The Coraline Door Theory

Was the door Coraline left through real or was she just going deeper into the other world?

Most of us are familiar with the theory that Coraline may have never escaped the other world. This theory is primarily backed up by the cat disappearing and the garden at the end of the film. The cat vanishing was something he was able to do only in the other world and never did before she entered the door. And in the garden when panning out it looks like the Other Mother's face. Now while I'd love to unpack these two things I want to just focus on the door.

[Kelaiah]

I read one theory regarding why Coraline returns home after falling asleep in the Other World: it's because she didn't reject the real world. Notice how the first two times she goes, it's at night and she thinks it's a dream, so she's not fully committed to the Other World. But the third time, she intentionally goes during the day in an act of rejecting her life in the real world... and thus cannot go back like she used to.

[RedSaldana]

I get the thought process behind these theories but usually they can be explained by something very common- aesthetic. Having Coraline go to bed and waking up in her real room in the same position makes for a very pleasing time-lapse cut. Easier to animate. And having Coraline "walk around the globe" and having her come back to the front of the house is, again, just because it LOOKS nicer. This problem comes up a lot with movies in general- directors and editors just want pleasing aesthetics and then audience members take it as "oh that's wrong it has to mean something"

[natyc]

I think someone mentioned this in their theory but the Beldam doesn't just want their souls but the love of the children bc it's more powerful that way

[vionaelbe]

I always thought the first two times Coraline went to the Other World, it happened in her dreams. Dreams induced by the Other Mother, sure, but still dreams. The fact that she woke up in the "real world" every time, and the weird spiral things you can see through the windows when Coraline runs through the hallway in the real (dream) world... I never even thought twice about it.

[brandonalaniz]

The only thing wrong with this theory comes when reading the book. There's a decent amount of things that are different such as Coraline getting the magic rock before going through the door for the first time in the book.

[Freakcheeks]

actually the book explains the cat disappearing is how he gets to the otherworld in the first place. Also i think thats how the cat got into coralines house at night. He entered the otherworld, moved to where the house would be, and then exited to the real world. So him disappearing doesnt mean that theyre still in the otherworld. Just that the dimension still exists (even though the house may not) I think the cat already saw the othermother before he snuck into coralines house at night and thats why he did so in order to keep an eye on her.

[shpaldi]

My theory is that when coraline met whibey there was mushrooms around the well and maybe she took them and is just tripping

[catpoke]

I think the empty part of the world is always there. Where you wind up when you leave it is irrelevant because nothing exists there. Nothing. Even direction is meaningless.

[Crayon_muncher]

It's like a spider's web, she has to lure and wait for people to come through the door and get trapped (she cant drag them through), but she can also cut people out of the web and send them back. The door is an unreliable escape but it's either that or the beldam cutting you out.

[SupernaturalSalt]

i love how at the end he's just like "idk maybe i'm just overthinking"

[rhyanjethro]

The other mother “loves a good game”, and the cat knows that. Maybe the “players” of the game aren’t the other mother and Coraline, but the other mother and the Cat. Coraline is merely the deck of cards that the players use in order to determine the winner, and the last scene basically just tells us who won 😂🤣

[jm]

I got a simpler explanation, Beldam is a fairy and she needs to play by fairy rules. So she needs permission to take a soul, be it a "yes I accept" or a fair bet.

[a_naotenhonome]

6:31 My theory is just that perhaps a soul filled with love is stronger than a soul that was forced to be surrendered through fear, thus making a soul that loved her like a mother be nourishing so it makes her live longer than consuming a soul that instead of willingly giving in for her was forced through fear.
 
This explains why she presents herself as a more caring version of the child's original mom, because she needs the child to love her and give up their soul by free will.

[Lucasifii]

Interesting ideas. I had watched a theory several years ago that conspiracies on the idea that Coraline never left the Other World after "defeating" the Beldam, and that this again was part of the simulation, hence us seeing the cat go back through the other world at the end of the film; the idea that the other world is still existent after the final events. Said theorizer described it as the "Pink Palace Limbo" and it's at the very least food for thought. I'm inclined to believe it, because how realistic is it for a child to win this game that's set for her against a supernatural being? Furthermore, , demonstrated by a commentator, "On the cake, at the end, it says “welcome home” the “o” in the home is double crossed and when an o is double crossed, it means the person is lying. This means that that she is welcome but she is not home (this theory is from jessi vee, , i think)"

[StarlasAiko]

Acording to one theory I have seen recently, the "barrier" between the real world and the Other World has been opened when Coraline steps into/damages that ring of mushrooms (Fairy Ring) around the old well. That is when the Fog started.

[poolpaws]

magic exists in the movie so why can't Coraline be a witch? she could be a witch with sparse control of her powers rather than a normal human. maybe her powers work best in her sleep. she could be transporting herself back home through her own magic. after all, it would not make much sense for the other mother to want her to leave. I think its through her very own magic. and the cat only speaks to her, and is drawn to her for an "unknown" reason. he is her familiar. forgive me if this is too "fanfic"-ish, but it explains a lot, including why she was the victim of the other mother. a young witches soul must be extremely valuable (and nutritious) to a creature like that.

[NightCloudI]

I'm so glad people are still making theories about this masterpiece. ❤

[rosezelecki]

I've never watched this movie. But now I feel I must! It certainly was a favorite of my children. I think your description makes me even more curious to know "why" they liked it so much! 😊

[DrZalmat]

The parents had snow on their clothes because as we were able to see earlier it was very cold and icy behind the mirror. That is explained perfectly...

[King-Of-The-Demons]

My theory for why the Beldam need permission is that, like a demon, she can’t just take someone’s soul, because for whatever reason, that’s how it works with demons (at least in The Conjuring movies)