Bird Box Barcelona didnt do as well on Netflix as the record-breaking first movie, but it lived up to Bird Box by leaving viewers with a lot of questions.
Set at the same time as the first movie, the spin-off moves the action to Barcelona and focuses on a new group of survivors in the early days of the outbreak, while giving us more insight into the deadly unseen creatures.
Two of these survivors, Sebastián (Mario Casas) and his daughter Anna (Alejandra Howard), have a closer connection to the creatures than the other survivors know, spelling trouble for the likes of Claire (Georgina Campbell), Sofia (Naila Schuberth) and Octavio (Diego Calva).
But if you were too busy hiding behind a cushion, were here to help by explaining the major reveals of Bird Box Barcelona and what the ending means for the series going forward.
Why Humans Help The Creatures In Bird Box Barcelona Explained
Those who have seen the original Bird Box will remember that after seeing the creatures, some human characters, like Tom Hollanders Gary, had their minds altered. Before taking their own lives, they sought out and attacked others, compelling them to confront the monsters. Bird Box Barcelona’s story with Sebastian goes into greater detail about what motivates these individuals to help the monsters. Sebastián believes they are divine and that by introducing them to others, he is preserving their souls. He even claims to see the spirits of the deceased leaving their bodies when he watches them die.
His hallucinations of Anna, who encourages him to “save” everyone he meets and assures him that they will be reunited in paradise at the appropriate time, also reflect the will of the monsters. Sebastián doesn’t understand they aren’t supernatural beings until he begins to lose his “faith,” at which point he turns his attention to rescuing Sofia and Claire. The army also asserts at the end of the film that viewing the Bird Box creatures alters DNA, which could also account for why, should they survive their first encounter, people develop an obsession with them.
Are Claire & Sofia Actually Safe?
However, Bird Box Barcelona’s conclusion forces Claire and Sofia to fight for their triumph. Claire is forced to remove her blindfold so she can operate the machinery when they get to the top of the station. Naturally, a monster soon appears to add to the complexity, trying to get her to look at it by mimicking the voice of her late brother. Then, in order for Claire and Sofia to jump across a broken platform and into the safety of a moving car, Claire must close her eyes and pay attention to the timing of the cable car doors opening and closing.
When Claire finally jumps, it happens just in time, and Sofia and she are greeted by soldiers on the other side. While Sofia is reunited with her missing, presumed-deceased mother, there are also a large number of other survivors in the castle who are assisting with the cultivation of food and plants. Claire and Sofia should be safe for the foreseeable future, assuming no one unintentionally lets any of the creatures into the castle and their supplies don’t run out.
Bird Box Barcelona’s “Observers Effect” & How It Explains The Creatures
Like the first film, Bird Box Barcelona doesn’t feature the animals. This is a smart move, and the spinoff suggests that since they don’t have a true form, it’s also impossible to show them. With a degree in physics, supporting character Octavio (Diego Calva) speculates that the monsters might be “quantum beings.” He says, “All particles exist in a state of indefinition in quantum mechanics, with all possibilities existing at once.” All those possibilities only come together and take on a distinct form once they are observed.
This phenomenon is known as the “observers effect,” but Octavio thinks that the monsters in Bird Box Barcelona don’t really exist; rather, they are shaped by the person who sees them. For instance, according to Sebastián, they are angelic, and the creatures change into that form in accordance with his beliefs or persona. They could appear to another character as aliens or as a loved one. Although Bird Box Barcelona does not offer this as the sole explanation for the creatures, it is undoubtedly a strong case.
FAQ
Why is Sebastian immune in Bird Box Barcelona?
Is Sebastian’s daughter dead in Bird Box?
Who survives in Bird Box?
Is Sebastian the bad guy in Bird Box?