MovieChat Forums > Apparitions (2008) Discussion > Number on the arm

Number on the arm

posted 16 years ago by onthebit1
6 replies | jump to latest

When Jacob was being exorsised and gave the number of Vincenzies father who died in the holocaust , was that not the same number that was on his arn after he died! I'm confused.

[–] sadmadness 16 years ago

I think it was more a way to establish that he really was a survivor of Auschwitz himself. And I think this was more in service to the viewer rather than to Jacob. He wasn't quite old enough looking to be of conscious age at the time of WWII. And this also explains the relevance of the number to a viewer that didn't guess the importance or context of the numbers. It further emphasizes his actions to be his tormented self rather than another puppet wagin war.

But then again I may well be wrong and missed some other clue beforehand that would make this verification important to Jacob.

With the possessed and these amok-running demons you'll never know anyway ;)

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] sadmadness 16 years ago

I don't think I made a point that it was his number. That would be contradictory to the affirmation he got through the numbers Jacob told him. That point was established in the original post :)

[–] Chalumeau2 16 years ago

I think showing the number was significant for two reasons. First, it proved to Vincenzo and the audience that he really was speaking with his father. Second, it was physical proof that Vincenzo's deal with the devil had been broken. In episode 2, Father Jacob was looking for a tattoo on his arm, which was hidden by the devil. Once Vincenzo rejected all gods his tattoo was visible again.

[–] Charlie_1701 16 years ago

I think showing the number was significant for two reasons. First, it proved to Vincenzo and the audience that he really was speaking with his father. Second, it was physical proof that Vincenzo's deal with the devil had been broken. In episode 2, Father Jacob was looking for a tattoo on his arm, which was hidden by the devil. Once Vincenzo rejected all gods his tattoo was visible again.

Ahh!! yes, thanks, that makes sense now.
I had wondered about the significance of the number when before in episode 2 it was not there.

Bean Girl: Charlie Darling
...The needs of the many out weigh the needs of the few...

[–] jojo-274 15 years ago

As mentioned before once the spell was broken on the Father do to the fact that he went ahead with the exorcism, his tattoo reappeared. Just like in the first episode the skin was taken from the other guy when Satan was telling him to use it for curing him. When Jacob went ahead and exercised the man in the park his friend was skinned and Satan took "His" miracle back. Hence when the Father in the last episode disobeyed "His miracle was also taken back.