Upamanyu Biswas
At the end of the post-apocalyptic drama ‘Lazareth,’ the security of Maeve and Imogen’s sanctuary slowly falls apart as dangerous outside forces start circling the house’s sanctity, forcing the inhabitants to hunker down and find their resolve. To that end, Owen’s presence in the home adds to the state of flux within the internal dynamics, creating some division between the two sisters and their aunt, Lee. After living most of their lives without outsiders interfering in their business, the status quo starts shifting ever so slightly, causing some unrest to creep in. Moreover, Maeve remains staunch in her desire to seek out what lies outside Lazareth, but it may not be what she has been led to believe. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Lazareth Plot Synopsis
After a major virus eradicates most of humanity, the survivors have regressed into a more desperate plight where resources are scarce, and dangers exist in every corner. Sisters Imogen and Maeve live with their aunt Lee in a small sanctuary home they call Lazareth, which is in the middle of nowhere. Their aunt has always been protective of their sanctuary, even shooting someone who came up to their doorstep begging for food in the past. The incident shocks them, but they were raised under those circumstances because of the climate of the outside world. Years later, in the present day, the girls frolic around in the woods nearby and enjoy a peaceful life free from the responsibilities of survival or the harsh lands that their aunt tells them lie outside the borders of Lazareth.
One day, things change drastically when Maeve and Imogen find a boy hiding in the woods nearby. Out of curiosity, the siblings corner him and find out that he is injured and in dire need of help. Although hesitant initially, Imogen convinces her sister to take the boy with them to Lazareth, where they can treat his injuries and help him heal. They take him back but face opposition from their aunt, who is angry at a stranger being brought into the house’s secure borders. She reluctantly allows him to stay but waits for him to prove his worth and showcase that he can be helpful to the group. Meanwhile, a rivalry starts rearing its head between Imogen and Maeve as both of them share an interest in Owen.
Soon after he starts staying with them, Maeve notices that Imogen is getting closer to Owen, and some of their conversations take a sexual turn. Her jealousy reaches a point where she has a fight with her sister, which only lasts a brief moment before their aunt stops it. A group of thugs breaks into the house the same day, and the inhabitants are forced to hide while their belongings are ransacked. The group came into the house searching for Owen, who was once part of their gang. During the raid, Maeve loses her music box and becomes distraught at its loss. Lee decides to get back her belongings by heading into town, but unbeknownst to her, Maeve follows her. The journey proves to be pivotal for the latter, as she realizes her aunt has not been telling the whole truth about the world outside.
Lazareth Ending: What is Lee’s Secret?
The big turning point of ‘Lazareth’ happens when Maeve sneaks into Lee’s car as she travels outside Lazareth and goes into the nearby town. There, Maeve learns that the world is no longer reeling from the effects of a virus like her aunt had taught her all her life. Instead, society had gone back into functioning mode, and people were returning to their lives just as they had been when things were normal. It comes as a massive shock for Maeve, and she confronts Lee about it. Her aunt does not deny the lie she had been fabricating but instead tries to provide some justification for her reasons. According to her, even if people were living like normal times, there was no guarantee that the virus would not return and eradicate them like before. Her big secret causes Maeve to reevaluate everything she knows about her existence.
There are certain merits to Lee’s reasoning, particularly how she considers it the only correct alternative to going back into a world where people might look to hurt Maeve and Imogen. It paints a more selfless picture of her personality. However, on the flip side, a strain of selfishness also causes her to keep them housed under one roof and away from the complexities of meeting strangers and falling into bad groups. Either way, her motivations for keeping the whole thing a secret are irrelevant to the outcome of her decision, which has left her two nieces utterly unaware of the world outside Lazareth. In fact, to some extent, Maeve sympathizes with this point of view as she keeps up with Lee’s lie when she and her aunt return to the house.
Does Lee Die?
Following Maeve and Lee’s trip to the outside world, the four inhabitants of Lazareth encounter another challenge when the group of thugs returns to the house. This time, however, the crew decides to prepare in advance as the gang leader has already warned them about their imminent arrival. Although they primarily wish to find Owen and take him with them, Lee and her family decide to protect him because he proves his worth to them. Lee even interrogates him about Lazareth and keeping its sanctity alive. Once the matriarch is clear about Owen’s intentions and his heartfelt commitment to Imogen in particular, the four members put up a valiant fight against the thugs and take them down. However, it costs Lee her life in the process.
During the altercation, the family takes down most of the gang with ease by locking them inside the house and cornering them. Things go awry when the group leader gets his hands on Owen, which forces Imogen to take action. Fearful that her niece might be hurt during the fight, Lee and the leader have a quick flurry of exchanges, which ends with Lee lying on the floor after having taken a few bullets. Subsequently, the family mourns her passing while their secure sanctuary remains unaffected by the presence of the outside world. It takes Lee’s sacrifice to keep their lives intact, but ultimately proves to be what they need. Considering the amount of effort Lee had undertaken to build Lazareth throughout her life, it is fitting that her final action also proves to be in keeping its safety and security alive.
Does Imogen Learn the Truth About the Outside World? Does She and Owen End Up Together?
The final moments of ‘Lazareth’ provide a cryptic conclusion for the remaining inhabitants of the sanctuary. Although the secret about the outside world is finally out, Maeve and Owen seem to keep it to themselves. The only one who remains blind to the truth is Imogen, who is also pregnant. Clearly, her relationship with Owen has proceeded to the point where they are ready to have kids. However, the foundation of their relationship is built on the lie that Lazareth is the only safe haven in the world. Even her sister is part of the whole ruse and keeps Imogen in the dark as much as possible. Additionally, Imogen has seemingly picked up the role occupied by Lee, becoming the unofficial matriarch of the family who is responsible for keeping it spick and span.
In the future, the family is likely to expand with the birth of Imogen and Owen’s new child, which means that the place could continue to grow over time. Therefore, it seems unlikely that the sanctuary’s inhabitants will always remain unaware of the outside world. However, because Imogen has spent all her life being taught about the perils of leaving Lazareth and the context surrounding its existence, she is unlikely ever to mount a revolt or seek the truth herself. Ultimately, Maeve is the one with more curiosity than her and more of a rebellious streak. Of all of the family members, Imogen is likely to remain completely ignorant of the truth for the entirety of her life. Also, with motherhood beckoning, her responsibilities will make her more reticent to leave Lazareth.
Thus, there may be a possibility of cycles repeating themselves. Like how Lee tried to keep her nieces from discovering the truth about the outside world, Imogen might do the same with her children because all she knows about what exists outside Lazareth is a terrifying world ready to prey on people. To that end, she may be content to live in the place and keep her children confined to it. However, this time around, both Maeve and Owen are part of the whole ruse that has been crafted around the truth. They have added to her delusions, and they probably think they are right in doing so. For Owen, seeing the purity of his lover is more important than anything else, which only means that the family will continue as they did under Lee.
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