Who Is Alex in Netflix’s Boy Swallows Universe?

Boy Swallows Universe follows the story of Eli, a boy growing up in suburban Australia. People drift into his life – some stick around, and some don’t. One of those people is Alex, and if you’re wondering who that is in Netflix’s Boy Swallows Universe, here’s the answer.

Who Is Alex in Netflix’s Boy Swallows Universe?

We first meet Alex, though we don’t get much of a solid look at him when he’s in prison. Alex, or Alex Bermuda to give him his full name, is Eli’s prison pen pal. Eli writes to him, and Alex writes back, often with advice.

For example, in the first episode of Boy Swallows Universe, Eli asks Alex about whether to get involved in situations. Alex replies, saying it’s human nature to want to help your mates but that things can boil over, suggesting that’s what landed him in prison. Their correspondence continues throughout most of the series, with Alex’s almost acting as a secondary father figure.

Alex is – or was – a member of the Rebels motorcycle club, though it’s not entirely clear if he’s still with them at the end of the series. He has kept the outfit, however, and when Frankie, Eli’s mum, is being hassled by an ex, he turns up and sees the ex-boyfriend and his cronies off. He introduces himself to Alex, and now out of jail, he stays in touch with Eli.

We later see that he’s working in a garage and has allowed Eli to write about his life story. Writing about Alex’s life helps Eli get a foot in the door at his local newspaper, though not quite in the role he originally envisioned. We don’t find out what happened to Alex at the end of the series, but we know that he possibly got involved in charity work.

In short, Alex is one of the constants in Eli’s life in Boy Swallows Universe, even if they don’t meet in person for a while.

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Is Alex Real in Netflix’s Boy Swallows Universe?

Alex Bermuda, who is called Alex Bermudez in the book, isn’t readily identifiable as a real character. The bike club he was sergeant-at-arms for, The Rebels, is a real club, and the Australian government has labeled it as a criminal organization. A few of the group’s members have gone to prison, so it’s not a stretch to imagine that someone like Alex Bermuda could end up in jail while at the club.

And that’s the answer to who Alex is in Netflix’s Boy Swallows Universe.

Boy Swallows Universe is streaming now on Netflix.