Midnight Special Explained (Plot And Ending)

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Jeff Nichols is the director of the science fiction movie Midnight Special, which depicts the government and a religious cult’s pursuit of a youngster who has supernatural talents. The film also explores the riddles of religion and the exceptional while the boy’s father attempts to protect him. Michael Shannon, Joel Edgerton, Kirsten Dunst, Adam Driver, and Jaeden Martell are the actors that are playing the major parts in this production. The film was deemed unsatisfying by many, while others praised it highly. Observe it, and then come to your own conclusion. Here is an explanation of the storyline and conclusion of the film Midnight Special; there will be spoilers ahead.

Midnight Special Explained

Is there a reason why the film is named Midnight Special?


As well as the song that is based on the train known as Midnight Special, the title alludes to the train itself. It was thought that if the light of the ‘Midnight Special’ train shined on a prisoner’s cell, the convict would be pardoned or set free. This was a belief that was based on mythology. In the song, the anticipation and optimism that are linked with the coming of the train are captured. The train represents the possibility of freedom or a completely new beginning. This has a strong connection to the overall message of the movie. Additionally, the Alton Railroad, which was also the name of the kid, was the company that ran the Midnight Special train.

Midnight Special Explained

Midnight Special: An Explanation of the Story”

Special for the Midnight Hour: What is Alton?

Her parents, Sarah and Roy, are the proud parents of Alton, a child who has extraordinary talents. Due to the specific nature of the baby’s abilities, it would seem that they decided to give the boy up for adoption to a religious organisation in the state of Texas, specifically to Pastor Calvin Meyer.

Midnight Special Explained

The Alton can:

The intercepting of radio waves and electromagnetic waves
Utilise telepathy to control electronic electrical equipment.
Emanate energy fields (which, at first glance, seems to be hypersensitivity to sunlight; this is the reason why goggles are often used).
Despite the fact that he may be capable of other things, we are not shown any of them in the movie.

One interesting fact is that Alton is reading a superhero comic, and his eyes generate an energy field, similar to Zod, who was portrayed by Michael Shannon in the film Man of Steel. This is an excellent casting choice.

Midnight Special Explained

The Midnight Special: What exactly is the ranch?


In addition to being Alton’s adoptive father, Calvin Meyer is the leader of the religious cult that is the ranch. It is the belief of the ranch that Alton is a figure of the messiah; they consider him to be a saviour and are persuaded that his powers are the key to redemption.

Midnight Special Explained

For what reason is the government pursuing Alton?


When the government discovers encoded numbers that were sent via satellite as part of pastor Calvin’s sermons, they become aware of Alton’s abilities and begin to pass on the information. The government considers Alton to be a potential danger and intends to make use of him in order to improve its military, scientific, and technological capabilities. Evidently, this is not a favourable career path for Alton.

Midnight Special Explained

The reason why Roy removes Alton from the property is not clear.


As soon as Roy observes that Alton is caught between two groups—the government and the religious cult—he becomes concerned for Alton’s well-being and decides to remove him from the situation with the assistance of Lucas, a boyhood buddy who is now a State Trooper. Roy discovers that every gang is after Alton for their own self-centered purposes, and he understands that his kid will be safer with him. After being reunited with his father, Alton makes a request to his father to take him to a certain area. They continue to pursue their task despite the fact that Roy, Serah, and Lucas do not know the specific reason why they trust Alton.

Midnight Special Explained

Is Elden a person?


Despite the fact that Elden is no longer a resident at the ranch, he is a member of the religious cult. It seems that he managed to get away from them and is now the proprietor of the safe home that Roy uses to stop for the night with Alton and Lucas when they are together. Despite the fact that we do not know the reason why Elden departed the ranch, he mentions that he misses it very much.

Midnight Special Explained

Do you know what Elden is doing to Alton?


There is a good chance that Elden is seeking to establish a spiritual connection with Alton or to get an understanding of his abilities during this scenario. Alton is seen as a messiah figure by the members of the cult, including Elden, and they think that his eyes may contain the key to some great revelation or understanding at some point in the future. The cult’s deep-seated faith and its belief that Alton’s powers are of a higher, potentially divine nature are reflected in Elden’s acts at this time, which are a reflection of such faith.

Before leaving with his vehicle, Roy knocks Elden senseless, binds him to a chair, and then drives away.

Midnight Special Explained

What exactly does Alton do to the satellite, and why does he do it?

Alton has a hunch that a satellite is being used to monitor his whereabouts, so he decides to leave the protection of the vehicle and telepathically find and destroy the satellite. Suddenly, the rubble begins to fall on the petrol station where they are now located, and they make a break for it. After arriving at Sarah’s residence, Alton provides an explanation for what he has done.

Midnight Special Explained

The sight of the sun


Alton has an experience in the vehicle when his eyes light out of control, and it happens while they continue driving away from the location. After taking him away, Roy goes to the woods and spends the night there. As Alton’s condition worsens, he breaks down and tells his father that he must be exposed to sunlight. When Alton first sees the son, he immediately forms a tremendous energy field around him. The nature of the field, on the other hand, is not described; all that is being said is that it does not seem to inflict widespread devastation.

Midnight Special Explained

How can one define the energy field?


I think that the field that Alton generates when it is exposed to the light causes a momentary change in the visible spectrum, allowing one to perceive a world that is otherwise obscured and constructed on top of the human world. It is more comfortable for the species that inhabits this earth to remain covered up. During their time in the woods, Roy and Alton have the opportunity to observe this realm, but the viewer does not see it until the very end.

Paul Sevier is a mystery.

Paul is a communications analyst for the National Service Agency, and he has been sent in to investigate the possibility that Alton and the ranch were able to get the encoded numbers. After some time, the government decides to invite him in for a discussion and to better grasp the nature of Alton’s talents. Paul is able to determine that the coordinates in the sermons are random places that Alton intercepted as part of the government’s communications. There is nothing special about them. According to Paul’s hypothesis, Alton was seeking for a language that could explain a place, but all he heard was coordinates to describe the area. A further examination of the coordinate numbers and zeros in on the direction in which they are moving is carried out by Paul. It is reasonable to conclude that Paul’s capacity to recognise patterns is outstanding, despite the fact that we do not know how he circles those numbers.

Who are these two gentlemen?


These two assassins are employed by the government and have connections to the ranch. They are working independently to find Alton and kidnap him, and they are willing to do whatever it takes to locate him. The two continue following Roy until they become aware of Elden’s whereabouts and get information of Alton’s destination. Don’t forget that Elden had Alton reveal him images against his will. This would have provided him with some insights about Alton’s intentions for the future, but the two men were able to get that information out of Elden. Once they have located the location where Sarah, Roy, and Lucas are, they proceed to shoot them, capture Alton, and then quickly depart.

A high-speed automobile pursuit is stopped short by a traffic pile-up, and in the end, Roy realises that the two men have already turned Alton over to the authorities in a helicopter that they had passed by only a few seconds before.

Midnight Special Explained

The Questioning Session


When Alton is being questioned, he makes a request to speak with Paul in private, and the suits comply with his request. While seated in a chair, Alton makes adjustments to the electrical components in order to guarantee that the cameras are not collecting anything. Then, he explains to Paul all there is to know about the second planet and the reasons why he must go there. After that, Alton destroys the building by turning off the electricity, and Paul assists Alton in escaping and reuniting him with his parents.

This is the ultimate stopover.


The coordinates that Alton wants to travel there are shown to his family by Alton, and in order to get there, they have to drive past a barricade. After Sarah and Alton have exited the vehicle, Alton and Lucas continue on their way as a ruse. In that little instant, Roy says goodbye to his kid till they meet again. It is Roy who steers the army away.

The conclusion of the Midnight Special is explained, and what happened to Alton?

to the conclusion of Midnight Special, Alton is seen arriving to the coordinates and triggering an energy burst, which exposes enormous structures that belong to the species that is now residing on top of the human planet. Alton, who is saying goodbye to his mother before collapsing the energy barrier and departing, is accompanied by others of the species who have arrived to accompany him.

Due to the fact that Roy has seen this phenomenon in the woods before, he is certain that Alton is secure and will soon go. Roy and Lucas are taken into custody as the automobile comes to a collision. Lucas continues to be questioned by the government over Alton’s location since the government refuses to trust what its followers saw. Paul goes in to do an interview with Lucas, but he acts as if he has never interacted with him. However, Paul is completely aware of what has transpired because Alton has shown him the other world.

Midnight Special Explained

Who was Alton, and was he an extraterrestrial being?


No, Alton was born to two people who were born on earth: Roy and Sarah. On the other hand, the film does not go into the possibility that the inhabitants of the other planet are either an advanced human race, aliens, or time travellers. On the other hand, it is not out of the idea that the existence of their planet causes interference with ours in such a manner that it leads to the development of sophisticated species such as Alton as a consequence of the influence of cosmic and otherworldly forces.

In terms of how they arrived on our world, it is possible that they have been there for a very long time, long before humans and other primitive human species have been living on this planet without being aware of their presence. Who is to say that cows or other animals and birds are unable to see them? It’s possible that they have always seen them, and seeing them is something that they do on a daily basis. For such a long time that the civilization has been on Earth, the term “alien” would not be appropriate.

Midnight Special Explained

Special at Midnight: Is Roy an extraterrestrial being? When it comes down to it, why does Roy’s eyes shine?

Although Roy may have some genes that have been changed, he is not an extraterrestrial; rather, he is just more developed. In the closing frames, we see Roy exerting himself to the fullest extent possible, and gradually, a faint glow begins to shine in his eyes. Although it is possible that Roy does not possess the same talents as Alton, it seems that he has just enough ability to maintain a connection with Alton, which results in a conclusion that is both bitter and sweet.

I was wondering what your impressions were on the storyline and the conclusion of Midnight Special. Leave your thoughts and speculations in the area below!

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