The sculptures in Metropolis form a unit. They are connected as if by an invisible chord and they are the supporting pillars of the film's magical-occult content. By means of their significance they open the way for an even deeper understanding of the film, revealing the mysticism which lends the film its secretive touch. Some of the sculptures are even mentioned in the opening credits as „Die Gestalten des Films" (The Figures of the Film), these are „Der Maschinenmensch“, (The Machine Man, the Metropolis Robot) „Der Tod“ (Death) and „Die Sieben Todsünden" (The Seven Deadly Sins). Because of their content-supporting character we must also allocate the following works to these sculpted ‚Gestalten’: the sculpture of HEL, which appears in the film as a larger-than-life head, and the ‚Siebenköpfiges Tier’ (Seven Headed Beast) in which the whole mythical-mystical content of the film is synthesized.

Hel is the archetypal mother of Metropolis, all story lines of dramatic entanglement converge at this point. She was a shining light, one who had given love. The viewer does not get to meet her directly because the drama originates in the past, when two men had vied with each other for Hel's love. By their connection to this woman these two men become the film’s antagonists. Hel had first been Rotwang's, the inventor’s woman. But also Joh Fredersen, powerful lord and stern ruler over the gigantic city of Metropolis, had courted her love, and Hel had finally given herself to him. From this connection, a son was born, Freder Fredersen. Hel died while giving birth to her son. Her loving nature was transmitted to her son who in no way resembles his power hungry father.

The name 'Hel' points to the mythological Norse goddess HEL. She is the guardian of the realm of the dead and therefore she is a goddess of death. The word 'Hel' is associated with the German word 'Hölle' and its English equivalent, 'hell'. But here it signifies a chthonic realm of the dead, with no reference to the Christian belief in hell as a place of punishment for sins committed during one's lifetime. 'Hel' also contains the German word 'verhehlen' (= 'verhüllen', to veil), thereby identifying the goddess Hel as the keeper of things enshrouded, concealed. 'Hel' is a hybrid deity; she is half black and half white, half dead and half alive. Thus she proclaims to be withholding something from those that live in the world that is only revealed through death. The fact that in her knowing of death she is transcendent of man makes her man’s just and caring companion. The fairytale character of 'Frau Holle' (Mother Hulda) is often connected with the death goddess HEL. Even the word 'Helm', helmet in English, shares in the same root with 'verhehlen': the helmet conceals the head, thereby the word 'Helm' is related to HEL. Interesting to note that the film's leading actress' name is Helm, Brigitte Helm.