And if that is the case, his death is the death of the truth. The elders, who would not go into the woods to escort Ivy, or get medicine for their dying family members are fully willing to go there to find Noah and give him a "proper burial", and all goes on as it was. Quite sad.
Yeah, I’m going to have to watch this film again. Although I still think the layers of the film could have been better explored if the audience was in on the secret early.
The death of truth- great comment. I agree, it was sad that the elders chose to continue the illusion. But the alternative would be to expose their children to the both good and bad aspects of the real world. This way, they were able to retain control and protect their children. It is not something I completely understand or agree with.
Earlier in the movie, there is a scene wherein Lucius Hunt confesses he had gone into the woods and was prepared to pay the consequences. To the Elder, Edward Walker, Lucius was a pure and courageous being who was willing to push the boundaries of his world for sake of the others. And his response to Lucius was to approach him face to face and praise his bravery rather than scold him for disobeying the rules. I imagine once Lucius recovered from his wounds, the illusion of the village would either morph into something less sinister or even fade away all together.