The demonic possession in “The Parenting” feels less like a random supernatural attack and more like a carefully orchestrated nightmare designed to expose the hidden fractures within Rohan and Josh’s families. At first glance, the demon’s targeting seems arbitrary, but a closer look reveals a chillingly precise selection process that zeroes in on the family’s deepest vulnerabilities.
Gerald, Rohan’s adoptive father, emerges as the demon’s primary target – and for good reason. Described as the quietest person in the room, Gerald represents the perfect vessel for a supernatural invasion. His tendency to shy away from expressing emotions and his inability to confront family tensions create the perfect emotional landscape for demonic manipulation. The demon doesn’t just possess Gerald; it exploits his emotional reservations, turning his internal struggles into an external horror show. It’s as if the supernatural entity can smell emotional weakness, identifying Gerald as the most susceptible member of the family.
The family dynamics preceding the supernatural encounter provide crucial context. Dorothy, Rohan’s mother, struggled to fully accept her son’s sexuality and was critical of Josh’s career aspirations. These unresolved tensions created an emotional minefield that the demon seemed perfectly positioned to exploit. The possession becomes a twisted form of family therapy, forcing the family to confront their deepest fears, prejudices, and unspoken conflicts. Each family member’s willingness to ultimately sacrifice themselves becomes a metaphorical exorcism of their internal demons – the real monsters hiding beneath surface-level interactions.
Brenda’s role as the orchestrator adds another layer of complexity to the demon’s targeting. Having made a pact with Andreas years earlier, she was tasked with finding a suitable human vessel during the worm moon night. The specificity of her search suggests that not just any family would do. Rohan and Josh’s family represented a perfect storm of emotional complexity – generational misunderstandings, unresolved acceptance issues, and underlying tensions that made them ideal targets for supernatural manipulation.
The demon’s selection process reveals a predatory intelligence that goes beyond simple possession. It’s almost like a supernatural therapist, forcing the family to confront their deepest fears and unspoken conflicts. The possession becomes a catalyst for transformation, bringing the families closer together in ways they never could have imagined. What begins as a terrifying supernatural encounter transforms into a bizarre journey of family healing, with each member ultimately finding common ground in the face of an impossible threat.
Perhaps the most chilling aspect of the demon’s targeting is its apparent understanding of human emotional landscapes. The entity doesn’t just randomly attack; it strategically selects a family with enough internal conflict to be manipulated, yet enough underlying love to ultimately unite against it. The families’ final strategy of overwhelming the demon by volunteering as potential vessels becomes a powerful metaphor for confronting family challenges – facing fears collectively rather than individually.
In the end, the demon’s targeting feels less like a random supernatural attack and more like a dark, twisted intervention. It forces Rohan and Josh’s families to strip away their pretenses, confront their prejudices, and recognize the power of unconditional love. The possession becomes a crucible that transforms fractured relationships, proving that sometimes the most unexpected experiences can bring families closer together – even if that experience involves a terrifying bird-human demon intent on world destruction.