The ending of 1996’s Independence Day is just as over-the-top as the rest of the iconic 1996 sci-fi/action epic, but it also speaks to the underlying core theme of the film. Directed by Roland Emmerich and starring Will Smith, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Mary McDonnell, Judd Hirsch, Vivica A. Fox, Margaret Colin, and Randy Quaid, Independence Day focuses on an alien armada that arrives in Earth’s orbit with little warning. When any peaceful hopes are dashed by a series of massive coordinated attacks across the planet, humanity finds itself on the brink.

Initially overwhelmed by the advanced technology of the aliens in Independence Day, the survivors are forced to find a way to counter the aliens and bring the fight to them. Although the film received a mixed critical reception when it was released, it became a massive commercial success and helped elevate Will Smith into one of the world’s most impressive stars. The ending of Roland Emmerich’s Independence Day leans into that somewhat goofy but earnest sense of action, all while underscoring the film’s central premise of resistance in the face of defeat and setting the stage for an eventual sequel.

How Humanity Beats The Aliens In Independence Day Explained

The Key To Defeating The Independence Day Aliens Requires Computer Viruses & Nukes

Initially, the conflict between the humans and the aliens in Independence Day is very one-sided, until humanity is able to find a workaround to their advanced technology. Thanks to their advanced shield systems, the alien warships are able to easily repel almost everything the humans throw at them. This allows them to devastate the planet, targeting major cities and military bases to quash any resistance. However, thanks to the work of David Levinson, a computer virus is devised that disrupts the shields on all the ships.

Alongside Steven Hiller, David is able to fly into the alien mothership and activate the computer virus. Destroying the ship with a well-placed nuclear bomb before making their escape, Hiller and Levinson are able to give humanity a fighting chance. The first outright human victory happens over Area 51, with President Thomas J. Whitmore leading the assault to take down the warship. Afterward, news of the victory spreads around the world, prompting the other governments to strike back at the aliens in their own parts of the planet. This allows humanity to defeat the alien warships and save the planet.

What The Aliens Actually Want In Independence Day

Why The Aliens Target Humanity Even If They Don’t Actually Hate Them

The Aliens in Independence Day, known as Harvesters are a villainous force with no clear redeeming qualities, making them some of the most straightforward villains in sci-fi history. The species is eventually revealed to be a nomadic one, traveling the universe and harvesting planets for their resources. This is why they launch such overwhelming attacks on their targets, hoping to wipe out the native species quickly so they can get to work stripping the worlds of their resources. Notably, the species seems to have no specific ill-will to humanity when it attacks Earth. Rather, they simply see humanity as a roadblock to their goals.

It’s less of a conflict for them and more of an extermination. As Whitmore discovers when he briefly connects telepathically to a captured alien, they’ve done this same thing to numerous other civilizations across the cosmos. This makes their eventual widescale defeat far more palatable from an audience perspective, as there are no moral gray areas when it comes to fighting them. It’s life or death with the aliens from Independence Day, setting up the massive conflict at the heart of the film.

Every Major Character Death In Independence Day

There Are Countless Deaths In Independence Day But Only A Handful Of Major Ones

The conflict between humanity and the aliens in Independence Day results in countless deaths, including some major ones connected to the plot. While the film’s central protagonists largely survive, many of them lose loved ones. Steven Hiller is the last survivor of his fighter squadron and witnessed the death of his fellow pilot and best friend Jimmy Wilder. Jasmine and David’s friends Tiffani and Marty are killed in the initial attacks. One of the film’s most tragic deaths Marilyn Whitmore, the First Lady. Even though Marilyn was fatally wounded in the attack on Los Angeles, Jasmine is able to reunite her with her family before she passes.

The biggest character death in Independence Day is Russell Casse, a former Air Force pilot whose stories of alien abduction are confirmed by the return of the aliens. Casse takes part in the battle over Area 51, and ends up sacrificing himself to destroy the Warship as it is activating one of its major weapons. Another major death teased in the film is Doctor Brackish Okun, the Area 51 scientist who is briefly taken as a conduit by the aliens. However, the subsequent sequel Independence Day: Resurgence revealed he survived the experience.

How Independence Day’s Ending Sets Up The Sequel, Resurgence

Independence Day: Resurgence Set Up The Advancement Of Humanity In Sequels

Set twenty years after the events of the prior film, 2016’s Independence Day: Resurgence utilized a number of elements from the earlier movie to set up a sequel. Using the technology left by the defeated aliens, humanity is able to reverse-engineer technology that spreads humanity across the universe. The collective victory of humanity over the aliens at the ending of Independence Day has also led to a more unified world. This also allowed for humanity to have much more advanced technology in the sequel, giving them a better fighting chance against the aliens.

The psychic connection between Whitmore, Okun, and the aliens in the first film makes them capable of connecting to the alien hivemind, allowing them to discover the plans of the aliens when they return to harvest the molten core of the planet. These threads serve as the key connective tissue between the original film and the sequel, setting up a massive new battle against the aliens’ new attempt to target and harvest the Earth’s resources. Although Independence Day: Resurgence set up a potential follow-up focused on targeting the alien directly, the lackluster critical and commercial reception to the film makes Independence Day 3 unlikely.

Independence Day’s Alternate Ending & Differences Explained

The Original Ending Of Independence Day Changed Casse’s Final Choice

For the most part, Independence Day‘s ending was consistent with the film that was eventually released. The humans victory over the aliens, while Hiller and Levinson make it back to Earth to be reunited with their loved ones. However, Casse had a slightly different part to play in the final battle over Area 51. In the film’s original ending, Casse’s clear inebriation meant that he wouldn’t be allowed to take part in the final battle. He ultimately took his biplane into the battle with a missile attached to it, ultimately completing a very similar heroic sacrifice.

However, the filmmakers decided it was too unbelievable to have a simple bi-plane keep up with fighter jets. The filmmakers also disliked the implication that Casse was joining the final battle on a suicide mission, instead of choosing in the moment to give up his life for the sake of the world. Despite test audiences reportedly enjoying the comedic elements of Casse’s surprise arrival in the final battle, the ending was changed so that Casse is successfully recruited for the final assault and could actually take part in the entire battle.

The Real Meaning Behind Independence Day’s Ending

The Human Spirit Wins Out In The End Of Independence Day

The ending of Independence Day is a surprisingly uplifting one, despite the widescale death and destruction that happened earlier in the film. Despite the massive losses that occur in the film and all the challenges that humanity is forced to endure in the battle against the aliens, the film ultimately argues that humanity is able to overcome them. This is seen most clearly in Whitmore’s iconic speech to the pilots on Area 51, where he rallies the other survivors to resist any nihilistic sense of defeat and instead “not go quietly into the night.”

That focus on human resistance plays into the personal arcs of the other characters in the film. Characters like Steven and David fight for their relationships and are rewarded with emotional reunions in the film’s ending. Whitmore is initially shaken by the tragedies but is able to inspire himself and others to keep going. Even the trauma that’s shattered Casse’s life can be confronted and overcome, with Casse ultimately playing a crucial part in saving the day in the process. Independence Day is a goofy over-the-top sci-fi action film that underscores all the bombast with belief in human reliance.