#wurds

There are times when Nikki breaks through, who she was before the wish gets out and that's horrifying too. Because even when Bear begins to recognize that Nikki isn't in control of herself, and then gets that shit explained to him outright, with Nikki begging for death, he doesn't care about her, he asks her "what's so wrong with being with me?" and she tells him that they've never been together, because they haven't.

both the actress and director have said it's not a possession film, even though Nikki refers to "Nikki" as "her", as if she's something separate. I don't think that matters much story wise, because Bear is a piece of shit to "Nikki" too.

He wishes for her to love him more than anyone and anything else in the world, most people would see that in practice and describe it as devotion, or even zealotry. And "Nikki" does it, she makes a shrine for his dead cat, (with the dead cat. But consider, if this is some sort of separate something that exists as part of the One Wish Willow, if the thing has existed for longer than it's been sold, it makes sense that that something would have an awareness of some cultural practices, even if a few decades out of date) but that's me going on a tangent

she makes a shrine to his dead cat, he doesn't like it, okay, how else do you show your devotion to a god? You burn things, (cook) that they love (I use this term loosely with Bear here, the cat) to give them power (eat) again, tangent, sorry

Bear never guides her on how to show affection beyond sex, because he never considers it, so "Nikki" keeps trying, and Nikki keeps screaming and everyone around them is asking Bear for clarification on Nikki's feelings and behavior, hell I don't think Nikki or "Nikki" talk to any other character (on screen) after Bear makes the wish.

i've never seen a man so avoidant unless it was about child support and even then, I think Bear still has those men beat. the man is terrified of confrontation, of interpersonal friction, to the point that "Nikki" uses that and threats to show "love" (she realizes that's the only thing Bear responds to and uses it.)

Cause "Nikki" doesn't even like him, he asks her as much and she can't even make herself say it.

He calls the number on the One Wish Willow package, not to cancel the wish, to alter it, and he only asks to cancel when the voice on the line says wishes can't be altered. And then he's told how to break it, definitively break it (kill himself) and he hesitates, even when the customer service rep puts Nikki's terrified screaming on the line, he just hangs up, doesn't even try to communicate. (I mean what would you even say? What could you even say?)

Sarah, a coworker of theirs who has a thing for Bear (ew girl, why?) texts him to meet her for something important. He sneaks out (this is where we get Nikki begging to be killed, and him asking what's so wrong with being with him.)

Sarah, who wants to go to art school and has been rejected by every school she has applied to so far, gets the last letter which is from her top choice, and because she's into Bear, (again, why?) wants him there when she opens it. She also tries convincing Bear that Nikki is using him to get back at Ian who Nikki had been hooking up with on and off for the past two years.

"Nikki" shows up, in a dead sprint, headbutts the driver door and begins slamming Sarah's head into a brick she brought along for the purpose. (for an uncomfortably long time)

she then runs to the other side of the car to comfort Bear. both of them are covered in Sarah's blood and she tries to comfort him, shushing and reminding him that "this is what you wanted" and I don't think "Nikki" is saying this to be cruel, I think she's just stating the facts as she understands them.

Bear still has Sarah's letter.

So, after helping "Nikki" move Sarah's body and "Nikki" telling him she'll do the rest of it by herself.

he's in his car, with Sarah's letter, both of them covered in her blood.

And for one last indignity, he opens it.

Sarah got in.

The fact he opened it after "Nikki" kills Sarah. It feels like another violation, salt and spit in the face of her death. Maybe he was hoping it would be a rejection, convince himself that Sarah's death "wasn't so bad, at least she didn't have to experience this disappointment."

He tries to get help from Ian, who doesn't believe that the wish willow works, so Ian jokingly wishes for a billion dollars, and still, somehow, after it starts raining money in his living room, Ian doesn't seem to grasp what Bear said. about making the wish for Nikki to love him, about how that's what's been causing her erratic behavior. Because Bear goes back home, hoping to convince "Nikki" to undo his wish, and Ian who followed him, is banging on the door talking about shit like, lets go out and party I've got a billion dollars.

"Nikki" shoots Ian, which honestly, finally, he's bad, but not as bad as Bear. Or at least not bad in the same way. Ian's a douche, who might be trying to sabotage Bear's attempts at confessing, but honestly he comes off a such a dudebro fuckboy that he may genuinely believe his own terrible advice.

"Nikki" breaks down, asks Bear what he wants, and for a moment, maybe it's Nikki, or "Nikki" has been pushed so far, but after saying he just wants her to be Nikki, she screams back she can't be Nikki.

and I think that's when my heart broke for "Nikki" she's doing everything she thinks is right, trying to show the devotion she was made with, was made for. and keeps failing, and when told what she has done was "incorrect" she is given no guidance on how to do things "properly"

immediately after screaming she apologizes and says she can be Nikki, she can be whatever Bear wants her to be.

Bear, the coward, runs to the bathroom with the gun, and after holding the gun to his chest, and then in his mouth, he chickens out. And instead goes for the old benzos still in his late grandmother's medicine cabinet. And still, he chickens out, after swallowing the bottle he tries to make himself throw up, but you hear the One Wish Willow packaging and he stops before he can make himself up-chuck.

"Nikki" wished that he loved her back.

and you get 15-20 seconds of them being the perfectly in love couple you'd imagine. despite being covered in their friends and coworkers blood, with those two corpses cooling down not ten feet away.

then the Benzos kick in.