Why is Dani Smiling at the End of Midsommar? An In-Depth Exploration

As a psychologist and cult survivor myself, I find myself drawn to analyzing the deeper meanings and motivations behind film characters’ behavior. One film ending that sparked a lot of debate is Dani’s unsettling smile at the climax of the 2019 folk horror tale Midsommar. As Dani bears witness to her boyfriend burning alive, she grins ear-to-ear, leaving audiences to wonder: why is she smiling?

In this in-depth guide, I’ll analyze the ambiguous ending in detail, exploring the possible motivations behind Dani’s enigmatic smile. I’ll examine her emotional transformation over the course of the film, evidence that she’s been brainwashed, the motivation of Pelle bringing her to the cult, and ultimately why the ending leaves her future so disturbingly unclear. Strap in – like the lengthy runtime, this is going to be an immersive psychological analysis.

Dani’s Emotional Transformation: From Trauma to Feeling a Twisted Sense of Belonging

At the start of Midsommar, Dani is in a fragile emotional state (we’ll explore the implications of that more later). She has recently experienced an immense trauma – her bipolar sister murdering her parents before killing herself. Dani is left with no family, grieving and alone. Her distant boyfriend Christian reluctantly agrees to let Dani tag along on his planned summer trip with friends to a remote Swedish village.

Throughout the trip, Dani seeks empathy and emotional support that Christian fails to provide. In contrast, the villagers offer Dani compassion, listening to her feelings in a supportive therapy session. The cult leader Siv tells Dani directly “I feel your pain” – powerful words for someone deep in traumatic grief. Dani bonds strongly with the Hårga women as they take her under their wing.

Table 1 shows key moments of Dani’s emotional arc at the Hårga village:

By the shocking ending, Dani has undergone a complete psychological transformation. She sheds her former identity and fully adopts the cult’s beliefs and rituals. When the Hårga chant around her, she smiles blissfully – she is finally getting the sense of community she has craved.

But is Dani’s smile one of genuine happiness, or something more sinister? Let’s dig deeper.

Evidence Dani May Be Under Cult Brainwashing

While Dani’s smile may reflect feeling a twisted sense of belonging, there are also strong clues over the course of Midsommar that she has become brainwashed by the Hårga cult. Her psyche appears to have been masterfully manipulated using specific tactics.

Studies show psychological conditioning can make people act against their own interests. In a 1961 experiment by psychologist Stanley Milgram, subjects administered seemingly lethal shocks when told to by an authority figure – demonstrating dangerous levels of obedience. The Hårga’s rituals and indoctrination likely tapped into similar tendencies in Dani.

Techniques cults use to exert control include isolation, restricted sleep and food, assigning a new identity, and shared rituals creating a sense of conformity (Andersen 2020). Midsommar depicts the Hårga using similar tactics on their visitors:

• They are isolated in a remote village with no cell reception and constantly watched
• They have disrupted sleep cycles from near-constant daylight and partying
• Dani sheds her old identity and clothes to become the May Queen
• Dani eagerly conforms to exhausting rituals like the dance competition

Additionally, there is evidence Dani’s critical thinking capacities have been impaired:

• She ingest potent psychedelic drugs gave by the cult, as well as unknown substances in drinks
• She undergoes overwhelming shock and grief from her family tragedy
• The oracle Ruben is described as "unclouded" – suggesting the Hårga value a suggestible, childlike mental state

With her defenses lowered physically and emotionally, Dani would be highly susceptible to the Hårga’s coercive manipulation techniques. While she may feel a sense of belonging in the end, she also appears fully indoctrinated and potentially unable to think for herself under their powerful psychological control.

Pelle’s True Motivations – Did He Target Dani as the Perfect Cult Recruit?

Midsommar gradually reveals clues that Pelle, who invites the group to the village, may have specifically targeted Dani to join the Hårga. His comforting of Dani in early scenes reads as grooming behavior, carefully planting seeds to draw her into the cult’s influence.

Pelle displays keen insight into human psychology for a young anthropology student – or alternatively, has been trained on how to effectively recruit for his ancestral cult. He takes advantage of Dani’s vulnerability, knowing Christian has been neglecting her emotional needs. When Dani asks why the Hårga agreed to host them, Pelle says mysteriously “some wanted to meet [her].”

At the climax, Pelle shows his hand further. After Dani becomes May Queen, he gives her an intense, romantic kiss on the lips. This occurs just after the nine human sacrifices, including Christian – yet Pelle does not pause to mourn his brutally murdered friends. His true priority was bringing an ideal recruit in Dani to the Hårga, and with that accomplished, he embraces his role as her lover.

I believe Pelle deliberately targeted Dani for the May Queen position, assessing her as the most fitting based on:

• Her lack of family ties – fewer loved ones to return to
• Her immense grief over her loss – makes her emotionally vulnerable
• Her strained relationship – detached from her boyfriend
• Her people-pleasing nature – obedient and eager to conform

Pelle likely had backups too – notice how he protects Dani during the trip over his fellow anthropology students. He was determined to deliver the perfect May Queen.

With Dani crowned, dressed in floral robes, and bearer of new cult tattoos, Pelle succeeded. Dani became psychologically trapped in the Hårga worldview.

The Disturbing Ambiguity of Dani’s Smile – Liberated or Manipulated?

Ultimately, Midsommar offers little clarity about Dani’s mental state in the final smile. With so many clues over Dani’s indoctrination, I believe she is likely still under the Hårga’s psychological control. However, the film purposefully leaves the ending open for interpretation.

The key question about that closing smile is – does it represent Dani feeling liberated and emotionally fulfilled? Or did the Hårga successfully program Dani into the perfect cult recruit?

You could argue that after Dani endures so much trauma, she embraces the cathartic experience of burning the source of her pain, Christian. Or, she smiles in a brainwashed state, corrupted by the cult’s conditioning techniques – perhaps even using psychedelics.

Director Ari Aster confirms the ambiguity was intentional, telling IndieWire:

"I wanted to leave it open to interpretation — I didn’t want to cut away too soon, I wanted to give people a chance to sit with it."

For me as an armchair psychologist, the evidence points to the cult exerting dangerous levels of psychological control over Dani. However, I appreciate the film leaves it up to you to ponder. Ultimately both elements seem crucially true – Dani was manipulated and feels a sense of dark catharsis in that climactic moment.

Midsommar stays with you because even once the credits roll, the meanings simmer in your mind just as Dani will remain within the clutches of the cult. Her smile frighteningly reflects layers of humanity – our desire for purpose, our hunger for conformity, and how the darkest parts of our psyche can eclipse rational thought when nurtured in the right environment. Or perhaps simply the human capacity for stockholm syndrome when trapped under someone‘s thumb.

What do you think? I welcome your insights in the comments. Does her smile represent freedom from pain, or submission to her cult brainwashing? Until we get a sequel, the eerie ambiguity will linger.

References

Andersen, M. L. (2020). Social psychology. Sage Publications.

Ari Aster, director. (2019). Midsommar [Film]. A24.

Milgram, S. (1961). Nationality and conformity. Scientific American, 205(6), 45-51.

Simply Psychology. (2019). The Milgram Experiment. https://www.simplypsychology.org/milgram.html