Zach Cregger’s Weapons is the talk of the town since its release last week. In a very short time, the internet is surrounded by conversations and theories regarding its characters and story, which involves 17 kids going missing. But it is Aunt Gladys who tops the charts in all conversations. Her actions and motivations have everyone digging deep into her character. She plays a critical role in the movie.
So, here’s what the story tells us about Gladys’ motivations and what her connection with the kids is.
What did Gladys want to do with the kids in Weapons?
Towards the beginning of the movie, it is established that 17 kids go missing in the middle of the night. Nobody knows where or why. Viewers first meet Alex’s aunt, Gladys, when the story shifts to Marcus’ perspective. Notably, Alex becomes the only child from his class who doesn’t go missing. After her introduction, it becomes clear that she is capable of utilizing dark magic to control people. As a viewer, you immediately start linking her ability with the kids’ disappearances. But why would she do it?
It turns out that Gladys is an old witch who puts people under a spell to mainly draw their energy to regain her health. The movie hints that she’s been doing it for a long time and may be much older than she appears. At first, she controls Alex’s parents, but when this doesn’t yield much result, she asks Alex to bring a personal belonging of all his classmates. He complies in hopes that she’ll move out of the house and release his parents from the spell.
Gladys uses her ritual to influence and summon the kids to her house. She keeps all the kids in the basement, constantly under her influence. Slowly but steadily, she regains her health, leaving a lasting mark on the children. But it is not long before Justine and Archer speculate that something is wrong at Alex’s house. After they reach the house, all hell breaks loose.
Weapons is still running in theaters.
