Summary

• Baby Driver ends with Baby failing to escape from Atlanta after a dangerous heist, facing consequences for his actions.
• Doc allows Baby to try and escape, showcasing his empathy, while Buddy becomes the primary villain after Darling's death.
• Baby's love story with Debora and his humanity helps him survive and eventually reunite after a reduced prison sentence.

Baby Driver's ending is a perfect concluding note for Edgar Wright's musically inclined crime-thriller, even if it leaves the door open for a potential follow-up. Taking place in Atlanta, Baby Driver focuses on the titular Baby. Played by Ansel Elgort, Baby is a gifted getaway driver who is frequently used by the crime lord Doc (played by Kevin Spacey) during his heists. Baby juggles these responsibilities with a budding romance to Debora (Lily James) and a desire to share his life with her outside the orbit of his criminal assignments.

The story Baby Driver 2.

Baby's Endgame: Why Baby Needs To Escape Atlanta

Baby's First Kill Sets Off A Deadly Series Of Dominos

Baby Driver takes a serious turn after the death of Bats (played by Jamie Foxx), which sets up many elements of Baby Driver's ending. Although Baby's previous attempts to escape his life of crime had been thwarted by Doc, Bats' casual lethality is the final straw for the young getaway driver. As the group tries to flee a robbery that quickly spirals out of control, Bats threatens Baby with a shotgun. This prompts Baby to purposefully drive into a truck with exposed rebar and piping.

This kills Bats, but also leaves Baby (along with fellow thieves Buddy and Darling) exposed and quickly surrounded by the police. Baby escapes and quickly resumes his old plan of fleeing Atlanta to escape arrest. Baby had already been looking to escape his current predicament, but the death of Bats and the ensuing shootout were the final push to get Baby out of Atlanta. On top of being a loose end for his fellow criminals to tie up, Baby's part in the robbery and ensuing bloodshed means he'll face arrest if he stays in the city, forcing Baby to flee.

Why Doc Allows Baby To Escape In Baby Driver

Doc's Villainous Fake-Out, Explained

Initially, Doc is established as the most dangerous threat to Baby. While characters like Bats might present more physical danger to the character, it's Doc who got Baby into a life of crime. Even when Baby clears away his debt, Doc forces him to remain under his thumb. For much of the film, Doc's ruthless behavior sets him up as Baby Driver's antagonist. However, Doc also steadily reveals his humanity. He has a surprisingly strong bond with his family and showcases a fondness for Baby that saves his life from the suspicious Bats.

Although aware of Baby's romance with Debora, Doc is swayed by their commitment to one another. This prompts him to offer advice, allow him to take evidence that could put Baby away, and gift the young man enough cash to make his getaway. Doc's quiet ission that he was "in love once" suggests his empathy comes from a place of understanding, and that he genuinely hopes Baby and Debora can live the life he never got. It's an interesting turn that entirely changes Doc and sets him up to give his life trying to protect Baby.

Baby Driver's Villain Twist Explained: Why Buddy Turns On Baby

How Buddy Becomes Baby's Opposite Number

Instead of Doc, Baby Driver's primary villain is Buddy. One of Jon Hamm's most underappreciated roles, Buddy is introduced as a more carefree criminal than his partner Darling or his ally Bats. Buddy initially even bonds with Baby over a shared appreciation of music. However, Baby's murder of Bats ends up setting off a gunfight with the police that kills Darling. Enraged, Buddy aims to take his revenge no matter the cost — killing Doc and even deafening Baby before finally being killed.

Notably, Buddy serves as the film's most direct comparison to Baby. Like Baby, Buddy is shown to be a human being in a world of cartoonish criminals, with a soft side and appreciation of music. He's also driven by love, similar to Baby. Buddy works as a dark mirror to Baby, highlighting how ruthless Baby could become. It underscores the lengths someone is willing to go for love, with Baby's desperate attempts to escape alongside Debora contrasting against Buddy's vicious fury over the death of Darling. This makes his transformation into the film's villain all the more fitting.

Baby's Prison Sentence & Release Explained

Being A Good Guy Helps Baby Survive Baby Driver

At the end of Baby Driver, the seriously injured Baby is the last surviving member of his criminal crew. Although he isn't killed, he and Debora don't make it far before they are found by the police. He is promptly arrested for all the crimes he committed in the film. However, a potentially lengthy prison sentence is severely reduced, as revealed in the film's final moments. Baby's trial sees numerous ing and minor characters come to his defense. This includes Deborah, his adopted caretaker Joseph, and civilians like the post office clerk and an old woman he robbed.

Baby's humanity and kindness lingered with all of them. Although their testimony doesn't stop Baby from being sentenced to twenty-five years in prison, it does seem to play a part in him being granted the chance for parole after five years. The film ends with Baby being released from prison following those five years, finding Debora waiting for him. It makes sense why the film ends this way, forcing Baby to face consequences for his actions while allowing his genuine humanity to play a part in his eventual freedom.

What Happens To Debora & Joseph At The End Of Baby Driver

Happy Endings All Around

Baby Driver's other two major ing characters, Debora and Joseph, both get happy endings at the end of the film. Debora plays a major part in inspiring Baby to try and escape his life of crime, with the two making plans to escape Atlanta and his criminal connections. Debora stands beside Baby even as his life is turned upside down, helping kill Buddy to save him. She's initially positioned to try and make a run for it alongside him in the film's final moments. When they are surrounded by police, Baby allows himself to be arrested.

In many ways, Baby Driver is a love story hidden in an action film, and their romance ends up being the film's primary emotional arc. Debora repays this by waiting for him, and the film ends with the pair reunited. Meanwhile, Baby ensures Joseph has a good life before he's put away. He leaves his adopted father all the money he acquired and takes him to a retirement home to evade police attention. Joseph repays this kindness by testifying in Baby's defense, helping Baby evade a lengthy prison sentence. In the end, love saves Baby a lot of trouble.

Why Music Is So Important In Baby Driver

Baby Driver's Soundtrack Underscores Baby's Character Growth

Music is a driving element of Baby Driver from the very beginning, symbolizing Baby's character arc. Baby starts the film using music as a means of drowning out the pain caused by the hearing damage and the real world. Baby has to deal with people insulting him and the pain of his lost loved ones. When listening to his music, Baby can remain disconnected. At the beginning of the film, this underscores his apathy for his criminal work, as he moves in tune with the music instead of at the pace of the criminals he is forced to work alongside.

However, music also proves to be a means of expressing himself and connecting with others. His personal remixes of music and spoken dialogue almost get him killed, but they showcase how much he observes and wants to be heard. Debora connects with him over music, with her final letter to Baby highlighting their shared joy of driving together while listening to songs together. Music is initially how Baby keeps himself removed from the world, but ultimately underscores how he wants to be loved — which plays into the themes of the film.

Will Baby Driver 2 Ever Happen? What Edgar Wright Has Said About The Sequel

Edgar Wright Wants Baby Driver 2 But Has Other Priorities

Baby Driver ends on a conclusive happy note, with Baby reuniting with Debora while all the biggest threats to their lives are dead. However, it appears that Edgar Wright does have some inkling of where to take Baby going forward. Wright has confirmed that he has a script written for Baby Driver 2, which would likely continue Baby and Debora's story. He's also noted that he'd want to return to the film if he could find a way to "have fun" with the concept.

Baby Driver was a personal pet project of Edgar Wright, and the Writer/Director spent much of his early career developing the project. It would make sense why Wright would want to return to that world. However, there are some indicators that Wright is focused on other projects over a potential return for Baby. Wright is currently attached to two films, including The Chain and a new adaptation of Stephen King's The Running Man. Baby Driver may not necessarily need a sequel given the soft nature of its ending, but there's always a chance Baby could be back on the road eventually.