What does "Who killed Bambi" in Zero Day mean? Details explored

Disclaimer: Netflix's Zero Day series' spoilers ahead! This article also contains the writer's opinion. Readers' discretion is advised.

Zero Day is a new political thriller series on Netflix. It tells the story of cyber warfare, government secrets, and the breakdown of former President George Mullen, played by Robert De Niro. A major song that was heard throughout the series is the Sex Pistols' song "Who Killed Bambi?". It plays at key moments and is meant to show Mullen's trauma, guilt, and mysteries within the plot.

In Episode 4, we find out that this song has an emotional connection for George Mullen. It was playing in the background when he discovered his son, Nick, who had passed away from a heroin overdose in the White House. This event is a lasting wound that comes back to him during moments of stress.

The creators, Eric Newman and Noah Oppenheim, decided to include the song after watching it in Adam Curtis's documentary Can’t Get You Out of My Head. It’s a powerful and iconic tune, as director Lesli Linka Glatter notes. The song's background also adds to its importance in the show. It originates from a film script that Roger Ebert never completed.

But "Who Killed Bambi?" does more than just remind George of his painful past. It ties into the broader themes, like deception, fear, and control. As George's mental state worsens, the song starts to represent the chaos in his mind. So, "Who Killed Bambi?" isn't just a nostalgic tune in Zero Day.

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The symbolism and meaning of "Who Killed Bambi?" in George Mullen’s mind on Zero Day

In Zero Day, the recurring "Who Killed Bambi?" auditory hallucination isn't just a random occurrence; it symbolizes George Mullen's damaged mental state and the mysteries of his condition. At first, viewers are led to think George has dementia because he shows signs like confusion, fear, and memory lapses.

But in Zero Day Episode 5, we find out about Proteus. This is a secret weapon that can give people brain injuries without leaving a trace. It's a clever tool that targets individuals exactly. When George starts having these symptoms, like hearing the song, we understand that he's not just losing his mind on his own. Instead, he's a target of a scheme.

Using a punk rock song meant for a film that never came out twists George's story. Zero Day's fate mirrors George's situation—stuck in a place where what's real and what's not is hard to tell apart. This connects to the main idea of Zero Day: reality can be changed in many ways, like through cyberbattles, spreading false information, or attacking someone's mind directly.

So, the "Who Killed Bambi?" tune acts as both something that sets off George's distress and a hint about the secret plan that's affecting him. It's saying reality can be tricky. The song is there to show us George's world and make us think about how easy it is for anyone's reality to get distorted.

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The Proteus conspiracy connects "Who killed Bambi?" to the plot of Zero Day

The main twist is connected to the question, "Who Killed Bambi?" The series keeps us guessing about George's mental health. Is he just a poor leader losing it, or is something more shady going on?

Valerie, George's right-hand person and ex-lover, discovers a scientist named McKenna who reveals that Proteus has the power to mess with someone's head from far away, making them weak and confused. This turns the show into a darker story about playing mind games to win in politics.

The creators, on purpose, keep us in the dark. Even when making the show, they weren’t sure if they should make Proteus’s role in George’s troubles clear. They liked the idea of two different realities that could both be true. This keeps the themes of deceit and manipulation strong all the way through.

In the last episodes, it looks like George's enemies might be behind his problems. They want him out of the way. The things George sees, like "Who Killed Bambi?" means that his mind is under attack. The show doesn’t give us a clear answer on whether George is just haunted by his past or if he’s the target of a real brain assault. This makes the ending more unsettling.

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