Tyler Gibson
Summary
- The Incredibles ended with the Parr family embracing their true identities as superheroes, ready to fight as a united front against villains.
- The film’s cliffhanger, featuring the appearance of the Underminer, hinted at the potential challenges that would arise with the emergence of more superheroes and supervillains in society.
- The ending of The Incredibles set up character arcs for Bob and Helen, with Bob learning to appreciate his family and Helen rediscovering her superhero self in The Incredibles 2.
The Incredibles ended with the Parr family closer than ever, and the villain Syndrome thoroughly smote, as well as a cliffhanger that perfectly set up a sequel. The 2004 film featured a family of superheroes forced to keep their powers a secret thanks to laws prohibiting supers in the public eye. The father, Bob Parr, and the mother, Helen, had once been the famous superheroes, Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl, until one too many catastrophic rescues led to these restrictive laws. The two continued with a domestic life, but Bob was discontented and yearned for the good old days.
Bob had his chance to put his Super Suit back to work when he was contacted by a mysterious benefactor who requested his help dealing with an experiment gone wrong. Of course, this all turned out to be a setup, and when Mr. Incredible attempted to fight this robot experiment, he learned that its creator was Buddy Pine, an old fan whom he had once slighted. Now calling himself Syndrome, Buddy planned to eliminate all the Supers and present himself as the world’s hero instead. However, after a long battle, in which Bob’s whole family joined in, Syndrome’s cape was sucked into the engine of his own jet. From there, The Incredibles perfectly segued into the eventual The Incredibles 2.
The Incredibles’ Underminer Cliffhanger Explained
Syndrome’s death wasn’t the end of the Parr family’s problems. After the villain’s defeat in The Incredibles, the family were together at Dash’s track meet, a sign that Helen had relented and allowed her son to participate in sports. In the parking lot, a massive drill-like vehicle came up through the pavement, piloted by a creature who declared himself “The Underminer.” As this new villain monologued, the Incredibles family slipped on their masks and revealed their hidden Super Suits, demonstrating that after everything they had gone through together, they were ready to be heroes side by side.
This is where The Incredibles ended, and audiences went 14 years before The Incredibles 2 was released in 2018. Still, the purpose of this cliffhanger wasn’t necessarily to set up a sequel (though it did so perfectly). It demonstrated how the Parrs had finally accepted both parts of themselves. Bob had learned to be present with his family, and Helen had learned to let go and allow her kids to have social lives. They had become a regular family rather than one that was always hiding. Then, the reveal that they had this secret—their hidden Super Suits ready to go—showed how they had fully embraced this aspect of who they were as well. Their battle with the Underminer wasn’t the important part—it was all about their united front.
For this reason, The Incredibles could have been left as it was. However, over a decade later, Disney Pixar decided there was more of a story to tell here. There were a few questions that the film hadn’t answered, and this is seen in the Underminer cliffhanger as well. Though the Parrs were ready to whip out their Super Suits and fight, it didn’t change that the battle between Superheroes and Supervillains had taken a toll on society, and this was only further reinforced by the damage done to the parking lot by the Underminer. Exploring how Superheroes and Supervillains coming out of the woodwork would change things was the perfect foundation for The Incredibles 2.
Is It Legal To Be A Superhero In The Incredibles’ Ending?
The ending of The Incredibles is not just about the Parr family saving the day, but also about the potential shift in society’s perspective on superheroes. While their actions may have influenced the public’s perception, it wasn’t enough to immediately overturn the laws that kept superheroes illegal. The complexity of the situation is highlighted by Rick Dicker’s role in erasing memories, showing that being a superhero is still against the law.
Jack-Jack’s Superpower Twist & Syndrome Defeat Explained
In addition to the legalization of supers, The Incredibles 2 explores another crucial aspect of the first film’s ending. Initially, Bob and Helen believed that their youngest son, Jack-Jack, had no powers. However, when Syndrome kidnapped Jack-Jack, it was revealed that he possessed an array of superpowers, making him potentially the most powerful of them all.
Unfortunately, Bob and Helen were unaware of Jack-Jack’s powers during the rescue, as they were already high in the sky. All they knew was that Syndrome dropped him, and Mr. Incredible had to throw Elastigirl to parachute their son to safety. It wasn’t until The Incredibles 2 that Bob witnessed Jack-Jack’s abilities firsthand, realizing the challenges of raising a toddler with the ability to walk through walls, duplicate himself, and transform into a tiny red beast.
Furthermore, Syndrome’s demise in the film was foreshadowed by Edna Mode’s refusal to create a superhero suit with a cape. Several heroes had met their demise due to cape-related accidents, and Syndrome’s fate was no different. He was sucked into the engine of his own jet, a fitting irony.
How The Incredibles’ Ending Set Up The Incredibles 2’s Character Arcs
Bob and Helen’s character arcs in The Incredibles were beautifully intertwined. At the beginning of the film, Bob expressed his desire to retire from being a superhero and focus on his family, while Helen was adamant about continuing her career. However, the Super Relocation Act changed everything. Bob became consumed with nostalgia for his superhero days, neglecting his family, while Helen became solely focused on her role as a mother, forgetting her own identity.
The ending of The Incredibles allowed these characters to find a balance between their past and present selves. It was a realization that they could embrace their superhero abilities while still prioritizing their family. This set the stage for the character arcs in The Incredibles 2 and the challenges they would face as a family of superheroes.
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In the highly anticipated sequel, The Incredibles 2, Helen takes on a leading role as the incredible Elastigirl, while Bob navigates the challenges of accepting his wife’s new role and finding his own stride as a father. Both characters embark on satisfying journeys, ultimately achieving their dreams that were set in motion in the first Incredibles film.
But what is the true meaning behind Bob’s lessons about family and purpose? Let’s delve deeper.
In the film, Helen’s transformation from suppressing her Super self to embracing it is a fantastic element. However, it is Bob who emerges as the true main character. Helen’s rejection of her past is fueled by her fear of Bob’s obsession with his glory days as Mr. Incredible. Bob, who initially dreamed of starting a family, was forced to retire from being a superhero before he was ready. This led him to fixate on his past, preventing him from fully appreciating the beautiful life he had built with his wife.
It is only when Bob almost loses everything that he truly understands its value. When Syndrome attacks Helen’s jet, Mr. Incredible believes he has lost his entire family in one fell swoop. Despite his immense strength, he realizes he is not strong enough to handle such a tragedy alone. However, when Helen arrives to save him and reveals that their children are safe, everything falls into place. Bob, as a husband and father, comes to the realization that being Mr. Incredible is not his sole purpose in life—a concept that continues to unfold in the sequel.
The journey of Bob and his lessons about family and purpose are at the heart of The Incredibles franchise. It reminds us that sometimes, we need to lose what we hold dear to truly appreciate its worth. So, let’s join Bob and the rest of the incredible family on their thrilling adventures, as they discover the true meaning of love, family, and purpose.
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