So why all the trouble? - The Skeleton Key (2005) Discussion

[–] jenni_doll_1 13 years ago

Could you basically condemn your own children to death? I'd like to think Cecile and Justify were not that inherently evil, I think over time they just allowed their power to corrupt them and came to allow their sense of morality to be clouded by their sense of self gain. It's said in the beginning, when we first hear about Cecile and Justify, that Justify was a healer with his magic, thus, "They healed the sick and hurt the mean", so I don't think they were always bad people, I think they eventually came to misuse their power, but I couldn't see them killing one of their own kids. Plenty of people out there who might kill a stranger for their own benefit wouldn't necessarily kill someone they loved for the same reason.

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[–] 13 years ago

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[–] zombiehax 13 years ago

I think you guys missed the point...The OP is asking the Mama Cecile and Papa Justify did not continue switching bodies with children instead of adults. Surely, children have an easier time believing in "magic" than adults do...

I think if you want an explanation you could easily make up a couple:

a) Papa Justify and Mama Cecile hated being children and preferred to switch straight to adults...Being a child means also being weak and vulnerable...Despite having the brain of an adult they still wouldn't be able to do a lot of things as a child.

b) Possible side effects from transferring into the body of a child...

c) The spell to switch both siblings at the same time had to be used on two other siblings. Making it harder to get children since you had to have a sister and a brother.

Overall...Who knows...maybe the spell to transfer into children had too many complications to it that weren't worth the risk.

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[–] 13 years ago

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[–] viiilx 13 years ago

My one question is how they could manage NOT to have any children after all these years? It would complicate the situation a lot, but how could they?

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[–] jenni_doll_1 13 years ago

Well....I'd kinda think they wouldn't have made it a point to have children when they were living as the Thorpe children, since they were supposed to be posing as a brother and sister. How would that have looked? Contrary to popular stereotypes, even people down south have not been that backwards for quite some time.
When they took over the bodies of Ben and Violet, it likely wouldn't have been possible, they probably would have been too old. As to why they didn't sometime in their original bodies as Justify and Cecile, who knows? Maybe Cecile was barren?
Maybe as Caroline and Luke, they'd give it a shot? Not likely, though, I think they had enough on their plates without complicating it by adding kids to the mix, it would have run too much risk of exposing their secret at some point. Besides, how much would they gain by having children anyway? When you've already figured out a way to attain immortality, how important is it going to be to bear life beyond your own? And it's not like you'd need someone to take care of you in your old age, you just find a new body then. And these don't exactly seem like family friendly people, I doubt being parents would have been a joy that was important to them, all things considered.

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[–] Strazdamonas 12 years ago

Because 2 children alone in an old house really cant get along so easily as two adults.

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All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for enough good men to do nothing.

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[–] 12 years ago

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[–] RachRidingHood 7 years ago

Well, to put it bluntly... They were two adults in their late 30s-mid 40s when aged in their original bodies. Cecile and Justify being two adults in a romantic relationship wouldn't want to carry on that physical relationship while in prepubescent bodies. I'm sure the issue arose when they took the Thorne children's bodies over. Just as Cecile stated, once in Caroline's body, that she preferred a black woman's body...you can assume she'd want a body she can somewhat identify with.

I'd think that given they have the minds of adults and desires that adults have, they wouldn't be so keen on waiting for children's bodies to grow and mature. That and they would never have the personal freedom that adults have. No driving, less means to manipulate, no scheming as themselves but they'd have to scheme through other people. It could be argued that since they've pretty much found a means of living indefinitely if not for a very long duration, they might have the patience to grow older again, but they clearly love life since their plans have gone far beyond revenge by the time the movie takes place.

And in response to other posters...I can't say I agree they might have enough of a heart to care much for the wellbeing of their own hypothetical children. There's no revenge anymore...beyond keeping the house. They are hurting innocent people and they know it. They're just too selfish to care. Keep in mind that many children of slave owners would grow to love the servants who looked after them and helped to raise them. I always assumed the Thorpe children loved Papa Justify and Mama Cecile, making the switch that much easier as the children trusted them.

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[–] super_rodimus_convoy 7 years ago

I got the impression the OP meant having biological children and raising them to adulthood and THEN take their bodies. Assuming that's what he/she meant, there's too many variables to consider this a viable option. What if Cecile keeps having boys, or keeps having girls, instead of one of each? Or on the off chance she does have a boy then a girl (or vice versa, a girl then a boy), or fraternal twins (boy and a girl), there's a 50/50 chance the indoctrination could backfire since kids like to rebel. 20+ years down the drain if one or both rejects voodoo. If one rejects it then you have to go through the trouble of indoctrinating another person anyway. On top of all that, they don't strike me at the fatherly/motherly type anyway to tolerate 20 plus years of child rearing in the HOPES that they can switch bodies.

Its much easier to find young adult strangers every 20-30 years. The situation is much easier to control, with less variables in the way to make things backfire.

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