Plot
1989: Officer Ryan is fatally shot while filming reality show "In the Name of Justice", as he lays dying he sees Isabelle watching over him.
2069: Fischer's contemplation is interrupted by his assistant Cal, who tells him they're ready. Fischer and Cal observe the arena from a control room. Ryan awakens in the arena with others, told to fight to the death, and is the only survivor of the ensuing brawl. Later Ryan wakes in a cell, Isabelle appears on a monitor, introduces herself as his handler, and tries to explains his situation. Still unbelieving, Ryan is moved to a waiting room with other time displaced contestants. He is befriended by fellow American, a cowboy called Colt. Colt explains the situation: they are combatants chosen from throughout time and randomly pitted against each other, fighting to the death with period weapons and armor for viewers' entertainment. Verus announces the start of season 10 of "Live to Fight Another Day". Fischer silences a protesting contestant by detonating an implanted explosive device as a warning to the others to comply.
The lottery picks Ryan to fight Arthur Dane. Ryan reluctantly selects a handgun and knife from equipment manager Duke. Gerrard and Isabelle watch the fight. Ryan enters the arena, battling Dane who wears full armor and wields a sword. After a brutal fight, Ryan is bloodied but victorious. When he awakes, his wounds have been completely healed. Isabelle confides in Ryan that she hopes he can stop Fischer, who controls society with the drug EQM and "Fight Another Day". Winning will gain access to Fischer.
Sakura faces the larger Blaine Arzure in the arena. Despite the mismatch, Sakura, in Japanese armor with a katana, defeats bare-chested Blaine swiftly.
Colt defeats Bataar Ganbold with two shots, showcasing his skills with a revolver.
Ryan rises in popularity with each win. Fischer instructs Cal to rig the lottery, swapping in Ryan to fight a Spartan. Wearing riot gear, Ryan defeats the Spartan, earning Cal's cheers. Fischer arranges a meeting with Ryan.
Isabelle wants Ryan to kill Fischer, smuggling a scalpel into his cell. Meeting Fischer, Ryan learns his death inspired Fight Another Day which, combined with EQM, led to drastically lower crime rates. Fischer offers to reunite Ryan with his murdered son if he helps put on a great show. Ryan leaves without killing Fischer, tempted by the offer.
Ryan continues winning matches, Duke warns against enjoying the bloodshed. Instead of killing his next opponent, corporal Lewis, Ryan appeals to the audience about the immorality of the games. Cal asks if Ryan's implant should be detonated but Fischer instead orders Lewis killed and Ryan returned to his cell. Fischer notes people like both the rise and fall of a hero.
Attempting to kill the troublesome Ryan, the only equipment offered for his next match against Sakura are sunglasses. Seeing Ryan unarmed, Sakura discards her weapons and armour to meet him in unarmed combat as she wishes for an honourable death. Sakura outfights Ryan in hand-to-hand combat. Desperate, Ryan grabs one of Sakura's swords and she likewise arms herself. Still outmatched, a last ditch effort sees him ready the scalpel he has hidden from the earlier assassination plot. Sakura impales Ryan with a blade but he manages to get close enough to hold the scalpel to her throat. Accepting her defeat, Sakura commits seppuku. Ryan, acting as her kaishakunin, beheads Sakura to end her suffering.
Isabelle reveals personal reasons for her hatred of Fischer, having lost her sister to EQM. She wears a bracelet in memory. They aim to stop Ryan's original televised death to change the future. Ryan teams with Colt, Isabelle with Gerrard, and Duke helps. Sabotage causes a power cut that interrupts the Colt vs Ryan final, aiding their plan to reach the time machine. Cal is frantic in the control room, while Fischer orders a commercial break and exits.
Colt shoots Gerrard, betraying the escape plan to support Fischer and his vision. Fischer arrives with guards and a captured Isabelle. Verus, feeling cheated, joins the revolt and kills Colt allowing Ryan and Isabelle to run for the time machine. Fischer shoots at the fleeing Ryan, hitting Isabelle. Cal ignores Fischer's order to detonate Ryan's explosive, enraptured by the daring escape on TV, declaring "This is the best season ever!".
Ryan travels back to the moment of his death, forewarned he knocks out his killer preventing the broadcast. The version of Isabelle who had arrived to collect the deceased Ryan is confused by this future version's presence. Ryan hands over her sister's bracelet, convincing Isabelle that her plan to defeat Fischer has succeeded, and they drive away into the night
