The Hidden Plot of "The Muppets" Movie

Did you get a chance to see The Muppets movie when it was in theaters?  If you didn't you sure missed one hell of a movie.  It's pretty much flawless.  We're serious.  Not only did it bring back everything we've ever loved about the Muppets, Jason Segel added his own special flair to it!  It was a perfect family movie and had something for everyone.  But what is the hidden plot of The Muppets?  NOTE: There may be some spoilers ahead.


In The Muppets, we're told the Story of Gary and Walter, who work together in order to get their childhood favorite television show The Muppet Show back on air. However, their plans are stopped short by an evil oil tycoon named Tex Richman, who is set on destroying Muppet Studios to drill for oil! Gasp! Perhaps there's more to the story than this, though.  We just have to drill a little deeper.

As you can see in The Muppets movie poster to the left, Jason Segel character, Gary, has the exact same clothes on as Walter, his best friend.  Is this a coincidence?  No, it definitely isn't.  They aren't just best friends, they are the same person.

I know you're wondering, "How is that? Walter is a Muppet and Gary is a man."  As we see in the beginning of the movie, Gary gets older and Walter remains, well, Walter.  Walter is simply a part of Gary.  He's a part of his mind that will forever stay the same and will continue to keep that part of Gary alive.

Walter is in love with the Muppets.  It's all he lives and breathes and Walter will stop at nothing to achieve his goal of meeting them and hopefully becoming a Muppet.  Multiple times throughout the movie, Gary's girlfriend Mary keeps mentioning that he should stop spending so much time with Walter.  Maybe Mary does not like this side of Gary, the Muppet-crazed part of him that shows so much.

When Gary tells Mary that Walter is coming to Los Angeles with them, Mary is a little hesitant.  Why should Gary bring his friend when it was "them" time?  Gary defends it, saying that Walter has always wanted to see the Muppets and won't get in the way.  This proves false, though, as Gary and Walter go around the globe to gather the Muppets and save their studios.  Perhaps she's saying that Gary shouldn't get all worked up about the Muppets when they get to Los Angeles and just spend time with her?

This goes on throughout the movie until a small song, where Gary tries to figure out if he's a man or if he's a Muppet.  Gary sings the same song, only is he a Muppet or is he a man?  Gary is battling it out within himself, not knowing whether or not to let the Muppets go and remain a part of his childhood, or continue living life as one of them.

Finally, they save the Muppets.  This isn't  much of a spoiler as it is a family movie.  Walter finally becomes a Muppet and Gary and Mary stay together.  Gary lets Walter "stay with them."  He has finally let go of his past and settled that part of him.  He has let his Muppet self stay a Muppet and kept that separate from his life by helping them out.

The actual moral of the movie is that sometimes you have to let your past go and set it free.  You can still keep a part of your childhood within yourself, but you can't let it control you.  Are you a man or are you a Muppet?

What do you think of this hidden plot?  What would be your inner Muppet?