‘Bad Monkey’ Ending Explained: Who Dies, Who Survives, And Who Thrives?

Of all the Tom Petty songs featured in Bad Monkey , Bill Lawrence’s Carl Hiaasen adaptation on Apple TV+ , the finale’s cover of “I Won’t Back Down” may have hit the hardest. If Season 1 taught us anything, it’s that Vince Vaughn’s Andrew Yancy would absolutely stand up at the gates of hell, stand his ground, and is determined to keep the world from dragging him down. When faced with life or death in Season 1’s final episode, however, will he stay cemented in his old ways or embrace evolution, let go, and learn to fly?

Bad Monkey Season 1’s penultimate episode saw a storm brewing both on the island and between Eve and the Dragon Queen. Episode 10, “We’re In The Memory-Making Business,” picks up right where our trusty narrator left off, showing the aftermath, clean-up, and Bad Monkey ’s version of Happily Eve-r After.

Curious if Eve and Nick get away with their crimes again? Wondering what becomes of Gracie and Ya-Ya? Can Yancy, Rosa, and Neville save the day? And where’s our beloved Bonnie Witt at these days? Buckle up, Bad Monkey fans. It’s gonna be a wild ride.

Looking for a Bad Monkey Season 1 finale recap? Decider’s Bad Monkey Ending Explained has you covered. Here’s what goes down in Season 1’s final hour, plus everything we know about a potential Season 2 .

‘Bad Monkey’ Episode 10 Season Finale Recap: Basically Happy

For those who need a refresher, in the final moments of Bad Monkey Episode 9 , with a vicious storm approaching, Yancy sent Rosa home alone despite her pleas for him to “let go, just this once.” Though the goodbye would mark their breakup, Yancy (king of not backing down) couldn’t let the Striplings get away with their crimes. Speaking of the Striplings, after Eve pulled that fishing rod out of Nick’s back, she finally decided to take care of him for once. She raced to find Gracie, who was standing in the rain ready to fight, deny Eve’s request for help, and shout, “I’m the fucking Dragon Lady!” Gracie told Eve there was nothing left for anyone who sold their souls, and after taking a knife slice to Eve’s chin, she said: “Time to end this.”

With the storm raging on, Bad Monkey ’s Season 1 finale wasted no time revisiting Eve and the Dragon Lady’s reckoning. After Eve’s comical “You cut me!” the Dragon Lady tossed back Nick’s stolen watch before demanding Eve give back the land she stole and “get the fuck off” her island, warning that a human sacrifice was demanded. As the two bickered, lightning struck a nearby tree, causing a massive branch to fall. For a moment, it seemed as if Eve had finally met her match, but in a last-minute twist she pushed the Dragon Lady backwards, causing her to fall onto a branch that pierced her through the chest.

The island finally had its sacrifice, but before Gracie died, she told Eve, “I hope you choke on your lies.” For those mourning Jodie Turner-Smith’s epic performance and feeling as though the MF Dragon Lady deserved a more powerful farewell, fear not. Bad Monkey delivered. Before viewers said goodbye to Gracie for good, we watched her image visit three special souls and say farewell. She made amends with Ya-Ya, encouraged Egg to embrace the love in his heart, and told little Lulu that if she worked really hard she’d be the island’s queen one day.

When the storm cleared, Nick and Eve focused on recovering from their battle wounds (he had a spinal injury that paralyzed his legs, she had a cut on her chin), and Yancy “marinated” on a plan that involved calling on the FBI director for a few favors. Next thing we knew, the Striplings were receiving a suspicious call from the bank informing them that their financial assets would be frozen at the end of the day. Yancy’s plan to draw Eve out of the house worked like a charm, because she was desperate to flee to London but couldn’t leave without cash.

Will There Be A ‘Bad Monkey’ Season 2 On Apple TV+? Creator Bill Lawrence Weighs In

With his plan in motion, Yancy called Rosa, told her they were good together, and said he didn’t want their relationship to end. Oh, and he also asked her where she tossed the gun she shot Egg with, which of course inspired her to hang up the phone. After a quick search, Yancy and Neville recovered the weapon and headed to the bank where Eve arrived at 1 p.m. on the dot. In true Stripling fashion, she was one step ahead of Yancy again. Like clockwork, the police rolled up to apprehend a criminal — but when Egg followed, informing the cops that Yancy was the man who shot him, it became clear they weren’t there to cuff Eve. With time ticking, options dwindling, and Eve and Egg escaping again , Neville drove straight into Yancy’s arrest scene, giving Bad Monkey ’s main man the chance to peel away in a stolen police car.

With no planes going in or out of the island, it seemed as though Eve was just as stuck as Yancy, until the detective remembered the Stripling yacht. As Eve pushed Nick’s wheelchair down the dock, it seemed as though she’d finally learned how to put her husband first. That warm and fuzzy feeling was incredibly short-lived, because she wasn’t helping him escape alongside her, she was dumping his body off the dock so he’d drown to death! As if murdering this man who gave up three limbs for her wasn’t bad enough, in response to Nick’s final request to “tell Caitlin I love her and I’m sorry,” Eve simply said, “I’m probably not going to see her.” Savage.

Once Eve finally ditched her husband, she hopped on the Happily Eve-r After and embarked on the ultimate getaway with her one true love: Tilly. The escape seemed too good to be true, and when Neville and Yancy arrived as she was setting sail, Eve feared it just might be. While Neville hung back on shore, Yancy fearlessly dove into the water, grabbed a hold of the rope tied to the end of Eve’s boat, and risked his life ducking in and out of the water in hopes he’d be able to make his way on board and put an end to her illegal escapades. As Eve sped up, Yancy’s stamina slowed. His father’s words ran through his mind: “You’re not the cop of the world let go.” He thought of Rogelio advising him to “let that shit go” and of Rosa begging him to “Let go, just this once.” With Sharon Van Etten’s cover of “I Won’t Back Down” playing , Yancy released the rope and let go, just this once, in a personal victory.

In the days after Eve left, the island and its people recovered and regained a sense of normalcy. Neville went fishing and caught Nick Stripling. And in an even bigger twist, he got his very good bad monkey back. Ya-Ya gave Driggs the green light to return, because she had Lulu to guide in Gracie’s absence. Yancy headed home, sat Caitlin down, gave her the closure she craved, and assured her that her dad loved her. As for Eve, she and Tilly retreated to Portugal where they lived a life of luxury. Just when it seemed Bad Monkey had let one of television’s most delightful villains emerge victorious, Gracie’s final words were realized. Eve choked on her lies (in the form of a baby carrot – again!), toppled over the edge of a glamorous rooftop, and fell to her death. Rather than mourn her evil owner’s loss, Tilly licked up Eve’s blood, just as she’d done to Nick earlier in the season. Bad Monkey ‘s true unbothered queen.

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In the words of Bad Monkey ’s brilliant narrator, “After breaking over 20 international laws. Yancy found himself without a badge once again.” On the bright side, he finally won the neighbor lottery with Madeline and her mob man moving in next door. Before Season 1 wrapped, the two main women in Yancy’s life made sure to check in, with Bonnie calling him from another relaxing lounge chair and listening to him read some relatable Richard Russo. Meanwhile, Rosa dropped by to visit and confirm he made it back safe and sound. “Good to see you. I let go at the very end,” Yancy said. (Hot.) “I don’t want to talk. Sex first. Talk after,” Rosa replied. (Also hot.)

Before we checked in with two again, the deer that Yancy saved earlier this season reappeared older; a reminder that time was transformative. Just as Yancy took a step forward when he let go of that rope, Rosa wanted to pursue her own personal path, which meant this was the end of her and Yancy’s partnership…for now. “I haven’t been happy for a while and you helped me see that I’ve just gotta see where I fit into this world before I can be with anybody for real,” Rosa explained. Instead of “goodbye,” he opted for “see you down the road,” so here’s hoping this isn’t the last we’ve seen of Natalie Martinez’s character .

As for Yancy, he closed out the season the same way he started it, but with a fresh mindset and a wild adventure in the rearview. Sure he was still technically alone, out of his dream job, and having a drink in his yard while sadly staring out at one heck of a view. But this time, Tom Petty’s “Learning to Fly” was playing and the people around him were stronger than ever. Rogellio and his husband were solid. Neville, Dawniee, and Driggs planned to rebuild with the money from Nick’s watch. And even Donald the security guard was moving on up. Yancy had no choice but to believe he was a catalyst, and told Rogellio that no matter how hard he tried, he just kept getting in his own way.

To put it in better Bad Monkey terms, Yancy compared himself to key deer, who survive by drinking the sea water when they don’t have access to fresh water: “I’m saying that I’m changing. I don’t have to be the cop of the world. Book’s closed. End of story. Epilogue’s been read.”

Just when you thought we’d leave Yancy off on his key deer comparison, Rogellio put forth a familiar proposition. “I’ve got something in my car. It’s not strictly police business, but I’ve got a feeling something fucked up went down. Wanna take a look for me?” The journey may have changed Yancy and even enticed him to pursue further growth, but at the end of the day, he’s still that same guy who’s going to look in the trunk. And that’s where we leave our favorite ex-Miami PD detective… until next time, hopefully .

Bad Monkey Season 1 is now streaming on Apple TV+. Read on for everything we know about Bad Monkey Season 2 .

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