The Home Alone Devil Theory Is Wrong: John Candy Isn't Satan - He's God
The internet seems hell-bent on warping every children's property with fan theories that give it nefarious undertones. One even emerged for the beloved holiday classic "Home Alone" back in 2015. Redditor u/drewgarr posted a thorough theory about when Kate McCallister (Catherine O'Hara) wants to fly home to rescue Kevin (Macaulay Culkin) and tells an airport worker, "If I have to sell my soul to the devil himself, I am going to get home to my son." It's at this moment Gus Polinski (John Candy) appears and offers her a ride home, and the Redditor suggested Gus must be Satan or at least some kind of demon. But what if he's actually a holier deity? It makes much more sense to theorize that Gus is actually God.
For starters, Gus appears over Kate's right shoulder, which is typically where the "shoulder angel" appears in TV shows and movies. The "shoulder devil" usually comes up on the left (or sinister) side — no offense to any left-handers out there. And if you look over Kate's left shoulder in this scene, you see a dark-dressed man with a beard, who looks far more sinister than kindly Gus dressed in gold, which almost illuminates him. It's possible this other man is Satan, who actually would've tempted Kate and taken her soul, but Gus intervenes to save her.
Having Gus as a savior to Kate is far more optimistic for a kids' movie, and it makes far more sense than the devil theory if you dive deep.
Gus' band seems more like angels than demons
The Redditor carried on by describing the specific location where Kate makes her deal: "The Scranton airport. More specifically the crossroads located right at the airport. At this point I want to point out the myth regarding the crossroads demon. In a nutshell it means that [if] you can give an offering to the devil (in this case her soul) near a crossroads, the devil will show up and deliver it in exchange for the offering." The crossroads is one thing, but perhaps it's merely an allusion to the cross where Jesus Christ was crucified, furthering the connection of Gus being God.
Things only get clearer on the ride back to Chicago. Gus' polka band plays in the cramped vehicle, which one could view as torture, but Kate doesn't seem to mind very much. Gus is downright jovial toward her, and it's worth noting who else is in the van. Not including Gus, there are seven other members of his polka band (including the driver). God has seven archangels. Angels may typically be affiliated with harps, but who's to say heavenly beings wouldn't enjoy polka? The devil may play the fiddle, but how many statues and pictures exist of angels playing trumpets? And many people in Gus' band are playing similar wind instruments.
When you get right down to it, Gus just doesn't seem like a demon. They say the devil will try to tempt you, but he really doesn't appear to have ulterior motives.
Gus brings light to the darkness
If you really want to delve deep, Gus tells Kate about his own son and how he left him at a funeral parlor all day. This could be seen as comparable to God sending his son, Jesus, to Earth, another mortal plane where he learns about death. Gus' son was traumatized (Jesus probably would've been too if he wasn't part God), but it functions as a parable about how all parents make mistakes. The important part of the equation is forgiveness, both the child forgiving the parent and the parent forgiving themself.
If Gus were the devil, why would he do this? He's giving Kate a ride, and that's all he would need to claim her soul. What's the point of comforting her further? The "Home Alone" fan theory would make far more sense with Gus as a kindly figure who simply wants to do the right thing because it's Christmas, a holiday about Jesus' birth, and if there were any time of year for God to come down to Earth, this would be it.
There are smaller details, too. "Gus" and "God" are both three letters, both starting with G. Gus is the "Polka King of the Midwest," while God is the king of all. Gus even has a beer mug logo on his jacket, and God is a big fan of wine, another alcoholic drink, seeing how he lets Christians drink it every Sunday. If Gus isn't God directly, he's at least an angel or working with God's spirit through him. It's much more uplifting to read "Home Alone" this way rather than with the Satan theory. And besides, it's the holidays; we could all use some more cheer.