Warning: Major spoilers for WeaponsZach Cregger’s intense horror film Weapons successfully resolves its primary mystery by the end, yet it leaves numerous intriguing questions unanswered. Featuring a notable cast including Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, and Amy Madigan, Weapons quickly became a box office success and received acclaim from critics right after its premiere.

This captivating movie centers around the aftermath of a shocking incident in a small town where 17 children mysteriously vanish from their homes, seemingly disappearing into the night without a trace. While the eventual discovery of the children’s fate occurs, the unfolding events reveal a deeper mystery regarding the reasons behind this astonishing mass disappearance.

As the story unfolds, it is revealed that the town is haunted by a malevolent parasitic force, which ultimately meets a terrifying end, leaving behind a trail of disturbing fatalities. Although the resolution provides some closure, many viewers may feel a sense of frustration due to the multitude of unresolved storylines and unanswered questions that linger.

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What Is The Significance Of The Floating Gun In Archer’s Dream?

One of the most discussed enigmatic aspects of Weapons is the floating assault rifle that Archer Graff (Brolin) observes hovering above the Lilly house, where the missing children are held captive, during a dream sequence while he sleeps in his son’s empty bed. The gun eerily displays the precise time of 2:17, which marks the moment the children departed from their beds.

Numerous theories surrounding the gun have emerged, with the most common interpretations linking it to the film’s title and drawing parallels to the alarming symbolism associated with school shootings. The narrative of the lone surviving (bullied) child, coupled with the pervasive anger and trauma that envelops the town following the children’s disappearance, certainly provides a compelling framework to support such interpretations.

However, the actual meaning behind this haunting scene, as envisioned by Zach Cregger, is far more complex and ambiguous than it seems. During an interview with Variety, Cregger elaborated on the significance of this scene:

“It’s a very important moment for me in this movie, and to be frank with you, I think what I love about it so much is that I don’t understand it. I have a few different ideas of what it might be there for, but I don’t have the right answer. I like the idea that everyone is probably going to have their own kind of interaction or their own relationship with that scene, whether they don’t give a s*** about it and it’s boring, or whether they think it’s some sort of political statement, or whether they think it’s just cool.”

Cregger did not intend for this moment, nor the film as a whole, to carry a politically charged message, although viewers are certainly free to interpret it as such. The floating gun will remain a focal point for lively discussion, particularly given the absence of a definitive interpretation.

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Why Did The Children Specifically Leave At 2:17?

The children’s mass exodus at a seemingly arbitrary time of 2:17 has ignited extensive debate among fans. Once again, the most prevalent theory connects this time to school shootings, suggesting that 2:17 could represent the 217 votes in the House of Representatives to ban assault rifles in 2022, a measure that ultimately failed to pass in the Senate.

However, Cregger has dismissed any sociopolitical implications behind this time. In a conversation with Far Out Magazine, he revealed that the 2:17 reference likely stems from his subconscious nod to room 217 in Stephen King’s novel The Shining, a location notorious for its sinister hauntings. While the number was altered to 237 for Stanley Kubrick’s film adaptation, Cregger chose to retain the original.

“I’m a Kubrick guy when it comes to The Shining; I definitely worship that movie, and I thought of changing it to 2:37. But then I was like, ‘You know what? My first impulse has got to be the one I stick with,’ so I kept 2:17.”

While there may be deeper meanings to uncover, Cregger’s clarification about his rationale for the number adds another layer of enigma, leaving it open to individual interpretation by each viewer.

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What Is The True Nature Of Gladys?

Aunt Gladys (Madigan) appears to be some form of witch, although the film provides only subtle hints regarding her origins. Cregger originally planned to dedicate a chapter to Gladys in an early draft of the screenplay but ultimately chose to maintain an air of mystery surrounding his main antagonist.

It is suggested that Gladys has likely existed for an extended period, far exceeding an average human lifespan, using her supernatural powers to siphon the life force from others to sustain her vitality. Her reference to “consumption,” an archaic term for tuberculosis, implies that she has likely been alive since at least the late 1800s.

There is ambiguity surrounding whether Gladys is genuinely Alex’s great-aunt. The confusion seems intentional, as she is referred to in various instances as both Alex’s aunt and his mother’s aunt. While it appears that his parents have encountered her previously, it remains uncertain whether the entity that appears at Alex’s home is indeed his aunt or merely a witch masquerading as his aunt.

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What Is The Reason Behind Gladys Appearing In Dreams?

As a witch, Gladys appears to exert a form of control over the entire town. She manifests in the dreams of various characters who have never met her, including Justine and Archer, as well as James in the woods, creating some of the most chilling sequences in Weapons. This phenomenon results from her magical and psychic influence over the town, enabling her to invade the dreams of individuals during moments of heightened anxiety or fear.

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What Is The Significance Of The Creepy Little Tree?

Gladys’ blood magic is wielded through a dark and sinister bush or small tree that she carries, which plays a crucial role in her witchcraft. By using its branches, she pierces her own finger and smears her blood over the thorny twigs, which are often wrapped around or linked to a personal item belonging to her target. When she snaps the branch, she unleashes her bewitched victims upon that target.

Later, Alex is shown to possess similar abilities with the branches, suggesting that the source of the magic either resides within the tree itself or perhaps indicates that Gladys is indeed Alex’s great-aunt, implying he may have some form of magic in his own bloodline.

While the exact species of the tree remains undetermined, its use, combined with the historical associations of certain plants with witchcraft—particularly within Gaelic and Celtic traditions—suggests it resembles a type of blackthorn. However, the leaves on Gladys’ tree do not entirely correspond to those of a blackthorn, leading to the conclusion that it is likely a custom-designed eerie plant serving a similar purpose.

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What Are The Meanings Behind The Symbols On Gladys’ Bell?

The triangle and the number six featured on Gladys’ bell can signify a range of concepts. From a witchcraft perspective, the triangle—which appears inverted on the bell before transforming to an upright position in the credits—holds various meanings, most of which are tied to the Crone goddess, as the triangle symbolizes femininity.

The number six is often regarded as a symbol of witchcraft, malevolence, and evil, particularly when reiterated (666), making this connection plausible. Collectively, these symbols could represent a label designating ownership of the bell and its intended function: for a witch to carry out her dark deeds.

While the blackthorn branches assist Gladys in manipulating individuals, the bell serves as the mechanism through which she triggers possession after concocting the requisite potion or spell to control someone. The triangle’s alteration in orientation within the credits may also imply the symbols are related to alchemy or potion-making.

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What Is The Reason Behind Gladys’ “Weapons” Running Style?

The peculiar running style, characterized by arms outstretched, of individuals possessed by Gladys remains unexplained within the film, yet it may be less complex than it appears. Since these individuals are not acting of their own volition, their movements reflect the aspects of themselves that Gladys controls (their head and heart, mind and soul), which leads them to run in this peculiar manner.

Essentially, Gladys is guiding these individuals in a particular direction, and their running style symbolizes the central point (the head and chest) where she has “seized” control over them. Although no official reason is provided, Cregger himself has acknowledged a subconscious inspiration for utilizing this distinctive visual in Weapons.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Cregger noted that he believes the unsettling running posture may have originated from his recollection of the “Napalm Girl” photograph, one of the most impactful images from the Vietnam War, depicting a young Vietnamese girl running with her arms outstretched, due to severe burns inflicted by napalm.

“I think that image is so awful, and the way she’s holding her arms out just killed me. I think there’s something really upsetting about that posture. If I had to guess, that might be where the seed is from. I don’t know. But there was no second-guessing that pose. I knew that they would run that way.”

Much like the vision of the floating gun, many of the most striking visuals in Weapons appear to be dreamlike constructs from Cregger’s imagination, lacking the logical explanations many viewers might seek. Cregger’s film seems to serve as a form of self-therapy, leaving ample space for interpretation due to the multitude of questions he deliberately leaves unanswered throughout the story.

Source: Variety, Far Out Magazine, Entertainment Weekly