The subjects of Mike Flanagan's flawless Netflix horror series, The Haunting of Hill House, are largely the Crains. The focus is on the Crain siblings, the Crain parents, and what happened as a result of one fateful night at Hill House. Yet, the show deftly shrouds the story in the mystery of what exactly transpired on that evening.
Eventually, it's revealed that Abigail, a small child with an uncertain background, is at the heart of this night at Hill House. While Abigail is not the most fleshed-out character in the series, she is one of the most consequential. Just as every frame of Hill House was tinged with hidden details, so too was the characterization of Abigail.
The Edge Of The Woods
When discussing the show with Thrillist, creator Mike Flanagan remarked about the character of Abigail. Since she isn't seen until the late episode, "Screaming Meemies," many wondered about where she was whenever Luke spoke of her.
As Flanagan explained to those who didn't know, Abigail was mostly seen at the edge of the woods. Only Luke noticed her, of course, but her visitation was frequently limited to just this spot, as she was curious about the outside world. Abigail didn't come in the house before that night in question.
A First Appearance
Abigail's role in the series is decidedly understated, but the impact of her appearance is highly felt. Her eventual death by way of Olivia's rat poison-infused tea was a shudder-worthy moment with haunting images.
This is largely because it was played to perfection by the actor, Olive Elise Abercrombie. Not to mention, Hill House was Abercrombie's first-ever non-short film acting appearance. Her next turn will be in a Bruce Willis movie, Midnight in the Switchgrass, but everything one sees from Abigail is the work of a child actor in her first major role.
Pale Skin
Notably, when Abigail turns up on Hill House, her skin is ghostly white. The deathly white aura which radiates across Abigail's skin is no coincidence, though; there's a genuine story reason for her paleness.
It's hard to fully know during a first watch of the series with so much going on, but Abigail's parents, the caretaker Dudleys, shielded Abigail from Hill House and, by extension, from the outside world. Her skin is pale because she so rarely is permitted outside.
Antiquity Of Appearance
In addition to Abigail's pale skin, she is often dressed in clothes that wouldn't seem out of place in portraits hanging on the walls of mansions from the 1800s. The antiquity is another element of Abigail's inability to take part in the outside world.
Considering that she is limited to her home and doesn't ever get any sun, she also doesn't get any sense of fashion or modernity or of a world that exists separate from her isolation. Her clothes mimic the "stuck-in-time" nature of her parents, and this was pointedly intentional.
The Misdirect
Of course, the old wardrobe and pale skin adorned by Abigail are both parts of a larger aspect of the series, too. Ever the clever creator, Flanagan deliberately depicted Abigail in this way so as to provide a misdirect to the audience.
Considering the series is populated by myriad ghosts, it's hard not to see Abigail as yet another ghost, albeit a friendly one whom Luke cozies up to as a young pal. However, the reveal of Abigail as a real girl who becomes a ghost instead is a subversive one. This misdirect, audiences may be surprised to know, was also intentional.
Mythological Ties To Fate
What's additionally a pointed piece of inclusion for the story of Abigail's character on The Haunting Hill House is the fact that her arc mirrors those of characters in old mythology who tried to avoid their fates.
Fate is often depicted as inescapable in mythology, and Abigail was crafted with this trope in mind. Her parents try to shield her from Hill House, but, in so doing, they lead to her inadvertent death in that very home. The house takes what it wants, after all.
Parental Relief
The final episode of Hill House is such a whirlwind that it can be hard to fully grasp all the moving pieces the first go around. One hidden detail that's hardly noticed until perhaps the third or fourth go-around, though, is the reaction of the Dudleys to the death of Abigail.
In a sense, they seem almost relieved when they learn that her dead body has actually turned into a ghost instead. No more need to protect her from going outside, no more worry that she'll grow old and cynical. She's entombed in Hill House as an eternal child. It's incredibly dark, but her parents are truly relieved at her death more than anything else.
What Steve Saw
From the jump of The Haunting of Hill House, a great deal of time is spent teasing out the idea of what Steve saw on that tumultuous night at Hill House.
When he spots his mother glancing at the Crain children from the window, though, it's marred by the quick glimpses others have of Abigail's body and ghost. Additionally, Luke screams about Abigail, distracting the other children further. Considering they all thought Abigail was an imaginary friend, her character was used to sow discordance among the children for the rest of their lives. It's hard to see this the first time, but Abigail was consequential in more than just a story manner.
Sleeping In A Room With Nell
Not every sibling thought Luke was lying about Abigail being a real girl, though. After all, he shared "the twin thing" with his sister, Nell. Nell always believed in the best of her siblings.
Likewise, she trusted that Abigail was real all along. In the chaos of that final night, it's easily forgotten that Nell received confirmation of Abigail's existence, considering they slept in the same room. Abigail's realness was believed only by Luke and Nell, in spite of their parents working with Abigail's parents. It's another tragic element of her story that is easily missed.
Ignored By Luke
Lastly, Abigail's story is largely concluded when her parents go to absurd lengths to keep her in their lives. However, she also plays an important role in the conclusion of Luke's arc.
In Luke's vision in the finale of Hill House, he returns to the tea table in the Red Room where his mother once tried to poison him and Nell and successfully killed Abigail. Yet, when he arrives there, he doesn't pay Abigail any mind and focuses only on his mother and the young version of Nell. This is a quick, hidden detail that shows Luke repressed his memories of Abigail because of how traumatic that night was. Her character is filled with unknown details, but she also majorly impacted the others in unforeseen ways.