Lilith & Babygirl (the movie): A Mythical Mirror

What if ancient myths aren’t just old stories, but reflections we keep finding in new forms?

The story of the ancient goddess Lilith & the seemingly insatiable Romy (Nicole Kidman) in the 2024 flick Babygirl are a case in point.

Fractal of the same wound playing out in a different time (& probably a different dimension)

Consider this:

Both walked away from "love" that couldn't hold their full truth.

Lilith goes to Samael.
Romy goes to Samuel.

The parallels don’t stop there.

MISSIONARY IMPOSSIBLE

In mythology, Lilith refuses to be subservient to Adam. She refused to lie beneath him during sex because she was made from the same “dust of the Earth.” She sees herself as his equal.

This, of course, was not acceptable to Adam.

And rather than submit, Lilith chooses sovereignty.

Lilith flees the Garden of Eden & becomes the consort of the devil known as Samael.

In the 2024 film Babygirl, Romy  finds herself in a similar bind.

She can’t express her full, complex desires with her husband, Jacob (Antonio Banderas).

And so, risking her personal Garden of Eden (her family), she seeks that expression elsewhere… with Samuel.

BUT THERE'S MORE..

At first glance, Jacob's character in the movie seems nothing like the Lilith's Adam.

Adam is openly dominant and rigid. Jacob, by contrast, appears tender, supportive. If anything, he dotes on Romy.

But is that the whole story?

If you read between the lines, there are subtle yet undeniable clues of a betrayal. And no I'm not talking about Romy's affair - which was anything but subtle!

I'm talking about Jacob's affair that may have fractured the foundation of their relationship long before Romy ever stepped out.

ADAM & JACOB IN THEOLOGY

Let’s zoom out for a second & look at some similarities between Adam & Jacob in theology:

• Adam is the first man & Jacob, a descendant of Adam
• Both Adam & Jacob are patriarchs in their own right
• But here's the kicker - the name "Jacob" is often associated with "deception" (followed by redemption). 

The OG biblical Jacob's early life is marked by deception & trickery but then he undergoes a remarkable transformation later in his life & evolves into a revered figure.

MYTHOLOGY REPEATS ITSELF

This arc mirrors what we see in the film.

One of the scenes in Babygirl alludes to the possibility of a past affair.. with Jacob as the culprit.

When Romy shows up to his rehearsal, Jacob says:

    Last time you did this was in 1997, when you thought I was having an affair with a lighting tech

If the name Jacob (deception then redemption) is anything to go by, he probably did have an affair but underwent a genuine transformation. 

The Jacob we see in the movie, is the post transformation version  - a loving, caring person.

Still, the past never fully vanishes.

That earlier betrayal, never directly addressed, never resolved, may have pushed itself into the deep recesses of Romy’s psyche.

Which could explain why she no longer felt safe enough to express herself fully.

Why her desires, especially the more vulnerable or “dark” ones, had nowhere to land.

SAFETY & SOVREIGNITY- PRIMAL NEEDS

Lilith couldn't express herself & her needs with Adam.
Romy couldn't do so with Jacob.

Both end up doing the same thing:
They leave.

Lilith finds connection with Samael.
Romy finds it with Samuel.

Much like history, mythology indeed does repeat itself.