In ‘Matilda the Musical’, Matilda not only discovers the kind of mind she possesses but also the powers that are locked within her during her time at Crunchem Hall.
Matilda Wormwood becomes popular at Crunchem Hall when Miss Honey sees her solving a mathematical equation, which is for higher-grade students.
While Miss Honey tries to pitch Matilda’s name to Headmistress Agatha Trunchbull, Matilda’s friends start discussing whether she has some sort of superpower.
One of her friends wonders if she could use telekinesis, through which she can move things around with her mind.
Matilda’s friend’s prediction comes true during the physical education class conducted by Miss Trunchbull herself, where Matilda dares to unlock this power.
Matilda uses telekinesis
Miss Trunchbull became alert when she learned that the students are aligning themselves with Matilda, the only student who has the courage to stand up to her.
Miss Trunchbull decided to go hard on the students. She turned the physical education class into a military camp. During the same class, Lavender dropped her newt into Miss Trunchbull’s water glass.
Miss Trunchbull got scared, and in order to get revenge, she randomly targeted a student and punished him by pulling his ears out.
Matilda had enough of it. She called Miss Trunchbull stupid, horrible, and a bully in front of everyone. Miss Trunchbull then turned her attention to Matilda and declared that her rebellion is over.
An angry Matilda tried to use the powers her friend suggested and managed to move Miss Trunchbull’s water glass with her mind. She attacked Miss Trunchbull with that glass, using her newly acquired powers.
The newt then entered Miss Trunchbull’s clothes, and she got embarrassed further.
Matilda continues to unlock the true potential of these powers later in the film. She destroys Miss Trunchbull’s Chokey using these same powers after learning what she did with Miss Honey.
Toward the end of the film, Matilda takes these powers to another level. She moves the chalk in Miss Trunchbull’s class around and then proceeds to write on the board, suggesting that this is Magnus, Miss Honey’s father, talking.
Matilda, as Magnus, commands Miss Trunchbull to give Miss Honey her house back. While Miss Trunchbull assumes this is one of the students’ tricks, the students claim it’s a ghost.
Matilda then creates a monster out of the chains in Miss Trunchbull’s class. She grabs Miss Trunchbull by the hair and throws her out of the school.
Matilda imagines Miss Honey’s story
During her time at Miss Honey’s house, Matilda made another shocking discovery about herself and Miss Honey.
Moments after the incident in Miss Trunchbull’s physical education class, Matilda attempted to use her powers again to show them to Miss Honey, who invited her for a cup of tea at her house. They got along, and Miss Honey told Matilda her story.
Miss Honey’s life resembled the story Matilda was writing. It turns out that Matilda didn’t imagine the escapologist, the acrobat, their child, or the acrobat’s stepsister. They were all part of Miss Honey’s life.
Miss Honey is the child of a father who is an escapologist and a mother who is an acrobat. Miss Trunchbull is the stepsister of the acrobat as well as Miss Honey’s evil aunt.
After meeting Miss Honey for the first time at her house and on the very first day of school, this story started appearing in Matilda’s mind. She described it to Mrs. Phelps and struggled to end it until she met Miss Honey.
The movie doesn’t clarify whether Matilda can read minds, but she definitely managed to imagine Miss Honey’s story using her exceptional mind.
Also Read: Matilda the Musical review: Enthralling musical struggles with its tone