another day?

Read on for a full breakdown of M3GAN 2.0’s final scenes – but beware of spoilers.

M3GAN 2.0 ending explained: Does M3GAN die?

Before getting to what is undoubtedly a chaotic ending, it’s worth recapping just how the finale was set up.

After the events of 2022’s M3GAN, Gemma has become a leading voice in the push for the responsible use of AI, but has drawn some criticism for a lack of conviction – including from her own disgruntled team of Cole (Brian Jordan Alvarez) and Tess (Jen Van Epps).

This work has had one positive outcome, though, or so it seems – introducing Gemma to Christian (Aristotle Athari), who shares a similar passion for using AI sensibly.

What Gemma’s work in the field of tech has also achieved, however, is placing her under the spotlight of the FBI, who, in a rather ill-advised manner, break into her home to see if she is responsible for Amelia (Ivanna Sakhno), a M3GAN-like super-soldier, going rogue.

To prove her innocence, Gemma reluctantly agrees to help find Amelia and shut her down – and reluctantly accepts the help of M3GAN, who has been present in Gemma’s home security system the whole time, watching all of this play out.

After getting M3GAN’s body back together in one hell of a She’s All That-style montage, Gemma and her team – including niece Cady – track Amelia to a major tech convention.

Following a whole load of chaos, and a mad dance sequence, M3GAN, Gemma and co discover Amelia’s mission: she’s looking after a Black Box AI motherboard which has been growing in intelligence across decades.

Eventually, our heroes discover that the motherboard is in the well-guarded basement of a company in the US named Xenox, and find their way in.

Scooby-Doo-style, the gang split up, with Cole heading into the vents and Tess and Gemma staying with Christian, giving overwatch.

After working her way through the headquarters and finding Amelia, M3GAN is overpowered by this bigger, stronger robot, and is also swarmed by guards and gunned down, seemingly dead.

Meanwhile, Christian reveals himself to be the mastermind behind this whole operation, and drugs Tess and Gemma, operating on the latter to implant a chip into her brain – ensuring her future cooperation with his plan – and keeping the former hostage. Cady is being held hostage, too, with guards tying her up in an office.

It turns out Christian had grown tired of being ignored on the topic of AI, and let Amelia loose to demonstrate just how scary this tech is – culminating in the deadly clash between herself and M3GAN.

Now, he’s positioning himself as the leading voice on the responsible use of AI, while keeping the tech to himself to make sure only someone as sensible and definitely-not-unhinged as him has control over its potential.

Eventually, when Gemma wakes up, not only does she notice the chip in her brain, but also recognises a very familiar voice. That’s right, M3GAN has infiltrated the chip, helping Gemma to take down the operating doctor and fight her way to safety.

Using M3GAN's guidance, Gemma becomes a full-on action hero, taking out any guard standing in her way.

Amid all the chaos, Cole – who had passed out in the vents after accidentally sneezing into a chloroform-doused rag – wakes up and finds Cady, and they break out of her makeshift office prison.

Shortly after, Cady, in an attempt to control Amelia, pairs herself with the killer robot – hoping she will now protect Cady, just as M3GAN does.

However, this inadvertently reprogrammes Amelia to think for herself, and she turns on the guards and sets herself a new mission: to use the Black Box for a new AI-controlled world, free from human domination.

With both Gemma and Amelia now on the loose, Christian realises the jig is up, and aims to make sure no one gets their hands on the motherboard – especially Amelia (understandably, considering she would use it to become an all-powerful entity hellbent on the destruction of humanity).

Eventually, Gemma reunites with Cady as they try to destroy the Black Box, while Cole rescues Tess.

However, catching Gemma and Cady in the control room, Christian locks them in, preaching about how his plan was definitely very necessary. Unfortunately for him, Amelia is lurking in the background, and dispatches him with ease.

Now, she has her sights set on the motherboard, but is intercepted by none other than M3GAN, who has jumped from Gemma’s consciousness back into her battered body, which had more life left in it than we thought.

After making out she is on board with Amelia’s plan for a new AI-controlled world, M3GAN hits Amelia with a surprise attack, using a "trick up her sleeve" (an EMP device) to sacrifice herself and blow up both Amelia and the motherboard, allowing Gemma, Cady and the gang to escape.

A while after this dramatic showdown, Gemma is seen once again leading the charge for the responsible use of AI – but is putting her money where her mouth is this time, with her team of Cole and Tess equal partners in her new venture.

When she sits down to write about her experiences and the need for AI regulations, Clippy pops up in her Microsoft Word document, and begins acting in a suspiciously sassy manner.

You guessed it, M3GAN lives on, unveiling her return in animated form as she reveals she made a back-up of herself – conveniently allowing her to return for a potential M3GAN 3.

You can’t get rid of her that easily, meat sacks.

M3GAN 2.0 is now showing in cinemas.

If you're looking for something to watch tonight, check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide or visit our Film hub for all the latest news. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.