Warning! The following contains spoilers for Jordan Peele's latest horror opus. Read at your own risk!
Following Us' blockbuster opening weekend, audiences are still reeling, and Jordan Peele's suspenseful horror thriller has many wanting a second viewing to see all the tiny clues leading up to that big twist. Others, however, have moved past all that, and are curious as to when a second movie is coming that may explain some of the lingering mysteries, and cover what happens after. With that said, here's some of the questions I have that could be addressed if an Us 2 is made.
How Does Tethering Work?
In Us, it's revealed by Red that "The Tethered" were created to be puppets used by the U.S. Government in order to control people. The experiment is regarded a failure, and The Tethered are abandoned underground with nothing to do but mimic their counterparts. They're able to do this without physically seeing what their other selves are doing... but how does that work exactly? How are the Tethered tethered?
A sequel could introduce someone who was familiar with the Tethered project, and could explain the ins and outs of how they work. What drives them to mimic? Why did they need to kill their original selves? What happens when the Tethered become the only version of themselves? Surely there's someone out there with the answers, and if another movie happens, we need to hear their perspective.
How Did The Rest Of The World Respond To The Event?
As Red said, the Tethered are "Americans." The group united, and joined hands across the nation in a statement that ensured they would be seen and recognized. It's a statement that, one would assume, wasn't meant for their above ground doppelgangers considering how many were murdered throughout the film. The rest of the world bore witness to this event, but we have no idea how they responded.
Did the U.N. assemble and grant the Tethered protected status? I'd be more convinced they decided to firebomb the country after seeing what these underground creatures can do. Of course, there's also groups of Americans who may have survived, so will there be rescue efforts to extract those individuals? What if other countries have their own Tethered, but the experiment actually worked over there? There's a lot of potential with this question, and a lot of directions to take it.
Are The Tethered Evil?
Once it's revealed that Adelaide Wilson is actually a member of the Tethered in the story, it presents an interesting question for Us. Adelaide was a seemingly well-adjusted person after a time, but is she the rule or the exception? After all, living below ground warped Red even though she was a normal girl above ground. Are the Tethered truly evil, or are they just a victim of their environments?
Adelaide shows that it's possible for the Tethered to become well-adjusted members of society, but Red shows that living in the tunnels can make just about anyone crazy. Are these Tethered that came up from the tunnels too far gone, or will they eventually create a civilized society within time? A time jump of how things progress would be riveting to see, and it would be fascinating to see in what ways they change and remain the same.
Who Else Survived The Attack?
There were quite a few dead bodies scattered throughout Us, but it's hard to believe the Wilsons were the only family to survive this traumatic experience. After all, helicopters captured the Tethered's statement, so apparently there were some pilots that managed to survive the incident. I suppose it could've been pilots' doppelgangers flying, which could be the case considering their hanging around the Tethered and not flying the hell out of dodge.
Still, there had to be some combat ready families that were able to overpower their doppelgangers and escape without being seen by other Tethered. It would be neat to see how they handled things, and could present an entirely different sequel similar to how 10 Cloverfield Lane was compared to Cloverfield. Ideally this is just the start of Peele's film universe, and another movie reveals a connection between the events of it, Us, and Get Out.
What's With All The Rabbits?
The rabbits are seen at the beginning of Us without context, and then later are seen roaming freely throughout the tunnels. About all we know about these underground rabbits is that they're the Tethered's primary food source, and there's plenty of them to go around. In truth that may be the whole point, as rabbits and their excessive breeding habits somewhat explains how the Tethered always have something to eat underground.
That said, how are these rabbits surviving? Are they also a part of the U.S. government's failed experiment? Surely the goal wasn't to put these rabbits down there so that the Tethered have something to eat, right? There'd have to be a more effective method of feeding that many people that would be cheaper and less horrifying. Perhaps the rabbits were the precursor to the Tethered? We'll probably never know unless there's a sequel.
Can The Tethered Drown?
Remember when Gabe and Abraham fought on the boat? That boat drug Abraham for a very long time, and it's a wonder he didn't die of drowning throughout that whole sequence. Later we see the "Hands Across America" chain, and it looks as though there are members of the Tethered beneath the water joining hands. So, can these "Americans" breathe underwater, and that bit was just left out of the movie?
I'm not sure why it would be important to the plot for the Tethered to be unable to drown, but it definitely makes them 100x creepier. Imagine one just being able to sit underwater with that twisted smile for hours waiting for a chance to strike. This trait, provided it exists, would also open the door to another reason why the Tethered were created, that doesn't necessarily jive with the way Red's been led to understand this government project.
Do you have a question about Us that you'd love to see explored in another film? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below and see the film in theaters now. For more on the movie, check out some of the clues that tease the twist ending far ahead of the actual reveal.
