History Film / Thelma

* ThoughtControlledPower: To her distress but near the end of the film, to her empowerment. Thelma’s abilities require minimal effort since she can teleport people and objects, can alter her environment, among other things. As her power grows, she can teleport people or make others cease to exist without even looking at them or regardless of their proximity to her.

* OurWitchesAreDifferent: Inverted by Joachim trier. He’s commemorating the original Norwegian portrayal of witches as positive, magical creatures before the influence of Christianity. If Thelma was born in a different time, her powers would classify her as a witch and which is possibly these powers only manifest in females.

* {{Parricide}}: Thelma was asleep [[spoiler: when her father was killed in the lake. During the burgeoning of powers but also because of repression, much of her psychokinesis happens when she’s dreaming. Her father was killed as his hands caught fire and it spread throughout his body. He would have burned to death but he resolved by drowning himself in the lake instead. Upon realizing this as she woke up, Thelma was completely horrified and remorseful over her father’s death.

** Thelma’s little brother who [[spoiler: was killed under a frozen lake is a callback to how Thelma was trapped in the pool in an earlier scene which signifies her repressed internalized guilt]].

* {{Parricide}}: Thelma was asleep [[spoiler: when her father was killed in the lake. During the burgeoning of powers but also because of repression, much of her psychokinesis happens when she’s dreaming. Her father was killed as his hands caught fire and it spread throughout his body. He would have burned to death but he resolved by drowning himself in the lake instead. Upon realizing this as she woke up, Thelma was completely horrified and remorseful over her father’s death. Interestingly, all three generations of the males in their family have all died in the lake. Her grandfather was last seen there, her little brother was trapped in the frozen lake, and her own father drowned there.]]

* {{Parricide}}: Thelma was asleep [[spoiler: when her father was killed in the lake. During the burgeoning of powers but also because of repression, much of her psychokinesis happens when she’s dreaming. Her father was killed as his hands caught fire and it spread throughout his body. He would have burned to death but he resolved by drowning himself in the lake instead. Upon realizing this as she woke up, Thelma was completely horrified and remorseful over what she’s done.]]

* OffingTheOffspring: Thelma’s [[spoiler dad and mom, especially her dad, are morose over making the difficult decision to euthanize their daughter.]]

* NoAntagonist: The film is about Thelma’s journey along with resolving her internal conflict, even her parents whose methods for raising her turn out to be unhealthy in the end, aren’t necessarily evil people but are doing their best to raise her well and to deal with the horrible situations that they went through in the past. [[spoiler: Depending on your interpretation, the film could be about the birth of the [[VillainProtagonist ultimate powerful woman who with a darker side]] and is about to embrace it.]]

* MoralityChain: M Anja for Thelma, who is her anchor to the world and to her humanity.
Thelma’s parents tried to be this for her and they had varying success with this initially but failed towards the end when their methods proved to be unhealthy for her.

* MadnessMantra: Thelma’s prayers are meant as a cure for obsessive thoughts and to suppress her desires.

* Callback: Several recurring elements happen throughout the movie.

** Trond laying Thelma’s hand over the candle flame and feeling the pain from it abs he says that this is what he’ll feels like. [[spoiler: Nearing the end of the film, Trond is killed by having his hands first set on fire then it spread all throughout his body]].

** The music the morning after Anja stays in Thelma’s apartment was also playing in Anja’s room [[spoiler: before she disappeared.]]

** Having nigh-boundless psychic powers but studying the earthiest of the sciences: biology.

* TranquilFury: Invoked with Thelma but possibly subverted [[spoiler: when she cures her mother’s paralysis.]]

* InTheBlood / ItRunsInTheFamily: Thelma’s grandmother has demonstrated that she has similar powers to her. Their abilities are also shown to be manifested only in females.
* IronicJobIronicVocation: Having nigh-boundless psychic powers but studying the earthiest of the sciences: Biology.