The “Alita: Battle Angel” idea reel flips one of the pivotal moments from the manga and two-chapter OVA on its head. In them, Hugo tries to climb a cable that hyperlinks Zalem to the world beneath. Alita pleads her love for him and that he abandon his foolhardy quest. Simply when she appears to get by means of, a rotating blade comes down and eviscerates Hugo. Alita catches what stays however Hugo’s arm breaks off and he falls.

However within the idea reel — narrated by Hugo — the positions are reversed. Alita regains reminiscences that she was meant to destroy Zalem and tries to climb to town. Hugo is as an alternative the one who admits his love and talks her out of going. The remainder of the sequence performs out equally, solely this time Hugo does not fall after Alita catches him. Hugo’s narration concludes: “And so it started, the legend of the Battle Angel. The lady who got here down from the sky to destroy the world, however as an alternative selected to reserve it. That is my child.”

Nonetheless, the completed movie reverts to a trustworthy adaptation of the manga. It ends with Alita (Rosa Salazar) pointing her sword towards Zalem, as she’s noticed by town’s chief Nova (Edward Norton). This cliffhanger ending leads significantly better within the hopeful trilogy, with the following chapters supposedly “Alita: Fallen Angel” after which “Alita: Avenging Angel.”

The idea reel opts for an open finish, but it is surprisingly extra definitive. Alita declares that “[it’s] time to shake the pillars of Heaven,” although she’d have a significantly better motive to take action if Hugo is lifeless. The movie’s ending is perhaps inconclusive, but it surely packs a greater punch than a contented one.