Upamanyu Biswas
The psychological thriller film, ‘Trap,‘ directed by M. Night Shyamalan, follows Cooper Adams, a serial killer named the Butcher, who gets trapped in a pop concert with his daughter, Riley, after the FBI organizes a sting operation. With very little room to maneuver, the protagonist has to employ all his skills to evade the authorities while also keeping the secrets about his murders intact. However, the film’s mid-credits scene focuses on Jamie, the T-shirt stall keeper who befriends Cooper during the concert, and his amusing response to finding out how closely he brushed past death when meeting Cooper! SPOILERS AHEAD.
Jamie Learns Cooper’s Identity From a TV Broadcast
After Cooper’s apprehension by the police, the mid-credits scene of ‘Trap’ depicts Jamie learning the real identity of the Butcher while watching TV in his house’s living room. As he and Cooper build a great rapport at the Lady Raven concert, it shocks him to learn that the man who he called a great father at the event is the Butcher himself, the infamous serial killer going around the neighborhood chopping up people in grisly ways. He is momentarily speechless as he watches the news, dumbfounded at the revelation of the killer’s identity. Moreover, he vows that he will never try to talk and get close to any customers in the future because there is no way of knowing whether they are good people or not.
Considering that he was so close to a serial killer for a brief period, Jamie’s reaction to the news is as amusing as it is relatable. Earlier in the film, he hands Cooper a paper cutter to help him while he gets some T-shirts for Cooper and his daughter. At the time, he has no clue of Cooper’s real nature and continues to be in the dark until the mid-credits scene. At some point in the story, he would have learned that the Butcher had been apprehended but would be unaware of who it is. Jamie only realized that portion while watching the TV report. He will likely be very vigilant moving ahead in his job, as it could have ended terribly for him. While the scene does not add much to the main narrative, it is a colorful segue into the life of an intriguing side character.
The Mid-Credits Scene Was Not Part of the Script
Originally, the screenplay for ‘Trap’ did not have a mid-credits scene lined up at the end. Instead, it came about as an impromptu decision taken by M. Night Shyamalan to expand the film beyond the main narrative thread. In an interview with Gizmodo, the director said, “‘Hey, I know that the narrative is this line and these are the most important characters, but there’s another thing that’s happening to the side that I think you might be interested in.’ And you just show that. In this movie, we were making the movie and the actor that we were talking about that was playing this particular role was doing such an incredible job. And then one day while we were shooting, I was like, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if XYZ happened with this character?'”
Jamie plays a peripheral role in the movie, but his addition to the film’s mid-credits adds a lighter tone to the story’s conclusion. His response in front of his TV plays in contrast to the tense scenes in the film, providing a balance between the different tones. “That wasn’t in the script,” Shyamalan added. “And I went, ‘Wow, you know what? I’m just gonna shoot it.’ And I was like, ‘Start doing it, let’s get it ready. I’ll shoot it whenever I have an hour or two and let’s go do it.'” Ultimately, it offers a glimpse into what Jamie is up to following his conversations with Cooper at the concert. It is an unassuming look into an average person’s response to the extraordinary events that have passed him by during the day without his knowledge.
Read More: Trap: Where Was M. Night Shyamalan’s Movie Filmed?
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