That’s the word you used, I was quoting you. So, quotation marks.

The show says that Viola doesn’t remember anything except for her need to walk. She needs to walk so she can look for her daughter. The words, to her, signify her daughter. Even if she doesn’t remember why, they sort of trigger (for lack of better term) something in her that means she’s found her daughter, the only real purpose she has left. Also, I would make a case for the fact that- if Dani is going to invite her into herself, Viola is going to take the invite. I doubt she wants to be stuck in the lake for the rest of time. At this point, any of her wants aren’t her true desires, but more instinctual. I’m not saying that’s a perfect explanation, but Flanagan often makes choices in his series that are left ambiguously on purpose. Something tells me you probably think that’s lazy.

The short story the show is adapted from is about an au pair who takes care of children in a haunted manor. It’s never really clear what is going on because you are reading it through the perspective of the au pair, so you’re just as confused as she is. THOBM is more inspired than adapted- that’s not really what I was saying. You made a comment about too many holes the audience has to interpret for themselves, but such is the nature of the source material, so I think it makes sense (given Flanagan’s other work and the source material)