What was the plane in Don't Worry Darling? All the theories explained

26 September 2022, 18:17

Watch the second trailer for Don't Worry Darling

By Katie Louise Smith

Is it a glitch? Is it a hallucination? IS IT A FLY???! We need answers!

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So, you've seen Don't Worry Darling. You've got a million and one questions that you now need answers to. And right at the top of that list is: What the hell is going on with that red plane? (Don't worry, we all thought the exact same thing.)

The plane is literally in the poster. It's in the trailer. It's a key motif that pops up in Margaret’s story. And it features in a significant moment in the movie that kicks off Alice’s main storyline. But after it happens, it's never mentioned, discussed or explained by anyone.

The plane is one of several unanswered questions (some more pressing than others) that fans have raised after watching the film. No one seems to understand what the hell it was. That said, there are a few theories floating around as to what the plane actually means, and how and why it appeared. Let's investigate.

[WARNING: There's major spoilers ahead for Don't Worry Darling! You've been warned!]

What was the plane in Don't Worry Darling? An investigation...

Don't Worry Darling plane explained: All the theories. Picture: Warner Bros. via Alamy

Was the plane crash in Don't Worry Darling real?

No, the plane crash was not real. We know that because Victory is, of course, not a real place. It's a simulation.

For the viewers, the plane is the first very clear confirmation that Victory is not real; that it exists in a weird invisible bubble, hence the ripple effect in the sky when it passes through into the town. It lets us know that something is up and all is not what it seems.

But Alice does not know that when she sees it. She believes the crash is real. However, when she sets out into the desert to investigate it, she quickly realises that something is up as well.

But if the crash wasn't real, what actually was it? Why did it appear? How did it appear? And why only to Alice?

Don't Worry Darling plane crash meaning: All the theories explained. Picture: Warner Bros. via YouTube

Theory 1: It was a glitch.

We can guess from the brief glimpse at the real world that the Victory project simulation could have been a relatively new(ish) programme, as the voice in Jack's introduction video states he was applicant 426.

Similar to the eggs with no yolk, could the plane crash simply just be a glitch in the system? Something that was never meant to happen at all?

Theory 2: It was something that Frank did on purpose to see if Alice would investigate.

During one scene at the dinner party, Frank tells Alice that he was waiting to see if someone like her would eventually challenge him. (He seemed to relish in the fact that she was suspicious about everything.)

Seeing as the plane crash is what leads Alice to realise that Victory is not all it seems, could it have been a sly move orchestrated by Frank to see if Alice would stay in line with Victory's rules, or break out and investigate?

Frank carrying out these tests on the women in the simulation certainly makes sense. Obviously, you'd wanna test your system to see what kind of anomalies and issues could arise if the women – who are mostly there without their consent – realise something is not right, right?

If that's the case, his plan flopped because Alice was ultimately able to figure out what was going on and escape after all.

Don't Worry Darling plane meaning: What is the significance of the toy plane? Picture: Warner Bros. via YouTube

Theory 3: It’s literally just Alice’s paranoia or a hallucination.

The plane crash occurs after Alice experiences several other weird occurrences, like the yolk-less eggs, the vision of Margaret in the mirror, and the moving window, the latter of which is definitely a weird bout of in-simulation paranoia. (She's literally trapped, you guys!)

Alice is also the only one who sees the crash, and no one else can confirm to her whether it happened or not.

Alice has also seen the plane before, having clocked Margaret holding the toy version earlier in the film. Could Alice just be experiencing a strange hallucination, where her mind has subconsciously conjured up the image of the red toy plane? Did her subconscious concerns about Margaret spur her mind into seeing the red plane, then draw her into the desert and toward headquarters?

Theory 4: It was a fly that Alice could see in real life that manifested as a plane in the simulation.

Hear us out: Alice's eyes are wide open when we see her real life body strapped to the bed. What if a fly had snuck into the net curtain surrounding her and it manifested as a red plane in the simulation???

Listen, anything is possible when you're left with unanswered questions!!!

Is it a glitch? Is it a hallucination? IS IT A FLY???! Olivia Wilde, please. Put us out of our misery. What is going on with that plane?!