HBO’s ‘Fantasmas’ follows the story of a man named Julio who doesn’t want to conform to the normal rules of the world. In the show’s six episodes, we see him tackle two conflicts. The first is his oyster-shaped diamond earring, which he lost the day he bought it. The other is the need for “proof of existence.” Everyone needs this document to function, but Julio has succeeded in getting by without it. However, as pressure mounts on him to get the document, he gets more desperate to find a solution. The story ends differently than what Julio had hoped for himself. At the end of the credits, we see him get a notification. What does that mean? SPOILERS AHEAD
Fantasmas Finale Post-Credit Calls Back to Episode 1
The first episode of ‘Fantasmas’ begins with Julio’s dream. He is haunted by the form he needs to fill out to prove his existence and finds himself trapped in a room with windows and doors that open to nowhere. Later in the episode, he finds a dream analysis kit and records his dream, in which he talks about how only one door opens outside, but he still can’t seem to cross the threshold and leave. This is the last we hear of his dream.

As the episodes roll on, Julio’s quest to find the oyster takes precedence and he becomes even more obsessed with a mole under his ear, which he believes might be worse. At the same time, the show turns the spotlight towards other stories, and the dream becomes an afterthought. However, things come together at the end, where the show ties up several loose ends, almost all of which are presented in the play that is put together at the elementary school based on Julio’s ideas. The question of his dream, however, remains unacknowledged.
In the post-credits, we see a notification on Julio’s phone, alerting him that his dream analysis is ready. It has been such a long time since Julio last heard about it. So much has changed since then that Julio wouldn’t have thought twice about his dream. Moreover, Julio’s situation is very different now. He is not the same person who had those dreams, and in retrospect, he most likely knows exactly what his dreams were trying to tell him.
The Meaning of Julio’s Dream
We don’t see the scientific analysis of Julio’s dream. Still, in context to everything in the show, it involved him trying to evade proof of existence and live a life, only to later realize that he could not escape it. The doors and windows to nowhere in his dreams were a sign that nothing would open up for him without the document. Sure enough, he is forced out of his apartment, can’t get a doctor to do a biopsy, and can’t get credit to get his consciousness uploaded. The more time he spends trying to find a way around it, the worse things get for him.

In his dream, one door opened outside, where everyone wore the same black jacket to save them from the cold and move around freely. There is a jacket with Julio’s name on it, but to get it, he must leave the room, which he can’t because of his pointy hat. He realizes that he must make some form of compromise but doesn’t understand what that would be. This compromise calls for him to work, even when he doesn’t like it. So, when he wants to make some movie, he is told to drop it and has to work on ‘How I Came Out to My Abuela.’
Eventually, he has to relent and apply for proof of existence, get credit cards and subscriptions, and use the document to get a place to live. He has to put aside his desire not to be bound by these things because he cannot function otherwise. He will have to submit to the norm to get out of the room that seems to be caving in. Most likely, this is what his dream analysis report says as well.
Read More: Fantasmas: Is How I Came Out to My Abuela a Real TV Show?
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