The Ending Of Legacy Of Lies Explained

After the pivotal bridge confrontation, "Legacy of Lies" wraps things up by examining the various lies that the title refers to, as well as their effects on the people involved.

First up is Martin's lie to Lisa, when he withheld the truth about her mother Olga's death and claimed it was an accident. When Lisa visits her father in a Ukrainian hospital, she tells him that Sasha has given her the truth. He apologizes and admits that he just didn't know how to tell her. Lisa appreciates this long overdue moment of honesty: their relationship will recover.

Next are the Russian government's multiple lies about its secret chemical weapons development and its program to murder opposition journalists. When Sasha publishes the files, she exposes the Russian government's lies. But unlike Martin, the Russian government continues to lie. This results in the biggest protests in years, and it's likely that trust between the government and its citizens is damaged irreparably — which could be exactly what Sasha and her handlers wanted. 

However, the final lie hasn't yet been exposed, and it might be the most devastating of all. In the film's last moments, Sasha visits Martin and Lisa in their new home (and vegan snack bar). The exact nature of Sasha and Martin's relationship at this point is open to interpretation. They could just be friends, or they could be something more, but either way it's not a real relationship. In the end, she's revealed to be a Russian spy. She's been manipulating Martin the entire time and will keep manipulating him in the future. If and when Martin finds out, it could well destroy him.