Space Cadet ending explained: Did Rex make it to space?

Emma Roberts stars as Rex in Space Cadet. She’s a bartender who has the dream of going to space. How do you get there? Maybe by doctoring your qualifications and having a best friend willing to pretend to be six different people to help her.

Caution: This post contains spoilers for Space Cadet.

Rex makes it into the NASA Training Program. At first, she has no idea that her application was doctored. Her best friend did it without her knowing, and it’s only in an interview that she learns the truth.

From there, she realizes that she needs to make some changes to her approach at the program. Fortunately, she has a roommate who learns her secret and has a need of her own. Rex helps Vi get fitter to remain in the program, while Vi helps her study to remain in.

And it works. That is until it doesn’t.

Rex gets caught out by her best friend in Space Cadet

Logan, the Deputy Director of the program, makes calls to check up on references. That leads to Nadine getting calls and figuring out a way to lie for her friend. It works out until she uses the same metaphor. Logan then sees Nadine on a video call, and it leads to Nadine getting caught.

Logan realizes that Rex has lied about everything. Rex is out of the program, and it seems like that is it. She will never head to space.

Rex is the only person to save the crew in Space Cadet

Well, sometimes, you need someone who thinks outside the box in a disaster. Back in Florida, Rex sees on the news that her friends from the program have gone to space. However, there’s a disaster and everyone is trapped inside the International Space Station with just 72 hours to live.

Rex figures out how to save them. She races back to Texas to share her theory, and she manages to get Logan and Pam to let her go up to put the fix in place. Vi goes with her. It’s completely unrealistic, but it works for the sake of the movie.

Rex’s plan plays out, and her friends are saved. After this, she ends up with a job on a private space program run by a guy from high school. And yes, Rex and Logan end up together.

Does lying pay? Well, in Space Cadet, sure, but not in real life. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t dream big.