Following the whole idea of Purgatory and After Life, I really think the car crashing into a sign and then the song playing from the radio that leads him to the party is really just his “life flashing before his eyes” as he makes stops at all his memories. Old Abel full of wisdom and experience sees his younger self indulging in reckless behavior and trying to warn him about the path he is on. I feel like Old Abel doesn’t know he’s dead, and this journey he’s on as he travels to the light will be portrayed in the music videos.

The elder Weeknd's face morphing into the younger Weeknd's face is probably the most terrifying shit I've seen in a music video of his (especially with that creepy, creepy smile), and I've seen this man get choked out by a different version of himself.

This is what I think I understand. The “old Weeknd” dies in a crash and is now in Purgatory. We know this because Dawn fm station turns on. When he steps on the water/liquid he is transported to a different level of purgatory. According to Dante’s poem, The Devine Comedy, purgatory has 7 levels (for different sins committed; one of them is lust which is the level The Weeknd seems to be on judging by the crowd) Water is often symbolic as gateway to a different state. We see people looking up and looking down at others in levels above and below them. We see arms and bodies of people moving from one level of purgatory to another, presumably as they resolve/come to terms with their sins from that level. Notice the level above looking down might be greed as they all dressed fancy and wearing diamonds. The white lily represents purity and rebirth. I think they also have hallucinogenic properties. What I don’t understand is how did The Weeknd get old? Why are there two versions a young and an old? Why does the young version see the old version as a demon? Not sure what the lunar eclipse has to do with it either. The moon is associated with emotions, often hidden emotions. If there’s an eclipse perhaps his emotions are hidden from him….? No guiding light? Also side note. Yesterday Abel said we are in the middle of another trilogy. In Dante’s Devine Comdey there are 3 parts. Hell, Purgatory and Paradise (heaven). After Hours=Hell, Dawn FM=purgatory, the next album=Paradise.

I think this was one of the best and the most intriguing videos from Abel. The symbolism is mind-blowing and soo minute. Loved Jon's reaction on it

I feel like the old Abel is his soul trying to escape this nightmare but his ego the younger self is too blinded by the beauty of the club not to realize it’s evil stuff. His ego is too large and it kills his soul

Yoo , Does anyone remember that in AfterHours title track where he says ' Different girls on the floor distracting my thoughts of you,I turned into the man i used to be ' since it was his only escape to find his love and in this MV right here him transitioning to him being the guy he used to be just fits perfect in this No?

Damn this shit is sad even after all his previous deaths, you can feel the sadness in this one😭😭

This is my interpterion of the video: Video starts with Old Abel crashing his car at a deadend/do not enter sign showing that he is at his lowest in life. "WRONG WAY" could be mean that if he goes down this road any further, he will never be able to come back. Young Abel is in his HoB days. At a rave, indulging in life. The arm that sticks up to hold Old Abel is the grip that this life (partying, carefree outlook) once had on him trying to get him to come back and "relapse". Young Abel sees the face changes of the girls to show what we the AUDIENCE know can happen if he gets mixed up with this life again. The flowers pop up on the wall when the couple is hooking up in the rave maybe to show the start of a something pretty, but it only goes on to die to show that everything has a season/life cycle. Have not quite figured out the hearing aid or the crowd floating above the other people. But once again, we have a version of Abel dying like we have seen in so many of his videos. Really hope he makes videos for all of these tracks and we can have a full movie experience with this album!

You hear about his next album potentially being called After Life? He advertised it a lot in Every Angel is Terrifying. Abel is such a genius when it comes to these music vids. So much to take in and all of the symbolism. Pretty sure his older self is trying to save his younger self from his life of sin and remorse. Love it.

Gasoline is the best song on the album… who agrees?

Never fed up with Jon x Weeknd content! Keep it coming! Love this song and video!

He didn't have to do Grandpa Abel like that

That flower also pops up within the album storyline Of after hours in heartless

since the next album is gonna be the after life, he will definitely have a song with MJ. I just feel it coming.

This is his arguably his best music video. As said the symbolism here is insane. And you can also see Abel's acting skills on point here. The end left me very unsettled after how the Old abel was killed.

Plot twist: Abel is gonna do a video for every song on Damn FM and it will be a whole movie in the end

He says death at the same the flowers bloom white lillies are traditionally used at funerals. They also represent purity.

Great video as always Jon! Just thought I'd share a detailed theory on the main messages in this MV for you and anyone else! The previous MV 'Sacrifice' is basically him officially breaking out into the mainstream and being signed by labels, hence hes “sacrificing” his own life and practically selling his soul. and then in gasoline we see abel beating up his older self at some sort of party. i think this represents his younger self basically killing his older body through drugs and substance abuse (which would’ve occurred in his trilogy-bbtm days im assuming) and he’s surrounded by people cheering him on, most likely representing the execs of the label, his fans (or at least the new found fame), and just the lifestyle of LA. the car scene at the beginning might be his older self trying to escape the bad decisions of his younger self, but in the end it’s futile cause these decisions already happened. that might be what the hearing aid represents, his inner self warning him that nothing he tries to do will revert the actions of his younger self. I also think the flower represents his potential to change - it blooms right before he sees his old self, popping through the wall right after a monstrous woman cuts his heart. At first he seems to want to help, or is at least interested, is drawn towards the old him. Then he hallucinates his older self as an enemy to be destroyed; he then indulges in literal self-destruction. The flower wilts when young Abel is really setting in to beat old Abel to death, like at the point the decision is made.

Don't forget about the flower from After Hours and he did kill himself in Tell Your Friends Music Video and in Starboy so he's done it before.

Definitely his life flashing before his eyes, maybe this whole album takes place during the ambulance ride in Faith/blinding lights. He might’ve been in a limbo for awhile.

This one was extremely moving for me. It was hard to watch the pain in the older Abel's eyes, almost as if he was being tormented by having to relive his regrets with older, wiser eyes. I myself have an unreasonable fear of mortality, and constantly feel like I'm trying to outrun time. But noone gets out of here alive.

The Weeknd's so talented because he never _runs out of fuel._

Abel’s love for cinema is showing, David Lynch and Stanley Kubrick references are all over this thing

idk why but the demon young the weeknd sees, looks like a disfigured face of the man who appears in both the "Can't Feel My Face" and "Tell Your Friends" music videos. The man might be the reincarnation of the devil or something related the deal with the devil. Near the end of the MV, young weeknd kills the old weeknd. He also shoots the demon in "Tell Your Friends". I belive that the young weeknd thinks that the demon is here for his part of the deal or something like that 4:15 I think the dying flower means that old weeknd was a purer version of himself. White flowers generally imply purity and innocence. When the old weeknd dies, so does the flower. What i believe abel is trying to say is, the old weeknd is trying to make an attempt to talk or do something but he fails because the young weeknd sees his fears instead of the older version of himself. The only thing we can hope is abel releases more MVs to understand the plot.

He saw her walking in the crowded club. And she scratched him with her love. At first he cried but then the pleasure took over from the pain and everything became alive ... Or dead ... Depending on the perspective. Yes it is all about perspective. For perhaps what has become feared (the drugs, the lust, the night), is what is finally needed to become free from the world below that is trying to hold us back....the old rugged future....the weakened form of ourselves....the death awaiting all.... Let's not forget the contrasts. "If I finally die in peace .... " Is being beaten by yourself peaceful? "The only thing I understand is the zero sum of tenderness ..." So in the end, is he alive or is he dead? Are we alive or are we dead? Is this all but just a dream....??? "Life is a dream.... Cause it's never what it seems... But you'd rather lost and lost... Than never love at all.. Here we go again..." "We're going back in time..." It is all an eclipse and we need special glasses to enjoy it all.

aside from feeling heartbroken seeing old abel like that , i am really lovin where this all is going

Song gets better after each listen.

My brother, is not an English accent, it's a German accent speaking English, the track is a tribute to Kraftwerk, that's why the accent and the way of singing.

If you get tired of Weeknd reactions you are on the wrong channel...keep em coming Jon🔥

I know Abel loves to tease us and he is amused about all the theories we are describing and thinking about. Here is mine: Abel has always been fighting against his demons or he tried to. So here, he gave us his view of this demon. Actually, he himself has been the demon all the time. His inner demon. But the new fact is, that the demon never wanted to harm him. He was terrified, what his younger version was doing (taking drugs, living promiscuous etc.) knowing that this is not the right way. By still doing ist, the flower (symbol for purity) dies. Young Abel, not able to recognize the demon as his older version (maybe his own God), kills him, but old Abel will always come back. So this is a fight, he will never win or lose. It's just perpetual. As life is. It's being born and dying. Being born and dying.

it was the flourishing flower from the heartless video this is the beginning of a new trilogy!

Abel is just an absolute GENIUS who creates nothing but MASTERPIECES!!!! XOTWOD❤️‍🔥

6:22 "It's rare that he kills himself." Tell Your Friends (2015) he buries himself. Starboy (2016) he suffocates himself.

It's sweet that you sick that you do the video reactions for the weekend songs every time I want to get a reaction I go to yours. Good stuff bro

This song was already my favourite on the album by far, so getting a video less than a week after release was a treat

I just hope he dont give up singing and become an actor. he is so good at acting is beyond believe

The symbolism from dawn fm is crazy. Always love your reactions Jon 🤩

"dont touch that dile now, we're just getting started..."

Abel: killing himself in video My head: ⬆️⬇️⬆️⬇️⬆️⬇️⬆️⬇️

"It's 5 am my time again" "I only call you when it's half past five"

there was one comment below the gasoline video, where someone mentioned that old abel could be the soul and young abel could be the ego

I'm excited af for the deluxe

this connects with The Morning music video and the Kissland scenes

These to albums (After Hours and Dawn FM) feel like a new Trilogy is one the way.

When he started to still a connected story with After Hours I was really hoping that he would make a music video for each episode. Just like Daft Punk did with their Discovery album. It would be so amazing if he did this for this Album.

This is truly one of the best song by abel

3:30 - Not a rose, but a white lily. Classic symbolism is hope, purity, and rebirth.

6:21 He kills himself in like every video lmao

Ok, just a thought: crowd floating above the other people. Video starts with an eclipse, so maybe the "veil" is thin between this world and the next? so when the people are using the eclipse glasses, that's why those people from the other plane are above? can see but not get through to the physical world? and the flower growing and dying maybe represents the length of time of the eclipse? Definitely can be interpreted so many way but that's why this video is so darn cool.

It's almost like the star boy video.. he kills off beauty behind the madness able. I love it.. and then lyrics basically going with the faith song. Able is everywhere and it's beautiful!

Im someone who struggles with addiction and depression and this song more than any incapsulates how it feels in my world 🌎 The knowledge and fear that death is stalking me and the desire to run towards it and from it simultaneously.

You bringing up silent hill just makes me love you more. You're so cultured, great video as always.

How about a tierlist of his songs? i feel like the old one is outdatet by now, atleast my view on many of his songs changed in the last 2 years

The visuals in the Weeknd's videos never disappoint

The ending when they put the glasses is there old self of those on the top looking down.

Abel always finds a way to die or kill himself by different versions of himself in every music video possible...and that's both terrifying and fascinating at the same time.

Deluxe already appears to be out! (Alternate World - videos, remixes and Moth to a Flame)

Loving The Weeknd content!

I know it feels too soon to ask but this album seems like the final chapter to the dark toxic nature of The Weeknd. I wonder if this is his last album? if not will it be the end of the dark lyrics and toxicness and instead his future projects will lean towards remorse & regret and looking to do better?

Not sure if anyone has said this but the reversed part in the song says something along the lines of “I like to watch you watch me sleep”

Abel's crazy good at looking terrifying! This video is epic

@E kitz and many others, this also partially a completion to you all’s theories so I don’t have to retype the beginning of it all. I begin, it’s a also that younger Abel is in the club, like during after hours with lines like “My darkest hours, girl I felt so alone inside of this crowded room, different girls on the floor distracting my thoughts of you” & “I saw you dancing in a crowded room”. He’s so Blinded by the Lights that he can only see his future self as a Demon, because why else would his older self be in the club? UNLESS! (Here’s the kicker) His goals of winning his girl back didn’t work out because of him sabotaging something in the future, so he must destroy that future self/or punish to alter that reality.

Been watching for well over a year now mate. Glad to see you growing more popular in the space. Also glad to see you’re putting in more effort and style with each video. You’re doing great !

Thats what i said, it was to be the video between Take My Breathe and Sacrifice but its actually the prequal to Sacrifice.

I love how the old face morphs into his young face so smoothly.

This Beat is a Eurpoean Beat, Abel is a Genious.

Gasoline is energetic

I feel like this entire thing is just a cyber-dystopian version of A Christmas Carol with a little death twist instead of it being a dream. He is being lead through his life to show various points of recklessness, sin, gluttony, greed, hate, violence, lust, etc. What's intriguing is his memories attacking him in this video. Definitely going to give this a TON of rewatches to try and get a better grip on just whats happening. About to stitch all the videos together and start trying to build a story from Take My Breath, Sacrifice and Gasoline. I may even throw in Like A Moth To A Flame because it seems to at least be a precursor or loosely tied to this universe in someway.

Jon Hey huge fan of you and Abel, hey when I hear this first part I get Prince and the Revolution vibes from this song in particular.

you do an amazing job with your interpretation and insight of his videos. you are the GOAT of reactions. love you JD

I swear this is the first video I've seen where it gets straight to the point, good shit Jon

Here's something cool. Where they are upside down looking at each other, that little piece just before the second chorus, the weeknd says "I love it when you watch me sleep" in reverse. Check it out! 5:35

He’s such an amazing actor! I can’t wait to see the rest of the MVs and The Idol! XOTWOD x

I totally agree with the explanation of many in the comment section i.e. He's trying to stop his younger self doing sinful acts. However, could it also be that he is killing his older self when he tries to warn him because he wants to live in the moment as in right now. Since, as Jim said in Phantom Regret, "Heaven is not that, it's this" and "You gotta be heaven to see heaven". Meaning that we need to act now and in the moment and live it well to live a good life. All in all love the work Abel is doing, looking forward for more. XO

Strong on every aspect.

Hey so I actually was curious and Dm’ed the director of the music video on Instagram to ask if she was inspired by silent hills but unfortunately she wasn’t but it was a nice thought😁

Abel sounds like Billy Idol in the beginning of the song

So the synthesizer overlayed with his voice @2:32 reminded me a lot of "Bigmouth Strikes Again" by the Smiths. Also, both songs have a little similarities in rhythm and thematics so i think you are on to something with his British spin on the song.,

For everyone saying he may retire. He’s not, he’s referring to The Weeknd not Abel, after life will be the end of The Weeknd, but the next trilogy will be something totally different

I’d love to see an analysis from videos from After Hours and these. There are many parallels like the white flower and the grin. Keep the videos coming. XOTWOD

enjoy watching you enjoy music haha!

I love the Weeknd 🔥💯xo forever 🌄♥️🎶

You should react to the Trilogy and Kiss Land Era music videos too!

Agree, it could have been the first video but it’s also a good resource to story tell, going back with different chapters as well to explain how that started

You hit it. Remorse regret guilt.

A lot of people still don’t understand that this is a visual album even tho he said it himself

My favorite song on the whole project!!!🥰

Wow, there was A LOT going on in this one!! Why does young Abel see old Abel as a demon? Maybe young Abel’s not ready to mature? Or he just knows that old Abel will eventually be his future by the rate he’s going but he’s in denial or thinks that’s just weak shit? Funny how he’s not freaked out by all the demons and freaky shit going on around him (or can’t see all the freaky shit just yet because he’s focused only on the euphoria that’s strong enough to make him cry in the middle of the club) but that old guy/demon in the corner? Nah, fuck him.😂🤔 It was like old Abel had the wisdom/foresight to know that ass whoopin was coming because he knows himself…and he was scared to look at his past self because he knew the past wasn’t good. But he’s forced to look ‘cause, well, purgatory. Kinda sad. Or I just have a soft spot for the elderly, lol. The eclipse seemed to be a reality check for everyone in purgatory (notice that moment pierced the low vibration and happened at a “higher frequency”). The people in the living world were looking at this amazing eclipse and enjoying the wonders of the universe while the people in purgatory were looking back at the world of the living, equally fascinated (or maybe remorseful…party life and hedonism didn’t seem so great in that moment either, hence the flower dying?)

JON DENTON I NEED THAT YEAT -UP 2 ME REACTION

This is what happens when you drink mushroom tea.

this could easily be turned into a black mirror eipsode!

Love your videos brother 👍

3:25 OOOOOOH

i love ur reactions

i never heard it as an english accent, i thought it was just pitchshifted, but i hear it now

Those flowers are lilies and if I'm not mistaken, lillies are the flower of death and are most commonly associated with funerals... wow.

he is a great actor too! 🙌 agree?

@JonDenton it is the same car model from his earlier song , The Hills

Yes Jon I saw the tweet 😂😂

I think him beating up the older version of himself symbolizes not only him dying, but the fact that he wants to kill off the idea of him continuing his toxic lifestyle even when he gets old. He wants to stop now while he’s still young rather than being an old man and regretting that he never stopped.