Anna Daniels
“The NeverEnding Story” presents the Nothing as a raging storm, because film is a visual medium and “invisible force consuming all things” doesn’t exactly translate on screen. The storm visual is perfect because it captures the demoralizing inevitability of its power. Those who inhabit the world of Fantasia seem generally happy and cheerful but eventually realize they are unable to live out their lives to the fullest, as the constant threat of the Nothing taking them away has cast a shadow over them all. There’s a looming sense of dread around every corner, and it has even inspired some characters, like the Rockbiter, to feel as though life isn’t worth living.
Much like the Swamps of Sadness, the Nothing serves as a metaphor for both grief and depression. As the Nothing continues to consume, it becomes harder and harder to resist the inevitability. All signs point to hopelessness and loss, and fighting to see another day feels like an impossibility. The Nothing creeps into your consciousness the same way mental illness can, completely hijacking any rational thought and replacing it with despondency. The Nothing, much like depression, is debilitating. Trying to fight the Nothing (much like trying to fight depression) feels impractical, because the only way to stop it is to utilize the very thing it destroys – hope, love, and imagination. It sounds a lot like being asked “haven’t you tried not being depressed?”
Written by: Slash
