The following contains a discussion of suicidal ideation and depression in The Woman In The Yard
The following contains spoilers for The Woman In The Yard, now playing in theaters
The Woman In The Yard‘s mirror worlds are an important aspect of the film and its big final twist. The Woman In The Yard focuses on Ramona, a recent widow who is still dealing with the physical and emotional pain of the car crash that killed her husband. This makes the arrival of a mysterious woman in their yard all the more concerning, as she increasingly approaches the family and shows off some terrifying powers.
One of the big twists of the film is the reveal that the Woman is a manifestation of Ramona, meaning all of her powers are aspects of the woman’s perspective and emotional state. This includes the Woman’s mirror worlds, which she uses to briefly trap Ramona. These mirrored worlds are haunting in their own way, and end up changing the entire meaning behind The Woman In The Yard‘s purposefully ambiguous ending. Here is how the mirrored worlds appear in The Woman In The Yard, what they represent, and what they mean for Ramona.
What The Woman In The Yard’s Mirror Worlds Are
The Mirrored Worlds In The Woman In The Yard Are Traps For Ramona
The mirrored worlds in The Woman In The Yard appear to be visions created by the manifestation of Ramona’s psyche as mental traps for the grieving mother. When she finds a path through a wall into one of these mirrored spaces, Ramona goes inside and finds herself in a reflected version of happier days. She repeats a conversation she had with her husband before his death and struggles to remember the outside world. When she does finally start to realize where she is, the vision of her husband asks her to stay and then restrains her.
This implies that the mirror worlds are traps for Ramona’s psyche, intended to keep her distracted and placated inside her own mind while the Woman can influence her physical actions. As seen during a montage where Ramona realizes the Woman is an extension of herself, it’s revealed that a threatening sH๏τ of the Woman approaching Annie was actually Ramona, seemingly out of tempo with reality and influenced by the Woman. While in the mirror worlds, the Woman seems capable of pushing Ramona into certain behaviors and actions.
How The Woman & Ramona Are Connected To The Mirror World
The Woman Creates The Mirrors To Capture And Contain Ramona
The Woman is steadily revealed to be a manifestation of Ramona’s mind, specifically the part of her that believes Ramona has been “praying for the strength” to end her own life. It’s a harrowing discovery for Ramona, but it also adds more layers to the horror ᴀssociated with the mirror worlds. Suddenly, these become more than just visions meant to hold back and distract Ramona. While she’s trapped in one of these places, the Woman seems capable of influencing Ramona. The discovery that the Woman is partly inspired by Ramona’s suicidal ideation only makes these mirror worlds even more unnerving.
The Woman’s ability to trap Ramona in these visions while directing her physical actions is a scary metaphor for the way dark thoughts can compel people…
By locking Ramona in a happy memory within the mirrored world, the Woman could drive a wedge between Ramona and her kids or push her to make potentially lethal decisions. The ending of The Woman in the Yard proves that the Woman is capable of manipulating Ramona’s actions, “helping” her turn a gun on herself. The Woman’s ability to trap Ramona in these visions while directing her physical actions is a scary metaphor for the way dark thoughts can compel people to make decisions that are harmful to themselves and others, with the mirror worlds representing denial.
The Mirror Worlds Explain The Woman In The Yard’s Twist Ending
The Ending Is Entirely Different If It Is One Of The Woman’s Mirror Worlds
The true nature of the mirrored worlds is why The Woman in the Yard‘s ending feels so ambiguous and bleak. After realizing what is happening with herself and the Woman, Ramona almost gives in to the Woman’s influence. However, the film shows Ramona instead being reunited with her children and pushing the Woman back. However, the ending of The Woman In The Yard implies this happy ending is another mirror world, suggesting that Ramona has become trapped in a fantasy. This leaves her final fate unknown and could even be interpreted as a final resting place for Ramona’s mind.
The mirror worlds are an interesting concept in The Woman In The Yard, serving as visual representations of the happy memories that only deepen Ramona’s current depression. Turning them into actual traps set by the darkest part of Ramona’s mind is an interesting metaphor that sets up a lot of the bleakest turns in the film. The Woman In The Yard‘s entire ending is upended by this reveal, which plays into the film’s exploration of depression and gives it an ambiguously tragic ending.
