Sumith Prasad
Paramount+’s psychological horror film ‘Apartment 7A’ ends with Roman and Minnie Castevet walking toward the dead body of Terry Gionoffrio, the actress who kills herself not to give birth to the Antichrist, the son of Satan. The old husband and wife have been grooming the young woman for months, and her death turns their plan to welcome the Antichrist upside down. Still, they appear in the scene without anger or frustration. They even smile at each other after seeing an unrevealed couple. The ambiguous development is linked to Roman Polanski’s seminal film ‘Rosemary’s Baby.’ Natalie Erika James ties her prequel to the 1968 movie through the mid-credits scene! SPOILERS AHEAD.
Who is the Couple Talking to the Cop?
Roman and Minnie Castevet smile after seeing Rosemary and Guy Woodhouse, the central characters in ‘Rosemary’s Baby.’ In the 1968 film, Rosemary meets Terry Gionoffrio accidentally in the basement doing laundry. The two women form a friendship and promise each other to do the laundry together. However, the next time the protagonist sees her, she is dead after falling from a window, unsettling the former. The mystery behind Terry’s unexpected death remains unsolved in the psychological thriller and has intrigued viewers for over half a century because she seems too lively to kill herself.
The mid-credits portion ties ‘Apartment 7A’ and ‘Rosemary’s Baby’ linearly since it recreates a significant scene in Roman Polanski’s film. Through this part, the prequel ensures continuity with its inspiration. In the original movie, Roman and Minnie show up at the scene seemingly without being aware of Terry’s demise or the cause of her death. The prequel clarifies that their unawareness is just a pretense to avoid the interrogation and suspicion of the police officers who arrive at the place. Their presence soon after the death occurs is not a surprise, considering that their apartment complex, the Bramford, is the base of their Satanic coven.
While investigating the death of Joan Cebulski, Terry learns that the members of the coven turned the building into their den, preying on the new people who move into the place. The film offers further evidence of this claim when the complex’s doorman closes the door of the place to stop the actress from escaping from the cult. This particular plot point makes it evident that everyone working in the building is most likely part of Roman and Minnie’s coven. It may have been quite easy for the couple to leave the complex through a secret door to appear at the place’s front door. The hidden chambers and doors made in the establishment to serve the coven make it a valid possibility.
What Do Roman and Minnie’s Smiles Convey?
Terry Gionoffrio’s suicide eliminates the hard work the Satanic coven has put in to welcome the Antichrist. It has cost them their months-long performance and Alan Marchand’s life to await the son of Satan. Roman Castevet, in particular, eagerly waits for the Antichrist’s birth to exact his revenge on the world for killing his father, Adrian Marcato. Still, Terry’s death does not immerse them in frustration and disappointment. They are even pleased by the turn of developments, especially after seeing Rosemary and Guy Woodhouse. Even though ‘Apartment 7A’ ends without explaining why, the reason is in ‘Rosemary’s Baby.’
In the original movie, Guy is part of Roman and Minnie’s Satanic cult. He promises them his and Rosemary’s first child in return for advancements in his acting career and better living conditions. The old couple accepts the child as the Antichrist’s human vessel. Since Rosemary and Guy have already moved into their apartment complex, Roman and Minnie don’t need to worry about finding a replacement for Terry. Their smile is a presentation of their relief that they do not need to wait an awful lot to conjure Satan and sacrifice Rosemary to his desires.
Furthermore, since the Bramford is Roman and Minnie’s cult’s den, they must have learned all about Rosemary to learn whether she would be a good “fit” among the apartment complex’s residents. The couple must have discovered that she is eagerly waiting to give birth to a child, which makes their plans easier. They fail to welcome the Antichrist through Terry because the latter never wanted to be a mother. That isn’t the case with their new target, reducing their work significantly. Their smiles show their relief that they can expect the son of Satan soon without even struggling the way they do in Terry’s case.
