In Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, writer/director Rian Johnson reveals why he wasn’t initially in favor of the dramatic Andi surprise. The follow-up to 2019’s Knives Out made its Netflix debut in December after receiving positive reviews from both reviewers and viewers. It follows Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) as he becomes involved in a probe into computer tycoon Miles Bron (Edward Norton) and his cronies on a secluded Greek island. One of the movie’s central mysteries is unveiled after a startling death during what was intended to be a weekend-long murder investigation game: Miles’ former business colleague Cassandra “Andi” Brand (Janelle Monáe), whom everyone was shocked to see in attendance, is actually her identical twin sister, Helen.
The Andi-Helen surprise in Glass Onion was crucial to the movie’s overall mystery, but Johnson recently discussed his reasons for initially not wanting to include it in an interview with The Wrap. When talking about the positioning of the major revelation, the filmmaker asserts that “it can’t merely be seen from a different viewpoint.” The concept of twins, he claims, seemed like a “trope,” but he goes on to argue that the placement of the disclosure in the film alters the plot. Below, you can read Johnson’s thoughts on the Andi twist in Glass Onion.
“I mean, that’s a challenge. I feel like the first question, OK, how do you pull this off? And I guess the primary thing was, it can’t just be seeing it from a different angle. It has to be enough of a basic perspective shift that there’s a new tension that’s introduced in the repeat of all the different scenes. This is what led to the idea of twins. By the process, I was dragged kicking and screaming to identical twins. I didn’t want to do it, it seemed like a horrible trope, and just, ‘Will the audience ever forgive me for this?’ [laughs]. But I think we get away with it because it’s not like a reveal at the end of ‘Aha! It was a twin!’ It’s a complication in the middle that leads to a deepening of the stakes and the story. So I think that’s why we get away with it.“
Explanation of all the plot twists in Glass Onion
As it relates to the plot, Glass Onion’s Andi twist disclosed a lot and provided an explanation for the early mystery surrounding Benoit Blanc’s invitation. Although the reason Miles invited Andi to visit his island is unknown, Helen, who hired Miles to solve her sister’s death, told Blanc about the offer she received. Helen informed the investigator that she considered Andi’s discovery in a running automobile with the garage door closed and signs of sleeping tablets in her system to be a staged suicide. Andi was also found with the garage door closed.
Miles, who also killed Duke Cody (Dave Bautista) during the escape, was identified as Andi’s murderer. Blanc emphasized that Duke did not unintentionally grab Miles’ glass; rather, he received a drink that included pineapple juice, which led to a fatal allergic reaction. Duke was slain so that no one else could be informed of Andi’s dying after he informed Miles about her passing. Additionally, viewers realised that Miles was the one who shot Helen with Duke’s stolen gun. Although Miles was not seen leaving for prison, the conclusion hinted that his pals would reveal his crimes.
Johnson has delighted viewers with inventive murder mysteries in both the original Knives Out and its follow-up, so it may come as a surprise to learn that he was initially opposed to one of Glass Onion’s greatest twists. It will be fascinating to see what the writer/director comes up with next and whether it will have a lengthier theatrical release than this episode given that Knives Out 3 is in the works. As they anticipate the next movie, viewers of Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery should be sure to keep an eye out for any more franchise news.