Even if you have not seen the movie Se7en, you probably know the line from the movie uttered, muttered, and screamed by Brad Pitt’s character Det. Mills, “what’s in the box”

Spoilers ahead, I know 1995, was over 20 years ago, but some people with an interest in seeing it may not have seen the movie. For example, my son and his girlfriend had not seen the movie. We watched it the other day, their first time seeing the movie, my, I don’t know, 30th time seeing the movie? I’ve seen it more than once and less than 100 times. Not the point. What is in the box.

The movie is about a killer, acting out crimes based around the seven deadly sins. Quickly they are Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Lust, Pride, Wrath and Envy.

Each sin has a crime associated with it or so we are lead to believe.

There is some debate about the end of the movie, because what is in the box is never shown. Again, spoilers read no more if you want to watch this movie untainted.

Most people seem to think that Det. Mills’ wife’s head is in the box, which pushes him to commit the sin/crime of Wrath/Murder.

However, I’m not convinced that Tracy Mills’ (Gwyneth Paltrow) head is in the box.

Det. Somerset (Morgan Freeman) does see the content of the box. Somerset knows things that only Tracy Mills knows and no one else. She is pregnant. She confides this to Somerset away from her husband.

John Doe, the killer (Kevin Spacy) shows up a few times in the film before you know he is the killer. John Doe knows who the investigating detectives are and taunts them.

The question mark for me comes with the sin/crime John Doe says he has committed, which is the sin of Envy, in that he longs for the life that Det. Mills and his wife have. However, the sin of envy does not require a physical action, only a mental one, to want what others have.

After several crimes are shown, John Doe turns himself in and then promises he will confess and plead guilty to all the crimes if they go with him to find the last two bodies. Prior to turning himself in, John Doe arranges for a package to be delivered to Det. Mills at this remote location at a specific time on a specific date.

Yeah, this is the box.

Somerset cuts off the delivery driver, opens the box and then runs back to Mills 100 yards or more away. During the time in which Mills and Somerset are apart, John Doe says to Mills, he cut off Tracy’s head.

However, because you never see the head, is she dead or not?

Envy does not require an action. John Doe wants to die, but suicide is a sin so he cannot kill himself and he technically does not kill any of the other people, he puts them in positions to decide to live or die, kill or not kill, each placed in a test of their will. Each person could have refused to do what they were doing and may or may not have died. I don’t think John Doe would have killed any of the others and been frustrated by their determination not to commit the crimes. The “victims” were all weaker in their will to resist their sins and committed them. John Doe even lets Mills live when he could have killed him multiple times.

John Doe will not commit the crime of murder an unforgivable sin, and is avoiding suicide also an unforgivable sin.

There is no scenario where John Doe would not have died, he wants to die. How do you accomplish this without sinning and going to hell? Make someone believe you are committing crimes and have them kill you.

Which comes back to the test of will, Does Mills resist what he does not know to be true or does he act on his emotion and commit murder. If the murder was unjustified it is likely to have a bigger impact, in that an innocent person was killed.

Tracy contemplates an abortion because the world is no place to raise a child. Somerset knows this, John Doe may have known this. Mills does not know about Tracy’s pregnancy until the set up.

My conclusion is that John Doe followed Tracy, after she had an abortion took the fetus and packaged it, maybe with a card that says Happy Father’s Day or something, and has it delivered to the remote location.

Maybe is it her head in the box, but I have my doubts because John Doe really has only committed a few assaults, the other deaths were all suicides or murders by other people.

Assaults are not hell worthy trespasses. David Mills rots in prison a murderer, Tracy Mills mourns him and the life they could have had, John Somerset must live with the reality, as much as he hates the world around him, he does nothing to change it, even when he can.
What do you think was in the box?

Well, that’s all for now, other stuff to follow most likely

Happy Birthday if it’s your birthday and a very merry un birthday if it isn’t your birthday

Today’s title: Line from the movie Se7en

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Invisible Don

PS 3 / PS4 Gamer Tag: invisible don