Rediscovering Labyrinth: 13 Things to Notice

Screencap from TriStar Pictures

Conspiracy Theories

No film today is safe from a conspiracy theory. If you think Grease follows Sandy in purgatory then you’ll love the theory I conjured during Labyrinth. We know Sarah is fed up with her brother and stepmother. What if her “wish” for the goblins to take Toby away involved her murdering the kid? Let’s face it, Toby isn’t the easiest baby to get along with, and we watch Sarah leave the room as Toby’s cries abruptly stop. What if Sarah’s return to the bedroom started her on a journey of coping with the heinous murder of her little brother? Sarah’s journey through the labyrinth could very well be her coping mechanism in the immediate aftermath or while being institutionalized (she wasn’t exactly in touch with reality beforehand).

Other symbolism, with deeper connections to the novel, could see Sarah’s labyrinthine journey stem from her fears of motherhood and/or need for a mother figure in her life; all the characters she meets are child-like outside of Jareth who we know in the book manifests and arrives at Sarah’s house late at night. There’s no basis in fact for any of this, but that’s half the fun!

Next: Those Muppets!