"Regardless of the meaning of that word, it has become her nickname. Whether she competes in Edinburgh, Paris, Brussels, or Amsterdam, the audience will cheer her on, shouting "Mo cuishle"—it's as if there are Irish people everywhere. When they return to American soil, Maggie is no longer the unknown she once was."
Morgan Freeman's narration resounded once more.
After Maggie's circuit through the European boxing scene, her skills had neared the top. Frankie believed she was ready to challenge "Blue Bear".
Just before the match, Frankie told Maggie that if she won, he would reveal the meaning behind "Mo cuishle".
After the final checks, they stepped onto the ring, with occasional chants of their names from the audience.
They touched gloves and then backed away.
The referee announced the start of the match.
"Blue Bear" fought fiercely, and she was skilled in dirty tricks. In just the first round, she used her elbow to cut Maggie's face, causing her nose and brow to bleed.
In the second round, Maggie, who had taken a hit, became more focused.
Neither side gained a clear advantage; they were evenly matched.
During the break between rounds, Frankie noticed that "Blue Bear" was unsteady on her lower body and advised Maggie to target her sciatic nerve.
This move proved effective. In the third round, Maggie dominated the fight.
Just when the audience thought Maggie would win the match, something unexpected happened.
During the interval when the referee separated them for the rest period, "Blue Bear", in a shameful act, launched a sneak attack on Maggie from behind as she turned.
The camera suddenly zoomed out.
Expanding to show the entire ring.
In slow motion.
Everyone could clearly see Maggie being struck hard in the eye socket. Her body lost control and fell backward, landing on a small stool used for breaks.
In that instant, it seemed like the sound of her spine breaking could be heard.
"Damn it."
In the theater, angry shouts erupted from the audience.
Everyone was shocked by this shameless act.
Even Frankie couldn't believe it, and many others hadn't expected it.
Maggie won, but because "Blue Bear" violated the rules, she was disqualified from the match. The consequence was that Maggie would spend the rest of her life in a hospital bed.
The result was cruel.
Just when everyone thought this girl would succeed through her efforts, fate played a cruel trick on her.
She lay there lifeless, and the entire theater fell into silence. It was as if a cheerful story had suddenly taken a dark turn, leaving the live audience bewildered.
Though Maggie hadn't died, it felt no different from death. Being alive was a burden.
Why did this happen?
Wouldn't a happier ending have been better?
Unfortunately, as the original author, F.X. Toole, had said, Lyman wanted to portray the forgotten boxers and their stories.
Or rather, the plot had reached a turning point at this moment.
Typical inspirational movies like to tell stories of ordinary people achieving their dreams through hard work.
Full of clichés and cheesy moments.
But Lyman didn't want "Million Dollar Baby" to follow that path.
If sheer effort was always enough, where would the class distinctions be?
Sometimes, the process is far more beautiful than the outcome.
On the screen.
Frankie had almost exhausted all major medical institutions in America, and the answers he received were similar.
The patient's future life could only be that of a conscious vegetable.
The lighting suddenly shifted from bright to dim.
In the chilling room, the lights remained off.
Maggie lay in her hospital bed, dressed in a patient's gown, her body covered in various medical instruments. Even her basic functions like breathing, eating, and excreting relied on these devices now.
Frankie sat in a chair, wearing a face filled with self-blame. He believed he had rushed things and failed to protect Maggie adequately.
But Maggie, in turn, tried to comfort him, saying that she had at least won a championship, making her efforts worthwhile. She smiled, even in such dire circumstances, still caring about others.
Frankie held his head in anguish. In the stifling room, his heart felt like it was breaking.
Before long, Maggie was transferred to a rehabilitation center. Her family finally remembered to visit, but they came with ulterior motives. Her mother, accompanied by a lawyer, intended to transfer Maggie's assets. Winning the championship in the middleweight division had earned Maggie a million dollars, a considerable sum. Since she was now a paraplegic, they thought it would be better to use her money to support her and her sister.
Outside, the sun shone brightly, but inside, a drama unfolded under the guise of love and family.
Maggie's eyes turned red, and tears streamed down her face uncontrollably. Due to her lack of physical control, she couldn't even control her tears. Her vulnerability was now on full display to outsiders.
The lawyer, accustomed to such unsavory situations, couldn't bear to watch and silently pushed the door open, waiting outside.
Maggie, in her weakest moment, bit back her tears and with determination, expelled her mother and sister, threatening to donate her assets to a charity if they ever returned.
Her mother couldn't understand her, thinking she was heartless. They were family, and she had earned this money, yet she refused to share it to improve their lives.
After they left, Maggie looked out the window calmly, contemplating death for the first time. In her current condition, confined to her bed all day, she had no hope for her future. It seemed like she had no future at all, and this reality terrified her. Even the strongest person could have moments of fear.
She gazed at Frankie with fragility, pleading for him to end her life. The camera shifted to Frankie's face, a close-up shot that made all the viewers feel like they were looking directly into his eyes. In those eyes, one could see sorrow and inner turmoil.
Outside, the sunlight streamed through the window, casting a bright light, yet it froze the two figures into a scene of icy despair.
"I can't be like this, Frankie."
"Not after what I've done. I've seen the world. People chanted my name. Well... not my name, some damn name you gave me."
"I just don't wanna fight you to do it. I got what I needed. I got it all."
"Don't let them keep taking it away from me. Don't let me lie here till I can't hear those people chanting no more."
Maggie's requests pierced Frankie's heart one by one.
He understood, perhaps better than anyone else, that this was already torture for Maggie in her current state. But he couldn't do it. He really couldn't. She was his pupil, his emotional anchor in many ways.
For Frankie, ending Maggie's life would be like killing the person closest to him.
He hesitated.
But Maggie didn't.
She was resolute in her desire to die. For a paralyzed patient, the only way to end it herself was to bite her tongue, and she had indeed attempted it. Though she didn't succeed, it made Frankie realize the depth of Maggie's determination to die.