James Wan’s latest horror movie, Malignant, has a big twist about the movie’s villain, Gabriel, that is revealed during the third act, and while it’s a shocking reveal, there are a couple of clues through the movie that lead to it. James Wan has become one of the most respected names in the film industry, especially in the horror genre, thanks to franchises like Saw and Insidious (which he co-created with fellow filmmaker and actor Leigh Whannell), and The Conjuring universe, though he has also visited other genres with movies like Furious 7 and Aquaman.
Wan’s first work in the horror genre was Saw in 2004, which originated from a short film of the same name he made with Whannell in 2003. After two more Saw movies, Wan and Whannell joined forces again in the movie Dead Silence (2007) and once more in 2010 with Insidious. After The Conjuring (2013) and The Conjuring 2 (2016), Wan focused on producing a number of movies before going back to the director’s chair for Aquaman in 2018, so fans were excited when he announced he would return to the world of horror with a project titled Malignant. Written by Akela Cooper and based on an original story by Wan, Cooper, and Ingrid Bisu, Malignant follows Madison (Annabelle Wallis), a woman haunted by visions of the murders of strangers by a monstrous creature.
Malignant was one of many movies affected by the coronavirus pandemic and had to be delayed, but it was ultimately granted a simultaneous release in theaters and HBO Max on September 1, 2021. Malignant has been quite divisive, and it’s mostly due to the big twist in the third act, which some have labeled as brilliant while others found it to be underwhelming and not offering anything new, especially in comparison to Wan’s previous horror projects. Whether you liked that shocking reveal or not, truth is that there are a couple of hints from the beginning that lead to it, and most of them are easy to miss. Here’s every clue to Malignant’s Gabriel twist you probably missed.
First Look At Gabriel
A clue that viewers have been pointing out on different forums and on social media comes in the first minutes of Malignant, with the first look at Gabriel. Though not a clear look as that would have spoiled the whole movie, viewers have mentioned that, upon closer inspection, it’s clear that Gabriel is attached to something (or rather someone) else, as seen in how it moves and on a close-up to Madison/Emily’s socks. The feet look normal, but Gabriel doesn’t, further hinting at him not properly having a body.
“It’s Time We Cut Out The Cancer”
Seconds after that first look at Gabriel, Dr. Weaver (Jaqueline McKenzie) says “it’s time we cut out the cancer”, referring to getting rid of Gabriel. It’s a subtle hint at Gabriel taking up space that isn’t his and being a strange “mass” in someone’s body, similar to a tumor. Viewers later learn that the doctors did what they could to remove Gabriel from Madison’s body, literally “cutting out the cancer”, though the surgery wasn’t fully successful.
The Opening Credits
The opening credits of Malignant are full of clues to its Gabriel twist. Terms like “bi mental, physical”, “sleepwalking”, “waking dreams”, quick shots of Madison’s surgery, close-ups of what looks like a brain, tissue being divided, and photos of skulls and fetuses all point into one direction: Gabriel being a parasitic twin. The biggest clue in the credits, however, is a shot of a paper with the definition of “di-cephalic parapagus” which is partially redacted, only showing that it’s a “condition [...] with varying degrees of twinning of organs and structure within the torso”.
Derek’s Murder
The event that triggers Gabriel’s murder sprees is when Madison’s husband, Derek (Jake Abel), smashes her head against a wall. That same night, Derek is haunted by a presence around the house, and when he gets to the living room, he sees Madison sitting there, seemingly watching TV, but she disappears as soon as he turns on the light. This is a subtle hint at Gabriel and Madison being one, as that was really her sitting there, but under Gabriel’s control. In addition to that, during the investigation of his murder, the detectives mention there are no signs of forced entry, further proving that it was Madison.
Gabriel “Attacks” Madison
When Madison finds Derek’s body, she encounters Gabriel, who jumps to her but doesn’t reach her, prompting her to run upstairs and hide. When she shuts the door, it opens again as if it was being pushed, but there’s no one outside pushing the door, showing that she’s not being chased by anyone, and it’s all part of an illusion by Gabriel.
Dr. Weaver Takes A Photo of Madison, Not Gabriel
Gabriel’s next victim is Dr. Weaver, who he calls and tells her that “it’s time to cut out the cancer”. After recognizing the caller as Gabriel, Weaver grabs Madison/Emily’s file from her bookshelf and takes a pic of young Madison/Emily. If Gabriel was a separate entity, the photo would have shown the creature, not Emily.
Madison’s Head Injury
A consistent clue throughout Malignant is how Madison reacts before the “visions” begin. In addition to the flickering lights, which mark the arrival of Gabriel, Madison can be seen in pain, touching the back of her head, which also starts to bleed. Viewers later learn that Gabriel literally comes out of the back of her head, so the bleeding has a reason to be.
Dr. Weaver’s Specialty
During the investigation of Dr. Weaver’s murder, detective Regina Moss (Michole Briana White) mentions that Weaver’s specialty was Child Reconstructive Surgery, which along with all the aforementioned clues, especially those from the opening credits, further point at the truth about Gabriel being a parasitic (and evil) twin.
Gabriel Calls Madison
The first actual interaction between Gabriel and Madison happens in the bathroom of the police station. Gabriel calls Madison and calls her Emily, and mentions a couple of times how he’s in her head and is the voice in it, as he’s literally in her head. Madison then calls him Gabriel without knowing his name beforehand, further showing the strong connection between them.
Young Emily Talking to Gabriel
Madison and her sister, Sydney (Maddie Hasson), visit their mother, who shows them some family tapes. In it, their parents celebrate Madison’s birthday, and after blowing out the candles, Madison turns to her side, looking behind her, to talk to Gabriel. Rather than talking to him as an imaginary friend sitting beside her, it’s as if he was behind her, which viewers later learn was exactly where he was.
Madison’s Medical Records
While Madison is locked up at the police station, Sydney drives to the abandoned Simion hospital to retrieve Madison/Emily’s medical records. There’s a quick shot of them with the terms “underdeveloped twin is a parasitic twin”, “embryo fails”, “craniopagus parasiticus”, and “somatic and placental muscular system of the twins” highlighted.
Emily’s Tape
The final clue to Malignant’s Gabriel twist comes seconds before the big reveal, when Sydney and her mother are watching a tape from the experiments. In it, a sleepy Emily is being interrogated by Weaver, who tells her she gave Gabriel a heavy sedative, which is why she feels that way. It’s then revealed that Gabriel is attached to her brain and back, bringing together all the clues about its parasitic and evil nature.