The post-credits scene of “The Parenting” leaves viewers with a burning question that lingers long after the film ends: Why did the demon Andreas appear as a bizarre bird-human hybrid? It’s a design choice that goes far beyond simple visual shock value, inviting deeper contemplation about the nature of supernatural entities and their representation in horror storytelling.
The creature’s appearance is anything but random. Horror films often use visual metaphors to represent deeper psychological and supernatural concepts, and Andreas’s hybrid form seems to be a masterful example of this approach. The blend of human and avian characteristics creates an immediate sense of unease, tapping into primal human fears of the unknown and the unnatural. Birds have long been associated with death, omens, and supernatural transformation in various mythological traditions. From the ravens of Norse mythology to the ominous harbingers in folklore, winged creatures have always represented something beyond human comprehension – a perfect metaphor for a demonic entity that transcends mortal understanding.
The bird-like elements of Andreas suggest a predatory nature that goes beyond simple physical appearance. Just as a bird of prey swoops down silently and strikes with devastating precision, the demon demonstrates a similar hunting strategy in its pursuit of a human vessel. The hybrid form becomes a visual representation of the demon’s ability to move between different realms – human and supernatural – with terrifying ease. It’s as if the creature is not fully bound by the limitations of a single form, much like how it’s not constrained by human emotional or physical boundaries. The design speaks to the demon’s shape-shifting nature, its ability to manipulate and transform, which is precisely what we witness throughout the film’s supernatural encounters.
There’s also a psychological dimension to this unusual appearance. The bird-human hybrid forces viewers to confront something fundamentally unsettling – a creature that is neither fully human nor fully animal, existing in a nightmarish in-between state. This liminal existence mirrors the film’s exploration of family dynamics, where characters are constantly negotiating between different identities, expectations, and emotional states. Just as Rohan and Josh’s families struggle to find common ground, the demon represents the ultimate outsider – something that cannot be easily categorized or understood.
Some might even interpret the design as a commentary on the nature of possession itself. The bird-human form could symbolize how a supernatural entity takes over a human host, creating a grotesque hybrid that is neither the original person nor a completely separate being. It’s a visual metaphor for the invasion of one’s identity, the loss of self to an external force – a theme that resonates deeply with the film’s exploration of family dynamics and personal autonomy.
The movie’s creators deliberately leave the demon’s exact nature a mystery, with even the characters in the post-credits scene expressing confusion about its appearance. This intentional ambiguity is part of the film’s charm. By refusing to provide a definitive explanation, “The Parenting” invites viewers to bring their own interpretations, fears, and imaginations to the table. The bird-human hybrid becomes a blank canvas onto which audiences can project their deepest anxieties about supernatural forces, family dynamics, and the thin line between human and inhuman.
In the end, Andreas’s appearance is a triumph of horror storytelling – a design that is simultaneously specific and abstract, terrifying and thought-provoking. It transforms what could have been a simple jump-scare demon into a complex visual metaphor that continues to haunt viewers long after they’ve left the theater.