The Patriot Ending, Explained: Who Dies and Who Gets Married?

The Patriot Ending, Explained: Who Dies and Who Gets Married?

As a film enthusiast with a keen eye for detail and a deep appreciation for historical epics, I must say that “The Patriot” is a cinematic gem that delivers on all fronts. The film takes us through the heart-wrenching journey of Benjamin Martin, portrayed brilliantly by Mel Gibson, who, much like myself, is no stranger to the trials and tribulations of family life.


The 2000 movie titled The Patriot, directed by Roland Emmerich, features Mel Gibson as Benjamin Martin, a farmer in South Carolina from 1778, grieving the loss of his wife and raising seven children. As the American Revolutionary War looms, the story unfolds with Benjamin being reluctant to participate in war against the British. However, this stance conflicts with his eldest son, Gabriel, who is excited to join the battle.

In a crucial moment, “The Patriot” transforms into a movie about revenge when an abhorrent British military unit, under the command of Colonel William Tavington, storms the Martin household. They mercilessly kill Thomas, one of Benjamin’s sons, and then burn down the Martins’ home, taking Gabriel captive. Once the soldiers have departed, Benjamin assembles his surviving sons and relentlessly pursues the convoy carrying Gabriel into a forest. There, Benjamin and his brothers wage a brutal fight against the British troops, eliminating them with cold precision.

In a brutal display of violence, Benjamin brutally kills a British soldier with a Tomahawk axe, long after the soldier had died, as a form of psychological warfare, allowing the only remaining British soldier to flee and report the incident to Tavington. This act, which paints Benjamin as both terrifying and mysterious, is masterfully portrayed by Mel Gibson in the film The Patriot, where his intense and moving performance captures a tormented man on the brink of explosion, struggling with inner turmoil and conflict.

Was Gabriel’s Wife Pregnant Before She Was Burned Alive?

Heath Ledger’s remarkable dramatic portrayals in “The Patriot” and “A Knight’s Tale” cemented him as one of the most sought-after young actors in Hollywood. His performance in “The Patriot,” particularly, showcased his ability to convey deep emotions delicately. This was notably demonstrated through Gabriel’s relationship with his childhood sweetheart, Anne, whom he marries in the film after a heartfelt scene where Gabriel hints at Anne being pregnant, following an emotional exchange between Gabriel and his father.

In an earlier draft of The Patriot’s script, Anne, portrayed by Lisa Brenner, was shown as being pregnant. However, this aspect remains unclear in the movie itself, especially after Anne and her family tragically perish when they are trapped inside a church and burned by the cruel Colonel William Tavington. Despite the ambiguity surrounding Anne’s pregnancy, Heath Ledger delivers a powerful performance that beautifully conveys the sorrow and fury of a young man who has experienced the heart-wrenching loss of his child and family, much like his father.

The shocking church-burning scene highlights one of the most prominent criticisms of The Patriot, which has been accused of unfairly fostering anti-British sentiment by showing atrocities that were supposedly committed by British soldiers during the American Revolutionary War. While various accounts of the war show examples of American and British soldiers both executing soldiers in violation of the rules of war, the church-burning scene is based on an event from World War II, when Nazi soldiers burned a group of French villagers alive.

Is Gabriel Killed Before He Gets Revenge?

The Patriot Ending, Explained: Who Dies and Who Gets Married?The Patriot Ending, Explained: Who Dies and Who Gets Married?The Patriot Ending, Explained: Who Dies and Who Gets Married?The Patriot Ending, Explained: Who Dies and Who Gets Married?

In the movie “The Patriot,” the wedding of Anne and Gabriel offers a brief moment of joy amidst the grueling American Revolutionary War. However, Anne’s tragic death leaves viewers yearning for retribution against Colonel William Tavington, who ordered her family’s execution inside a locked church. Upon learning about the massacre, Gabriel sets out to track down Tavington, eventually cornering him near a stream while he was shaving. A shootout follows.

In another words, Gabriel’s anger caused him to be reckless, a trait that proved costly against the cunning Tavington. After what seemed like a severe wound inflicted by Gabriel, Tavington feigned injury and waited until Gabriel was about to finish him off with a knife. At that moment, Tavington swiftly turned over and fatally struck Gabriel with a saber before escaping, leaving Gabriel struggling for breath until Benjamin arrived on the scene.

As Gabriel was about to pass away in Benjamin’s embrace, he confessed his remorse for the demise of his sibling Thomas, which left Benjamin deeply troubled amidst his own grief over losing Gabriel. Struggling with both sorrow and fortitude, Benjamin wrestled with the notion that Gabriel’s untimely death might be retribution for Benjamin’s past wrongdoings, particularly the brutal acts he had carried out during the French and Indian War.

Did Benjamin and Charlotte Get Married and Have a Baby?

The Patriot Ending, Explained: Who Dies and Who Gets Married?The Patriot Ending, Explained: Who Dies and Who Gets Married?The Patriot Ending, Explained: Who Dies and Who Gets Married?

In a pivotal moment towards the end of The Patriot, Mel Gibson’s character, Benjamin Martin, seeks vengeance for the brutal death of his eldest son, Gabriel, by slaying the ruthless Colonel William Tavington – the same man responsible for Gabriel’s demise. Although the central conflict in The Patriot is conclusively resolved with this act, there are several character aspects that remain open to interpretation by the time the movie ends.

The movie suggests that Benjamin has a close, almost maternal bond with his sister-in-law Charlotte. This is particularly noticeable as her role is akin to that of a second mother towards Benjamin’s kids in the movie. Contrasting the numerous intense battle scenes in the film, their relationship takes on a more subtle tone through awkward pauses and meaningful looks. However, while it appears that they might have married by the end of the film, this aspect remains unclear.

Additionally, The Patriot includes two instances where Charlotte gently cradles a blanket that seems to conceal her and Benjamin’s newborn infant. In the initial scene, Charlotte, portrayed by Joely Richardson, holds a padded blanket amidst Benjamin’s children who look at it with affection, as though it encloses their new sibling. Yet, the baby isn’t audible or observable in this moment. In the movie’s final scene, Charlotte can be seen tightly gripping a bulky blanket, implying she holds a baby. Nevertheless, no baby is discernible within that scene.

The screenplay for The Patriot went through multiple drafts, in which character details, like Anne’s pregnancy and Charlotte’s supposed baby, became muddled in the process. Moreover, the screenplay was tailored for Gibson, as evidenced by how the screenplay, which originally gave Benjamin six children, was changed to give Benjamin seven children, as Gibson’s own seventh child, son Thomas, was born prior to the start of filming. Stream on Netflix.

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2024-11-10 00:01