What Is undertone About?
The premise of undertone in 259 words, with nothing given away. The full story and the ending follow below.
Living a solitary existence defined by the rhythmic hum of medical equipment and the weight of a Catholic upbringing, Evangeline “Evy” Babic occupies a space between the mundane and the macabre. She spends her days caring for her comatose mother and her nights co-hosting “The Undertone,” a popular paranormal podcast. While her co-host, Justin, dives headfirst into the supernatural with genuine belief, Evy stands as the skeptical voice of reason, dismissing the stories they cover as hoaxes and fabrications—until the stories start hitting too close to home.
The static of the digital world brings a disruption to Evy’s carefully ordered life when an anonymous email arrives, bearing a collection of audio files that promise a new topic for the show. The recordings document a couple attempting to capture strange occurrences in their sleep, but the content proves far more disturbing than standard paranormal fare. As Evy and Justin analyze the tracks, the audio reveals layers of menace that defy easy explanation, hinting at a darkness that listens and watches from just beyond the veil of perception.
What begins as professional curiosity soon warps into personal terror as the boundaries between the podcast and Evy’s reality begin to erode. The atmosphere in her home grows thick with unexplained phenomena, suggesting that the entity or force captured on the tapes has taken a specific interest in the host. Haunted by the terrifying implications of the recordings, Evy must navigate a growing sense of dread that challenges her skepticism and threatens to upend the fragile balance she maintains in her isolated life.
What Happens in undertone?
The complete story of undertone, from the first scene to the last, in 646 words (about 3 minutes). Spoilers throughout.
Spoilers ahead
Evy [Nina Kiri] Babic is a young woman raised in a Catholic household who now lives with her comatose mother, dedicating herself to her care. She and her friend Justin run The Undertone, a horror podcast that covers alleged supernatural events, with Evy tending to treat most claims as hoaxes while Justin remains convinced that something real is stirring beneath the surface. Their routine is upended when Justin receives an anonymous email that contains a cryptic string of letters and ten audio files, which they decide to play on the podcast.
The ten recordings come from a couple named Mike and Jessa, and Jessa speaks in her sleep. In the first recording, she sings “London Bridge” while asleep, and when Justin plays the file backward, he insists he can hear her whisper, “Mike, kill all.” This unsettling moment drives Evy to explore hidden meanings in children’s songs, a line of inquiry that quickly becomes unsettling. When Evy tries playing her own favorite childhood lullaby, “Baa, Baa, Black Sheep,” in reverse, she is shocked to hear the chilling message “lick the blood off.” The more Evy investigates, the more she suspects something troubling is encoded in ordinary songs.
Soon after, Evy discovers she is six weeks pregnant. She confesses the news to her mother by her bedside, but she also admits she feels unfit to become a mother. She makes a tentative plan to visit a local women’s clinic, unsure of what awaits her. As she and Justin continue to sift through the Mike-and-Jessa recordings, more unsettling details emerge: Jessa’s voice in later clips seems to speak in gibberish that, when reversed, reveals the phrase “come in, Abyzou.” Through their research, Evy and Justin learn that Abyzou is a demon from Mediterranean and European folklore, a figure said to cause miscarriages and to drive mothers to harm their own children out of jealousy because she herself was infertile.
Unnerving phenomena intensify around Evy. Her still-unconscious mother moves on her own, lights flicker without explanation, and a Virgin Mary statue Evy placed in the closet mysteriously appears in other parts of the house. The atmosphere grows increasingly claustrophobic as Evy grapples with her pregnancy, her supernatural discoveries, and the sense that something is watching from the shadows.
In a final, troubling twist within the audio files, Jessa insists she must “warn” someone who is listening, a line that hints at an impending danger. Justin tries to reply to the sender, but the email is automatically sent back to him. A caller, who claims to be Mike and Jessa’s neighbor, reveals that the couple was found dead in their home, their heads covered with plastic bags and walls canvassed in crayon drawings of babies; the autopsy shows Jessa was pregnant at the time of death. Another caller demands permission to speak to “Mary”—a name Evy had previously claimed she would someday use for her own child—and becomes relentless when Justin denies there is any such person. A final caller named Abby pleads for help calming a crying infant, but she ends up murdering the baby, leaving Evy and Justin pleading for mercy that is not granted.
As the tension peaks, Evy reveals that her mother has died, and she feels a crushing sense of guilt, believing she played a part in the loss by not praying for her. Rushing upstairs, Evy confronts a room transformed by fear: the walls are now covered in crayon drawings of Abyzou and of dead, bloodied infants. In a chilling moment, she sees her mother standing in the bathroom, and the scene erupts into a terrifying confrontation as she appears to be attacked while crying out for her to stop. The film closes on this unsettling convergence of myth, motherhood, and a family haunted by forces just out of reach, leaving Evy to confront the line between folklore and a very real, present danger.
undertone Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
15 key events in the order they happen, from “The Undertone begins” to “Climax: Abyzou's presence closes in”. 15 events name a place, across 14 locations.
- 1
The Undertone begins
Evy and Justin run The Undertone, a horror podcast that covers alleged supernatural events. Evy dismisses these as hoaxes, while Justin believes the phenomena are real. They record and discuss strange reports from Evy's home studio, hoping to uncover truth behind the stories.
Where:Evy's home / The Undertone studio
- 2
Anonymous email and ten audio files arrive
An anonymous email arrives containing ten audio files and a cryptic string. They are played on the podcast, introduced as recordings by a couple named Mike and Jessa. Evy and Justin begin to suspect there might be more to these voices than mere hoaxes, fueling their curiosity.
Where:The Undertone studio
- 3
Jessa's sleep talk is captured
In the first recording, Jessa sings London Bridge as she sleeps. Justin plays it backward and claims he hears 'Mike, kill all,' hinting that hidden messages may lurk in lullabies. Evy feels unsettled by the possibility of dangerous words hidden in familiar songs.
Where:Mike and Jessa's home / The Undertone studio
- 4
Baa, Baa, Black Sheep reversed
Evy experiments with more songs and discovers that reversing 'Baa, Baa, Black Sheep' yields 'lick the blood off.' The discovery unsettles her and deepens the sense that coded messages may be real and malevolent. She wonders if the music is summoning something from folklore.
Where:Evy's home
- 5
Pregnancy revealed to mother
While at her mother's bedside, Evy reveals that she is six weeks pregnant. She confesses that she feels unfit to be a mother, expressing fear and self-doubt. The moment underscores the emotional stakes of motherhood amid a spreading horror.
Where:Mother's bedside
- 6
Appointment at women's clinic
Deciding to seek medical guidance, Evy schedules an appointment at a local women's clinic. The plan marks a step toward autonomy and safety for herself and the unborn child. The decision occurs against the backdrop of escalating supernatural events.
Where:Local women's clinic
- 7
Abyzou enters the narrative via recordings
Further recordings reveal Jessa speaking something that, when played backward, says 'come in, Abyzou.' Evy and Justin connect this demon to pregnancy and the disturbing events around them. The revelation introduces a folkloric antagonist central to the plot.
Where:Evy's home / The Undertone studio
- 8
Supernatural phenomena intensify at home
Evy starts noticing increasingly strange phenomena: her still-unconscious mother appears to move, lights flicker, and a Virgin Mary statue reappears in new places. The house seems haunted, blurring lines between superstition and genuine danger. The tension mounts as the hauntings become more personal.
Where:Evy's house
- 9
The demon's dark lore solidifies
Through research, Evy and Justin learn that Abyzou is a demon in Mediterranean and European folklore said to cause miscarriages and drive mothers to harm their own children. They realize the danger is intimately connected to Evy's pregnancy and perhaps to a future child. The stakes shift from abstract fear to a direct, personal threat.
Where:Home / study
- 10
The final warning in the recording
In the final recording, Jessa warns that someone listening must be warned, and Justin's reply attempts fail when the email bounces back to him. The sense of being watched intensifies as the messages grow more urgent. The audience feels the threat closing in around Evy and her unborn child.
Where:Studio
Show the other 5 events of undertone Hide the last 5 events
- 11
Neighbor reveals the couple's fate
A caller claiming to be Mike and Jessa's neighbor reveals that the couple were found dead at their home with plastic bags over their heads, and that Jessa was pregnant at the time of death. The autopsy confirms the pregnancy, linking the tragedy to the demonic backstory Evy and Justin uncovered. The revelation adds a chilling real-world consequence to the haunting.
Where:Mike & Jessa's home / neighborhood
- 12
Demand to speak to 'Mary'
Another caller demands to speak to 'Mary,' the name Evy has long imagined for her hypothetical child, and refuses to relent when Justin says there is no such person. The persistent demand reinforces the sense that the demon is targeting the unborn and anyone associated with Evy. The tension escalates as the calls continue.
Where:Phone line
- 13
Abby's desperate call ends in tragedy
A final caller named Abby begs for help calming her incessantly crying child, and her desperation culminates in the murder of the infant. Evy and Justin plead with her to stop, underscoring the horrific reach of the malevolent force. The act demonstrates the tangible danger imposed on ordinary families by the occult threat.
Where:Abby's home / phone call
- 14
Evy learns of her mother's death
Evy confesses that her mother has died, feeling indirectly responsible for not praying for her. The revelation ties personal guilt to the escalating haunting and the burden of faith under duress. The loss deepens her emotional vulnerability as the nightmare closes in.
Where:Mother's death scene in the home
- 15
Climax: Abyzou's presence closes in
Evy rushes upstairs and finds walls covered in crayon drawings of Abyzou and dead infants. She sees her mother standing in the bathroom, and the encounter escalates into an apparent attack as she screams for the nightmare to stop. The sequence marks the climactic convergence of belief, loss, and terror.
Where:House interior (upstairs and bathroom)
Who Are the Main Characters in undertone?
7 characters, among them Evangeline "Evy" Babic (Nina Kiri), Justin (Adam DiMarco) and Mike (Jeff Yung): who each one is and the part they play in the story. 6 of them link to the actor’s page.
- E"
Evangeline "Evy" Babic (Nina Kiri)
Played by Nina Kiri
A young woman with a Catholic upbringing who cares for her comatose mother. She cohosts The Undertone with Justin, approaching the supernatural with skepticism while concealing her fear for an unborn child. As strange phenomena intensify, Evy wrestles with guilt, faith, and the responsibility of impending motherhood.
- 🤔 Skeptical
- 🫶 Caring
- 🎭 Protagonist
- J(
Justin (Adam DiMarco)
Played by Adam DiMarco
Evy's friend and Undertone co-host who fully believes in the supernatural. He relentlessly pursues clues from the audio files, often clashing with Evy’s skepticism. His drive to uncover hidden truths fuels the podcast and the unraveling mystery.
- 🎙️ Host
- 🗣️ Believer
- 🧠 Curious
- M(
Mike (Jeff Yung)
Played by Jeff Yung
The cautious partner of Jessa who hopes to capture concrete evidence of the supernatural. He records and analyzes their encounters, insisting there is truth behind the eerie occurrences. His actions set off a chain of events that intensify the horror.
- 🎙️ Recording
- 🕵️ Mysterious
- J(
Jessa (Keana Lyn Bastidas)
Played by Keana Lyn Bastidas
Mike's partner who speaks in her sleep, providing cryptic lines that become crucial clues when played backwards. Her sleep-talk hints at hidden dangers and the ominous figure linked to Evy's fear. She unwittingly contributes to the escalating mystery.
- 🎙️ Recording
- 💤 Dreamer
- A(
Abby (Caller 5) (Sarah Beaudin)
Played by Sarah Beaudin
A caller who begs for help calming a crying child, but the call leads to a devastating act of violence. Abby's message underscores how the horror seeps into ordinary life and culminates in tragedy. Her presence magnifies the sense that help may come too late.
- 🗣️ Caller
- 💔 Tragic
- MB
Mama Babic
Played by Michèle Duquet
Evy's comatose mother, a quiet anchor in Evy's life whose condition amplifies the emotional stakes. Her illness creates a sense of urgency and duty that underpins Evy's decisions. She remains a silent, affecting presence that the living must confront.
- 🫶 Maternal
- 🏥 Caregiver
- A
Abyzou
A demon from Mediterranean and European folklore referenced in the recordings, associated with miscarriages and maternal jealousy. The creature's influence surfaces through symbols, recordings, and Evy's escalating fear. Abyzou personifies the supernatural threat driving the unraveling nightmare.
- 👹 Demon
Where and When Is undertone Set?
undertone is set in Evy's house and Local town. Here is why the place matters to the story.
Where
Evy's house, Local town
The primary setting is Evy's house, where she cares for her comatose mother. A Virgin Mary statue repeatedly reappears in different rooms, signaling supernatural meddling. Lights flicker and objects move on their own as the recordings and discoveries escalate, giving the home a claustrophobic, haunted feel. The local town and a nearby women's clinic also feature, grounding the horror in familiar, everyday spaces.
- 🏠 Domestic
- 🕯️ Haunting
- 🧭 Supernatural
What Are the Themes of undertone?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Pregnancy, Demonology and Hidden Messages.
-
01
Pregnancy
The film centers on Evy's unexpected pregnancy, heightening the sense of responsibility and fear. Pregnancy becomes a catalyst for secrecy, moral conflict, and vulnerability as supernatural forces target both mother and child. Evy's struggle with motherhood amplifies the horror and drives her to confront unseen threats. The quest to protect an unborn child is interwoven with faith, guilt, and survival.
-
02
Demonology
Abyzou, a demon linked to fertility and infant death in folklore, looms over the narrative. The demon's influence is felt through whispered messages, inversion of songs, and ominous signs around Evy's home. Folkloric terror is fused with modern recording technology to create a chilling juxtaposition. The threat is not only external but also tied to the characters' fears and past traumas.
-
03
Hidden Messages
The mystery unfolds through backward messages in songs and audio recordings, turning innocent rhymes into warnings. Evy and Justin decipher phrases that hint at danger and looming tragedy. The theme explores how media, memory, and folklore can distort truth and push characters toward desperate conclusions. The seemingly random clues gradually reveal a deeper, deadly pattern.
How Does undertone End?
The last act of undertone and what it means, in 329 words. The ending lands as bleak. Big spoilers: read the plot summary first if you have not seen it.
The final act, in full
Undertone concludes with a chilling descent into supernatural chaos, leaving the audience with a profound sense of dread rather than a neat resolution. Throughout the film, Evy struggles with the weight of mortality, caring for her dying mother while grappling with an unplanned pregnancy. This personal turmoil makes her the perfect target for the film’s ambiguous entity, a demonic force that seems to delight in corrupting the sanctity of motherhood. As Evy and her co-host, Justin, investigate the final haunted phone recording, the barrier between the audio evidence and their reality shatters. They learn that the subjects of their investigation, Mike and Jessa, have met a grim end, and the recording reveals the sound of a woman killing her own child—a horrific echo of the film’s central themes.
The ending suggests that by exposing themselves to this cursed media, Evy and Justin have allowed the entity full access to their lives. The force manifests through a “haunted movie” concept referenced earlier in the story, a piece of media that allegedly compels its viewers toward suicide. The screen cuts to black before revealing the pair’s ultimate fate, but the implication is clear: they are trapped. The entity, suggested to be demonic through subverted religious imagery, has successfully infiltrated Evy’s sanctuary. It weaponizes her specific fears and life circumstances—her role as a caretaker and her potential role as a mother—turning the cycle of life and death against her.
Ultimately, the film’s refusal to show Evy or Justin’s death is its most powerful statement. By denying the audience closure, the movie emphasizes that some questions regarding life, death, and the unknown remain terrifyingly unanswered. The entity does not offer explanations; it only offers torment. This ambiguity reinforces the idea that Evy was never in control, and her investigation was merely a mechanism for her own undoing. The ending stands as a bleak reminder of the cost of meddling with forces beyond human comprehension, ensuring the horror lingers long after the credits roll.
What Kind of Film Is undertone?
Dark in tone, with steady pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Dark
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- High
- Ending
- Bleak
A steadily escalating and deeply unsettling supernatural horror that immerses the viewer in a world of creeping dread, audio-induced paranoia, and the oppressive weight of maternal fears.
- paranoid
- ominous
- anxious
- unsettling
- oppressive
- claustrophobic
- supernatural horror
- demonic possession
- pregnancy
- grief and loss
Content notes: child death, infant death, suicide, demonic possession, miscarriage, graphic descriptions of violence.
Quiz
How well do you remember undertone? Test yourself on the story.
