The Consultant Ending Explained: The Role of Regus Patoff in the Story

While numerous questions remain about the series, a few specific revelations shed light on the eerie occurrences at CompWare.

Who exactly is the character portrayed by Christoph Waltz, Regus Patoff? What motivated CompWare’s boss to bring him on board? And what fate befell Patti?

Continue reading for a comprehensive overview of the conclusion of The Consultant.

Why was Regus Patoff hired by Sang?

Right after Sang, the head of CompWare, passes away, Patoff makes his entrance. He claims to have been brought in as a consultant to enhance CompWare’s business performance, even producing a contract to validate his position.

However, through their hacking efforts, employees Craig and Elaine discover a far more sinister reality. The footage reveals that Sang did sign the contract after meeting with Patoff, but the meeting escalated to an intimate act, suggesting Sang was psychologically manipulated during their brief interaction.

Midway through the season, the details of that meeting become clear. Patoff had shown up unannounced and waited all day to speak with Sang.

In their conversation, Patoff disclosed that he was aware of CompWare’s impending financial crisis, indicating it was mere weeks away from closure. He also revealed Sang’s state of mind, highlighting his suicidal thoughts and his desperation to solidify his legacy, achieved at a remarkably young age.

Patoff proposed a specific arrangement: he would join the company as a consultant to help improve its operations and ensure Sang’s legacy, but this would only happen after Sang’s demise.

Upon signing the contract, Patoff assured Sang he would return soon, noting that with his legacy secured, there was no longer a reason for Sang to remain alive. Patoff even offered to orchestrate Sang’s death, which Sang accepted. It appears that Sang’s murder at the series’ outset, shot by a child visiting the office, was somehow orchestrated by Patoff.

Patoff typically charges for this kind of service, but given CompWare’s financial troubles, he offered to waive the fee as long as Sang performed the act of submission, demonstrating his obsession with control and manipulation.

What happened to Mama Sang and Patti?

Initially, it appeared that Patoff might have eliminated Sang’s mother, who had come to CompWare with intentions to shut it down. Instead, he had arranged for her to stay in an apartment, taught her English, and provided her with Patti’s phone to play Mr. Sang’s Jungle Odyssey, the company’s latest game.

Craig and Elaine made this discovery when Craig received a text from Patti’s phone requesting money, which was actually sent by Mama Sang intended for Patoff.

On the other hand, although it seemed that Patoff was trying to seduce Patti, he actually assigned her to work in the records department, seemingly using some form of hypnosis or mind control. She was busy completing and typing up records about the company’s employees, including Craig.

Patoff clearly possesses the capacity to manipulate others. The final level of his game, Mr. Sang’s Jungle Odyssey, appeared to be so exasperating that it led almost all players to self-harm in frustration.

What was the Purpose of the gold skeleton?

During the middle of the series, Craig seeks out Frank Flores, whom he learns holds crucial information about Regus Patoff. Craig discovers that Frank, a gold merchant, was repeatedly contacted by Patoff through intermediaries to create a gold skeleton piece by piece.

The pressure from the tasks took a toll on Frank, leading him to isolate himself for a year after finishing the skull. During that time, his business dwindled, the neighborhood declined, and his wife left him.

As Craig exits Frank’s shop, three masked intruders raid the place, donning exotic animal masks that match the theme of CompWare’s new game, Mr. Sang’s Jungle Odyssey.

Although Craig manages to escape, the fate of Frank remains uncertain. Elaine notes that no fatal robbery has been reported, suggesting that it might be a figment of Craig’s imagination or that Patoff has concealed the incident. Around this same time, Craig’s home is also broken into, heightening his paranoia.

In the series finale, the truth about the gold pieces is unveiled. Craig confronts Patoff on the glass bridge adjacent to his office. After Patoff mocks him, Craig strikes the bridge with a mallet, causing Patoff to fall.

Despite surviving the fall, Patoff is later seen escaping with one of his toes severed. Craig retrieves it, only to find a solid gold bone inside, implying that Patoff has carried the gold skeleton within him all along.

Who is Regus Patoff?

At the series’ end, clarity regarding Patoff remains elusive. His name appears to be an alias, derived from a postal box that states “registered at the United States patent office.” It also becomes evident that he possesses a gold skeleton, assembled piece by piece by Frank Flores, which could explain Patoff’s weight and difficulty crossing the glass stairs.

Repeatedly, he seems to have executed the same tactics at CompWare. By the conclusion, he extends his offer of service to Pterodactyl Robotics, a company initially established to create the first “humanoid workforce.” Is it possible that Patoff is a robot? The truth is unclear.

Finally, the twist lies in the fact that despite the mysteries surrounding him, he genuinely appears to fulfill his role as a consultant, providing a specialized service that he delivers upon.

Patoff successfully enhanced CompWare’s operations and secured Sang’s legacy through the success of Mr. Sang’s Odyssey, alongside his persistent presence within the company, evidenced by a statue made in his likeness.

Additionally, he scouted for a new manager. Initially, he tested Craig but quickly deemed him unsuitable and easily manipulated. Instead, he opted for Elaine, who demonstrated her ruthlessness and ambition when she orchestrated the release of an elephant onto the streets of Los Angeles.

Patoff eventually departed from Sang’s former office with Elaine’s name engraved on the door, clearly indicating her as his chosen successor.

A final scene reveals that the child who killed Sang successfully completed the final level of Mr. Sang’s Jungle Odyssey, discovering that inside the golden egg at the conclusion lay a gold skeleton. What all this implies remains a mystery for viewers to decipher on their own.