Delia and teen Lydia had a passive-aggressive feud throughout the original movie, withCatherine O’Hara’s character finally getting payback for that teenage angstinBeetlejuice 2. When theDeetz family membersare first introduced in Tim Burton’s 1988Beetlejuicemovie, it’s clear that their dynamic isn’t without problems. Teenager Lydia (Winona Ryder) was “miserable” with life in New York City and embraced her dark, gothic aesthetic while being a self-professed “strange and unusual” person. This demeanor didn’t jibe with her stepmother Delia (O’Hara), a vibrant New York artist who sought the approval of wealthy, influential figures in the city.
Though they didn’t get along in the original movie, Delia and Lydia have a more understanding and friendly relationship when thecharacters return inBeetlejuice 2. While Lydia attributes their growth to her becoming famous, Delia says she started liking her before then. Of course,Delia reminds Lydia that she “tormented” her as a teenager, so she isn’t too sympathetic about Lydia’s teen daughter, Astrid (Jenna Ortega), giving her similar treatment. Delia doesn’t directly seek payback against Lydia for that time, but she does end up getting it by failing to defend the truth about Lydia’s gift to Astrid.
Delia Gets Payback On Lydia In Beetlejuice 2 By Not Telling Astrid The Truth About Betelgeuse
Delia Never Corrected Astrid About Lydia Telling The Truth
ThroughoutBeetlejuice 2, Lydia is dealing with similar resentments from Astrid that she herself had for Delia back in the 1988 horror-comedy. However, Delia doesn’t step in to address the claims that Astrid makes about Lydia, instead choosing to let them deal with their problems on their own.Among the biggest issues that Astrid has with Lydia is that she doesn’t believe that Lydia can actually see ghosts, really had that experience with Betelgeuse, or was haunted by the Maitlands. It isn’t untilAstrid sees Jeremy’s ghost inBeetlejuice 2that she finally realizes it was all true.
Winona Ryder’s Sad Beetlejuice 2 Story Has A Gaping Plot Hole After The Original Ending
A driving conflict between Winona Ryder’s Lydia Deetz and Jenna Ortega’s Astrid in Beetlejuice 2 is easily resolved by the 1988 movie’s ending scene.
Since Lydia didn’t have a physical way to prove this to Astrid,Delia could have cleared up the truth about the matterconsidering she was also attacked by Betelgeuse and lived alongsideAdam and Barbara Maitlands’ ghostsfor years. By letting Astrid continue to believe that Lydia was lying, Delia indirectly got her payback by watching teenage Astrid resent and “torment” Lydia. That isn’t to say that it was Delia’s responsibility to clarify the matter or fix Lydia and Astrid’s relationship, but she certainly got to see some karma play out by avoiding any involvement.
Astrid’s Journey In The Afterlife Was A Better Way To Fix Her Relationship With Lydia In Beetlejuice 2
Delia’s Input Wouldn’t Have Fixed All Of Astrid & Lydia’s Problems
Though it was disappointing to see Lydia have a poor relationship with her daughter, thestrained dynamic between Lydia and Astrid created a compelling, emotional storyfor the chaos ofBeetlejuice 2to be centered around. Their growth and development in their relationship throughout the movie felt earned and touching, and could only have happened with the two of them putting in that effort to address their problems. Ultimately, Lydia having to dangerously travel through the afterlife to save her daughter was a much more rewarding way to fix their relationship than simply having Delia step in.
Delia dying inBeetlejuice 2means she isn’t able to enjoy all the Deetz women being on good terms in the land of the living.
Astrid and Lydia’s problems went much deeper than the teen not believing in her ghost-seeing ability, and they finally got to confront them head-on, with Lydia showing up for Astrid in the afterlife, Richard advising them to make amends, and Lydia quittingGhost Houseto focus on their relationship inBeetlejuice 2’s ending. Sadly, however, Delia dying inBeetlejuice 2means she isn’t able to enjoy all the Deetz women being on good terms in the land of the living.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Cast
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is the sequel to the original Tim Burton classic that starred Michael Keaton and Wynona Rider in a horror-comedy that involved ghosts trying to scare off new homebuyers from taking their house. The sequel brings back Michael Keaton as the hilarious and sleazy ghost with selfish intentions, now joined by Jenna Ortega in a new role.
Beetlejuice
Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice stars Michael Keaton as the titular “bio-exorcist”, an obnoxious spirit who specializes in driving living occupants out of homes. When Barbara (Geena Davis) and Adam Maitland (Alec Baldwin) die suddenly, they pass into the spirit realm, and must stay in their home. However, in the living world, the Deetz family purchases the house and moves in, prompting the Maitlands to enlist the help of Beetlejuice to drive them away.
