Among the library of Original series made by Netflix, The OA has not only intrigued viewers with its complicated story but also confounded them due to the series’ cancellation after two seasons. Ending on a cliffhanger, the show told the story of a mysterious young woman named Prairie Johnson who goes on a strange journey with the aid of several companions.
Like many other shows, The OA’s main appeal was its mystery which was laced with various references to real-life elements. While some were inconsequential to the plot, others tied thematically into the story’s mystical and science-fiction elements.
Stranger Things
If there’s one series that The OA has been compared to the most, it’s arguably Stranger Things. Both shows are not only part of Netflix’s Original Series line, but they also rely heavily on the mysteries introduced in their stories to keep the viewers interested.
The OA takes it a step further by making a reference to Stranger Things in the first season episode “Away”. It’s in a scene for a brief moment where Jesse and Ali are watching TV and Stranger Things is playing, which is partially visible in the above still from the episode-in-question. Despite having nothing to do with the episode’s plot, this reference only goes to show how similar the two series are.
Joe Biden
When it comes to stories about alternate dimensions, a common trope is having familiar events play out differently which can affect the story depending on their significance. For instance, The Man in the High Castle’s story is tied into the fact that it’s in another reality where America lost World War II and was divided into territories by the Axis Powers.
By contrast, The OA’s second season setting of being in an alternate dimension where Joe Biden won the 2016 Presidential Election doesn’t seem to affect the plot that much. Nevertheless, it’s there to give the viewer a sense that Prairie has entered a familiar yet different world.
The Bermuda Triangle
There’s a moment in The OA’s first season where Steve looks up information on the Internet pertaining to Prairie’s story and comes across the Bermuda Triangle. Specifically, it’s a fictional book about a group of people that get trapped in the Bermuda Triangle and they don’t know how they ended up there.
While this may seem like an odd reference at a glance, the Bermuda Triangle’s a very popular topic when it comes to conspiracy theories. Among these include the idea that the place is a dimensional portal, which ties into what eventually happens to Prairie at the end of The OA first season finale “Invisible Self”.
Homer
In trying to unravel the mysterious elements in any given work of fiction, fans might turn to the meanings of the characters’ names to see if any clues can be gleaned. One of the easiest examples of this is Homer, one of the main supporting characters in The OA.
Now the name Homer should be familiar to those who’ve read Classic Greek literature, since he was the credited author of famous works such as The Odyssey. Essentially the tale of a man who goes on a long journey back to his home, it served as the inspiration for Homer’s name according to Brit Marling herself who not only plays the role of Prairie but is also one of The OA’s creators.
“The Garden of Forking Paths”
Towards the end of The OA’s second season, it’s revealed that the series’ main antagonist Hap has managed to create a garden of sorts that can glimpse into different dimensions. What this can be interpreted to be is a reference to “The Garden of Forking Paths”.
A short story written by Argentine author Jorge Luis Borges, it’s about a philosopher who creates a novel where every possible outcome happens. It’s often brought up as an example of the non-linear narrative, and raises the philosophical question of whether an author writes a story or the story writes itself. So while it obviously relates to The OA’s multi-dimensional storyline, it may say something about the creators’ intentions.
Duino Elegies Braille Poem
Aside from interpreting the names of certain characters, fans of The OA have also taken the time to analyze subtle elements that were present onscreen. For instance, Prairie’s mysterious spiritual guide Khatun has marks on her face that resemble braille letters, though their meaning was elusive until one Reddit user managed to translate them.
Written in German, the braille letters apparently spell out a verse from one of the Duino Elegies. A series of poems written by Rainer Maria Rilke, who was a well-known German-speaking poet, they are mystical in nature and use angelic symbolism which fits some of the themes in The OA.
Maori Haka Dance
One of the strangest elements from the last episode of The OA Season 1 was the dance performed by the high school students and teacher Prairie befriended while there was a shooter right in front of them. Though The Atlantic magazine pointed out that the dance movements “Can be seen in the Maori haka”.
For those who don’t know it, the Haka is a traditional war dance performed by the native Māori people of New Zealand that is characterized by stomping feet and body slapping. These days, it’s used by Rugby teams to intimidate their opponents. So one could argue that this dance was not only used to intimidate the shooter but is also another mystical element in The OA’s story.
Wolf God Veles
Because of Prairie’s Russian heritage, certain details have been pointed out as relating to folklore from that region. While some are more obvious such as Khatun’s appearance resembling the witch Baba Yaga, there are subtler elements. One such example is the sweatshirt Prairie wears, which depicts a wolf on it that could be symbolic of Veles.
A Slavic God of the Underworld, Veles is a trickster by nature and capable of shapeshifting. Though he’s usually depicted as a dragon, he is associated with the wolf as well. So in relation to The OA, this arguably foreshadows the end of Season 1 and possibly ties into Hap’s character.
Khatun
Following her brief appearances in the first season of The OA, Khatun is arguably one of the biggest enigmas in the show. Since she always appeared whenever Prairie had a near-death experience, many fans have attributed her to the angel-like Nephilim which is further proven by the braille poem on her face which includes the word ‘angels’.
Though if we examine Khatun’s name, it’s traditionally used to refer to a woman of high rank from a Muslim country. Now in Sufism, which is a mystical branch of Islam, there is a feminine figure called Khatun-i Qiyamat or the Lady of Resurrection. So Khatun’s role in The OA may be more akin to a goddess than a Nephilim.
Syzygy
Since OA stands for ‘Original Angel’ in context with the story, fans of The OA have been quick to point out the numerous biblical references that are present. These include character names like Abel to episode titles such as “SYZYGY”. In Gnostic Christianity, Syzygies are the male and female halves of an Aeon.
Similar to angels, Aeons exist outside the material world with one exception known as the Demiurge who is considered flawed or even malicious compared to the immaterial Supreme Being (aka God). Though Syzygy in The OA episode of the same name is a bar where Prairie meets a telepathic octopus who provides important clues to her, but otherwise has no meaning outside of that.
