I love analyzing scenes and wondering why characters are doing or not doings they are doing. Not just asking what are they feeling in this moment. And the ending of CH is so interesting. Sometimes I want to know if I am completely out of my depth and if others view it the same.
When Mark is at the door hands hovering over the pushbar it's like he is paralyzed. He's not choosing to stay and not making a grand romantic decision to turn away from Gemma toward Helly before she shows up. His body simply won't move toward the pushbar. Gemma is screaming. His name is filling the hallway and he looks at her through the window and then at the pushbar and his hands won't go there. Like his body already knows even if his brain fully doesn't.
And then Helly says his name and suddenly his body works again. So telling because names are one things innies have and there is something specific about what his name in Helly's mouth does to him physiologically that his name in Gemma's doesn't. His nervous system is almost wired to Helly. And also due to what the severed floor does to them as people and their existences as innies. Gemma saying Mark is calling to someone else. With Helly saying his name his body becomes available to motion again. The paralysis lifts. And the direction his body moves is toward the thing that made it feel real most recently....
And then Helly says his name once and suddenly he can move
itās such a rich scene to analyze. hereās a portion of that scene from the script that i really like
i like what you said ālike his body already knows even if he brain fully doesnāt.ā feels so similar to the script saying āheās torn, conflictedā but deep down knows what he wants.ā
these kinds of bodily knowledge and muscle memory are so interesting when it comes to severed people. logically, mark knows that gemma must mean something to him. that sheās his wife out there. heās been taught to be loyal to his outies decisions and respect them above all. but his heart calls for helly! it reverberates throughout his whole body, that feeling, that love. itās so strong that it reached outie mark at the chinese restaurant. and it helps innie mark make this decision. he just physically canāt go through the door, his body wonāt go.
āthe paralysis liftsā thatās so good. such a great way to put it. maybe you should write a little character study on this scene. you have such a deep understanding and notice great things!!
and on his body just naturally moving towards helly omg šš itās like heās a compass and sheās his truth north ā¤ļø heās just hardwired to go to her. always drawn to her no matter the circumstance, no matter how damning it is. their relationship is so complex but also very simply at the same time because really they just want to live together. thatās all. but itāll be a long road to get there!!!