Soul Ending Explained & Easter Egg Breakdown!

In 2020, Pete Docter created a grandiose cartoon project that can interest even an adult. “Soul” is a cute, kind cartoon about the meaning of life. He leaves a deep imprint in the heart of the viewer and makes you believe in the best. Read on to learn more about the meaning of the movie “Soul”.

Plot Summary

Joe Gardner is a high school music teacher and unfulfilled jazz musician. One day he gets a chance to perform on the same stage with the famous saxophonist Dorothy Williams. On the way home, Joe falls into a manhole.

His soul ends up on a conveyor belt leading to the Great Beyond – the realm of the dead. But Mr. Gardner doesn’t want to die. He runs along the conveyor in the opposite direction and falls down. It ends up in the country of unassigned characters, where there are new souls preparing for life on Earth, and the souls of people close to death. Here, Joe becomes the mentor of Young Soul number 22. Before Gardner, many famous personalities taught the 22nd, but everyone admitted defeat.

Interesting! The idea and meaning of the film “Soul” originated 23 years ago, when Pete Docter had a son. Then the director realized that the character of each person is determined from birth.

The 22nd has long been between heaven and earth. She has a character, temperament, but she cannot get a spark for the opportunity to live on Earth. Joe must help her find meaning in life. To do this, new acquaintances go to the following rooms:

  • of all things. Here souls can try different human activities, which helps them to decide;
  • self-knowledge, where everyone can see themselves from the outside.

The 22nd introduces Joe to Murvin, who helps lost souls find themselves. He is here while, like many creative personalities, he is in a state of supreme bliss from inspiration. With the help of Murvin, Joe and the 22nd get to Earth. However, Gardner’s soul mistakenly enters the cat. And Joe’s body was taken by the 22nd.

Gardner will perform with Dorothy Williams. Together with the 22nd, they find Murvin, who promises to perform a ritual to move souls in the evening. Then the comrades visit a cafe, a hairdresser, go to the mother of the protagonist.

Again between heaven and earth

The 22nd begins to understand all the delights of life on Earth and no longer wants to leave the body of the teacher. Because of this, Gardner and his ward quarrel. They are immediately found by Terry, the accountant of dead souls, who discovered the missing musician. He takes Joe and 22 back to soul distribution land.

Here it turns out that Gardner’s ward filled out a pass to life – received a spark – and now can become a new inhabitant of the planet. Joe convinces her that all this is due to being in his body, but in fact, the 22nd has no spark and meaning in life. The frustrated pupil gives the pass to Gardner and runs away.

Joe falls to Earth, becomes himself. The performance with Dorothy goes well, but it doesn’t bring much joy. He understands that he was wrong in relation to the 22nd. The hero plays the piano – his soul flies into the space between the physical and spiritual worlds, to Murvin. There he finds the 22nd, who has become a Lost Soul. Joe convinces the ward that she really has found a spark and is ready for life. The 22nd goes to Earth.

For the miracle that Joe did with the ward, he is given another chance to start life anew.

Analysis and meaning of the film Soul

What is the meaning of the film “Soul”? What does this kind instructive cartoon tell the viewer?

The main idea of ​​the cartoon “Soul” (2020) is the search for the meaning of life. Not only the 22nd was looking for its spark. The protagonist himself has been searching for the meaning of his existence all his life.

Joe did not manage to achieve success in musical activity for a long time. Nowhere, except for school, he was not accepted. And Gardner so wanted to perform on stage, to become famous. He thought that life after that would become many times brighter, more interesting. A series of successes and immense happiness will come.

Interesting! The number of Joe Gardner’s ward was not chosen by chance. 22 is the number of films released by Pixar.

Joe’s meeting with the 22nd soul is not accidental. They needed each other to find themselves. Joe is an experienced mentor and teacher. He is kind, intelligent, calm, thoughtful. However, he lacks simplicity, openness, lightness. This is what the 22nd will teach him: to enjoy life, to indulge, to communicate, to express his opinion. Gardner, in return, will give the young soul the opportunity to learn what life on Earth is.

Parable about the fish

Before meeting with the 22nd meaning of the life of the protagonist was the achievement of success in the musical field. But now Joe got what he wanted – now he plays on stage, next to a famous saxophonist. And there is no happiness. There is no joy in achieving success.

This is the meaning of the parable about the fish from the cartoon “Soul”. Rybka thought that the ocean was something special, supernatural. And the ocean is just water. Joe also thought that the stage was the key to an unusually happy life. In fact, this is just a place where you can play a beautiful melody.

What the cartoon teaches

Joe Gardner personifies in the film the image of an adult, tired of human life, the 22nd – a naive, open, straightforward child. The hidden meaning of the cartoon “Soul” is that adults often lack that sincerity, naivety, the ability to enjoy the little things that are characteristic of children. Due to everyday worries, we stop noticing the beauty in the world and enjoying the opportunities that are given to us.

Joe Gardner was dissatisfied with his worthless life, unaware that he himself was the cause of all the hardships. The hero has everything for real human happiness:

  • loving relatives, friends;
  • the talent of a performer of magnificent jazz compositions;
  • work that contributes to the realization of one’s abilities and the cultivation of young talents;
  • a friend, Lisa, whom Joe had never had time for before.

He just had to look at himself from the other side and begin to be interested not only in the opportunity to get on stage, but also in the world around him. How surprised the hairdresser was when Joe began to ask about his life, and the mother of the hero when he talked heart to heart with her.

Our happiness is in our hands, Pete Docter wants to tell the viewer. The main thing is to see it in time.

What is the essence of the ending

The meaning of the ending of the cartoon “Soul” in the hero’s awareness of true life values. Joe gets the opportunity to start life from scratch. Thanks to the 22nd, he realized how much he had not noticed before, how much he had lost. But the whole life is ahead – now the hero will not miss the chance to be happy.

“Soul” is a cartoon with meaning. Despite the seriousness of the problems raised in the picture, there are many funny, funny moments. An unusual plot, realistic surroundings, beautiful music and an encouraging happy ending make the film attractive to viewers of any age.

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