SOMNAMBULISM

Early the following morning, while horseback riding with Claire, Justine notices Antares is no longer visible in the sky.

Later, the reason for Antares’s disappearance has become public knowledge: a newly discovered rogue planet called Melancholia, which entered the Solar System from behind the Sun, was blocking the star from view. 

The planet has now become visible in the sky as it approaches ever closer to Earth. 

John is excited about the “fly-by” predicted by scientists, while Claire is frightened by alternate predictions of Earth being hit and destroyed.

In the meantime, Justine’s depression has grown worse. 

She can barely muster the mental strength to get inside a cab to arrive to Claire and John’s estate, and is essentially catatonic upon arrival. 

Claire takes her sister under her care. 

One day, while horseback riding, Justine finally notices Melancholia in the sky, visible to the naked eye.

Upon seeing Melancholia in person, Claire becomes withdrawn and fearful, afraid that The End of The World is imminent, despite her husband’s assurances. 

She searches the Internet and finds an article predicting that Earth’s gravitational pull will draw Melancholia back towards it after its “fly-by”, ultimately leading to the Earth’s obliteration. 

Her husband assures her that these anecdotes are written by “prophets of doom”. 

Claire tries to relax, to little effect; meanwhile, Justine unexpectedly shows signs of improvement. 

She begins to bathe and eat meals on a regular schedule again. 

The day of the predicted “fly-by”, Justine tells Claire that the Earth is evil, and that they don’t need to grieve for it. 

Claire dismisses her sister’s claims, but is unsettled when Justine unexpectedly tells her the correct number of the bean lottery from the wedding, as proof of her clairvoyance. 

Justine then tells Claire 

“Life is only on Earth. 

And not for long.” 

That night, Melancholia passes very close to Earth, but ultimately begins to recede in the night sky, to Claire’s great relief.

The next morning, John has become visibly nervous, not breaking away from his telescope. 

When John vanishes after Claire naps, Claire observes Melancholia through the astronomical equipment and realizes it is actually getting bigger and circling back—as predicted by the Internet article. 

Horrified, she looks for John, only to find him dead in the stables (he purposefully overdosed on pills Claire was saving). 

Claire releases Abraham, and when Justine asks where John is, Claire says that he has ridden into The Village.

Claire calls the rest of her family together for a completely typical breakfast, but shortly into it, Claire’s attempt at calm breaks and she once again checks Melancholia’s closeness. 

Seeing that it has nearly doubled in size, Claire realizes the Earth is doomed and descends into a panic. 

In a moment of desperation, she attempts to flee the estate with her son, but the cars will not start, and the golf cart shuts down as she attempts to cross the same bridge that Justine had attempted earlier. 

Returning to the mansion, Claire tries to accept the inevitable. 

In a private conversation with Justine, Claire suggests that their last act be coming together on the terrace with wine and music. 

Justine crassly dismisses her idea.

Having noticed that Abraham is wandering around the estate without any sign of his father, Claire’s son, Leo, is frightened. 

“Dad said there’s nothing to do, nowhere to hide,” 

Leo says, aware of Melancholia’s closeness. 

He is reassured by Justine, who uses his innocence in order to soothe him, saying that they can be safe in a “magic cave”. 

Justine cries to herself as Leo embraces her. 

They gather tree sticks to build the cave in the form of a teepee without canvas.

The “magic cave” stands in the middle of a field on the golf course. 

Leo, Justine, and Claire sit in the teepee, holding hands as atmospheres from both planets begin to violently merge. 

Leo believes in the magic cave and closes his eyes. 

Claire is terrified and cries profusely. 

Justine watches them both, and accepts her fate calmly and stoically. 

In the last shot, Leo and Justine sit in meditative posture as Melancholia fills the sky behind the teepee, while Claire breaks away from their handhold and panics alone. 

Melancholia hits, sending a wall of fire passing through the field as the planets collide, vaporizing the trio and cutting the screen to black. 

The sounds of the destruction of both planets slowly echo and rumble into total silence.

Lars Von Trier - Melancholia (Richard Wagner - Tristan und Isolde, Prelude) 

Music: Richard Wagner, excerpts from Tristan und Isolde 

Orchestra: Filharmonici mesta Prahy (as The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra) 

Conductor: Richard Hein