What You Need To Know About Hellbound's VIPs And Their Masks
Contains spoilers for Season 1 of "Hellbound"
The Netflix original "Hellbound" is a series about the unknown. When a religious group begins warning the world that God is passing judgment on humanity by condemning sinners to be zapped to Hell, there is initially as much skepticism as can be expected. But when videos of people being attacked by giant demon-like creatures begin to appear online, few are entirely certain of what to believe.
The religious group in question, the New Truth Society, claims that these sinners are visited by a ghostly entity who tells them exactly when they will be sent to Hell. On that date and time, a group of three monstrous beings will appear and kill the sinner in question. The viral videos of these events garner some attention but ultimately aren't enough to convince the masses. However, when a woman named Park Jeong-ja (Kim Shin-rok) receives the decree that she'll be sent to Hell, the New Truth Society pays her an exorbitant amount of money so that she'll allow them to livestream the moment that she is taken.
That livestream is a central event in the early episodes of "Hellbound" and one of the most intriguing aspects is the presence of VIP guests. While the masses huddle around in the streets to watch, the VIPs, all wearing masks and black head coverings, are given a front-row seat to the supernatural show. Who are these people and why have they been chosen? The show keeps their identities a secret, however, considering the context, we can make some speculations.
How the VIPs could fit into the New Truth Society's plans
One of the main developments in "Hellbound" is the way the New Truth Society is able to amass an incredible amount of power and influence in a relatively short period of time. Once they broadcast the moment that Park Jeong-ja is taken to Hell, they go from a fringe religious group to an almost messianic organization that is supported by a huge number of people around the world. That quick ascension gives us a clue as to who their VIPs could be.
It's most likely that the VIPs are exactly what the acronym suggests — Very Important People. From politicians to business leaders to influential celebrities, these could be people the New Truth Society wants to make sure believe and are on board with their message. Having those types of people backing their organization is a surefire way to gain the kind of influence they are looking for. Instead of letting them watch the livestream along with everyone else, why not give them a front-row seat?
As for the masks, the symbolism isn't explained, but if we are working from the theory that the VIPs are well-known members of society, the simplest explanation is likely that the masks are used for anonymity. Unlike, for instance, the masks that the VIPs wear in "Squid Game," which are meant to protect the wearer but also have decadent designs, the masks the VIPs wear in "Hellbound" are fairly plain and uniform. That would seem to indicate that they serve much more of a utilitarian purpose.
You can catch all six episodes of "Hellbound" currently on Netflix.