History YMMV / LightsOut2016

** TragicVillain: A different interpretation of Diana is that [[spoiler: what she told Sophie is true - she didn't actually ''die'' in that light experiment, but instead got shifted to a different plane of existence, and Sophie is now her only tie to the known world. When Sophie gets better, Diana loses that link, as evidenced by the RoomFullOfCrazy in the basement. Couple that with her having been kept confined in the basement for most of her childhood due to her light allergy.

** TragicVillain: A different interpretation of Diana is that [[spoiler: what she told Sophie is true - she didn't actually ''die'' in that light experiment, but instead got shifted to a different plane of existence, and Sophie is now her only tie to the known world. When Sophie gets better, Diana loses that link, as evidenced by the RoomFullOfCrazy in the basement. Couple that with her having been kept confined in the basement for most of her childhood due to her light allergy, and the CompleteMonster gains some level of sympathy]].

* EnsembleDarkhorse: Bret is the best character in the whole goddamn movie. What could have been the typical dumbass horror movie boyfriend [[SacrificialLion who dies just to add drama]] was instead a likeable and resourceful young man who believes Rebecca when she explains the supernatural encounters instead of just blowing it off. The scene where he [[spoiler: uses his ''car lights'' to ward off Diana]] has reportedly caused several audiences to ''start cheering''. Even before that moment he was genuinely supportive of Rebecca and was the one pushing for a RelationshipUpgrade, when it's typically the other way around in movies.

* EnsembleDarkhorse: Bret is the best character in the whole goddamn movie. What should have been the typical dumbass horror movie boyfriend [[SacrificialLion who dies just to add drama]] was instead a likeable and resourceful young man who believes Rebecca when she explains the supernatural encounters instead of just blowing it off. The scene where he [[spoiler: uses his ''car lights'' to ward off Diana]] has reportedly caused several audiences to ''start cheering''. Even before that moment he was genuinely supportive of Rebecca and was the one pushing for a RelationshipUpgrade, when it's typically the other way around in movies.

* UnfortunateImplications: If you want to take the interpretation of Sophie's depression manifesting into the ghostly Diana then the ending where [[spoiler: she kills herself to get rid of Diana, gives off the unintentional message that if you suffer from depression and you're hurting your family, you should just kill yourself, because they'll be better off without you.]] [[http://www.avclub.com/review/scariest-thing-about-lights-out-what-it-says-about-239598 This hasn't gone unnoticed.]] David Sandberg has revealed that [[spoiler:this is actually a FocusGroupEnding, as originally her suicide didn't actually help, which audiences complained [[SenselessSacrifice made it feel pointless]]. He actually suffers from depression himself, and has lived through a friend committing suicide, and was horrified to realize how people were taking the revised ending.]]

* {{Fanon}}: Fans of the film and original short tend to theorize that [[spoiler: Escher is the character of the 2013 short since we don't see her again]]. Considering that most (if not ''all'') of Sandberg's shorts have Lolta be TheChewToy of them, it wouldn't be surprising.

* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: Sophie's [[spoiler: suicide]].See UnfortunateImplications below.
** Also [[spoiler: Diana's father killing himself after being [[MindScrew manipulated]] by her repeatedly]] could be considered metaphorical of how some people's demons get the best of them.
* EnsembleDarkhorse: Bret is the best character in the whole goddamn movie. What should have been the typical dumbass horror movie boyfriend [[SacrificialLion who dies just to add drama]] was instead a likeable and resourceful young man who believes Rebecca when she explains the supernatural encounters instead of just blowing it off. The scene where he [[spoiler: uses his ''car lights'' to ward off Diana]] has reportedly caused several audiences to ''start cheering''.
** Even before that moment he was genuinely supportive of Rebecca and was the one pushing for a RelationshipUpgrade, when it's typically the other way around in movies.

* UnfortunateImplications: If you want to take the interpretation of Sophie's depression manifesting into the ghostly Diana then the ending where [[spoiler: she kills herself to get rid of Diana, gives off the unintentional message that if you suffer from depression and you're hurting your family, you should just kill yourself, because they'll be better off without you.]] [[http://www.avclub.com/review/scariest-thing-about-lights-out-what-it-says-about-239598 This hasn't gone unnoticed.]] David Sandberg has revealed that [[spoiler:this is actually a FocusGroupEnding, as originally her suicide didn't actually help, which audiences complained [[SenselessSacrifice made it feel pointless]]. He actually suffers from depression himself, and has lived through a friend committing suicide, and was horrified to realize how people were taking the revised ending.]]
** [[spoiler: Given that a sequel has been reportedly green-lighted, Sandberg's original concept may hold true after all]].

* StalkerWithACrush: Combined with PsychoLesbian. A potential explanation for the sheer lengths Diana goes through to keep Sophie all to herself. Their implied relationship in the mental hospital has shades of this, especially when you consider Diana's very specific hatred of both Sophie's husbands [[spoiler: to the point that she murders them both]] and particularly Diana scratching the father out of little Rebecca's drawing and adding herself next to Sophie instead.
* TragicVillain: A different interpretation of Diana is that [[spoiler: what she told Sophie is true - she didn't actually ''die'' in that light experiment, but instead got shifted to a different plane of existence, and Sophie is now her only tie to the known world. When Sophie gets better, Diana loses that link, as evidenced by the RoomFullOfCrazy in the basement. Couple that with her having been kept confined in the basement for most of her childhood due to her light allergy, and the CompleteMonster gains some level of sympathy]].

* TragicVillain: A different interpretation of Diana is that [[spoiler: what she told Sophie is true - she didn't actually ''die'' in that light experiment, but instead got shifted to a different plane of existence, and Sophie is now her only tie to the known world. When Sophie gets better, Diana loses that link, as evidenced by the RoomfulOfCrazy in the basement. Couple that with her having been kept confined in the basement for most of her childhood due to her light allergy, and the CompleteMonster gains some level of sympathy]].

** [[spoiler: Given that a sequel has been reportedly green-lighted, Sandberg's original concept may hold true after all]].
* StalkerWithACrush: Combined with PsychoLesbian. A potential explanation for the sheer lengths Diana goes through to keep Sophie all to herself. Their implied relationship in the mental hospital has shades of this, especially when you consider Diana's very specific hatred of both Sophie's husbands [[spoiler: to the point that she murders them both]] and particularly Diana scratching the father out of little Rebecca's drawing and adding herself next to Sophie instead.

* EnsembleDarkhorse: Bret is the best character in the whole goddamn movie. What should have been the typical dumbass horror movie boyfriend [[SacrificalLion who dies just to add drama]] was instead a likeable and resourceful young man who believes Rebecca when she explains the supernatural encounters instead of just blowing it off. The scene where he [[spoiler: uses his ''car lights'' to ward off Diana]] has reportedly caused several audiences to ''start cheering''.

* EnsembleDarkhorse: Bret is the best character in the whole goddamn movie. What should have been the typical dumbass horror movie boyfriend who dies just to add drama was instead a likeable and resourceful young man who believes Rebecca when she explains the supernatural encounters instead of just blowing it off. The scene where he [[spoiler: uses his ''car lights'' to ward off Diana]] has reportedly caused several audiences to ''start cheering''.

* CompleteMonster: A [[TheSociopath sociopath]] since the day she was born, [[EnfantTerrible Diana]] is sent to a mental institution after she played [[MindScrew mind games]] with her father, ultimately causing him to [[DrivenToSuicide kill himself]]. While there, she manipulates a depressed Sophie [[FalseFriend into becoming friends with her]], and became physically abusive towards her, going as far as to break her legs when she heard that Sophie might be getting released.
** As a [[LivingShadow ghost]], she latches herself onto Sophie, enslaving her in the process. Wanting Sophie to herself, she murders both of her husbands when they attempted to heal their wife's mind, and she stalks and terrorizes Sophie’s children Rebecca and [[WouldHurtAChild Martin]], eventually opting to kill them in utter defiance of Sophie's demands. When two police officers are alerted on a potential break in, they go to investigate; Diana [[CopKiller savagely murders both of the officers]], and attempts to kill Rebecca in front of Sophie. Self-serving and hostile, Diana sought complete control over Sophie's body, and would murder anyone who came in her way.

* StalkerWithACrush: Combined with PsychoLesbian. A potential explanation for the sheer lengths Diana goes through to keep Sophie all to herself. Their implied relationship in the mental hospital has shades of this, especially when you consider Diana's very specific hatred of both Sophie's husbands [[spoiler: to the point that she murders them both]] and particularly [[spoiler: Diana scratching the father out of little Rebecca's drawing and adding herself next to Sophie instead.]]

** [[spoiler: Given that a sequel has been reportedly green-lighted, Sandberg's original concept may hold true after all]].

* CompleteMonster: A [[TheSociopath sociopath]] since the day she was born, [[EnfantTerrible Diana]] is sent to a mental institution after she played [[MindScrew mind games]] with her father, ultimately causing him to [[DrivenToSuicide kill himself]]. While there, she manipulates a depressed Sophie [[FalseFriend into becoming friends with her]], and became physically abusive towards her, going as far as to break her legs in an unprovoked attack. As a [[LivingShadow ghost]], she latches herself onto Sophie, enslaving her in the process. Wanting Sophie to herself, she murders both of her husbands when they attempted to heal their wife's mind, and she stalks and terrorizes Sophie’s children Rebecca and [[WouldHurtAChild Martin]], eventually opting to kill them in utter defiance of Sophie's demands. When two police officers are alerted on a potential break in, they go to investigate; Diana [[CopKiller savagely murders both of the officers]], and attempts to kill Rebecca in front of Sophie. Self-serving and hostile, Diana sought complete control over Sophie's body, and would murder anyone who came in her way.

* UnfortunateImplications: If you want to take the interpretation of Sophie's depression manifesting into the ghostly Diana then the ending where [[spoiler: she kills herself to get rid of Diana, gives off the unintentional message that if you suffer from depression and you're hurting your family, you should just kill yourself, because they'll be better off without you.]] [[http://www.avclub.com/review/scariest-thing-about-lights-out-what-it-says-about-239598 This hasn't gone unnoticed.]] David Sandberg has revealed that [[spoiler:this is actually a FocusGroupEnding, as originally her suicide didn't actually help, which audiences complained made it feel pointless. He actually suffers from depression himself, and has lived through a friend committing suicide, and was horrified to realize how people were taking the revised ending.]]

* UnfortunateImplications: If you want to take the interpretation of Sophie's depression manifesting into the ghostly Diana then the ending where [[spoiler: she kills herself to get rid of Diana, gives off the unintentional message that if you suffer from depression and you're hurting your family, you should just kill yourself, because they'll be better off without you.]] [[http://www.avclub.com/review/scariest-thing-about-lights-out-what-it-says-about-239598 This hasn't gone unnoticed.]] David Sandberg has revealed that [[spoiler:this is actually a FocusGroupEnding, as originally her suicide didn't actually help, which audiences complained made it feel pointless. He actually suffers from depression himself, and has lived through a friend committing suicide, and was horrified to realize how people were taking the revised ending.]]

* UnfortunateImplications: If you want to take the interpretation of Sophie's depression manifesting into the ghostly Diana then the ending where [[spoiler: she kills herself to get rid of Diana, gives off the unintentional message that if you suffer from depression and you're hurting your family, you should just kill yourself, because they'll be better off without you.]] [[http://www.avclub.com/review/scariest-thing-about-lights-out-what-it-says-about-239598 This hasn't gone unnoticed.]]

* UnfortunateImplications: If you want to take the interpretation of Sophie's depression manifesting into the ghostly Diana then the ending where [[spoiler: she kills herself to get rid of Diana, gives off the (presumably) unintentional message that if you suffer from depression and you're hurting your family, you should just kill yourself, because they'll be better off without you.]] [[http://www.avclub.com/review/scariest-thing-about-lights-out-what-it-says-about-239598 This hasn't gone unnoticed.]]