The Phantom of the Opera and Misty are eerily similar. Both are isolated outcasts who feel rejected by society. They are deranged characters who will go to extremes, and often violently, to satisfy their desperate need for acceptance: Misty destroys the plane’s emergency box so her team can use their survival skills, and Phantom tries to imprison Christine Daae as his girlfriend in his underground lair.
They are intelligent and skilled manipulators. Fittingly, “Music of the Night” plays as Misty takes private detective Jessica hostage and prepares to question her. During this song, the Ghost kidnaps Christine from her dressing room and tries to seduce her with her elegant singing voice. Misty’s investigative skills and cunning are also reminiscent of the Phantom, who haunts the Palais Garnier with magic tricks that cause chandeliers to crash, pianos to solo, and opera singers to squawk. Both are cunning characters who will do whatever it takes to get what they want.
Misty and Crystal’s bond through theater is very similar to how the only way the Ghost finds understanding and friendship is through his vocal lessons with Christine. Misty’s eyes light up when Crystal suggests they practice harmonizing together or work on a “Steel Magnolias” monologue for Shauna’s baby shower. Like the music in “The Phantom of the Opera,” theater is a way for Misty to feel accepted and get the attention she craves. When Misty reveals her true self to Crystal, she (understandably) isn’t as accepting of her as Christine is, calling her a psycho and rejecting her as her friend.