The Rig season 2 ending explained: What does the Ancestor’s revelation mean for humanity?

thumbnail

The Rig season 2, released on January 2, 2025, looks into the gripping mysteries that began in season 1. Starting in the cold Arctic waters, the Prime Video thriller picks up with the crew of Kinloch Bravo facing more dangerous problems. This season's plotlines involve corporate corruption, ancient forces, and environmental disasters, resulting in the stakes much higher.

As the story gets more complicated, the crew moves to The Stac, a new oil rig, after the devastating tsunami that destroyed Kinloch Bravo. The team learns about Pictor Energy's darker goals when they discover their plans to kill the mysterious Ancestor, an entity with ties to Earth's history that keeps life going.

The season's plot keeps people interested, with performances from Emily Hampshire as Rose and Iain Glen as Magnus, among others.

The ending of the second season leaves viewers contemplating humanity's destructive tendencies. Despite thwarting Pictor's poisonous plans, the closing scene hints that the Ancestor's battle for survival is far from over. Surveillance and potential threats from multiple nations set the stage for further conflict, proving that Pictor may not be the only villain.

The Ancestor's revelation challenges humanity to rethink its relationship with nature, presenting the potential for coexistence and the dangers of exploitation. It halts Pictor's plans but exposes the entity to global scrutiny. Humanity is left at a crossroads between preservation and destruction.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for The Rig season 2. Reader discretion is advised.


The Ancestor's revelation at the end of The Rig season 2

Still from The Rig season 2 (Image via Prime Video)
Still from The Rig season 2 (Image via Prime Video)

The Rig season 2 ends with the Ancestor putting on a stunning show for everyone to see. Rose's connection to the Ancestor is very important as she gets it to show itself.

At the final moment, the world's oceans light up in a show that shows the existence of the Ancestor. This action stops Pictor's plans to poison the thing, but it also makes the whole world look at it more closely.

The last scenes give a hint of a complicated future: countries start to spy on the Ancestor, maybe planning to use it for their own gain or destroy it. This change makes one wonder if people can live together with such a strong and old force.

As the Stac's crew gets ready for what's to come, the moral and existential problems that the Ancestor's presence has caused have not been solved.


Rose's vision and the heart of the Ancestor

Still from The Rig season 2 (Image via Prime Video)
Still from The Rig season 2 (Image via Prime Video)

Rose seemingly defies death after being shot in the second-to-last episode. Fulmer finds out that her miraculous recovery has something to do with being near the Ancestor. This new connection lets her feel its heart, which is a very important discovery for the crew's efforts to keep the entity safe.

In Rose's vision, it's also shown that the Ancestor didn't cause mass extinctions; instead, they helped life come back after it happened. This new information changes the crew's view and makes them more determined to free the Ancestor from Pictor's control.

Rose and Fulmer use a submersible to go on a dangerous trip to the heart of the Ancestor. Bremner throws poison at Rose, but she realizes that the Ancestor has the power to heal. When she interacts directly with the being, it starts to heal itself, which leads to its shocking public appearance around the world.


Pictor's collapse: The truth unveiled

The Rig season 2 reveals Pictor Energy's evil intentions. In response to orders from the new CEO, Darian York, Bremner tries to launch a poison that will kill the Ancestor. According to reports, Morgan Lennox, the former CEO, changed his mind after learning about how greedy and destructive the company's plans were.

When Cat gives Lennox's confession to a reporter, it involves Pictor in the tsunami and the cover-up that followed. Following the public outrage caused by the confession, an investigation into Pictor's activities is launched. The corporation's huge resources and power suggest that they're far from defeated, setting the stage for more fights.


Project Cireine 2.0

Still from The Rig season 2 (Image via Prime Video)
Still from The Rig season 2 (Image via Prime Video)

Pictor's new plan to kill the Ancestor, which he calls "Project Cireine 2.0," becomes the season's main conflict. The plan is to aim a rocket-like object full of poison at the Ancestor's heart. When Bremner successfully launches the poison, the finale becomes more tense as the crew races against time to stop it from doing terrible damage.

No matter what they do, the poison gets to the heart. However, Rose's help and the Ancestor's healing ability neutralize the threat. This is a big win for the crew and shows how nature can stand up to being used by humans.


The future of the Ancestor: A global reckoning

Still from The Rig season 2 (Image via Prime Video)
Still from The Rig season 2 (Image via Prime Video)

When the Ancestor shows up in The Rig season 2, the world has to make a very important choice. The crew is able to keep the Ancestor safe for now, but the last few scenes make it clear that people will not be responding in a peaceful or united way.

Adding foreign surveillance and the possibility of military involvement are signs that conflicts are getting worse. The Ancestor's fate is still unknown, which makes viewers wonder if people will learn to live together or give in to their destructive tendencies.


Symbolism in The Rig season 2

The Rig season 2 (Image via Prime Video)
The Rig season 2 (Image via Prime Video)

The Rig season 2 is full of symbols. The Ancestor is a representation of Earth's natural ecosystems and people's fragile connection to them.

The Ancestor depicts how fragile and strong nature is, displaying how it can recover even when people hurt it. Its bright revelation at the end is a strong sign of hope that urges people to recognize and protect the natural world's delicate balance.

The corporate greed of Pictor Energy symbolizes humanity's destructive tendencies and disregard for environmental consequences in the pursuit of profit. The Stac oil rig itself acts as a microcosm for Earth, where conflicting forces of preservation and exploitation play out.

Rose's relationship with the Ancestor symbolizes humanity's ability to understand and reconnect with nature, emphasizing harmony over dominance. The Ancestor's regeneration and renewal emphasizes life's cycle and humanity's chance to fix its mistakes before it's too late.


The Rig season 2 masterfully balances suspense and existential themes, culminating in a thought-provoking finale. The series is currently available to stream on Prime Video.