If you’re a fan of spy thriller franchises like the Jason Bourne films, James Bond, Kingsman, or Mission Impossible, then you’re definitely going to like Netflix’s The Union which is a comical take on the genre. The movie revolves around an agency called the Union, whose mission to intercept a failed CIA abduction went south. The intelligence they’re dealing with is highly sensitive, and if it falls into the wrong hands, it could seriously compromise public safety. The story follows Roxanne, a dedicated Union agent, who teams up with her high school sweetheart, Mike. Their mission is full of obstacles, traitors so the stakes are incredibly high. Will Roxanne and Mike be able to complete their mission and save the day? Read this explainer to find out!
Spoilers Ahead
Why was Mike recruited in The Union?
The Union was a spy agency, sort of like the FBI, but with a unique twist. They didn’t hire the sophisticated Ivy League graduates. Instead, they recruited people with street smarts and real-world experience. Being an unofficial, non-governmental organization based in the UK, the pay wasn’t great. Nevertheless, the people who worked there were driven by passion and a commitment to protecting their country. As the movie started, we saw that things got intense when the Union was tracking a CIA agent named Derek Mitchell, who was holed up in the Trieste Hotel in Italy. The mission, overseen by Tom Brannon, went terribly wrong. Despite successfully abducting Derek, the operation fell apart. Most of the Union agents involved were brutally killed, and Derek managed to escape. Only Roxanne and Tom survived the chaos, and even Roxanne’s husband Nick was shot before her eyes. Roxanne and Tom both realized they needed a “nobody” to succeed in the mission. Actually, most of the people who worked for The Union were known faces and were already on the CIA’s radar. That’s why they needed someone who could operate under the radar and stay unnoticed.
Roxanne thought Mike would be perfect for the job. After all, he was a regular guy, a very chilled out construction worker who got along with everyone. He was simple and down-to-earth but also had the strength and diligence of a stuntman. Plus, he was Roxanne’s high school sweetheart, which she thought would make convincing him easier. And you know what? She was right—Mike turned out to be just the person they needed. When they met again at their old town bar, Mike was thrilled to see Roxanne. He thought he might win her back with his charm, but things took an unexpected turn. Instead of whisking her away, he found himself tranquilized and abducted by The Union! Mike woke up in London, confused and shocked. Only then did he realize the reason he was there as Tom Brannon explained the mission to him: there was going to be an auction involving a mysterious seller who was about to auction off highly sensitive information about Western government personnel, including police, military, and other public defense workers. If this information got out, it could seriously jeopardize national security. Despite his lack of training in climbing walls like Spider-Man or fighting off enemies, Mike was determined to help. For Roxanne and the country’s safety, he was ready to give it a shot. And that was how his intense training for the mission began to turn him into an invisible one-man army.
How did Nick play them?
At first, Mike was sent with the intel to lure the opposing party out and keep the information from falling into the wrong hands. But things went sideways fast. He got played, and the intel was stolen, with the attackers targeting the Union team. Mike was stunned to see the CIA and the Union at each other’s throats—it felt like something straight out of an action movie! Thankfully, Roxanne managed to help him escape, but they missed their chance to meet the auctioneer. Their second venture took them to a vacant mansion in Hampstead, where they believed the intel would be found. But things went from bad to worse. A close colleague from The Union was killed while trying to retrieve the intel. It turned out to be a setup, and the information they got wasn’t even genuine. Additionally, the headquarters of The Union was bombed. They were not about to give up, though—they had to fight back. So, Roxanne and Mike, under Tom Brannon’s orders, went after the auctioneer, Juliet Quinn, who had the real intel. They tracked her down to her house, hoping to finally get their hands on the information. And yes, they managed to find her.
Juliet was shocked and thought that after all the double-crossing, The Union might just walk away from the mission. But she was wrong. Juliet agreed to take them to her house, where the intel was hidden. But here’s the twist—when they arrived, they were in for a surprise. They saw Nick, Roxanne’s husband, who was supposed to have died in the Italy mission! How could this be? Nick revealed some shocking news: The Union was in serious danger. He had been faking his death to uncover who was jeopardizing their mission, and it turned out to be Tom Brannon, the Union leader himself. Tom had leaked the intel and had a history with CIA black ops. Roxanne and Mike were confused and didn’t know whom to trust anymore. They decided to trust Nick, but that turned out to be a mistake. When they left Juliet’s house, Nick said he was going to kill her and take the intelligence from her house. Little did they know, Nick was working with Juliet. He had switched the intel bags and managed to cover their escape. Nick had once enjoyed working for The Union and safeguarding the country, but over time, he lost his drive. Without rewards or money, he went rogue. He joined forces with the wrong people and sabotaged The Union’s mission, and now, with millions of dollars and the intel in hand, he was fleeing to another country, leaving Roxanne and Mike to face the CIA. Nick was as cunning as they come.
Did they get the intel at the end?
But Roxanne and Mike weren’t ready to give up just yet. They went after Nick again, this time tracking him down to Newark. Roxanne couldn’t believe that Nick, whom she once loved, had turned so greedy and betrayed her. She was determined to see him either dead or behind bars for treason, espionage, and murder. When they finally found him, Nick was caught red-handed selling the intel for money. Luckily, Roxanne and Mike arrived just in time. Seeing all this, Juliet decided she couldn’t handle it anymore. She thought sacrificing her life for someone like Nick or the intel wasn’t worth it, so she stepped back and let Roxanne take charge. While Juliet bowed out, the people chasing the intel were after Mike and Roxanne, while Roxanne was focused on Nick. It turned into a wild chase, but eventually they all ended up at a seashore. There was Nick with the intel, and Roxanne and Mike were ready to confront him. Nick had nowhere left to run. He faced a choice: jump into the water or fight it out. Even then, he tried to win Roxanne over by saying they could live a happy life with the money. But it was too late for that. Roxanne had had enough. In the end, she took Nick down and got the intel back. Their mission was finally a success!
During The Union’s ending, we see Mike and Roxanne reconnect at Mike’s friend’s wedding. It turns out they’ve become a couple again, and they’ve even “unioned” up at the end. But the story doesn’t stop there—Tom Brannon wants Mike to join The Union full-time with new assignments in Marrakesh. Before diving into all that, though, it’s their time to enjoy a vacation with each other. Roxanne and Mike finally found their way back to each other, rekindling their high school romance. They’re ready to tackle life both personally and professionally together.
