Summary

• Fury's crew, led by Wardaddy, choose to fight the German battalion, ultimately sacrificing their lives for their country and each other.
• Norman, the inexperienced private, is the only crew member to survive the final battle by hiding under the tank and surrendering to a young German soldier who chooses not to kill him.
• The crew's treatment of Norman, though harsh, toughens him up and prepares him for the realities of war. Despite their flaws, the crew's complexities make Fury an underrated gem among war movies.

Fury's ending perfectly highlights the brutal nature of World War II, giving its characters a noble final arc that perfectly summarizes their personalities. The war movie focuses on a military crew operating a tank. Don "Wardaddy" Collier, played by Brad Pitt, commands the experienced tank crew, with each member having their own specific role. The crew consists of the gunner, Boyd "Bible" Swan, the loader, Grady Travis, and the driver, Trini "Gordo" Garcia. After their assistant driver is killed, a young private named Norman Ellison is assigned to the crew, who has little experience when it comes to war.

Throughout the film, the crew engages in several battles involving their M4 Sherman tank, nicknamed Fury. Fury embarks on its mission against German soldiers as part of a platoon when the lead tank is shot by a Panzerfaust after Norman chooses not to fire at the soldier. Norman's inability to take enemy lives becomes a theme throughout the film, with the rest of the crew berating him for his incompetence. Wardaddy eventually makes Norman shoot an enemy soldier, forcing a pistol into his hand and ensuring he pulls the trigger.

The crew also faces off against a German Tiger I, a tank much bigger than theirs which they defeat through creative tactics. Fury's tank battle's accuracy was questioned by a historian, but the fight is one of the movie's most memorable scenes. After meeting two German women, the town is attacked with the civilians dying, reinforcing the dark nature of war to Norman. The crew eventually find themselves in a final stand. With Fury broken down, the crew chooses to stay and fight, with all its members dying except Norman, who is rescued the following day by US soldiers.

Fury's Final Battle Explained

Wardaddy's Crew Are Defeated By The SS Soldiers

Fury's climax begins with Norman alerting the rest of the crew that a German battalion of between 200 and 300 soldiers are incoming. With the tank broken down after hitting a mine, the logical solution would be to run and try and find safety. However, Wardaddy tells his crew to hold down the position as they've never run from a fight before. Despite the initial pushback, the crew eventually bond and decide to join Wardaddy in fighting the German battalion, despite knowing it will probably cost them their lives.

The men share some warm moments, waiting for the Germans to arrive before launching an ambush. There is a tense wait as the Germans approach, highlighting the movie's stellar acting, with Shia LaBeouf offering a top performance when conveying the dread of going into battle. With the tank looking completely abandoned, the battalion walks straight towards it without much fear. It is only when one soldier opens Fury's hatch that Wardaddy opens fire and instructs the crew to begin attacking. From here, an intense battle ensues, with the American soldiers working in perfect harmony to load and fire the tank.

Their plan saw initial success despite the odds being stacked against them. They successfully take out various German soldiers as the sky darkens, with only the flames from explosions illuminating the battleground. Things take a turn when the crew runs out of explosives in the tank and must exit the vehicle to restock. Despite holding off the soldiers long enough to re-enter the tank, Grady is first to meet his demise after being shot by a Panzerfaust while firing the tank's coax. This leads to more stellar acting, with LaBeouf's character distraught while Pitt's Wardaddy tries to rally his troops.

As ammunition runs low, Gordo is next to die after sacrificing himself to ensure a grenade doesn't kill the rest of the crew. Bible is sniped trying to pass grenades to Wardaddy, dying instantly. Having already sustained several gunshots, Wardaddy shares an emotional moment in the tank with Norman, apologizing for some of his actions. As the Germans throw several grenades inside the tank, Wardaddy instructs Norman to escape through the hatch at the bottom, knowing his own fate is sealed. Norman makes it through the hatch and survives the battle, but Wardaddy is killed in the process.

How Norman Ellison Survives The Battle With The German's

Norman Is The Only Member Of Fury's Crew That Survives

While his fellow soldiers all die at the hands of the German soldiers, Norman is the sole survivor of Fury's final battle. After escaping the hatch, Norman is still completely outnumbered and unarmed. He knows he can't take on all the soldiers despite having found the bravery to fight alongside his crew. Instead, Norman attempts to hide, trying to cover himself in the dirt underneath the tank in the hope he isn't spotted. This attempt is unsuccessful as a young German soldier looks under the tank, noticing Norman, who holds his hands up to surrender.

Rather than killing Norman, the SS soldier simply walks away, pretending he didn't see the American. He doesn't alert any of his superiors and Norman is able to successfully wait out the German battalion. Having fallen asleep under Fury, Norman is woken to the sound of horses. Leaving his hiding spot, Norman crawls back inside the tank where he spots a deceased Wardaddy, who Norman covers with his own jacket. Hearing more soldiers approaching, Norman grabs a pistol, ready for his own last stand, but it is American soldiers who open the tank and rescue him, dubbing him a hero.

Why The SS Soldier Doesn't Kill Norman Ellison

The Soldier Has The Perfect Opportunity To Kill Norman, But Chooses Not To

One of the most criticized scenes in Fury is the SS soldier not shooting Norman. Some described the scene as unrealistic, but given the story is for entertainment purposes, it isn't a major weakness to the film. Norman's life is completely in the soldier's hands, and the German's decision not to shoot or tell another soldier is the main reason Norman managed to survive. While the movie never reveals the SS soldier's perspective, David Ayer helps explain Fury's ending. Offering some clarity on the scene, the Fury director explains the soldier's thought process.

"They were grabbing kids out of classrooms. It’s interesting because that German soldier is actually 14 years old. But the idea is, it’s not their war."

Given Norman was actively against hurting others at the start of the film, it seems like a full-circle moment in his story. The person responsible for his fate has a similar mindset to Norman's at the start of the film. The soldier is a child who doesn't see the need for senseless violence or any reason to execute an unarmed man. All the fighting and death isn't personal to Norman, nor the SS soldier who spots him, hence why they offer more second chances than most. It is not their war and, as a result, Norman's life is spared.

Why Wardaddy And His Crew Choose To Fight After Fury Breaks Down

The Crew Had Enough Time To Escape Before The German Battalion Arrived

Although most of Fury's crew lost their lives at the end of the film, they did have the chance to try and avoid this. When the tank hit a mine, they had plenty of time to leave before the German battalion approached and, despite knowing they were coming, the crew decided to stay. Wardaddy undoubtedly played the biggest role in the crew's decision. His stubbornness matches the attitude generally associated with sergeants in war movies and his determination to stay and fight won over the other soldiers, who boarded the tank despite being scared.

Pitt's character did tell his crew to run for the treeline and was willing to fight alone, but Norman's decision to stay inspired the rest of the crew. Norman was the first to agree to stay with Wardaddy, and even after Bible and Grady vocalized their concerns, the whole crew joined the battle. Despite their fear and knowledge that this fight would likely cost them their lives, the crew's togetherness made them take one last stand together. They could have run but wanted to fight for their country and each other, which cost most of them their lives.

Why Wardaddy's Crew Treats Norman Ellison So Poorly

Norman Is Treated Badly Throughout The Majority Of Fury By His Allies

Norman's youthful innocence doesn't do him any favors in Fury, with his crew constantly antagonizing him. As a leader, Wardaddy is far from sympathetic, as after forcing Norman to take his first life, Wardaddy proceeds to kick him, telling him to "do your job." Grady also constantly gets under Norman's skin, teasing him about Emma, a German woman they met, and forcing him to drink. None of the crew treat him particularly well, but their actions all come from a soldier's perspective. Even when trying to have fun, they know they are at war and remind Norman of that fact.

Following Emma's death, Grady lets Norman take his anger out on him. He tells Norman "It's called war", highlighting the grief and despair that comes with it. The treatment of Norman may be poor, but it is the crew's way of preparing him for what's to come. Had he not learned to fight, Norman would likely have died before the final battle, showing that their cruel treatment wasn't for nothing. Fury's characters may not be as fleshed out as some of the best war movies of all time, but their complexities and flaws help make the movie an underrated gem.

What Happens To Norman Ellison After Fury's Ending

Norman's Story Ends After The Crew's Final Battle

After surviving the battle with the Germans and being retrieved by US soldiers, Norman's final scene sees him look back on the battlefield where he lost the rest of his squad. It is a somber ending, but Norman's survival is at least a lighter note, especially as he was the most moral main character in the movie. Norman's final scene confirms that he lives, and while the movie doesn't offer any more insight into what happens next, the events will undoubtedly have changed him. According to IMDB's summary, Fury takes place in April 1945.

Given Germany surrendered a month later and that the movie takes place in Germany, there is a high chance that Norman survived the entire war. He didn't seem to sustain major injuries during the movie's final battle, but Norman was being tended to by medics, making it unlikely he went straight back out on another mission. This suggests Norman did get a somewhat satisfying ending, but the trauma of the war and the final battle will likely stay with him. Nothing can be confirmed about Norman's story after Fury's credits, but all signs point to him surviving WW2.

Source: IMDB