The 2024 Netflix series, Deliver Me, really brings back memories of When They See Us, doesn’t it? Both shows dive deep into the devastating consequences of being wrongly accused. In Deliver Me, we follow the intense journey of two teenage boys, Douglas and Bilal. These boys find themselves caught up in a gang led by Mehdi Bah. We’ve seen this heartbreaking story play out before in movies and shows. Teenagers get tangled up in dangerous situations, often because of family pressures or to protect loved ones. Once they’re in, it’s nearly impossible to get out. Now tragedy strikes when Bilal gets killed. Now, the burning question on everyone’s mind is: Who killed Bilal? Was it Mehdi, the gang leader, or could it have been someone else? The mystery is on, and Officer Farid is here to find out the truth, as are we.
Spoilers Ahead
Why did Bilal want out?
Bilal and Douglas had been best friends since they were kids, practically family to each other. However, their life paths took very different directions. Bilal came from a struggling family, living with his mom, two sisters, and a little brother, barely scraping by. That’s why Bilal joined Mehdi’s gang, dealing drugs to earn quick money and help his family survive. He risked everything to protect the people he loved! Douglas, from a wealthy family with a father dying from cancer and a mother who didn’t love him, joined the gang to support Bilal and keep him company. Despite their different backgrounds, these two were inseparable. As they delved deeper into the world of drugs and gangs, both boys spiraled into addiction at such a shockingly young age. It was heartbreaking to see them trapped in such a dangerous lifestyle. And, as you know, once you’re in this business, there’s no easy way out. For their protection, they even had to carry guns. Mehdi instructed Bilal to hide a gun, just in case. But disaster struck when Bilal’s little brother, Tusane, stole the gun! You see, Tusane had watched his big brother suffer in the gang—getting beaten up, risking his life, and sinking into drug addiction.
Desperate to free Bilal from this dangerous life, Tusane stole the gun. But he didn’t fully grasp the consequences of his actions. When Bilal discovered the gun was missing, he was terrified to tell Mehdi. Jumping to conclusions, Mehdi thought Bilal might have sold the gun. In a terrifying confrontation, Mehdi threatened Bilal’s life, shaking the young soul to his core. After all, Bilal was still just a teenager, and he was naturally overwhelmed by the dark and dangerous world he found himself in. Realizing he couldn’t continue down this path, Bilal made a decision: he had to leave the gang. He knew that carrying a gun today could mean having to use it to harm others tomorrow. Before it was too late, Bilal wanted out.
Who killed Bilal?
Bilal decided he’d had enough of the gang life and opened up to his mother about wanting out. She was determined to help her son and reached out to Officer Farid for guidance. Farid advised Bilal that, to truly leave the gang behind, he had to cut all ties with drugs and even with his friends from the gang, including Douglas. You can imagine how this news broke Bilal’s heart! He had known Douglas his whole life and knew how much Douglas cared for him. Douglas had always been like family to Bilal, especially since Douglas’s own family hadn’t shown him much love. But sometimes life demands tough choices, and Bilal decided to distance himself from Douglas. He stopped answering Douglas’s calls, ignored his messages, and avoided meeting him, which was heartbreaking for both of them.
Meanwhile, Mehdi started tormenting Bilal’s family for money. Despite being poor, Bilal’s family gave everything they could to get him out of the gang. But Mehdi and his crew were never satisfied. They beat up Bilal and Douglas, accusing them of betrayal. They started beating them and even recorded videos to show the consequences of turning their backs on Mehdi. Then what happened? Well, you see, Mehdi wasn’t actually the gang lord everyone thought he was. He used to work under a different gang that gave him a task: to kill a man using two grenades. Mehdi thought Bilal and Douglas would be perfect for the job. Even though Bilal tried to leave the gang, he found himself trapped once again. They were given the grenades, and what did Bilal do? He lied to Douglas, saying he’d keep the grenades safe. Instead, he threw them into a river, hoping to sever all ties with that dangerous life. Bilal planned to start a new life in Nigeria with his uncle, leaving behind his past mistakes. But the night they were supposed to carry out the deadly task, Bilal didn’t show up, and Douglas started to worry.
Meanwhile, Tusane gave Bilal the hidden gun for protection, thinking it would keep him safe from the gang’s violence. However, Bilal had already decided to leave that life behind for good. So, before heading to Nigeria, Bilal met Douglas one last time. He confessed that he had gotten rid of the grenades, after he realized that dealing drugs was one thing, but killing people was something they should never do. But you see, Douglas was deep in this business; he couldn’t easily get out. If he didn’t do as Mehdi told him, he risked losing his life. He was going to lose his best friend and be left all alone, and naturally, the young boy couldn’t take it anymore. When Bilal gave him the gun for protection, Douglas felt betrayed. He believed Bilal had abandoned their friendship. Douglas couldn’t bear the thought of Bilal leaving him behind, as he would never turn his back on Bilal. So, with trembling hands, Douglas shot Bilal from behind, tragically ending his best friend’s life on the scene.
Was Mehdi guilty?
You can only imagine what was going through Douglas’s mind when he took the life of his best friend. After the tragic incident, Douglas fled the scene, went home, and washed his clothes after calling 911. Deep down, he knew the gravity of his actions. But who was ultimately responsible for pushing him to this point? Mehdi, right? If Mehdi hadn’t tortured Bilal, Bilal wouldn’t have tried to leave the gang, and Douglas wouldn’t have ended up killing his best friend. During police interrogation, Douglas claimed that Mehdi was the mastermind behind it all. He insisted that he was just following orders because Bilal had turned his back on the gang. While Douglas was sent to a juvenile center and later killed by a store worker for stealing food, his false testimony landed Mehdi in jail. But here’s where it gets complicated. Mehdi never really told Douglas to kill Bilal, and he never really gave him the gun to shoot him. But Tusane, Bilal’s little brother, gave false testimony against Mehdi in court. Even though Tusane was the one who stole the gun and gave it to Bilal for protection, he spun a whole story to make sure Mehdi ended up behind bars. In court, Tusane stood before the judge and claimed he had seen Mehdi give the gun to Douglas, instructing him to kill Bilal. According to Tusane, Mehdi had threatened to ruin Douglas’s life if he didn’t go through with it. The videos showing Mehdi torturing Bilal and Douglas further convinced the court that Mehdi was indeed guilty!
So, what happened in the end? Mehdi was found guilty, even though he didn’t actually kill Bilal, and was sent to prison. Knowing that staying in Stockholm wouldn’t end well for them, Bilal’s family decided to leave the city for good. They got new identities and didn’t even say goodbye to their loved ones. And honestly, they did not feel guilty about it; I mean, why should they? Maybe this is morally gray, but this gang had actually ruined their innocent son’s life, leading to his tragic death. Not only that, but Bilal’s best friend, Douglas, also had to go through this pain and ended up losing his life too. This is how two innocent lives were lost because of these gang wars, turning friends into enemies.
