Oxygen

In the final moments of Oxygen, Elizabeth discovers that she is not a real person but a clone created for a space mission to colonize a distant planet. Her memory was transferred from the original Elizabeth, who donated her DNA for this purpose, making her essentially a lab experiment. Throughout the film, she struggles to remember her past, believing she might be connected to her husband, Leo Ferguson, but it turns out that both she and Leo are clones—part of a large group of sleeper pods onboard the spacecraft, designed to be activated once they reach the new world.

As her oxygen runs dangerously low, Elizabeth learns she is one of many clones, and her ‘self’ was manufactured in a lab for this long-term colonization plan. Her realization hits hard: her identity, her memories, and her life are all artificial, the result of scientific experiments rooted in genetic engineering. The woman in the pod, including the man she believed was her husband, are all clones—merely copies built with the collective memories of the original people.

Despite her despair, Elizabeth manages to summon enough hope and determination. She asks Milo, the AI, to transfer the oxygen from the other pods containing deceased clones, in an effort to save herself. Although the process is slow and complicated, she makes this desperate plea knowing that her life might be ending soon. In her final moments, she envisions herself on a new planet, walking with Leo in a peaceful, beautiful landscape. The film ends with the image of Elizabeth and Leo spending their lives together on the alien world, symbolizing a new beginning for the copies of the original humans.

In essence, Oxygen explores themes of identity, memory, and the ethical boundaries of scientific experimentation. The ending reveals that she wasn’t truly human but a clone, raising questions about what makes a person truly alive, especially when memories and physicality can be artificial constructs. Ultimately, her hope for a new life on a distant planet closes the film on a note of renewal, even amidst the harsh reality of her manufactured existence.

Last Updated: June 25, 2025 at 08:58