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How Ti West's Pearl, X, and MaXXXine Are Interlinked; Explained
Pearl, X, and MaXXXine are brilliantly connected through their characters, Pearl and Maxine, both filled in by horror veteran Mia Goth as reflections of each other.
Trigger Warning: This article contains gruesome details of murder and violence, which could be triggering for some readers.
Director Ti West builds on Maxine and Pearl’s sinister approach to fulfilling their ambition of becoming a Hollywood star in the X trilogy. MaXXXine, which premiered in early July, is the third installment in the slasher film series and a direct sequel to 2022’s X that follows Mia Goth’s Maxine finally getting her big break in the film industry but the risk of her bloody past looms.
Pearl, X, and MaXXXine are brilliantly connected through their characters, Pearl and Maxine, both filled in by horror veteran Mia Goth as reflections of each other.
The link that ties Pearl, X, and MaXXXine
Set in 1979, Maxine and Pearl’s story begins with the original installment, X, which follows a group of youngsters out on an endeavor to film an adult film and rent a guest house on Pearl and her husband Howard’s isolated farm in Texas. The spotlight cast upon adult star and aspiring actress Maxine Minx rekindles Pearl’s lifelong and unachieved dream of becoming a Hollywood star.
Hence, the elderly Pearl is envious of Maxine’s youth as she goes out of her way to find her path to stardom once again. In the pursuit, she attempts a series of murders but her special connection to Maxine persists until she meets her fate.
This narrative of Pearl’s dream coinciding with Maxine’s aspirations, while staying true to the ‘70s slasher themes, is explored through different lenses of one big picture in the X trilogy.
Therefore, 2022’s Pearl released only months after X serves as a prequel, and dives deeper into the antagonist’s origin story, exploring her conservative background and what motivated her sinister crimes.
The franchise creator, Ti West, quickly grasped the echoing discussions and fan speculation around his villain Pearl and the mystery around Maxine’s blooming Hollywood career to churn out the prequel. While MaXXXine does not directly mention the prequel, the new sequel certainly does the work of weaving references to the Pearl from X.
MaXXXine picks up from the events of X as the titular character is on the run after murdering Pearl. As she acquaints herself with her first taste of fame, the news of a night stalker out on the prowl for Tinseltown starlets shakes up Maxine’s past.
Why does Mia Goth play both Pearl and Maxine?
It would have been hard to discern Mia Goth as Pearl in X, if not for the credits, as she appears unrecognizable as a desolate old woman prying on Maxine’s youth. Director West's decision to cast the 30-year-old star as both the characters go way beyond her acting finesse.
Goth’s portrayal of Pearl and Maxine serves as a metaphor for each. Pearl is envious of Maxine’s youth and endeavors to attain fame, something she craved her whole life, but also strangely appears to be a prediction of Maxine’s future.
The characters are two sides of the same coin as director Ti West explained it, “I always thought of them as different characters but the same person,” per Letterboxd. Also, Goth taking on the younger version of Pearl in the 2022 prequel further perpetuates the alikeness of the two characters molded into one.
Besides the characters' dramatical plot, the X trilogy also offers its take on the film industry whereas the themes are greatly reminiscent of the '70s slasher movies.
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