Adelaide Wilson as an Antihero in Us Movie Essay Example

A unique and complex depiction of an antihero is Adelaide Wilson from the film US by Jordan Peele. Us is a physiological thriller that is directed to stir discussion amongst those who watch it. Critics as well as viewers spend many hours watching, analyzing, and creating theories in order to better understand the film itself. Peele's film provided one of the most well executed plot twists of the 21st century. This plot twist elevated Adelaide's already complex character and is the reason she is such an effective antihero, much like Milton's depiction of Satan. Adelaide as well as Satan both morph into more monster-like creatures as the story develops, despite their contrasting beginnings both characters manage to escape their own figurative hell in order to live a "better life", however in leaving there are consequences that arise.

The characters of Satan and Adeleaid both escape their own hell in order to achieve the life they feel is better and far much easier. Although Satan was thrown out of his original home, and Adelaide made the choice to escape, they both try to make the best of the circumstances they are thrown into, or choose to be thrown into. Satan makes it clear he would much rather be free from servant hood under God even if it means living in a place that is directly related to pain and misery. Adelaide on the other hand chose to escape what she believed was hell on earth in order to live out a better life, but the consequences of that choice soon caught up to her as the memory of her past haunts her throughout her everyday life. Both of these characters believe they are doing what is truly better for them however, they ultimately begin to make things worse for themselves, as the fear begins to corrupt the mind of adelaide and turning her into who she was trying to run from, and the anger and vengeful feelings begin to corrupt Satan's mind turning him into a manipulative snake.

As the stories progress both characters slowly begin to become more cold hearted and start to become much more evil creatures. At the beginning of both stories Adelaide and Satan can both be found at a point of weakness, processing and trying to understand the actions that took place. Milton depicts Satan as very angry and filled with rage, whereas Peele shows Adelaide as a much more vulnerable and worried character. Throughout Paradise Lost the author John Milton shows the built up anger Satan has after being banished from heaven. As he lays in the pits of hell it can be understood that Satan has not yet lost all of his angelic aura. At this moment Satan is very much still an angel, however an angel filled with rage. Throughout the poem the fury within Satan continues to build as he begins to seek revenge on God for cheating his way to victory during “The War in Heaven”. All of this contained anger is what causes the internal change within Santan, this change can be seen as Satan begins to rally many of the fallen angels in order to keep them on his side. Satan's greatest power is his rhetoric, he uses words to his advantage and is able to persuade many into doing what he believes is right. Satan delivers many lines throughout the epic that embody the use of his persuasive tone. Satan explains to the other angels who have fallen from heaven that it is “better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heaven” (Milton) Satan uses these words to persuade the fallen that although they are now living in a realm of despair and misery, they are free, free to choose, and free to live their own lives the way they want to. Satan believes “all is not lost” (Milton, p.272, line 106), that the power that the fallen as well as him possess through the “study of revenge,[and] immortal hate” make them an unstoppable force. These persuasive words are what  keep Satan's army determined to never “submit or yield”. (Milton, pp.272, line 108)  This same idea is shown in Peele's film Us where the protagonist Adelaide is depicted as a “tether” or a shadow of the “real” Adelaid Wilson who lives on the surface. The Adelaide the film follows lives in and underground world where her only purpose to to follow the exact movements of the “real” Adelaide living on the surface, until they both come face to face in a mirror maze where the more evil side of our protagonist shows as she drags her doppelganger into the only world she has ever known and then takes her place on the surface, and begins to live her life freely. Both Satan and Adelaide escape their own version of hell although Adelaide escapes by choice where Satan was forced out of Heaven and begins to make the best of what many refer to as hell. 

The contrasting origins of these two characters create an interesting and very compelling idea as to what makes a true antihero. The origins of Satan and Adelaide are very different yet both result in a very similar outcome. In the first lines of Paradise Lost it can be inferred that Satan has just been banished from Heaven and he is overwhelmed with fury as he feels as though God was cheating in their battle Satan claims that God was hiding his true strength from the rest of the angles and so the battle was unfair which enrages Satan, and this rage begins to corrupt his mind. However, Adelaid is depicted as a much more motherly and fearful  figure when she is first introduced. Adelaid faced a traumatic experience as a kid, where she claimed she saw herself in a mirror maze but it was not “Just a reflection”(Us, Jordan Peele) she claims to her husband. This experience has caused  her to live her life in fear of her “reflection” coming for her. Adelaide explains to her husband that she feels as though “she's still coming for me” (Peele). She cares about her kids and does not want them to experience the same event. This mother instinct kicks in as the “other family” emerges from the shadows and begins to attack her as well as her family. This “other family” is identical to every member of Adelaide's family, Adelaide soon realizes her shadow has finally caught up to her. Throughout the film Adelaide can be seen as slowly going off the rails as she mageses to kill her shadow and make her die a brutal death, it is at this moment the audience realizes Adelaide Wilson is not the protective, fearful mother represented in the beginning of the film. The origins of these two characters are direct contrast of each other as Satan is first seen as being filled with rage, where Adelaide is seen as being filled with fear, however, these two contrasting origins result in the same brutal ending, with these characters showing their much more villainous sides while also being labeled as the protagonist of their tales. 

In conclusion, these characters are excellent examples of anti-heroes for both shows a slightly heroic side contrasted with a much more villainous facade. Adelaide, as well as Satan, are both very strong-willed and resourceful characters who strive to reach their goals, whether that goal is revenge like Satan, or to create a perfect life like Adelaide.