The following contains spoilers for The Phoenician Scheme, now playing in theaters

The Phoenician Scheme's ending is a hilariously clever and surprisingly sweet climax to the film, all while revealing who has been actively trying to murder Zsa-zsa Karda all movie long. The Phoenician Scheme is focused largely on Zsa-zsa, a ruthless and successful businessman who finds himself shaken when the latest attempts on his life spur visions of the afterlife. Deciding to settle his personal affairs, Zsa-zsa tries to make amends with his estranged daughter Liesl — whose intentions to become a nun make her an ideal moral contrast to her father.

the critically acclaimed The Phoenician Scheme and why Zsa-zsa sacrifices his fortune after defeating his evil half-brother.

Who Keeps Trying To Kill Zsa-zsa?

Nubar Is Secretly The Big Bad Of The Phoenician Scheme

One of the big running gags/mysteries of The Phoenician Scheme is the identity of his attempted murderer, who is eventually revealed to be his half-brother Nubar. Nubar isn't formally introduced until the climax of The Phoenician Scheme, but the character hangs over much of the film due to Zsa-zsa's claims that Nubar is responsible for the death of Liesl's mother (and is implied to be her biological father). While Nubar doesn't confirm either of those, he does reveal at the end of the film that he was the one arranging for the various assassination attempts against Zsa-zsa.

Given Nubar's own wealth and connection to the powerful figures of the world, there's no clear ulterior motive to the attempts on his half-brother's life, like desiring his fortune or family. Instead, Nubar's efforts seem to stem from his open hatred for his brother, an animosity that was only increased by their love for the same woman. In the end, Zsa-zsa gets the better of Nubar and kills him. Given that Zsa-zsa sacrifices his fortune and is rid of his brother, it seems unlikely that the assassination attempts will continue, allowing Zsa-zsa to live out his quiet but fulfilling life.

Is Liesl Really Zsa-zsa's Daughter?

Liesl Decides It Doesn't Matter Who Her Biological Parent Is, Zsa-zsa Is Her Father

A big mystery surrounding Liesl in the film is her exact parentage. The daughter of Zsa-zsa's first wife, she is seen by the tycoon as his true heir. However, there are implications that she isn't biologically his daughter. The film comments repeatedly on the physical similarities she shares with Nubar, notably their steely eyes. Zsa-zsa its that Nubar bu was having an affair with his wife, which makes it a genuine possibility that Liesl is Nubar's daughter.

A major theme of The Phoenician Scheme is rooted in the importance of choice when it comes to family and morality...

It's suggested that Zsa-zsa's executive assistant was also having an affair with her, which made Zsa-zsa's efforts to convince Nubar that the two were romantically entangled to infuriate him especially ironic. Nubar is suggested to have had both Liesl's mother and the assistant killed, and Nubar's death means the mystery will never be solved. However, a major theme of The Phoenician Scheme is rooted in the importance of choice when it comes to family and morality, with Lisel declaring that she doesn't care who her biological parents are and that she sees an increasingly redeemed Zsa-zsa as her true father.

What's Up With Zsa-zsa's Visions Of Heaven?

Zsa-zsa's Visions Match His Moral Arc In The Film

Repeatedly throughout The Phoenician Scheme, Zsa-zsa will black out or be knocked unconscious. In these periods, he is taken to a monochrome space that serves as visions of his judgment heaven. There, he is put on his trail by his deceased wives and the angels, ultimately meeting God and learning his decision to rely on slave labor is a serious sin. In many ways, Zsa-Zsa’s visions of the afterlife serve as both warnings for his soul and chart the arc of his moral growth in the film.

Zsa-Zsa spends much of the film steadily growing a moral core thanks to Liesl's influence and his desire to have her in his life. With each visit to “heaven,” Zsa-Zsa is forced to reckon with the fact that his actions were wrong. God is blunt and straightforward with Zsa-zsa, someone he can’t bully, badger, or bargain with. Zsa-zsa eventually discovers a level of faith for the sake of his daughter is his character arc. As his visions shift from being a trial to surprising acceptance, it reflects his growing conscience and eventual decision to become a genuinely better man.

Why Does Zsa-zsa Give Up His Fortune?

Zsa-zsa Ends The Film Much Poorer (And Much Happier)

At the end of The Phoenician Scheme, Zsa-Zsa has a change of heart in light of rebuilding his relationship with Liesl, leading him to sacrifice his own fortune to cover the remaining cost of the overhaul of the infrastructure of Phoenicia. For much of the film, Zsa-zsa resists any suggestion that he will need to spend his own money to cover "The Gap," the massive deficit incurred by the scheme. His efforts to force his various underground connections and other financial backers to cover the expense are met with some success, but several complications.

However, Zsa-zsa's past and morality come to haunt him. He recalls a simpler life working with the kitchen staff of his father's estate, the kind of role he returns to once he loses his fortune. His decision to pay the workers instead of relying on slave labor is an important moral step for the character that cements his rebuilt bond with the far more moral Liesl. Zsa-zsa's decision to sacrifice the fortune he took so seriously at the beginning of the movie underscores his personal growth across the course of The Phoenician Scheme.

The Real Meaning Of The Phoenician Scheme

Morality Is A Choice, Not A Birthright

Much of The Phoenician Scheme relies on being a silly globe-trotting adventure that involves high-stakes games of H-O-R-S-E, communist revolutionaries, and hand grenades. However, the core moral of The Phoenician Scheme is rooted entirely in the arcs of Zsa-zsa, Liesl, and Bjørn. Zsa-zsa and Bjørn are both revealed to be duplicitous in their own ways, but Liesl's influence changes both men. Zsa-zsa grows a moral backbone that he can't escape and eventually relents to, agreeing to the Liesl laid out for their continued connection because they're the right thing to do.

Likewise, Bjørn betrays his connections with an American organization because he comes to sympathize with Zsa-zsa and love Lies. Even Liesl changes over the course of the film, retaining her faith even as she acknowledges that she is too much like her father to become a true nun. Still, she finds her influence on Zsa-zsa to be a net-positive, and her influence leads him to make a choice that saves countless lives, unites a nation, and even gives them a new bond to rely on. They must make these moral choices, but are rewarded with love for making them.

In the end, all three characters choose the paths they feel to be the most moral and more likely to keep their respective relationships thriving. Bjørn remains loyal to Liesl and Zsa-zsa, which leads to a romance and engagement with her. Liesl leaves the nunnery to be with her family, becoming a maternal figure to her brothers and ensuring Zsa-zsa changes his ways. Zsa-zsa has the biggest change, embracing a simple life of serving others instead of demanding the world work to his whims. It all comes together to give The Phoenician Scheme a very sweet conclusion.