Tom Hiddleston’s ‘The Night Manager’ Leaves These 3 Questions Unanswered

With Loki star Tom Hiddleston having his moment after the Disney series’ enormous success, many are looking back on the God of Mischief’s other television work. Hiddleston has starred in many television series, from Shakespeare adaptations to other productions across the world. One of these series, The Night Manager, was an espionage thriller that left fans asking essential questions that still hold five years after it aired. 

‘The Night Manager’ was a great success 

Based on a novel by John le Carre, The Night Manager told the story of Hiddleston’s Jonathan Pine, a man who works as a night manager at a swanky Cairo hotel. However, Pine’s past catches up to him when the British government hires him to stop a corporate espionage plot that could devolve into another war. Hiddleston’s role made many imagine the Loki actor James Bond, but the cast around him was equally impressive.

The stylish spy series both played into the natural conventions of the genre while flipping them on their side. As one look at IMDb shows, the series boasts an impressive cast of recognizable names and faces, from Hugh Laurie to Olivia Colman and Elizabeth Debicki. However, when all was said and done, the fans were left asking several questions about what happened after the cameras stopped. 

What did Pine do with the $300 million?

The series never answered, but some context clues could lead fans in the right direction. The Guardian notes one of the series’ defining moments came during the last episode when Pine transferred a hefty sum to an unseen bank account just before Pine destroyed the weapons. It was an iconic doublecross that helped put an end to a series that was already filled with several twists and turns. 

Pine was contracted by the government, so there’s a chance that Pine may have transferred all the funds to British Intelligence with the hopes that it would buy him future contracts. However, Pine never played by his own rules. The likelier story is that Pine either transferred the money to his own bank account or a discreet middleman who could help him do so silently. 

Whatever the answer, it wasn’t the only question that fans had. 

What happened to Roper’s son?

Laurie’s Richard Roper was a wealthy CEO, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and perceived gentleman. However, fans quickly learn that Roper did not make his money in a kosher fashion. He manipulated the military-industrial complex to make his ample fortune via mercenaries, terrorism, and wagging the dog. 

Despite his flaws, however, Roper is a family man who would give it all up for his loved ones. When Pine put his differences aside and saved Roper’s son, Roper expressed his admiration. It’s a poignant moment that also sets the plot back to square one. Where the son goes from there is anyone’s guess. The Night Manager was not above asking questions. It didn’t answer, and that was part of the intrigue. 

Whatever happened to Roper’s son, Pine realized that letting the son pay for the sins of his father only repeated the same problems he was trying to fight. As such, the vague outcome was less about what happened to the sun and more about why the audience was wondering. 

Why didn’t the buyers hold Pine accountable?

Pine was always a cog in a machine. While he was inarguably great at his night job, he was still just one man in a society where power comes in numbers. As such, when Pine double-crossed the buyers, one can safely assume that they would seek revenge. And they very well could. Pine’s actions had consequences, but the results were not a part of the story. 

Entertainment Weekly notes how le Carre’s novels often end on sour notes. In this reimagining, however, Pine’s life after the events is up to interpretation. Just because the buyers didn’t hold pine accountable on camera, it doesn’t mean that they didn’t do so afterward. Instead, fans can look at all of his actions and decide his fate themselves. 

This is where The Night Manager succeeded most. It told a story that did not always fall into a satisfactory ending. Instead, it did something more potent and imaginative, which is why the series still resonates five years after its six-episode run.