Exploring the fan theory that Nemo might not actually exist in ‘Finding Nemo’
The co-existence of the internet and fan theories is an inevitability since it provides the perfect platform for users to post the most bizarre shower thoughts of all time. When it comes to massive fan communities such as Pixar and Marvel, these crazy fan theories are generated at an unbelievable speed after every new film.
One such fan theory surfaced a few years back, and it questioned the central theme of one of Pixar’s most famous productions – Finding Nemo. The 2003 animated comedy-drama had a massive impact on the landscape of modern animation, introducing many children to the magic of cinema and the wonders of animation.
Directed by Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich, Finding Nemo revolved around the journey of a clownfish named Marlin, who travels across the ocean to find his son Nemo. He reluctantly teams up with a regal blue tang named Dory, whose memory problems lead to hilarious complications. Dealing with subjects such as parenthood, coming of age and ecocriticism, Finding Nemo is Pixar at the height of its powers.
In an interview, Stanton revealed that he decided to make Finding Nemo after watching The Lion King because he was angered by the romanticised depiction of the animal kingdom. He explained: “I thought, could you make a movie that’s more like Bambi, where you work more with the rules of nature, where everything wants to eat you?”
While talking about the world of Finding Nemo, he added: “Nemo is working with the real world, the real predatory world, and was definitely a response to that movie. I liked working with the limitations of the rules of nature, as opposed to breaking the rules and saying everything’s in it for the ‘circle of life.'”
However, according to a popular fan theory circulated on the internet, Nemo is actually the manifestation of Marlin’s grief. It’s a psychological crutch that the clownfish develops after he watches his entire family get killed at the start of Finding Nemo. Not just that, the word “nemo” means “nobody” in Latin.
After this fan theory gained traction, some users also managed to associate Marlin’s journey with the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, despair and acceptance. Some fans still believe that the fish tank scenes with Nemo were visions conjured by Marlin to deal with the overwhelming sadness that was crushing him.
While the artists might not have had this in mind, art is what you get out of it, and this interpretation might help those who are going through similar periods of despair and grief.
