The antagonists, known as , are underground clones created by the government in a failed experiment to control the people above.
The story follows (played by Lupita Nyong'o ) and her family as they return to her childhood beachfront home in Santa Cruz for a summer vacation. Adelaide is haunted by a traumatic 1986 incident where she encountered a terrifying double of herself in a boardwalk funhouse. Her fears materialize when four masked strangers appear in their driveway at night—each a distorted doppelgänger of a family member. The "Tethered" and Symbolism Nosotros (2019)
Red, the leader of the Tethered, uses golden scissors as her primary weapon. Peele chose them to represent duality —two separate parts that must work together to function—mirroring the connection between the "originals" and their clones. The antagonists, known as , are underground clones
This biblical verse appears throughout the film, warning of a "disaster that they cannot escape," reinforcing the theme of inevitable consequences for past actions. The Major Plot Twist Her fears materialize when four masked strangers appear
