Key points and simple explanations SPOILERS
I know theories have been beaten to death, but once you break it down it becomes clear. Everyone knows she is suffering from major depression and some kind of dementia. The question is whether there’s any supernatural force. [SPOILERS AHEAD]
Key Points
Ameila/Mom
- Consumed with grief and unable to cope with the death of her husband
- Gave birth to son on day her husband dies
- It’s approaching her son’s birthday which is the anniversary of her husband’s death.
- She was formerly a writer
Friend: “Claire tells me you're a writer.”
Mom: “Oh, no, not really. Not anymore.”
Friend: “What kind of writing did you do?”
Mom: “I wrote some articles for some magazines, did some kids' stuff.”
- She works at a nursing home with dementia ward
- She has nightmares and insominia. In one scene she is up all night watching TV until morning. In another she sees a news a story about a mother who stabs and kills her son on his birthday
- Mom to doctor: “I haven't slept in weeks and neither has Samuel”
- From Book: ‘The more u deny the stronger i get, let me in’, ‘you start to change when I get in’, ‘ the Babadook growing right under your skin’, ‘see what’s underneath’
- Repaired book she ripped up shows the self destructing path of her condition: killing a dog, strangling the son, and slashing own throat (suicide)
- She clearly hallucinates (the roaches, etc)
- In basement her husband’s clothes hanging on the wall resembles Babadook
Samuel/Son
- Mom angry at him from the start and denies his affection
- Already sees monsters before mom reads Babadook book
- School authorities say boy has significant behavior problems
- Has never had a birthday party
- Kids don’t get along with him at school, makes fun of him because he has no dad
- Has seizure
- Doctor says he's obviously suffering a high level of anxiety.
Conclusion
Two things are clear. First, she is suffering from dementia and severe depression which she has been unable to cope with for almost 7 years, especially during the coming of her son’s birthday. This is intensified by her sleep and son's behavioral problems. Second, her son is also suffering from behavioral and possibly medical problems. It was getting worse in response to the mom's increasing condition and inability to give him the affection that he’s looking for (she didn't like him hugging her). Also, other factors like not having a dad and teasing from other kids.
So were there supernatural forces?
Probably not. We clearly see in the movie mostly dream sequences and hallucinations that look supernatural. We never really see a true haunting with witnesses. There's a possibility their could be a Babadook entity but that would break realism and make it silly.
Where did the book and Babadook come from?
The son clearly pulls the book off his shelf. She most likely wrote the book as she was formerly a writer and did ‘some kids’ stuff’. She probably wrote it while being up all night from insomnia and blocked it out of her memory waking up late in a daze in the mornings.
The Babadook was most likely the manifestation of her grief and dementia, which she initially channeled into writing the book. After reading the book to her son, it manifested into both their daily lives and was intensified by both their deteriorating conditions.
The end result of the mom's condition would being murder and suicide as the Babadook book shows. It’s a sad path that many people suffering from severe depression go through unless treated. The more she was in denial, the worse her condition got such is the case with most behavioral problems.
Does the son see the Babadook?
The son already saw monsters before the Babadook. We never actually witness the son seeing the Babadook on his own the way the mom does. One scene he is terrified at 'something' in the closet which he most likely pushed over through the human fight-or-flight response which gives strength. At the end when the mom drives away the Babadook, the son is also with her, but most likely only she sees it, because she was also hallucinating her husband right before which obviously her son cannot see.
How do you explain the kid flying and being thrown around?
Call it dramatic license. To deceive the audience and trip the mind as with most other movies. Think ‘Fight Club’, ‘Tale of two Sisters’, etc. At that point the Babadook had consumed her already (she snapped) and the son just 'exorcised' her but says, "You can't get rid of the Babadook", which meant she was still under its influence (her illness won't go away). She most likely threw him around.
Why is the Babadook still alive?
In the finale, she hallucinates her husband and the final moments before his death. She finally understands her condition and decides to fight back. She can't cure herself, because it's a lifelong condition. She can only accept and deal with it by having her ‘alone time’ with the ‘Babadook’, the darkness and grief that haunts her every day. In doing so, she prevents herself from taking it out on her son and is able to give him the love and attention he longs for. She finally is able to give him his first birthday party.
Whats with the worms?
Not certain but some studies have suggested that bacteria and worms in the gut could have a beneficial effect on major depressive disorders and other medical conditions. She most likely ate them.
Will there be a sequel?
Doesn't look like it.
"I had the foresight to make sure that my producer and I owned the rights to any sequels. The reason for that is I will never allow any sequel to be made, because it’s not that kind of film. I don’t care how much I’m offered, it’s just not going to happen.
[Laughs] It’s just not what the film’s about. It would destroy the integrity of everything we worked so hard to protect. "
-Jennifer Kent
This also subtly points to the babadook being inherent in the mom and not a supernatural force that can be made into another film. share