Exploring the Depths of Emotion: “Bluey” Episode “Space”
Disney Plus finally released the last few episodes of Bluey on July 12th, and while I’m slightly embarrassed to admit this, I’m as big a fan (if not bigger) than my kid is. To say we were excited would be an understatement — we woke up Wednesday morning, made breakfast, and shamelessly plopped down to binge the remaining episodes.
As expected, each episode was phenomenal — some better than others, but one episode in particular strongly impacted me. The episode “Space” really tugged at my heartstrings, and I spent the rest of the day psycho-analyzing the possible interpretations of the episode.
Apparently, I’m not the only person this episode impacted; many people reached out to the show’s writer for answers, to which he replied it was open to interpretation.
Introduction: ((spoilers ahead))
In case you didn’t know — “Bluey,” beloved by children and adults, is an animated show where each episode offers valuable life lessons wrapped in heartwarming stories. The newest installment, “Space,” focuses on McKenzie and his struggle to process repressed or uncomfortable feelings.
Through a captivating symbolic journey, the episode takes us into McKenzie’s past, where he confronts a painful memory. After exploring the memory, he releases his attachment and moves on.
The dive into the tunnel:
“Space” begins with McKenzie and several friends pretending to be astronauts. Before they embark on their imaginary journey, the kids debate whether they want to go to Mars or a Black hole (more on the importance of this later) — they finally decide on Mars and set a course. Within the first few moments, the ship needs repair. McKenzie — playing the chief scientist — goes to explore the damage. He pretends that his ship tether comes untied, and his “crewmates” go off to find him. They quickly discover that McKenzie is avoiding them and hiding behind a tree instead. They eventually go back to playing, and McKenzie disappears a second time. But this time, he claims his friends left him behind on Mars.
At this point, my brain saw a correlation between McKenzie’s desire to isolate and the black hole reference.
As the story goes on, he returns to play with his friends but changes their course to the “black hole.” This time he goes to a tunnel at the playground and tells his friends as the chief scientist, he had to go in because it was his job to explore what was inside.
I had chills at this point. I realized McKenzie was going into the tunnel — symbolic of the “black hole” — to confront his feelings; the metaphor here was super impactful.
The pivotal moment occurs when McKenzie unties his rope and enters the tunnel. This tunnel serves as a metaphorical gateway into his inner psyche, where his emotions and memories reside. In this beautifully symbolic representation, the tunnel becomes a threshold that allows McKenzie to confront a sad memory where he thought his mom had left him behind at the park. In the memory, he meets his teacher Calypso who comforts him and explains that he wasn’t left behind. He just got mixed up on the playground. After realizing he is safe, Calypso responds:
“McKenzie, you know what’s here now; you don’t have to keep coming back.”
In the memory, he smiles and runs back to his mom just before he comes back into the present moment, where his classmates surround him. After this moment, his crewmates pull him back through the tunnel, where he joins them on the ship.
Okay, let’s unpack this episode from MY perspective (assuming you’ve made it to this point).
I see this episode as an example of internal healing, also known as “inner child healing,” in the spiritual community. Either way, this type of healing involves confronting our darker emotions and learning to understand them from a new perspective so we can heal.
As someone who has struggled with depression most of my life, the “black hole” perfectly represents the gravitational pull that heavy emotions can have — they can either pull us down or pull us inward.
Every detail in this episode is so thoughtfully executed when Mckenzie is ready to leave the tunnel, his friends are there to support him and help pull him through. Realistically when we face our inner black hole, no one can go in with us, but having friends who are there for us before and after the process is imperative. When Mckenzie comes out the other side, he doesn’t dwell on what happened; he briefly looks back at the previously dark tunnel, now illuminated by sunlight, and goes back to playing.
When we face our darkness, we bring conscious illumination to those parts of us, and they become fertile ground for healing, compassion, and growth. After facing the dark, the last and most crucial lesson is remembering to cultivate joy again. Kids are especially good at this because they naturally learn and process through play. It’s a skill most adults have to reconnect with.
In conclusion, I believe “Space” beautifully illustrates the power of introspection and the significance of processing emotions. By showcasing McKenzie’s journey of self-exploration and healing, the episode teaches children valuable lessons about emotional intelligence, resilience, and the importance of seeking support when needed. Furthermore, “Space” serves as a poignant reminder to adults that addressing and healing from past wounds is vital to personal growth. It encourages grown-ups to connect with their inner child, embrace vulnerability, and embark on their journeys of healing and self-discovery.
