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THX 1138 (1971) movie poster

Characters & Themes

THX 1138 (1971) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
1971 · 86 min · English
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Directed by
George Lucas
Starring
Robert Duvall, Donald Pleasence

In a futuristic society where emotions are chemically suppressed and individuality is outlawed, THX 1138 and LUH 3417 defy the system. Rejecting their mandatory medication, they experience love and discover a desire for freedom. Now branded as criminals, they flee from the omnipresent robotic enforcers and venture into a dark, subterranean world, struggling to survive and fight for their right to feel and be human.

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On this page (8)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Characters explained (5)
  3. 3 Where & when it takes place
  4. 4 Themes & meaning (3)
  5. 5 Character & meaning questions
  6. 6 Movie threads
  7. 7 Movies like THX 1138
  8. 8 Every angle
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5 main characters · contains spoilers

THX 1138 Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of THX 1138 (1971), heroes and villains: what drives them, how they change over the course of the story and what each of them reveals about the film's bigger ideas.

  • THX 1138

    THX 1138 is a factory worker trapped in a repressive society that restricts individuality and emotion. He experiences a profound awakening as he navigates love and the consequences of defying societal norms, representing the struggle for personal freedom.

    • 👤 Protagonist
    • 💔 Rebellion

  • LUH 3417

    LUH 3417 serves as a pivotal character who introduces love and change into THX's life. By challenging the societal expectations around emotion and intimacy, she plays a crucial role in THX's awakening and descent into chaos as they attempt to reclaim their humanity.

    • 💞 Love Interest
    • 🌪️ Catalyst

  • SEN 5241

    SEN 5241 is an integral companion to THX, who faces his own challenges within the oppressive regime. His experiences are marked by confusion and the struggle for survival, making him a representation of the broader battle against conformity and control.

    • 🤝 Ally
    • 🚨 Survivor

  • OMM 0000

    OMM 0000 serves as a ghostly figure in THX's life, representing the blind adherence to the state’s doctrine. This character embodies the internalized belief system that perpetuates the citizens' subjugation and restriction of self-expression.

    • 👻 Authority Figure
    • 🔄 Cycle of Control

  • SRT 5752

    SRT 5752, a holographic character, becomes a part of THX's journey to freedom. Embodying the escapist fantasies promoted by holobroadcasts, SRT's character highlights the allure of rebellion against the oppressive environment.

    • 🖥️ Hologram
    • 🌈 Dreamer

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 20:21

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Setting

Where and When Does THX 1138 Take Place?

The setting of THX 1138 (1971): the year and time period, the places and locations, and how they shape the characters, the mood and the tension of the story.

Time period

21st century

Set in the 21st century, the story depicts a dystopian future where humanity has surrendered to a regime that suppresses individuality, emotions, and even procreation. This period is marked by technological control over citizens' lives, reflecting a chilling vision of a society governed by fear and obedience.

Location

Underground City, Surface

The movie takes place in an underground city that enforces strict societal rules, characterized by uniformity and a lack of personal identity. Above this oppressive environment lies the surface, a place of freedom and natural beauty, symbolized by an awe-inspiring sunset that represents hope and liberation.

  • 🏙️ City
  • 🌅 Nature

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 20:21

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3 major themes

THX 1138 Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is THX 1138 (1971) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • Control

    The theme of control is pervasive throughout THX 1138, showcasing how an authoritarian regime manipulates and restricts human behavior. The citizens are subjected to surveillance and are stripped of their identities, illustrating the lengths to which a society can go to maintain order and suppress dissent.

  • Love

    Amidst the oppressive environment, the film explores the themes of love and intimacy. THX and LUH's evolving relationship represents a form of rebellion against societal norms, emphasizing the power of human connection in the face of oppression.

  • Escape

    The narrative centers on the struggle for escape, both physically and metaphorically. As THX and his companions seek freedom from their underground confines, it highlights the innate human desire to break free from limitations and pursue autonomy.

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 20:21

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Character & theme questions

THX 1138 Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about THX 1138 (1971): who the characters really are, their relationships, what the symbols mean, where it takes place and what the movie is really about. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Where is THX 1138 set?

The story takes place in an underground city where citizens live under strict societal rules enforced through uniform appearance and the removal of personal identity. Above this oppressive world lies the surface, a place of freedom and natural beauty represented by sunsets, symbolizing hope and liberation that THX ultimately seeks.

  • underground city
  • surface
  • setting
  • dystopia
  • freedom
Q2

When does THX 1138 take place?

The film is set in the 21th century, depicting a dystopian future where humanity has surrendered to an authoritarian regime that suppresses individuality, emotions, and even procreation through mandatory medication and constant technological surveillance.

  • 21st century
  • future
  • time period
  • dystopia
Q3

What is the theme of control in THX 1138?

Control is the dominant theme, showcasing how an authoritarian regime manipulates and restricts human behavior through surveillance and the stripping of identities. Citizens are assigned numerical designations instead of names, and their emotions are chemically suppressed to maintain order and suppress dissent.

  • control
  • oppression
  • surveillance
  • society
  • regime
Q4

How does love function as a theme in THX 1138?

Love acts as a form of rebellion in the film. When THX 1138 and LUH 3417 stop taking their mandatory suppressant medication, they experience genuine emotion and intimacy, challenging the societal norms that forbid human connection. Their relationship becomes a powerful statement against the dehumanizing system.

  • love
  • romance
  • rebellion
  • LUH 3417
  • emotion
Q5

What does the escape theme represent in THX 1138?

The escape theme operates on both physical and metaphorical levels. THX and his companions flee the underground city to reach the surface, representing the innate human desire to break free from oppressive limitations and pursue autonomy. Their journey symbolizes the struggle for personal freedom and self-determination.

  • escape
  • freedom
  • surface
  • rebellion
  • autonomy
Q6

Who is THX 1138?

THX 1138 is a factory worker trapped in a repressive society that bans individuality and emotion. He serves as the protagonist who undergoes a profound awakening after rejecting his mandatory medication, discovering love and the desire for freedom while becoming a fugitive from the state.

  • THX 1138
  • protagonist
  • factory worker
  • main character
Q7

Who is LUH 3417?

LUH 3417 is a pivotal character who introduces love and transformation into THX's life. By challenging the societal expectations around emotion and intimacy, she catalyzes THX's awakening and plays a crucial role in their joint attempt to reclaim their humanity and escape the oppressive system.

  • LUH 3417
  • love interest
  • female lead
  • character
Q8

Who is OMM 0000?

OMM 0000 serves as a ghostly, enigmatic figure representing the blind adherence to the state's doctrine. This character embodies the internalized belief system that perpetuates citizens' subjugation and the restriction of self-expression, appearing as a spectral reminder of the regime's ideological grip.

  • OMM 0000
  • antagonist
  • state
  • doctrine
  • ideology
Q9

Who is SEN 5241?

SEN 5241 is THX's companion who faces his own challenges within the oppressive regime. His journey is marked by confusion and the struggle for survival, making him a representation of the broader battle against conformity and control that defines the film's dystopian world.

  • SEN 5241
  • companion
  • supporting character
  • survival
Q10

How does the society in THX 1138 suppress emotions?

The society enforces emotional suppression through mandatory medication that all citizens must take. These drugs chemically block emotions, effectively turning people into compliant, emotionless workers. Those who refuse the medication, like THX and LUH, are labeled as criminals and hunted by robotic enforcers.

  • medication
  • drugs
  • emotions
  • suppression
  • society rules
Q11

What does the surface represent in THX 1138?

The surface world above the underground city represents freedom, natural beauty, and true humanity. While the underground is sterile, uniform, and oppressive, the surface offers sunlight, open space, and the possibility of living authentically. The film's iconic sunset imagery symbolizes hope and liberation.

  • surface
  • freedom
  • symbolism
  • sunset
  • nature
  • hope
Q12

What is SRT 5752's role in the story?

SRT 5752 is a holographic character who appears throughout THX's journey as part of the holobroadcasts that entertain and distract citizens. This character represents the escapist fantasies promoted by the regime, serving as both a reminder of the surface world THX seeks and the false promises of the system.

  • SRT 5752
  • hologram
  • holobroadcast
  • fantasy
  • escape

Movie threads

More Movies Like THX 1138, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes THX 1138 tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Claustrophobic Dystopian Escape Movies like THX 1138

Characters fight for freedom against overwhelming, oppressive systems. If you liked THX 1138's bleak, futuristic prison and its tense breakout sequences, you'll find similar thrills here. This list features movies about characters rebelling against dehumanizing control, featuring sterile worlds, relentless pursuit, and the bittersweet price of freedom.

  • oppressive
  • claustrophobic
  • anxious
  • bleak
  • sterile
  • tense
  • Tone: dark, tense, bleak
  • Pacing: variable, building to fast
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These stories typically begin within a rigid, often technologically advanced society that suppresses human nature. A protagonist awakens to the system's injustice, leading to a risky rebellion. The plot revolves around a desperate escape attempt, fraught with danger from automated enforcers or a pervasive authority, culminating in a flight into the uncertain unknown.

Why they belong together: They are grouped by their shared setting of an oppressive dystopia, the central plot of escape, and a consistently high-tension, anxious mood. The viewing experience is defined by a feeling of being trapped and the relentless pressure of the chase.

THX 1138 movie poster

THX 1138

1971
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1988
The Stranger movie poster

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1973
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2019
Paradise Hills movie poster

Paradise Hills

2019
Escape Room movie poster

Escape Room

2021
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1970
Spiderhead movie poster

Spiderhead

2022

Movies About Emotional Awakening Like THX 1138

Stories where suppressed characters discover feeling in a cold reality. For viewers who appreciated THX 1138's theme of breaking free from emotional suppression to feel love and humanity. These similar movies explore characters emerging from numb or controlled states, often in sci-fi or dramatic settings, with heavy emotional weight and bittersweet outcomes.

  • somber
  • cold
  • melancholic
  • introspective
  • hopeful
  • tender
  • Tone: somber, heavy, bittersweet
  • Pacing: slow to steady, deliberate
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative follows a protagonist who exists in a state of emotional isolation or enforced neutrality. A catalyst—often a relationship—triggers a rediscovery of deep feelings, which is framed as a rebellious act. This internal conflict between the safe numbness of the old world and the dangerous beauty of the new one drives the story, leading to a profound personal transformation.

Why they belong together: They share a core thematic focus on the conflict between emotional suppression and human feeling. The mood is somber and heavy, centering on the psychological journey of awakening rather than just physical action, making the emotional stakes the primary driver of the plot.

Equals movie poster

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2016
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Awakenings

2017
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2007
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2025
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2024
Wonderland movie poster

Wonderland

2024
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Awakenings

1990
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Arctic Heart

2016

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Every angle

THX 1138 (1971) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about THX 1138 in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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