Netflix’s Griselda Ending Explained: Griselda Receives Tragic News After Release

The thriller series Griselda on Netflix has a tragic ending, with the titular character’s ambition being the cause of her downfall. The true crime drama tells the story of Griselda Blanco, a notorious Columbian drug lord.

Griselda was active during the 1900s and the early 2000s and was popularly known as “The Godmother.” The Netflix series explores Blanco’s rise in the drug business and her eventual downfall.

In a recent interview with The Wrap, co-creator and director Sofia Vergara, Eric Newman, and Andres Baiz broke down the show’s tragic finale for the viewers.

Per Newman, the tragic ending signifies how the portrayal of a female drug lord is vastly different from that of a male drug lord. It is a satirical take on how women who choose this path do not end in glory or are not celebrated like male drug lords are in popular media.

1. Griselda’s Finale Ending Explained

Griselda ends with the titular character losing all that was at stake for her, including her children, whom she was trying to protect. Her greed and ambition eventually lead to her tragic downfall.

A male drug lord is usually given a more celebratory or glorified death. For instance, Walter White’s death in Breaking Bad or Pablo Escobar’s death in Narcos was more in a blaze of glory than a fit of tragedy.

However, it is not the same for a mother, as explained by Newman. Griselda entered into the drug business with a very simple motive: to protect and provide for her children. However, she ends up losing those she had ventured out to protect.

As per Vergara, Griselda had good intentions. However, she ended up losing her empire while competing with other men. She had also become a narcissist for which she had to be punished, more like poetic justice. Therefore, Griselda does not get a happy ending.

Baiz explained that the finale ended with Griselda being broken emotionally and physically. She ends up in prison with all her sons dead. It was like poetic justice.

2. What happened to Griselda Blanco in real life?

Griselda Blanco did not end up in jail for drug offenses after her arrest, as portrayed in the show. However, she went to jail for her murder charges. She avoided a life sentence and was released early because of her failing health.

Griselda spent only 7 years in jail. In contrast, Griselda surrendered to the police willingly, hoping to reunite with her children after her sentence. However, she learned that three of her children were killed just before her release.

In the final scene of the series, Griselda imagines that she’s on the beach with her children after being released from prison. In real life, Blanco returned to Medellin, Columbia, after escaping prison. She lived as a hermit there until 2012.

In 2012, she was assassinated by an unknown killer. It is assumed that it was an enemy from her drug business days.

3. About Griselda

Griselda is an American biographical crime drama streaming television miniseries directed by Andrés Baiz and produced by Eric Newman and Sofía Vergara.

It is written by Doug Miro and Ingrid Escajeda. It stars Vergara as Griselda Blanco, a notorious Colombian drug lord. The miniseries premiered on Netflix on January 25, 2024.