Abhiroop Das
Created by Benjamin Caron, Netflix’s ‘Night Always Comes‘ is about a single night in the life of its protagonist, Lynette, who has until 9 a.m. of the next morning to collect $25,000 for her house. To pull off this seemingly impossible feat, the protagonist scours the length of Portland in the hopes of making money any way she can. When conventional methods fail her, she finds refuge in the criminal underbelly of the city, and the journey becomes about more than just collecting funds, but surviving in the process. Lynette’s struggles are contextualized by the growing cost of living in the world she inhabits, which affects all characters involved in unique ways. To this end, one of the characters, named Cody, serves as her analogue, showing how poverty can twist and bend how people interact with each other. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Cody Likely Survives, But Pays the Price For His Actions
Cody is introduced in the story as a former convict who works alongside Lynette at the bar as a server; however, by the end of ‘Night Always Comes,’ he is left gravely injured, with nothing to show for his hellish experience. His role in the narrative grows when the protagonist brings him along to crack open a safe. While it is clear that she is not being sincere with him about the circumstances, Cody agrees to help her for $200, a sum that keeps multiplying as the danger involved increases. He puts his connections to use by introducing Lynette to a safecracker named Drew. This turns out to worsen the situation, as the presence of drugs inside the safe becomes a source of alarm for everyone involved, triggering a scuffle. While Lynette manages to get her hand on the cash inside the safe, she is still $4,000 shy of the total she needs, and Cody promises to fill the rest in return for the Mercedes she stole earlier in the story.
When Lynette and Cody get to the Mercedes, the former is surprised to find it there untouched and prepares to make the deal. However, at this point, Cody’s tune changes completely, and he points out that she is trying to sell him a stolen vehicle, which comes with a great amount of risk. He then reminds her how she never paid him the money they agreed to at the start of the night, and although she tries to make her case, the direction of the conversation becomes clear. Without skipping a beat, Cody asks for half of the cash that they collected, going against their original deal. When Lynette refuses to comply, he doubles down on it, this time claiming the entire sum. Although Lynette tries her best to resist, her co-worker becomes violent and snatches the bag with the money and the keys to the car out of her hand.
What follows Cody’s betrayal is a mix of panic and anger, as Lynette steels herself and steps on the pedal, hitting Cody with her car in the process. This is intentional on the protagonist’s part, as it renders him unable to resist when she steps out of the car and takes the bag back. While Cody is seriously injured, he still manages to get back up on his feet and has to watch Lynette leave him stranded at that location. With neither the money nor the keys to the car, Cody has essentially done all of this for nothing, and that realization lingers across his expression in the final shot of him that we see. Although he is standing, there is always the possibility of an internal injury. As such, his fate continues to be up in the air, and with no resources at his disposal, the chances of getting immediate medical attention are slim.
Cody’s Life is Still in Danger
Notably, with Cody down, Lynette has the choice to hit him with her car once again and finish the job, but she consciously decides not to, despite being at her breaking point. This nuance sheds light on the complex nature of their interaction, as both parties are similarly struggling with poverty and doing anything to make ends meet. While they become foes over the course of the movie, Lynette can nonetheless empathize with her co-worker’s position. In a heartfelt conversation, he reveals to her that he was framed by a woman and was innocent when he was sent to prison. Although his words cannot be taken to be the truth, the narrative mimics his past by putting him in a similar situation. Cody’s ultimate fate shows how his own choices play a part in the troubles he winds up in.
Lynette is not the only threat to Cody’s life, as Drew, the safecracker he betrays, is likely also out for revenge. During their escape from Drew’s warehouse, Cody tackles him while Lynette injures his accomplice Carl. Although Drew does not know the protagonist’s real identity, he is familiar with her co-worker and will likely hunt him down for payback. Given that Cody is already injured, this can spell doom for him. Even if he survives the night, he still has a target on his back, which complicates his life further. This is in stark contrast to Lynette, who ends a night full of horror with a new beginning the next day, leaving her past behind. It is unlikely that Cody and Lynette will ever cross paths again, which adds a sense of irony to how their brief interaction sparks a nighttime odyssey marked by chaos and violence.
