10 Fan Theories About Tarantino Movies That Make Perfect Sense
10. The Briefcase Contained Marsellus Wallace's Soul
The mysterious contents of Marsellus Wallace’s briefcase are
the driving plot device behind Pulp Fiction but we never actually learn what
they are. Naturally, the McGuffin-like nature of the briefcase has had movie
fans speculating wildly as to its contents. Could it be a nuclear weapon? The
diamonds from Tarantino’s first film Reservoir Dogs? Or perhaps even the Holy
Grail?
The most plausible and popular theory, however, is that the briefcase contains Marsellus’ soul which he previously sold to Satan himself in exchange for his wealth and criminal prowess. Having bought it back from the Devil, it falls into the wrong hands – that is, Brett and his mates – and he employs Jules and Vincent to retrieve and safely deliver it back to him.
This apparently helps explain a number of small details in Pulp Fiction like the band-aid on the back of Marsellus’ neck, which according to some is where the devil extracts souls from, and why the briefcase’s combination is 666.
It also explains how Jules and Vincent were able to survive being showered with a hail of bullets – God was protecting them because they were doing important holy work in getting a soul back to its rightful owner – and why the case emits an ethereal glow that prompts people to remark on its contents’ beauty. Because souls are all shiny and beautiful and sh*t.