#pk rambles

We start off the movie learning that Elio has lost both of his parents. He feels lonely and misunderstood, until he wanders into a space exhibit that poses the question "Are we alone?"--an exhibit which touches him in such a profound way that it makes him cry.

From that point onwards, Elio is no longer interested in his life on Earth. He's obsessed with being abducted/taken from this planet that has only hurt and isolated him. He resists attempts at friendship and family, lies and does things that hurt other people, and he doesn't care. When the aliens finally come for him, he has no regrets, no remorse; only joy and relief that he's finally leaving Earth.

The Communiverse that he is taken to is a heavenly place. Everyone understands each other regardless of language. There is food and drink everywhere. You can adjust your own body temperature to always be perfectly comfortable. There's a floating encyclopedia with all the knowledge of the universe's mysteries. They don't tolerate violence/war. (The incompetence of the ambassadors is where the comparison falls short, however.)

Elio is desperate to stay in this heaven. When he realizes he's only there by mistake, he gets into a huge mess trying to cement his place in it. When the portal to Earth is opened, we see what Elio will be returning to: darkness, rain, violence, and despair. And when he's cast out of the Communiverse and sits on the beach, staring up at the night sky, he whispers, "Don't leave me."

But it is only when Elio comes back that he sees how much he is missed, how much he is loved, and how he's not alone. When he and his aunt are being guided through the space debris field, the voices from all over the world tell him that he's not alone.

After he redeems himself, he turns down membership with the Communiverse and tells them that it's not a no, but a not yet (because death is inevitable my dudes). Elio decides to go back to Earth and give living a chance. He knows it won't be easy compared to the heaven that he's witnessed and that he will always carry with him. But he's willing to try. And we see him connecting with his aunt and making friends down the line, in addition to staying in touch with the Communiverse.

(It is also framed in a very obvious way that losing Elio to the Communiverse will be a permanent, death-like separation for his Aunt Olga, who wants Elio to be happy but will suffer without him.)

But Elio's journey doesn't just affect him. It brings the Communiverse to Earth. Those who never believed in it are amazed at what they see. Those who did believe shed tears of joy. Elio's experience in this heavenly place spreads to everyone in his immediate vicinity, and because the Communiverse is waiting for him, because it is something he'll never forget, he will probably tell everyone he possibly can about it. Rather than being Earth's ambassador to "heaven", he is now heaven's ambassador to Earth.

The movie ends with the same question it posed to Elio in the beginning: "Are we alone?" The answer is no. All of heaven is watching and anticipating our joyful reunion. But in the meantime, there is life to live here.

idk what blog to stick this on but i forgot the Joy i get from arting

Proper "fussing" under the cut (for those who would rather not see):

Listen, I love my wet, pitiful little meow meows as much as the next idiot but sometimes I come home to my mungrove tag aND I DONT WANT STEVE STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF MY CHEESEBURGER

Hello, friends! Just a friendly reminder that credit is supes important, so please ask for permission before you post anything! I’m not angry, but artists/writers everywhere would 100% appreciate some heads up, I promise! Thanks for understanding, y’all ♥