Michael Keaton’s Return in Beetlejuice 2 Overlooks Major Juno Mystery from the Original Film

In the much-anticipated sequel, Beetlejuice 2, a new character named Delores delves into the mystery of Betelgeuse’s first wife, yet the details regarding her involvement and Betelgeuse’s tenure as an assistant in the Neitherworld remain largely unexplored. As the film concludes, it leaves viewers speculating about a potential third installment that could finally shed light on Michael Keaton’s iconic character’s past. Unfortunately, despite Tim Burton’s return for the sequel, it appears that insights into Betelgeuse’s initial Afterlife role, hinted at in the original film, have yet to materialize.

Insights on Betelgeuse’s Origin Story Remain Elusive

The Pre-Maitland Era of Beetlejuice’s Afterlife

Michael Keaton in Tim Burton's Beetlejuice.

Throughout the original film, when Adam and Barbara are cautioned about the ghostly menace, their caseworker reveals that Betelgeuse once served as Juno’s assistant before branching out as a freelance bio-exorcist. However, both films miss the opportunity to elaborate on the circumstances surrounding Betelgeuse’s first post-mortem employment. Instead, Beetlejuice 2 chooses to portray his earlier life as a grave robber caught in Delores’ devious plot for immortality, offering a different glimpse into his character’s backstory.

Future installments could potentially illuminate Betelgeuse’s comedic misadventures with his coworkers and interactions with victims long before encountering the Maitlands. With the absence of Juno in Beetlejuice 2, due to actress Silvia Sidney’s passing in 1999, the nature of their relationship remains an intriguing mystery worth exploring.

Exploring Betelgeuse’s origins as an unruly spirit in the Afterlife could add depth to the narrative, especially as he has reportedly built a notorious reputation for claiming he could eliminate the living.

Understanding Betelgeuse’s Afterlife Duties Through Contextual Clues

The Mandatory Nature of Clerical Work for Afterlife Rule-Breakers

The relationship between Juno and Betelgeuse might stem from the rules governing the Neitherworld, suggesting that their partnership was orchestrated based on these regulations. In the original Beetlejuice, assorted spirits in the waiting area explain that the Afterlife operates under strict guidelines relating to conduct and after-death consequences. For instance, Miss Argentina notes that those who die by suicide must serve as civil servants.

Moreover, it’s revealed that Betelgeuse is bound by a curse that prevents him from departing the Afterlife. Marrying Lydia would grant him the freedom to traverse into the living realm, yet until then, he remains tethered to Juno’s service.

The sequel then introduces a page from the Handbook for the Recently Deceased, which states that lawbreakers are confined to the Neitherworld and relegated to community clerical duties. This stipulation not only sheds light on Betelgeuse’s predicament in the first film but also clarifies why he is compelled to work at the Afterlife Call Center in the sequel. Given Betelgeuse’s rebellious tendencies, it’s plausible that his appointment as Juno’s aide is a consequence of past mischief, serving as a fitting punishment for his disobedience in the Afterlife.

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