Relay ending explained: Betrayal, survival, and justice

Relay is a gripping thriller directed by David Mackenzie and written by Justin Piasecki. It made its worldwide premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2024. It later saw a wide release in the United States on August 22, 2025, following earlier limited international releases.

Riz Ahmed plays the lead role of Tom/Ash, a covert "fixer" who specializes in arranging large payouts between corrupt businesses and whistleblowers. The other cast members include Lily James, Sam Worthington, Willa Fitzgerald, Matthew Maher, among others.

Relay centers on Ash's anonymous work, protecting clients using a unique relay service for untraceable interactions. Sarah's case puts his perfectly built universe to the test, resulting in a stressful cat-and-mouse game. A major plot twist reveals that Sarah is a corporate plant who is out to get Ash, not a true whistleblower.

This compelling revelation forces a thorough reassessment of the story, exploring issues of fraud, trust, and the ethical dilemmas present in corporate espionage. It concludes in an unexpected and complex climax in which Ash finally reveals the corruption.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers about the film. Viewer's discretion advised.

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Relay ending explained: What Sarah’s betrayal really means

A still from the film's trailer (Image via YouTube/Bleecker Street)

The main plot of Relay carefully builds around Ash's anonymous work, safeguarding clients by using information and a special relay service for interactions that cannot be tracked. Sarah's case is the final obstacle to his skillfully built, remote world and turns into a heated game of cat and mouse between Ash and the corporate surveillance team.

However, the film's major twist reveals that Sarah is a corporate plant who chases Ash rather than being a true whistleblower. The stakes significantly rise as Sarah's true loyalty is revealed, which is that Optimo Pharmaceutical hired her to find Hoffman's records and, more importantly, to expose Ash.

Ash, a recovering alcoholic who has experienced corporate misconduct himself, realizes that Sarah's betrayal completely destroys his delicately managed system of distance and identity. The revelation was even more heartbreaking because, despite their few encounters, a real, albeit manipulative bond had appeared to develop.

Sarah plans a last document handoff in the movie's climax, supposedly to protect Ash from the surveillance team, but it's really just another part of her deception to trick him. Ash rushes to the concert hall after figuring out her gambit. The chase goes on even though he can sound the fire alarm, save Sarah from Dawson's group, and tell her his real name.

A still from the film's trailer (Image via YouTube/Bleecker Street)

Notably, Ash had already taken a precaution by getting in touch with Wash, an NYPD officer who sponsored him as an alcoholic. Ash fights off the squad in a last-ditch move after Dawson corners Ash and Sarah and makes Ash lead them to his safe warehouse.

In the end, Ash alerts Wash and the police, who show up and arrest Sarah and Dawson's group. After surviving, Ash offers to give Wash, the only person he trusts, all the incriminating documents, therefore exposing the corporate misconduct.

Ash's decision to finally trust Wash is further complicated by his weakness as a recovering alcoholic and his battle with previous guilt, highlighting the fact that his actions are motivated by a higher moral code than just self-preservation or financial gain.

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Relay was released in the U.S. on August 22, 2025. Stay tuned for more updates.