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In the 2023 film Killers of the Flower Moon, there is a poignant scene depicting the final moments of Lizzie Q, Mollie's mother (portrayed by Tantoo Cardinal), as she lies on her deathbed. 

In Lizzie's final moments, she appears to see two elder Osage people—a man and a woman—as well as a shirtless Osage man covered in red paint on his body and face. These figures seem to be guiding or welcoming Lizzie into the afterlife. Interestingly, Lizzie looks at peace and even happy to see them.

scene described in this post
scene described in this post

I'm really curious what the significance of these characters could be. Are they meant to represent specific figures from Osage spiritual beliefs about the afterlife? The way they were portrayed felt deeply symbolic, so I would like to know more about the cultural meanings behind their appearance in this death scene.

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  • At least the Ancestor Warrior gets a credit: Nathaniel Arcand
    – blobbymcblobby
    Commented May 26 at 11:51

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Per the film script, this is "The Committee" that will escort Lizzie to heaven.

INT. SUMMER HOUSE - WITH ANCESTORS

Empty except for LIZZIE’S ANCESTORS: WARRIOR, MOTHER, FATHER: the Committee that has come to take her to the heavens. Lizzie gets up and walks away with them. She glances back. BACK TO Summer House in the Present. Hale and Ernest comfort Mollie and the children.

As far as their significance is concerned, I think you can either take this at face value (e.g. "It's all true!!!") or just accept this as the hallucinations of a lady who is having the last gasp of a near death experience.

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