Civil War’s Ending & Shocking Death Explained by Kirsten Dunst

Warning: This post contains major spoilers for Civil War

Summary

• Lee’s death at the end of
  Civil War
  was not shocking to Kirsten Dunst.
• Dunst clarified in an interview that the bullet was fired from the President’s Oval Office.
• Dunst highlighted the importance of knowing signals during the war, contrasting her character with Jessie’s lack of awareness.

The surprising death at the end of Civil War came as no surprise to Kirsten Dunst’s Lee. Following a team of journalists hoping to get an interview from the fascist U.S. President, Civil War depicts the events of a devastating war on American soil. With California and Texas raising up arms against the three-term President, the rest of America is forced to split into factions. All the while, journalists on the ground cover the horrifying events of an ever-escalating war. Tragically, Lee dies shortly before speaking with the soon-to-be-killed President.

While the Civil War ending was a shocking twist, Lee’s death was not particularly surprising for Kirsten Dunst. In an interview with Variety, Dunst cleared up any confusion about her character’s tragic fate. She revealed exactly where the bullet was fired from, and she even revealed that Lee anticipated her death and refused to leave Jessie to die. Check out her quote below:

“It was definitely fired from the president’s Oval Office. What happened was that I know when to cross and when not to cross with the soldiers when they fire. I know the signals and how to read them. You just know when it’s time to move and when it’s time not to. That’s something that Cailee’s character Jessie obviously does not know.”

Lee’s Tragic Civil War Death

Jessie Still Has Much To Learn About Photojournalism

The mission of the journalists in Civil War is a cynical desire to get an interview from the tyrannical president. They risk their lives and the lives of the surrounding soldiers in their desperate mission to reach Washington D.C. and the White House. Throughout the movie, Lee learns about the cost of her decisions and begins to build a connection with Jessie (Cailee Spaeny). After losing Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson) in the fight against Jesse Plemons’ unnamed militia member, she begins to value her friends more than the job.

Sammy’s death made Lee recognize the true importance of protecting her allies and friends. She deleted the photos of Sammy’s death as a way of proving that she understands and values the lives of her companions. When Jessie, who has no true knowledge of war photography, is at risk of dying, Lee sacrifices herself to keep the younger journalist safe. Lee knows that she is jumping in front of gunfire, but she hardly hesitates. Tragically, Jessie is too inexperienced to share her sentiment, as she photographs Lee’s death.

Civil War doesn’t glorify violence, and Lee’s death is a clear example of its horrors. It left Jessie jaded and closed off, killed multiple journalists, and left countless soldiers and civilians dead. While Sammy’s death certainly emphasized that theme, Lee is one of the central characters of Civil War. Her death is proof of the true dangers of war and makes the ending as tragic as it is. It is also a sign of a cycle of violence, as Jessie becomes the journalist that Lee was at the beginning of the movie.

Civil War
is currently in theaters.

Source: Variety