Does Milky the Dog Die in The Gardener?

Netflix’s ‘The Gardener‘ tells the story of Elmer, an emotionless killer whose life is upended when he falls in love with his newest target, Violeta. While the girl lives a vibrant life as a preschool teacher, she lives with only a couple of her friends and her Jack Russell Terrier, Milky. As such, the dog plays a vital role in her life as a trusted companion and friend. However, her life is constantly in danger due to her association with dangerous people like Elmer and some shady secrets from her past. As such, the canine often finds itself in trouble as its owner attracts problems from all directions. Still, its well-being is of the utmost importance to Violeta, who becomes concerned near the end when she is separated from Milky for an extended period. SPOILERS AHEAD.

Milky is Retrieved By Violeta and Elmer After a Dangerous Confrontation

In the final parts of ‘The Gardener,’ Violeta flees from Pontevedra with Milky after learning that Elmer may be a murderer. She tries to get far away from the town in the hopes that the authorities don’t come for her and Elmer himself gets the chance to mount an escape. She relays this information to Elmer via a phone call after she stops at a secluded spot. Unbeknownst to her, she is being tracked by a trained killer known as Orson. He comes out of the shadows and hits her on the head, leaving her unconscious. Subsequently, he carries her away while Milky is left trapped in the car. The dog continues to bark for its owner while she gets dragged away. Although it is hard to tell if all the car windows are rolled up, the dog is at risk of dying by suffocation, especially with no humans in sight.

After Violeta recovers, she manages to thwart Orson’s assassination attempt by slipping away while he is distracted. She sneaks up on him and takes him down with a heavy rock. Later, Elmer shows up to clean up her mess and ensure that no shred of evidence is left behind that could be traced back to either of them. Subsequently, the duo head back to Violeta’s car, where she is reunited with Milky, who is fortunately alive and well. The dog’s extended stay in the car could have easily resulted in terrible things. However, the show provides us with a favorable resolution, as Violeta is able to rescue her companion and leave Pontevedra for good. As a result, we know that the dog is alive, well, and healthy by the show’s end. Still, it faces its fair share of troubles because of Violeta’s notoriety within the town.

Earlier in the narrative, Milky gets abducted by Sabela Costeiro, the woman who indirectly hires Elmer to kill Violeta. Sabela blames Violeta for causing her son’s death, which she believes happened because the girl pushed him too far. In some ways, there is a lot of truth to her belief. However, Violeta lies that Sabela’s son died by suicide. When she hears those words, Sabela returns Milky back to Violeta. We learn that she kidnapped the dog because she wanted Violeta to feel a “fraction of the pain” she felt when she lost her son. While Sabela is killed by the end of the narrative, Violeta recognizes that as long as she is in Pontevedra, she, Milky, and anyone else in her life will always be in danger because of the rumors surrounding her. Thus, leaving is the best option to keep herself and Milky safe, which we witness in the end.