“Beware, the other side of the river is a parallel reality. I am sure that the only “me” here is me. Are you sure that the only “you” is you?”
Chapter 1: The Intriguing Figure of Lorna
Among so many stories, experiences, and characters that Wirt and Greg encounter in the Unknown, one, in particular, always grabs my attention. And not because it’s the most elaborate or full of explanations. In fact, it might be the most treacherous, the most enigmatic.
I’m talking about Lorna.
Who is she?
Why is she like that?
Why does she seem to be a victim of the forest, but also of something-or someone-even worse?
Seriously, I think I’m being fooled by yet another secret of Over the Garden Wall. Don’t you think so?
Chapter 2: Contextualizing “Over the Garden Wall”
Before we continue, I’ll assume you know what Over the Garden Wall is. This animated series, released in 2014, has become a true Cartoon Network classic.
If not, stop right now, watch the series, and then come back here. This text will contain spoilers and mention events from earlier episodes that are crucial to understanding the plot.
Chapter 3: Lorna’s House
Now that you’re prepared, let’s talk about Episode 7, one of the most intriguing of the entire series. In this episode, we follow Wirt and Greg wandering through the forest under heavy rain. Beatrice, the talking bird who usually accompanies them, is not with them-this is the part of the story where she separates from the group after tricking the boys and leading them to Adelaide’s house, the witch. Although they eventually reconcile, at this point, we only have Wirt, Greg, and the frog who changes names every moment.
While seeking shelter, a tree falls in front of Wirt. And, as we learn while watching the series, falling trees in this forest are never a good sign. The reason? The Woodman. This mysterious man is one of the central characters of the plot, constantly warning about The Beast-the series’ greatest antagonist. Although his intentions are good, The Woodman is intimidating and rarely manages to deliver his messages in a welcoming way, causing Wirt and Greg to always want to keep him at a distance.
After running away from him, the two end up finding a small cabin that seems to be abandoned. With the rain intensifying, it seems like the perfect refuge. The cabin is dirty, with broken windows, reinforcing the idea of abandonment. But, as they enter, they notice something curious: a basket on the floor filled with live black turtles. This suggests that perhaps the house isn’t as deserted as it seems.
That’s when Lorna appears.
Like the boys, she is also startled to see intruders in her house. Wirt tries to explain that they were just seeking shelter from the rain, and Lorna believes them. But her nervousness doesn’t subside. The reason for her fear, however, isn’t what you might imagine. Lorna is not worried about herself, but about what could happen to the boys. This is because she fears the arrival of Aunt Whispers, a figure as mysterious as herself.
Here, it’s worth taking a moment to reflect: Is Lorna a victim or something more? Is Aunt Whispers truly the villain she appears to be? And what role do the black turtles play in this story? The symbolism of the turtles is one of the mysteries that has never been fully explained, but many fans speculate that they have connections to The Beast and its corrupting power.
Chapter 4: The Enigma of Lorna and Aunt Whispers
The tension rises when we finally meet Aunt Whispers. She is enormous, with an air of threat that seems to confirm Lorna’s worst fears. However, appearances can be deceiving. Without giving too much away, the relationship between Lorna and her aunt is more complex than it seems, involving magic, secrets, and, of course, the central theme of the series: the battle between light and darkness.
Lorna is a character that continues to intrigue fans to this day. She represents the many layers of Over the Garden Wall, where nothing is black and white, and where every choice has deep consequences. Her arc, although brief, left a lasting impact and many unanswered questions. After all, this is the essence of Over the Garden Wall: to make us question, imagine, and interpret.
As Elijah Wood, the voice actor of Wirt, said in an interview:
“The magic of this series is that it refuses to give all the answers. What matters is not what you know, but what you feel while watching.”
Chapter 5: The Role of the Black Turtles
And you? What do you feel when you remember Lorna’s story? Leave your theories and perceptions in the comments. Let’s unravel Over the Garden Wall.
The door of the house was open, ready for the two friends, Wirt and Greg, to enter. They hide inside a basket filled with turtles, while Lorna needs to distract her aunt, known as Aunt Spell, who had already entered the house.
As soon as Aunt Spell appears, she directly asks Lorna if anyone else is there. Calmly, Lorna replies that no, no one else has entered the house. The answer seems to satisfy her aunt momentarily, until she adds a sinister warning:
“So no one will be eaten alive tonight.”
At this moment, the audience is sure: the true villain of the story is Aunt Spell. With her witch-like appearance, the conclusion is swift, while Lorna, sweet and submissive, seems like nothing more than a victim. But not everything is as it seems.
When Lorna insists that no one has entered, Aunt Spell accuses her of lying. She smells the scent of children in the house. To confirm her suspicion, she uses the fearsome Bell, an artifact with a terrifying peculiarity: whenever it is activated, the Bell puts Lorna into an absolute trance, forcing her to reveal the truth or blindly obey orders. The phrase that always accompanies the use of the Bell is almost ritualistic:
Chapter 6: The Power of the Bell
The object, which is shaped like Aunt Spell herself but with the face of a monster, works exclusively on Lorna. When she enters the trance, Lorna tells Aunt Spell to look in the basket of turtles—exactly where Wirt and Greg are hiding. However, the boys’ plan works, and they hide among the turtles, going unnoticed.
Frustrated, Aunt Spell attributes the strange smell to the turtles, claiming they are ripe for eating.
Here’s where an interesting detail arises: Aunt Spell feeds on black turtles. When I came across this, I couldn’t help but think of some symbolism or legend that could add depth to the narrative. There is a remote mention of black turtles in the Five Transformations Theory, but honestly, it doesn’t seem to connect with the episode or the general mythology of the series. Perhaps it’s just an “ambient charm,” something to add a layer of strangeness to the setting.
After devouring the turtles, Aunt Spell goes to sleep, but not before giving Lorna a task. Here, she explains why she uses the Bell: according to her, it’s the only way to keep Lorna occupied. If the girl isn’t constantly working, her empty mind could be overtaken by an “evil spirit,” which would lead her to wickedness. Despite the justification, it’s clear that Aunt Spell is not a good person. She isolates Lorna from the world and subjects her to a state of constant servitude.
When Aunt Spell finally leaves the scene, Wirt and Greg appear, and something curious happens: their presence makes Lorna visibly happy. Although she doesn’t know them, she smiles, suggesting it has been a long time since she interacted with anyone other than her aunt. And let’s be honest, talking to someone who can put you into a trance at any moment probably isn’t the best experience.
Soon, Wirt notices that Lorna coughs a lot. She explains that this is due to her “illness,” which is the reason Aunt Spell keeps her enchanted. When Wirt asks if she’s seen a doctor, Lorna replies that her aunt doesn’t allow visitors because she believes strangers might corrupt her. By this point, it’s clear that Wirt’s sense of heroism is awakening, and he decides to help Lorna.
Since Lorna has the whole house to clean, Wirt suggests they clean together to speed up the process. Even in her trance, the boys’ company begins to change something inside her. The relationship between the characters is delicate, full of nuances that make the narrative captivating. Here lies the true strength of this episode: the mix of mystery, emotion, and small revelations that leave us increasingly curious about what’s to come.
What will happen next? You’ll need to watch to find out. But one thing is certain: Aunt Spell won’t make things easy for our heroes.
Lorna could simply walk out the front door to rid herself of the curse, but doing so before returning home would cause the spell on her to automatically bring her back. There is something holding her to that house, and she still has unresolved matters to take care of. To speed things up, Greg and Wirt decide to help her clean the place, hoping that, together, they’ll finish the tasks faster and be able to escape. An apparently perfect plan.
During the cleaning, a growing bond between Wirt and Lorna becomes evident. They both share similar desires: Wirt longs to return home, while Lorna dreams of finding a place to call her own. This connection adds a melancholic tone to the narrative, highlighting the loneliness and deep yearnings that permeate the characters.
But, as usual, Greg finds a way to complicate the situation. He decides to explore the house and, without permission, climbs the stairs to Aunt Spell’s room. There, he sees something that the series prefers to leave unsaid, intensifying the mystery and suspense. Scared, Greg ends up waking Aunt Whispers, and, once again, his impulsive behavior puts everyone in danger.
Surprisingly, Aunt Whispers’ initial reaction is not one of hostility. Instead, she appears resilient and even concerned. She warns that the boys are in great danger for being near Lorna, explaining that they must keep their distance or they will be devoured. This moment subverts expectations, as the apparent villainy of Aunt Spell is replaced by a protective behavior.
As Wirt tries to calm the situation, Aunt Whispers realizes she has lost her Bell, an object used to control Lorna. Without it, Lorna quickly calls the boys and locks them in one of the rooms in the house. On the outside, Aunt Whispers shouts: “Get out of there, or I’ll devour you!” It’s at this moment that Lorna’s true nature is revealed.
Chapter 7: Lorna’s Possession
Lorna carries within her an evil spirit that takes over her body whenever there is “fresh meat” nearby – in this case, Greg and Wirt. The “illness” Lorna mentioned earlier is actually the possession by this spirit. A curious detail for the more attentive viewers: in the first episode, there’s a brief scene showing Lorna cleaning the bones, hinting at the remains of her last victim.
When Wirt and Greg try to escape, Wirt throws himself and Greg through a window, but the spirit doesn’t give up so easily. It abandons Lorna’s body and chases after the boys. During the escape, Greg reveals that his frog had swallowed Aunt Spell’s Bell. Wirt, then, shakes the frog, activating the bell and casting a spell on Lorna: “The ringing of the Bell commands: stop doing evil, leave, and never return!”
In a simple yet effective way, Wirt manages to break the spell that had imprisoned Lorna for years, freeing her from the evil spirit.
Chapter 8: Lorna’s Choice
Aunt Spell’s reaction is emotional. She is relieved and happy to see Lorna free, but she also starts to cry. Until then, Lorna had stayed with her because Aunt Spell was the only one capable of controlling her transformation. Now, without the spirit, Lorna has no reason to stay. However, to everyone’s surprise, she decides to remain by Aunt Spell’s side, even though she is now free.
This decision raises many questions. Why would Lorna choose to stay there? The fact that she locked herself in with Wirt and Greg while possessed, and that her first words indicated a desire to devour them, reinforces the complexity of her character. There is something profoundly tragic and disturbing in this relationship.
Another intriguing point is the similarity between Lorna and Aunt Spell while possessed – from the voice to the teeth. This makes us question: do Lorna and Aunt Spell belong to the same species? A plausible theory is that Lorna made some pact to try to become human, but something went wrong. This kind of narrative is not new in the series’ universe, reminiscent of Beatrice’s case, where she does everything to regain her human form.
In any case, Lorna’s story is a fascinating example of the balance between tragedy and redemption that permeates the series. Her struggle against possession, the bond with Aunt Spell, and her final choice to stay show that even in a world full of darkness, there is still room for decisions filled with meaning.
Lorna is possessed again when she is close to fresh meat, and this is directly connected to Aunt Spell, who also feeds on living beings. A subtle and intriguing reference in the episode shows poor black turtles, which seem to be part of some ritual or dark sustenance for Aunt Spell. Both Lorna and her aunt have clear connections to witches, reinforcing the mystical and dark atmosphere of the episode. The very bell created by Aunt Spell to hypnotize Lorna is an artifact that directly ties to magical practices typical of this universe.
Chapter 9: References and Aesthetics
This entire episode seems to flirt with the aesthetics and themes of the Inquisition era. From the clothing to the house’s setting – filled with cauldrons, candles, and an austere architecture – everything evokes a time of superstition and judgment. It is a visual and thematic choice that amplifies the enigmatic tone of the story.
Chapter 10: Lorna’s Legacy
The episode featuring Lorna is undoubtedly one of the most mysterious in the entire series. It stands out for its apparent disconnection from the main plot. Although Lorna is mentioned and appears at other moments, no concrete answers are given about her origin or the nature of the spirit that possesses her. Even Adelaide, Aunt Spell’s sister, who appears in the previous episode, does not clarify what is truly happening, only adding more questions to the storyline.
Why did Lorna return to live with Aunt Spell after being freed?
The episode leaves this question open, and the relationship between the two is, at the very least, ambiguous. Who is truly more cruel in this story? Aunt Spell, who never freed Lorna from the spell, leaving her at the mercy of the spirit for years? Or Lorna, who, even aware of her condition, was ready to kill Wirt and Greg?
For these and other reasons, we believe Lorna is one of the biggest secrets of the series, perhaps even more so than the Garden itself. Her story is shrouded in mystery, and the connections to other characters only make everything more intriguing.
Thank you so much for sticking with me through this video! My name is Augustulyn, and I’ll see you next time. Bye!
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