Glass Onion fan theory answers lingering question from Knives Out sequel

A fan theory may have provided an explanation for one of Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery’s biggest unanswered questions.

The murder mystery film, a sequel to 2019’s whodunnit Knives Out, was released on Netflix last month.

Daniel Craig reprised the role of southern sleuth Benoit Blanc for the film, alongside a cast including Janelle Monae, Kate Hudson, Edward Norton and Dave Bautista.

Near the beginning of the film, the characters are seen boarding a boat owned by tech billionaire Miles Bron (Norton), which then transports them to his private island.

Before boarding the boat, however, the characters are given a high-pressure throat spray by one of Bron’s employees, played by Ethan Hawke. He then tells them that they will no longer require face masks.

While many have assumed that the spray contained an instant-effect Covid vaccine, the moment raises a number of other logistical questions. How, for instance, was Bron able to develop such a fast-acting vaccine? And why wouldn’t he have tried to monetise it?

A theory shared on Reddit by user u/hoykuneho may have struck upon a possible answer.

Spoilers follow for Glass Onion...

The user begins by conceding that there are a number of possible scientific explanations for the plot thread. “Spray vaccines are not necessarily in the realm of fantasy,” they wrote, “with trials ongoing for Covid-19.

“In addition, medical jet injectors, similar in appearance to the device in Glass Onion, were a common method for delivering vaccines (albeit subcutaneously). Also, maybe this is not administered to the public because it needs FDA approval or there is no way to mass produce at the moment.”

Edward Norton in ‘Glass Onion' (John Wilson/Netflix © 2022)
Edward Norton in ‘Glass Onion' (John Wilson/Netflix © 2022)

However, they also point to a “simplier explanation”.

“The miracle Covid immunity ‘spray’ is nothing but a bulls*** placebo,” they posit.

“I 100 per cent believe that Miles thinks that this works, that he paid some scientists to hastily put this together. But it absolutely wasn’t vetted, and is no way effective.

“As we’ve seen with the solid hydrogen idea – Miles will not hesitate to push something that is unvalidated despite concerns from peers. He’s the facade of an ineffective idiot disguised as ‘misunderstood genius’.”

If considered in this light, the vaccine sequence becomes not a dangling plot thread but the first clue to the film’s ultimate reveal: that Miles Bron was the villain all along, and not just that – but an idiot.

Other Redditors praised the theory, with one person commenting: “Makes a lot of sense. Miles could have made a lot more off a Covid vaccine than he could off of a dangerous power source.”

Glass Onion is available to stream on Netflix now.