Since a Knives Out sequel was confirmed to be in the works as early as January 2020, viewers and critics had ample time to discuss theories and hope that it would live up to the original. While there was initially plenty of doubt surrounding the film's title and predominately new cast, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery brought back the lovable Benoit Blanc from Knives Out while introducing compelling new elements.
There were plenty of clues scattered throughout Glass Onion that foreshadow the abounding twists and turns. Many of these clues are small hints that most viewers overlooked entirely, but once fans know about them, they're impossible to miss.
10 The Evil Eye Symbol On Miles' Invitation Cards
As Glass Onion begins, it immediately becomes clear that billionaire tech mogul Miles Bron has a flair for the theatrical. This is particularly obvious as it is implied that he regularly sends complex game boxes to invite his friends on vacations. While these puzzle boxes were a fun way to reintroduce viewers to the intricate Knives Out franchise, these early scenes contain a significant hint that things have already gone awry.
Once Miles' friends solve the game box, they find an invitation decorated with a Grecian evil eye symbol (or a mati). While the mati could merely correlate to the vacation destination, the symbol is known to ward off evil, as if the guests need protection. This is like how Miles' friends turned on Andi to stay on Miles' good side.
9 Benoit Playing Among Us With Several Big Names In The Murder Mystery Genre
When audiences anticipated Benoit Blanc's return to the silver screen, they likely weren't expecting to see him playing Among Us in his bathtub. However, this lighthearted scene heavily foreshadows that Glass Onion would become a murder mystery of epic proportions.
During this scene, Benoit is seen playing Among Us with big names within the murder mystery genre like Angela Lansbury (of Murder, She Wrote fame) and Stephen Sondheim (co-writer of The Last of Sheila). Benoit also plays Among Us with Natasha Lyonne, who will be featured in Glass Onion director Rian Johnson's upcoming murder mystery series Poker Face, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who appeared as himself in the 1985 murder mystery film Fletch.
8 A Small Easter Egg Implies That Glass Onion Will Center Around Flashbacks
As Benoit plays Among Us in his bathtub, viewers can briefly see a murder mystery puzzle book titled Cain's Jawbone on the floor. While it makes sense that Benoit would read this notoriously complex puzzle book for fun, the book is actually very similar to the film.
Cain's Jawbone is often described as one of the most difficult and complex word puzzles ever published because its pages are arranged in the wrong order. Much like Cain's Jawbone, Glass Onion doesn't center around a conventional, chronological form of storytelling. Rather, it relies on flashbacks for viewers to gradually understand why Benoit was "invited" on this vacation in the first place.
7 The Various Hints Concerning Miles' Lack Of Intelligence
While much of Glass Onion is based around Miles' supposedly commendable intelligence and smarts as a businessman, countless clues indicate that he isn't as smart as he lets on. One hint that particularly stuck with audiences was how he made up words in an attempt to seem smarter throughout Glass Onion.
Another clue is the wide prevalence of the Omega letter across Miles' island getaway, despite his company (Alpha) being another Greek letter entirely. The Omega is seen in countless places throughout the film, from appearing on the boat that takes the group to Miles' island to the large pin that decorates Lionel's green suit.
6 The Cruel Reminder Of How Dangerous Anonymous Invitations Can Be
Upon a first watch, audiences were on the edge of their seats as Miles informs Benoit that he didn't invite the detective on his island vacation. Even though Miles casually deflects this "anonymous" invitation, the private detective warns him that anonymous invitations are "not to be trifled with."
The very premise of an anonymous invitation reminded fans of the franchise about how Ransom anonymously hired Benoit to solve the mystery behind his grandfather's murder in Knives Out. It is eventually revealed that Andi's twin sister, Helen, invited Benoit on this trip to uncover the truth of her sister's murder. This recurring motif has a notable impact within the Knives Out franchise.
5 How Quickly Miles Deflects From Duke's "Pancaking" Comment
One of the first major clues that hints at Miles' intentions occurs early on in Glass Onion as the group lounges by the pool. When Duke jokingly mentions the time when Miles almost "pancaked" him outside Andi's house, Miles quickly changes the subject by mentioning how Anderson Cooper throws wild house parties.
At this moment, Duke unintentionally mentions seeing Miles flee the scene of the crime after murdering Andi in cold blood. Even though Miles certainly isn't the brightest, he deliberately distracts Benoit and audiences to throw them off the scent.
4 The Murder Mystery Miles Poses To His Friends Matches The Film's Central Plot
The Knives Out movies can craft intricate, complex mysteries while incorporating surprisingly easy solutions that are hidden in plain sight. This is seen in Glass Onion as Benoit and audiences alike realize that Miles' murder mystery game maps out much of the film's narrative.
For instance, the answer to both mysteries is hidden in plain sight through Birdie's necklace and the real napkin in Miles' office. Miles also initially takes credit for creating the murder mystery game, much like how he took all the credit for Andi's work and stole Alpha out from under her.
3 Lionel Saying That Miles Is "Gonna Get Somebody Killed"
Another impactful way that Glass Onion cleverly teases Miles' ill intent is when Lionel says that Miles is "gonna get somebody killed" after finding his invitation. Upon first hearing this, audiences assumed that Lionel said this due to Klear Hydrogen's dangerous explosive properties.
While this is undoubtedly why Lionel uttered this telltale phrase, he had no idea that Miles had already killed Andi and was gearing up to kill Duke, who had inadvertently seen him flee the crime scene. Similarly, these words convinced countless viewers that the statement was merely a red herring, which would imply that Miles has nothing to do with these murders.
2 Viewers Initially See Miles Hand Duke His Pineapple-Laced Whiskey
After watching Glass Onion several times, it becomes increasingly clear that the film deliberately fools the audience in various moments to make the payoff that much more shocking. This is most evident during the scene where Miles intentionally poisons Duke with pineapple-laced whiskey.
In this scene, viewers initially see Miles hand Duke the glass of whiskey. However, many viewers overlook this detail upon a first watch because it seems inconsequential. Soon after Duke's calculated death, Miles lies by saying that Duke picked up Miles' glass by accident, a lie that is supported by a misleading flashback.
1 Benoit Calls Out Helen's Real Name During The Blackout
As audiences try their best to keep up with Benoit's detective skills, one of the most surprising twists is that Benoit is helping Helen investigate Andi's mysterious death while pretending to be her. Out of the abounding mysteries present in Glass Onion, this one shocked viewers the most.
However, there is a clue that hints at this unbelievable plot development. Despite being a smart detective, Benoit temporarily forgets about their plan and calls out Helen's real name when he finds her by the staircase during the blackout. Since it can be hard to remember characters' names upon watching a film for the first time, this glaring detail went over many viewers' heads.