Mary manages to escape – though not of her own accord. While attempting to flee, she sprains her ankle and is knocked out by a strange gas, which we learn was deployed by a group of Async scientists. These scientists, it turns out, used to develop MRI machines, but pivoted their entire business strategy to study the backrooms. They take Mary back to their lab, along with Clark’s replica monster, and fill her in on their mission.
Before the film ends, the cameras take us to the backrooms once more, where we see that Mary’s memories become embedded in their structure, from her childhood bedroom to the Async interrogation room she now finds herself in. Even though she made it out, it seems like the backrooms will forever hold parts of her psyche – and a replica of Mary has already made itself at home.
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Still thinking, “Huh?” Nows the time to get a bit metaphorical. If you’re looking for logical answers here, you’re unlikely to find them. Parson’s own reluctance to explain the ending makes it clear that it’s open to interpretation. He’s clarified that it’s definitely not a dream, but other than that, he wants you to come to your own conclusions. “I could tell you exactly what it means to me and what it was meant to be,” he says, “but I don’t want that information being out as fact.”
For what its worth, our instinct is that the backrooms represent how people can become trapped in their own minds, spiralling around memories and trauma, even when it hurts. No matter how hard you try to make sense of the pain, there’s always another layer – or room – to unpack. But we’re just guessing, of course. It’s up to you to make your own mind up.