The Changeling Episode 7: Unveiling Lillian's Mysterious Past

Warning: This article contains spoilers for Apple TV+'s The Changeling.

This article contains mention of self-harm and murder.

Summary

Episode 7 of Apple TV+'s The Changeling delves into Apollo's mother, Lillian's backstory, revealing her struggles and how they connect to Apollo's present.

Lillian's determination to shield Apollo, regardless of the consequences, stems from her past experiences and regrets. In order to achieve this, she resorts to fabricating the truth regarding his father's abandonment, pushing Apollo to confront his inner struggles.

The powerful inscription, "If you seek a sign, this is it," symbolizes Lillian's newfound understanding of her role as a mother and her unwavering commitment to shaping a brighter future for her son. This parallels Apollo's own transformative journey in the present, reinforcing the connection between their paths.

Episode 7 of The Changeling, titled "Lillian's Past," delves deep into Lillian's backstory, resolving some mysteries surrounding Apollo's present timeline. While the Apple TV+ series is based on Victor LaValle's book with the same name, episode 7 takes a slight deviation by focusing primarily on Apollo's mother, Lillian. The episode begins with Lillian arriving at Elk Hotel, a historically significant New York establishment that once housed immigrants from Ellis Island. Despite its dark history of crime, the hotel becomes a turning point for Lillian as she starts her life anew in New York.

Through a series of flashbacks, the episode explores Lillian's struggles during Uganda's military coup and the challenges she faced with her husband after Apollo's birth. These events provide insight into Lillian's character and reveal their connection to Apollo's present situation. Here, we provide a detailed breakdown of Lillian's past events, their significance, and their impact on Apollo's journey in The Changeling.

Lillian's Backstory & Its Significance In The Changeling Explained

Lillian's upbringing in Uganda, where her brother was killed during a military coup, has been emphasized in previous episodes of The Changeling. In Episode 7, it is revealed that she managed to escape the country in search of a better life in the United States. Despite her new life, Lillian continues to be haunted by her past and often wonders what would have happened if she had stayed in Uganda. She deeply misses her home country, where she spent her formative years.

The weight of guilt and regret still lingers for Lillian, primarily because she had come to the United States with a glimmer of hope. Her grandmother had always encouraged her musical talent, leading her to believe that she could pursue a singing career and achieve fame. Filled with a fairytale-like optimism, she arrived in New York with dreams of finding love, starting a family, and living happily ever after. However, her dreams of becoming a singer remained unfulfilled, and her marriage fell apart due to being with the wrong person.

Lillian recalls the bleak time when her husband unjustly accused her of infidelity, leaving her voiceless and devoid of power. However, her breaking point arrived when he attempted to drown their beloved Apollo in the bathtub, compelling her to take action by striking him in the head and ending his life. Subsequently, she found herself teetering on the edge of despair, contemplating suicide as she contemplated leaping from the window of a room within the notorious Elk Hotel—the very place where, like countless immigrants, her journey in New York had begun.

How Lillian's Backstory Connects To Apollo's Present In The Changeling

Lillian's resolve to safeguard her son, rooted in a pledge she made while expecting, anchors her on the ledge. This commitment stems from her guilt over failing to shield her family in Uganda. Fueled by this newfound determination, Lillian comprehends that instead of calling authorities or succumbing to self-harm, she must return to her son and strive to provide the life she never experienced. Consequently, she fabricates a tale for Apollo, falsely asserting that his father deserted him, concealing the truth of what had actually occurred. This fabrication unravels the reason behind Apollo's consistent nightmares involving his father—it stems from his subconscious recollection of the terrifying incident when his father attempted to drown him in his early years.

Despite his mother's best efforts to protect him and provide him with a better life in the United States, Apollo is tormented by the ghosts of his past in his dreams. These nightly terrors become a harsh reality when he himself becomes a father. Despite Lillian's good intentions and her actions taken to shield Apollo, the consequences of her past choices ripple into the present, forcing Apollo to confront and conquer the very things his mother worked so hard to save him from. Just as Lillian had to bury a part of herself and her ambitions to find her purpose as a mother, Apollo, too, must vanquish various demons before he can carve out a brighter future for his family.

What "If You're Looking For A Sign, This Is It" Means In The Changeling's Episode 7

In the final moments of episode 7 of The Changeling, Lillian leaves a lasting message on her hotel room table: "If you're looking for a sign, this is it." This simple inscription signifies her long-awaited discovery of purpose after years of struggle as an immigrant in New York. No longer feeling adrift and undervalued, Lillian has embraced her maternal instincts and is determined to guide her son with confidence and strength. She realizes that in order to overcome her painful past, she must actively shape her future. Similarly, Apollo, in the present timeline of The Changeling, undergoes a transformative journey as he faces the pivotal moment of his son's abduction — a powerful metaphorical "sign" that will drive him to change.