Coming 2 America Ending Explained [SPOILER!]

SPOILER ALERT: the following article contains massive spoilers, including the ending. If you have not yet seen the movie, proceed at your own risk, or better, come back to this article later!

Set in the lush and royal country of Zamunda, newly-crowned King Akeem (Eddie Murphy) and his trusted confidante Semmi (Arsenio Hall) embark on an all-new hilarious adventure that has them traversing the globe from their great African nation to the borough of Queens, New York – where it all began.

SPOILERS AHEAD

Coming 2 America Plot Summary and Synopsis

On the 30th anniversary of his wedding with Lisa McDowell, Prince Akeem of Zamunda is summoned before his dying father, King Jaffe Joffer. Jaffe and his shaman Baba reveal to a baffled Akeem that he had sired a son during his first visit in Queens, New York, after his aide Semmi had enticed two women into spending the night with them while Akeem was still searching for his future queen. One of them inadvertently drugged Akeem, resulting in a tryst he did not remember. As Zamundian tradition demands that only a male successor can inherit the throne, and Akeem has fathered only daughters, Akeem is forced to travel back to Queens to retrieve his son. If not, Zamunda could face a hostile takeover by Zamunda’s militaristic neighbor nation Nexdoria, whose dictator, General Izzi (the brother of Akeem’s original arranged bride-to-be), has been pushing Akeem’s eldest daughter Meeka into marrying his foppish son, Idi.

Following King Jaffe’s funeral and Akeem’s ascension to the king, he and Semmi travel to Queens to meet his illegitimate son, Lavelle Junson, who is a smart-mouthed ticket scalper struggling to get a real job. After an awkward reunion with his mother Mary, Akeem takes them back to Zamunda, much to his family’s displeasure. When General Izzi learns of this, he drops by to introduce his daughter Bopoto to Lavelle as a last shot at laying claim to the throne of Zamunda, but in order to qualify as a royal prince, Lavelle first has to pass a series of traditional – and hazardous – tests.

Lavelle is at first highly reluctant to place himself in danger, but then bonds with Mirembe, a royal groomer, who tells him of Akeem’s quest to find his queen and encourages him to follow his own path. He then invites his uncle Reem, Mary’s streetwise brother, to Zamunda who coaches Lavelle on how to blend his urban upbringing with his new royal status. Lavelle gradually develops an understanding with Akeem’s family and, using his wits and some forced courage, he passes and is made Prince of Zamunda. However, at his accession party, Lavelle overhears a conversation between Akeem and Izzi which makes him believe that Akeem is just exploiting him, and he, Mirembe, Mary and Reem go back to New York. Upset at losing Mary, whom she has befriended, Lisa locks Akeem out of their bedroom. After talking with Cleo, who reminds him of late Queen Aoleon’s progressive mind, Akeem flies back to the States, while Semmi is left to stall Izzi, who intends to return the next day to either see Bopoto marry Lavelle or declare war.

Returning to Queens, Akeem finds that Lavelle and Mirembe are about to get married. Reminded of his own life story, he gives them his blessing and releases Lavelle from his marriage to Bopoto. In the meantime, Semmi and the princesses fight off and subdue General Izzi, forcing him to try a more diplomatic approach. Upon his return home, Akeem changes the royal succession by allowing his daughter Meeka to ascend to the throne upon his death, while Lavelle is made an ambassador to the United States and General Izzi has opened Nexdoria for a peaceful political and trading relationship.

The Ending

The film concludes with a grand party at the royal palace, including Akeem’s barbershop friends from Queens as special guests and performance of the song “We Are Family” from Sexual Chocolate.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0).