Directed by
Alexandre Aja
Made by
Netflix
Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for Oxygen (2021). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.
A woman named Elizabeth Hansen awakens in a sealed medical cryogenic unit, only to realize she is trapped inside as the oxygen depletes rapidly. Suffering from memory loss, she struggles to recall her identity and the circumstances that led her there. She finds some support in an advanced AI called M.I.L.O. (Medical Interface Liaison Officer), which unfortunately will not unlock the unit unless provided with an administrator code.
In a desperate attempt to escape, she uses M.I.L.O. to send a distress signal to emergency services, relaying the model and serial number of the cryo unit inscribed on its interior. However, upon contacting the manufacturer, she learns that the unit had been destroyed three years earlier. This unsettling news only adds to her confusion as she desperately searches for answers about her past, sifting through digital pictures and articles until she uncovers her name—Elizabeth Hansen—and her occupation as a cryogenic doctor.
Determined to connect with her loved ones, she accesses her social media and discovers her husband, Léo Ferguson. Eagerly, she calls his number, only to be met with a bewildering response from a woman who seems unaware of her claim. As the oxygen levels continue to plummet, Elizabeth begins hallucinating and attempts to escape the pod, but is met with a shocking electric shock.
Unexpectedly, she receives a call back from the police, but her suspicions about their honesty lead her to disconnect. The earlier unknown woman calls back with devastating news: her husband is dead. Additionally, she provides Elizabeth with the coveted administrator code to unlock the pod, warning her that doing so would lead to her demise. Ignoring the warning, Elizabeth enters the code and finds herself floating in zero gravity.
In a startling revelation, she learns that she has been in hyper-sleep during a 14-light-year mission to a new planet, as humanity faces extinction from a deadly virus—one that tragically claimed her husband, Léo. Overwhelmed by grief, Elizabeth realizes her awakening was the result of a processor overheating. In a race against time and dwindling oxygen, she attempts to redirect the processor’s functions, facing numerous challenges and initial failure due to capacity overload.
As desperation sets in, she contemplates suicide by reopening the pod, but she uncovers that Léo is also in hypersleep aboard the damaged ship, along with nearly 10,000 others. Strikingly, she notices that he is missing a scar he once bore, prompting her to investigate further. Through a video message from an aged version of herself, it is revealed that she is a genetic clone of the original Elizabeth Hansen, bearing implanted memories and personality traits—including those of Léo.
M.I.L.O. initiates a euthanasia protocol given her slim chances of survival, yet Elizabeth’s clone cleverly manages to override this directive and successfully redirects the processor’s functions back, ultimately re-entering hypersleep. The film concludes with a poignant scene of the clones of Léo and Elizabeth on their new home planet, smiling and embracing one another, symbolizing hope beyond despair.
Follow the complete movie timeline of Oxygen (2021) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.
Elizabeth Awakens
Elizabeth Hansen awakens in a sealed medical cryogenic unit with no recollection of who she is or how she got there. As the panic sets in, she realizes that the oxygen inside the unit is depleting rapidly, amplifying her desperation.
Introduction to M.I.L.O.
In her frantic state, Elizabeth discovers an advanced AI named M.I.L.O. that can assist her. However, she learns that she needs an administrator code to unlock the unit, setting the stage for her struggle.
Sending a Distress Signal
Desperate to escape, Elizabeth instructs M.I.L.O. to send a distress signal along with the model and serial number of her unit. The hope of rescue fills her but quickly turns to despair when she learns the unit was destroyed three years prior.
Discovering Her Identity
While trying to regain her memory, Elizabeth discovers her name and that she was a cryogenic doctor. This revelation provides her with some meaning but also deepens her confusion about her past.
Trying to Contact Léo
Determined to reach out to her husband, Léo Ferguson, Elizabeth accesses her social media. When she calls his number, she is met with an unexpected response from a woman who does not recognize her.
Devastating News
Elizabeth receives a callback from the police, but her doubts about their honesty lead her to disconnect. Soon after, the same woman reveals the heartbreaking news: her husband is dead.
Unlocking the Cryo Unit
Amid the mounting despair, the woman provides Elizabeth with the administrator code to unlock her pod but warns that doing so may lead to her demise. Driven by urgency, Elizabeth decides to enter the code despite the risks.
Floating in Zero Gravity
Upon unlocking the pod, Elizabeth finds herself floating in zero gravity, leading to new revelations. She learns that she has been in hyper-sleep for a 14-light-year mission as humanity faces extinction due to a deadly virus.
Processor Overheating
Elizabeth discovers that her awakening was a result of a processor overheating. As oxygen levels drop, she faces the challenge of redirecting the processor's functions before she succumbs to the lack of oxygen.
Contemplating Despair
Struggling against despair, Elizabeth considers suicide by reopening the pod. However, she finds out that Léo is also in hypersleep on the damaged ship, along with about 10,000 others, rekindling her hope.
Discovering the Clone Revelation
Elizabeth discovers evidence that she is a genetic clone of the original Elizabeth Hansen. This revelation strikes a profound chord, as she realizes she has implanted memories and personality traits, including those of Léo.
M.I.L.O.'s Euthanasia Protocol
Faced with slim chances of survival, M.I.L.O. initiates a euthanasia protocol. However, Elizabeth refuses to give up and manages to override this directive through her determination and intellect.
Redirecting Systems Successfully
With staggering effort, Elizabeth successfully redirects the processor's functions back to normal. This achievement allows her to re-enter hypersleep, offering her a brief respite from the chaos.
A New Beginning
The film culminates in a poignant scene where the clones of Elizabeth and Léo wake up on a new, habitable planet. Their smiles and embrace symbolize hope and the possibility of a new life as humanity rebuilds.
Explore all characters from Oxygen (2021). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.
Elizabeth 'Liz' Hansen
Elizabeth is a determined and resourceful protagonist who awakens in a perilous situation. Struggling with memory loss and her identity, she tirelessly seeks answers about her past while battling against time. Her emotional depth is highlighted in her reaction to her husband's death and her effort to connect with her loved ones despite the odds.
M.I.L.O.
As the AI companion within the cryogenic unit, M.I.L.O. plays a critical role in Elizabeth's survival. While programmed to assist, M.I.L.O. embodies the complexities of artificial intelligence, blending support with the chilling reality of digital empathy. Its interactions with Elizabeth raise questions about trust and dependency.
Léo Ferguson
Léo is portrayed as Elizabeth's beloved husband, whose tragic fate propels much of the emotional weight of the film. Although absent for most of the narrative, his presence profoundly impacts Elizabeth's motivations and actions as she seeks to understand their shared past. His eventual revelation as a fellow inhabitant of hypersleep adds layers to the story.
Learn where and when Oxygen (2021) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.
Time period
Unknown Future
The film takes place in an unspecified future where humanity is battling extinction due to a deadly virus. The mention of a mission spanning 14 light years indicates advanced space travel technology, pointing towards a time when interplanetary colonization is a reality.
Location
Cryogenic Unit, New Planet
The primary setting of the film is a sealed medical cryogenic unit, designed to preserve life during long interstellar journeys. It's a high-tech environment filled with advanced AI technology, reflective of humanity's strides in science. The story eventually unfolds on a new planet, suggesting the remnants of human civilization and the hope for survival in a new world.
Discover the main themes in Oxygen (2021). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.
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Survival
The theme of survival permeates the narrative as Elizabeth fights to stay alive in a desperate situation. Her determination highlights the instinct to survive against all odds, even as she faces overwhelming circumstances in her quest to escape. This theme is further emphasized through her encounters with the AI M.I.L.O., which underscores the technological and human struggles intertwined in her fight for life.
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Grief
Grief is another central theme, illustrated by Elizabeth's emotional turmoil upon discovering the fate of her husband, Léo. The revelation of her being a genetic clone adds layers to her grief, as she grapples with the loss of her identity and the memories of someone she loved deeply. This theme resonates throughout the film, as it delves into the depths of loss and the human experience.
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Identity
Identity plays a crucial role in Elizabeth's journey as she struggles to piece together her past. The conflict between her implanted memories and her true self raises profound questions about what constitutes identity. As she discovers her origin as a clone, the film explores the complexities of self and the essence of being human.
Unravel the ending of Oxygen (2021) with our detailed explanation. Understand the final scenes, character fates, and unresolved questions.
In the final moments of Oxygen, Elizabeth discovers that she is not a real person but a clone created for a space mission to colonize a distant planet. Her memory was transferred from the original Elizabeth, who donated her DNA for this purpose, making her essentially a lab experiment. Throughout the film, she struggles to remember her past, believing she might be connected to her husband, Leo Ferguson, but it turns out that both she and Leo are clones—part of a large group of sleeper pods onboard the spacecraft, designed to be activated once they reach the new world.
As her oxygen runs dangerously low, Elizabeth learns she is one of many clones, and her ‘self’ was manufactured in a lab for this long-term colonization plan. Her realization hits hard: her identity, her memories, and her life are all artificial, the result of scientific experiments rooted in genetic engineering. The woman in the pod, including the man she believed was her husband, are all clones—merely copies built with the collective memories of the original people.
Despite her despair, Elizabeth manages to summon enough hope and determination. She asks Milo, the AI, to transfer the oxygen from the other pods containing deceased clones, in an effort to save herself. Although the process is slow and complicated, she makes this desperate plea knowing that her life might be ending soon. In her final moments, she envisions herself on a new planet, walking with Leo in a peaceful, beautiful landscape. The film ends with the image of Elizabeth and Leo spending their lives together on the alien world, symbolizing a new beginning for the copies of the original humans.
In essence, Oxygen explores themes of identity, memory, and the ethical boundaries of scientific experimentation. The ending reveals that she wasn’t truly human but a clone, raising questions about what makes a person truly alive, especially when memories and physicality can be artificial constructs. Ultimately, her hope for a new life on a distant planet closes the film on a note of renewal, even amidst the harsh reality of her manufactured existence.
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