Warning: This article contains spoilers for the “Barbie” movie!
Since the release of “Barbie” last month, fans have hit social media with a grocery list of theories about the film’s nostalgia-inducing characters. One topic that fans were quick to analyze is Barbie’s complex relationship with Ken.
In the film, Ryan Gosling’s Ken character mulls over the fact that Barbie (Margot Robbie) doesn’t reciprocate his romantic feelings. His dejection prompts him to belt out the now-viral song (“I’m Just Ken”) about wanting to be seen and understood beyond his ties to Barbie.
In the end, Robbie’s Barbie never explains why she’s not interested in Ken romantically, but TikTok user callmeashbash has since dished out what she calls a “throwaway explanation” for why that could be.
Pointing to a part in the film where the character Gloria (America Ferrera) explains that she never played with Ken dolls growing up, the TikToker explained, “Barbie’s subconscious comes from Gloria. So, if Gloria didn’t feel like Barbie needed a Ken doll, then Barbie would feel like she didn’t need a Ken doll.”
Many fans shared their astonishment about this simple explanation in the comments.
“I didn’t realize but omg makes so much sense!” one person exclaimed.
Another said, “THIS MOVIE IS SO SMART I DIDINT NOTICE.”
“I wish I had a notebook during the movie so I can go back and analyze all of these small amazing details,” added another.
Other TikTok users countered that Barbie probably wasn’t all that interested because Ken is simply “an accessory to Barbie.”
Another argued, “I thought bc it was the person who made Barbie [Ruth Handler] named them after [her] children.”
Fans have been buzzing with hot takes on the film since its release.
Last week, director Greta Gerwig shared why she chose to close out “Barbie” with a mic-drop moment.
In the scene, Barbie (Robbie), who leaves Barbieland for good to stay in the “real world,” excitedly enters an office building before announcing, “I’m here to see my gynecologist.” The screen then cuts to black.
Gerwig says that the idea for the finale “sort of” came to her in a dream and is inspired by challenges she faced in her childhood.
“To see Margot as Barbie, with this big old smile on her face, saying what she says at the end with such happiness and joy. I was like, if I can give girls that feeling of, ‘Barbie does it, too’ — that’s both funny and emotional.”
“It was always about looking for the levity and the heart,” the director added.
“Barbie,” which also stars Will Ferrell, Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae, Michael Cera, Ariana Greenblatt and Simu Liu, is now playing in theaters.