The Plague plot recap, spoiler-light
Set in the summer of 2003, a socially awkward middle schooler named Ben attends a water polo camp supervised by coach Daddy Wags. The camp is dominated by a rigid social hierarchy enforced by a popular boy named Jake and his friends, who mercilessly bully an eccentric misfit named Eli because of a mysterious skin rash they dub the plague. Desperate for acceptance, Ben initially participates in the exclusion of Eli.
However, Ben soon feels pangs of guilt and begins bonding with Eli in private, even applying anti-fungal cream to his back in the locker room. This connection turns disastrous when Jake starts a rumor that Ben has caught the plague himself. Soon, Ben discovers the rash spreading across his own body, making him the new target for torment.
Following a humiliating night and a failed attempt to run away, tensions escalate drastically among the campers. After Jake and his friends subject Ben to a cruel prank involving cockroaches, a violent confrontation erupts in the pool during a practice game, resulting in Jake getting expelled.
What happens at the end of The Plague?
Key takeaways
