Captain Fantastic: Final scene.

 

Captain Fantastic: Final scene


The ending of “Captain Fantastic” after the airport scene, where Bo is seen for the last time, the Cash family leaves and it jumps in time to a near future. This is seen when the injured daughter is not injured anymore, and runs with her sister through a garden/orchard. There is a big difference in environment; in spite of not living in the middle of the forest, as they did in the past, they are still in touch with nature as they grow their own natural food. This is also under a small construction that shows more organisation, space and that they are settled in this place.

A small, colourful house, with a car parked by it can be seen in the background as the daughters keep running between the herbage. A sign of adaptation to society and of stability in spite of still being somewhat different and rural. The bus that was named “Steve” does not have any wheels and it is now being used as a henhouse for the chickens - it is not a vehicle anymore. Inside there are no seats, books or beds, instead haystacks covering the floors of the blue bus to maintain the eggs of the chicken. This shows that they are not leaving anytime soon, that they are not scraping anymore.
As both daughters get back to the house, the audience can see a small white tent by the house - an echo to their past home where a tent was where they slept, showing that they still have the same beliefs in spite of having moved to a proper house and being part of society.

Once they get inside the house, the colour that decorates the home as well as the children's clothes is the first thing to notice. A guitar supported by a wall, which had been seen many times throughout the film, shows once again that they have not lost their essence and nor their beliefs, but that they have adapted. The Cash family have changed their roles too. Ben is now preparing the food instead of leaving the kids to do it. He has accepted that his role as a father has to be more present and traditional than what he had once believed. The first hint that the kids are also going now to school is the lunch bags with their names, which Ben is preparing while they help bring in food, have breakfast and complete homework.
Everyone is still helping around the house in spite of Ben preparing lunch - bringing to the house the food that they grow by themselves and giving it to their father.

As an echo to the beginning Ben uses the pocket watch, which he had used in the past to remind about his children’s training, to warn them to finish their breakfast as the school bus would arrive soon. They sit around the table, sharing a moment in family and showing that they are now part of society - although they have not changed their ways: everything in the table is ecological, healthy and most of it probably grown by themselves. Ben looks proud of his kids, almost as if he were reaffirming that he had made a good decision by moving to that house instead of being marginalised like a tribe.
Rellian, the now older son of the family in the house, offers Ben cereal without talking - through body language, showing that he does not resent him anymore and that he has somewhat forgiven him. Bo is not around anymore, so Rellian has taken the older brother's “masculine” figure after his dad. Things have changed - Ben’s beard is gone and his hat is off, although it is still hanging on the wall behind them. Everything of the mise-en-scene indicates that they are staying for good and that they have found a new home. Ben looks out the window, contemplating what his life has become. Could he be missing his old life away from society? Their old ways in spite of still having them in their lifestyle?



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