A Minecraft Movie Post-Credits Scenes Explained: Who Is That New Character?

Warning: This article contains spoilers for "A Minecraft Movie."

In Jared Hess' blockbuster video game flick "A Minecraft Movie," Jack Black plays Steve, an ordinary man who longs to work in a mine. He represses his childhood dream until middle-age, when he decides to finally take up a pickaxe and start smashing through the rock in a tunnel in his small Idaho town. On his first outing, Steve uncovers a magical glowing cube that opens a mysterious portal deep in the mine. He passes through the portal and finds himself in the block-like Overworld, a magical realm that abides by video game physics. There, Steve can build houses out of three-foot-by-three-foot cube merely by flicking his wrists and manifesting them out of thin air. He loves it and decides to live in the Overworld.

By the end of the film, however, Steve has made a new friend in the form of Garrett "The Garbage Man" Garrison (Jason Momoa), a former video game champion who can't let go of his former glories. After going through a broad, exciting adventure, Steve decides to leave the Overworld and move back to Earth to be with his new companions. The final scenes of the movie see Steve and Garrett singing a heavy metal song at Garrett's vintage video game store. It's an uplifting ending to a silly movie.

There is, however, a post-credits cookie at the end of "A Minecraft Movie." Steve returns to his old house on Earth where he used to live, partly because he's feeling wistful, but also because he's looking for something he left there. He knocks on the door, and a red-haired woman in a green blouse answers. We can't see her face, but the woman (who introduces herself as Alex) is played by Kate McKinnon. Steve asks about the thing in the attic, and the woman invites him in.

This will mean nothing to the casual viewer. However, to those who've played the "Minecraft" video game, Alex is significant.

There was some controversy or, more precisely, mockery involving "A Minecraft Movie" before it was released. This was especially the case when it came to Black's casting as Steve, one of the only notable named characters in the early days of the "Minecraft" video game universe. That version of Steve wasn't a character with a backstory or a personality; he's merely the default "male" player avatar. In time, Steve became the face of "Minecraft" media, and he can be seen on much of the franchise's merchandise around the world. Nevertheless, having Black play Steve was seen as somewhat risible by the (sizable) "Minecraft" community. It would be like making the mermaid figure from the Starbucks logo into a movie character.

Luckily, "A Minecraft Movie" is — shockingly — not that bad. Even Black avails himself well, relying on his usual over-enthused shtick.

There was, notably, also a "female" player avatar added to the "Minecraft" game in 2014. This new avatar, Alex, had long red hair and a green blouse. Alex, like Steve, didn't have a personality, but her mere presence made her an equal to her "male" counterpart. Reams of fan fiction were soon produced, sussing out the relationship between Steve and Alex. Were they siblings? Friends? Lovers? Are Alex and Steve symbols for Adam and Eve?

Regardless, should Hess' film receive a sequel (and it likely will, given how successful "A Minecraft Movie" has been), Alex will play a part. Both Black and McKinnon are hilarious comedians, so it will be fun to see them play off each other in a whimsical "Minecraft" universe. It will also fulfill a vital new character in the minds of "Minecraft" players. One cannot have Steve without Alex.

More recently, other named default skins have been added to "Minecraft," including Sunny, Kai, Makena, Zuri, Efe, Ari, and Noor. Again, none of them have actual backstories or personalities, but it's nice to see a wider panoply of humanity in the block-headed game. Perhaps if Alex appears in "Another Minecraft Movie" (or whatever it ends up being called), then those other seven will as well.

"A Minecraft Movie" is now playing in theaters.