The Bad Guys — Ending Explained (What Happens to the Crew?)

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The Bad Guys — Ending Explained (What Happens to the Crew?)

Full spoilers ahead for DreamWorks Animation’s The Bad Guys (2022).

The Bad Guys starts as a slick heist comedy—Mr. Wolf and his crew are famous, hunted, and (in their own minds) iconic. But the movie’s ending flips the whole “bad guys forever” story into something much sweeter: a public fall, a private choice to change, and one last con that proves the crew has finally become a team you can root for.

If you’re here for the quick answer: the crew stops Professor Marmalade, willingly serves time for their crimes, and then leaves prison with Diane Foxington to start a new life—basically, they become the “Good Guys” for real.

Quick recap: who’s in the crew?

  • Mr. Wolf (the driver/leader): wants respect and slowly realizes he actually wants to be good.
  • Mr. Snake (the safecracker): the cynic—convinced the world will never stop seeing them as monsters.
  • Mr. Shark (the master of disguise): the softie under the chaos.
  • Mr. Piranha (the muscle): the hothead with a surprisingly big heart.
  • Ms. Tarantula (“Webs”) (the hacker): the brainy one who can break systems (and later, break the villain’s plan).

The Bad Guys ending explained (step-by-step)

1) Marmalade’s “rehab” was a setup

The core twist is that Professor Marmalade never wanted to reform the Bad Guys—he wanted to use them. His plan is to frame the crew for a meteorite theft so he can keep his image as a perfect hero while secretly becoming the real mastermind.

2) The crew fractures… because Wolf actually changes

Wolf starts doing good for real (not just as a con), and that creates tension inside the gang. Their whole identity is built on being feared, untouchable, and “born bad.” Wolf changing forces the others to ask a question they’ve avoided for years: if we can choose to be good, what does that make us?

3) Diane Foxington’s reveal changes the stakes

The movie pulls another great twist when Diane Foxington is revealed as the legendary thief “The Crimson Paw.” That matters because she’s living proof of the thing Wolf is trying to convince the crew is possible: you can stop being who people expect you to be.

4) Snake’s “betrayal” is the turning point

On the surface, Snake appears to flip back to villain mode and team up with Marmalade. But the ending reveals what’s really happening: Snake is playing the most important role of his life—he’s running a con on the conman. The “betrayal” is the mask he wears to get close enough to wreck Marmalade’s plan.

5) The meteorite swap: the last con of the movie

The final showdown hinges on a classic heist-movie trick: the switch. Snake secretly swaps out the real meteorite for a decoy, which means Marmalade’s big victory speech collapses in real time. The mind-control project is effectively finished, and Marmalade is exposed as the true criminal.

6) The crew chooses consequences—and that’s the redemption

Here’s the part many “ending explained” posts miss: the crew doesn’t get redeemed because they win a fight. They get redeemed because, when they finally have a story that could make them look like spotless heroes, they still surrender. They accept punishment for the crimes they actually committed. That choice is the difference between “rebranding” and real change.

So… what happens to the crew?

They go to prison (again), but this time it’s different

The Bad Guys end the main story behind bars—by choice. But instead of fighting each other and clinging to the old identity, they’re finally aligned: they trust Wolf, they trust each other, and they accept they’re not just “bad guys” on rails anymore.

Then the credits scene sets up their new future

If you waited through the credits (or you’re streaming and skipped them), there’s a closing-credits/mid-credits scene where the crew leaves prison on a reduced sentence, and Diane Foxington picks them up to “go to work.” That final beat makes the promise clear: their next chapter is using their skills for good.

Where each member lands by the end

  • Mr. Wolf: Becomes the emotional center of the team—still charismatic, but now leading with purpose instead of ego.
  • Mr. Snake: Proves loyalty wins over cynicism; the “fake defection” is his way of choosing the pack over pride.
  • Mr. Shark: The comic chaos stays, but the heart gets louder—he’s fully on board with doing the right thing.
  • Mr. Piranha: Learns restraint without losing intensity; he’s still the muscle, just pointed in a better direction.
  • Ms. Tarantula: Uses her hacking talents to stop harm instead of cause it—the most literal “skills turned heroic” arc.
  • Diane Foxington: Stops being the “perfect” public figure hiding her past and becomes a real partner to the crew.
  • Professor Marmalade: Exposed, arrested, and stripped of the “cute hero” image that protected him.

Why the ending hits so hard (and what it’s really saying)

The movie’s big idea is simple: reputation is a cage, and “being good” is a skill you practice, not a label you’re born with. The Bad Guys don’t become heroes because the city suddenly likes them. They become heroes because they choose honesty and accountability when it costs them something.

That’s also why the final crew moment works: it doesn’t erase what they did. It shows what they’re willing to do next—together.

FAQ

Is Snake actually a traitor?

No—Snake’s “betrayal” is revealed to be a play. It’s his way of getting close enough to sabotage Marmalade and pull off the meteorite switch.

Does The Bad Guys have a post-credits or mid-credits scene?

Yes. There’s an extra scene during/after the credits where the crew gets out of prison early (for good behavior) and Diane picks them up for their next job.

Do the Bad Guys become “good guys” for real?

By the end, yes—the point is that they stop performing goodness for public approval and start choosing it even when nobody’s clapping.