Summary

• Over the Garden Wall's ambiguous ending leaves viewers questioning whether the story was a hallucination or not, but the existence of a magical item suggests otherwise.
• Death is a prevalent theme in the show, as the changing seasons and the brothers' encounters with lost souls allude to the idea of a purgatory-like setting.
• The real point of Over the Garden Wall lies in overcoming despair and facing one's fears, as Wirt's character growth illustrates his journey from hopelessness to courage.

Since its release in 2014, a lot has been debated about Over the Garden Wall's intricate story as well as the true meaning of the miniseries' somewhat ambiguous ending. The 10-episode cult hit centers on half-brothers Wirt (Elijah Wood) and Greg (Collin Dean) as they traverse the Unknown — the strange woods they find themselves wandering around in. An autumn must-watch, Over the Garden Wall's first episode, "The Old Grist Mill," doesn't offer a lot of context for how and why the brothers are in the woods, choosing instead to play into the fairy-tale feeling of what can be considered one of the best animated shows of all time.

However, that initial chapter does set up a host of other fantastical, strange characters who come into play in the series finale, including the talking bluebird Beatrice (Melanie Lynskey), who becomes the brothers' companion, and an old Woodsman (Christopher Lloyd), who warns the boys of the Beast (Samuel Ramey) that lurks in the woods. A blend of whimsy, humor, and poignancy, the miniseries tells a story that's much more elaborate than its fable-like first episode implies. With a few astounding twists and some deeply compelling metaphors to its name, Over the Garden Wall's profound ending allows it to endure.

Was Over The Garden Wall A Hallucination Or Not?

In its penultimate episode, Over the Garden Wall reveals its big twist: Wirt and Greg are modern-day kids who happened into the Unknown on Halloween night. Throughout the miniseries, Wirt references Sara, a girl he has a crush on. It's eventually revealed that he made her an embarrassing mixed tape on Halloween and followed her to the local cemetery to take it back. However, when the kids' graveyard ghost story party is interrupted by some cops, Wirt and Greg hop over a garden wall and tumble into the path of an oncoming train. To save them both, Wirt pulls his brother into a body of water on the edge of the tracks.

In the Unknown, the Over the Garden Wall finale sees Wirt saving his younger brother from the Beast's clutches, but, back in their hometown, the siblings wake up in the hospital. And that's when the show delivers a final twist. In the recovery room, Greg's frog companion glows, implying the magical item he swallowed while in the Unknown actually exists. Some viewers contend that the bulk of Over the Garden Wall's story is a hallucination — something the brothers collectively experienced while drowning. However, the glowing bell inside of Greg's frog undermines the whole "it was just a dream" theory, which is part of what makes Over the Garden Wall one of the best Cartoon Network original shows.

Over The Garden Wall Is A Metaphor For Death (& Much More)

While Over the Garden Wall's ending is open to interpretation, death pervades the show's setting, themes, and plot lines. When the miniseries begins, it's autumn — leaves change colors and plants wilt. By the end of the show, the first snowfall of winter blankets the Unknown. This change of the seasons echoes Wirt's feelings about returning home: at first, he's somewhat hopeful, but that fades over the course of the first eight episodes. As the woods die, Wirt resigns himself to never escaping the Unknown. The Beast, which embodies giving in, feeds on that exhaustion and despair.

The subplots of the episodes further this connection to death, as most chapters see the brothers helping other lost souls find peace or contentment by resolving their problems. One of the most obvious connections to death comes in Over the Garden Wall's episode 2, which centers on a bizarre harvest. In the episode, the skeletal denizens of Pottsfield dig up their fellow recently-deceased skeletons and don gourds as costumes. The town's massive, pumpkin-headed leader, Enoch, tells Wirt, "Oh well, you’ll join us someday." While it may or may not be the final resting place for souls, the Unknown serves as a crossroads — a limbo that's between life and death.

The Real Point Of Over The Garden Wall

With the Unknown being a purgatory-like place, the souls who enter its maze of woods can only leave once they accept death (or choose life). The Beast has a taste for lost souls and thrives on their despair. In the world of Over the Garden Wall, those who surrender to hopelessness turn into Edelwood trees — the fuel for the Woodsman's lantern. Tasked with keeping the lantern lit, the Woodsman learns that the Beast trapped his daughter's soul within the object. However, this all ends up being a lie: it's actually the Beast's life force that resides in the lantern, so the shadowy entity tricked the Woodsman into nurturing him.

In the lead-up to episode 10, Wirt gives in to the hopelessness, suggesting Greg lead them if he really wants to keep trying. Eager to help, Greg is manipulated by the Beast, who wants to turn the young child into an Edelwood tree. In the Over the Garden Wall finale, Wirt pleads with the Beast, offering to trade himself for Greg. As evidenced by the show's late-season flashbacks, Wirt struggles with confidence.

Instead of facing his fears, he runs from them. In fact, Wirt thinks his peers are out to get him, when, in reality, he's constantly sabotaging himself due to his insecurities. The Unknown's horrors force Wirt to face the things that challenge him. Ultimately, this newfound strength helps him realize the Beast's scheme. Part of the beauty of Over the Garden Wall is its distinct lack of absolute answers. Instead, the miniseries invites viewers to pull out their own meaning from the show's narrative and themes.

Whether audiences agree that the Unknown is limbo, the afterlife, or something else entirely, it is clear that the fantastical realm encourages Wirt to change. Instead of giving into the Beast — that thing that lurks inside us all and tells us to give into despair and stop fighting — Wirt chooses to look at what frightens him most at the end of Over the Garden Wall and pulls back the curtain. The brothers don't just allow themselves to be taken by the current. Instead, they fight to return home — to the life that exists on the other side of the garden wall.