Meaning: The video starts with Perry shooting the ending scene for the "California Gurls" video, receiving applause for it and going to her dressing room. She then takes off her wig and bow headband and looks into the mirror, roots start to grow and expand in the dressing room, changing into a dark, vine-covered setting. The camera pans to a different, darker Perry wearing a dark purple dress, a black cloak and purple hair as she sings. She proceeds to explore a crepuscular labyrinth with a lantern. The camera shows a scene of a dark hill with clouds swirling around it, while Perry is seen eating a strawberry (a reference to her first album One of the Boys), and the walls close in on her. Perry pushes the labyrinth, as a firework shoots from her chest into the dark sky (a reference to "Firework"), the scene hints that no matter what she struggles through, she always keeps that "spark" inside that pushes her forward. Then a close-up face shot shows Perry with perhaps alien-like eyes (a possible reference to "E.T."). In the following scene, the walls open up to reveal a little girl in a pink cardigan, a blue collared floral dress, and a pink ribbon in her hair. Perry approaches the little girl, their hands touch, and a glow surrounds them magically, with the "young Katy" and the "old Katy" coming face to face. (A reference to "The One That Got Away" with the meeting between the two Katys.) As they walk into a hall of mirrors to a colossal mirror in the end, Perry is now wearing a cream-colored dress with a leafy chestpiece. The little girl does not have a reflection in the mirror, while Perry does. When Perry reaches the giant mirror, she sees undead evil paparazzi taking pictures (one of whom is Freddy Krueger), trying to capture her fall. She attempts to break the mirror while the little girl sees the crumbling of the floor and tries to warn her, but to no avail. Perry finally shatters the mirror and the shards of the glass become butterflies. The little girl is later seen pushing a wheelchair in which Perry sits in a long, blue, floral kimono-style hospital gown, trembling with the poisoned strawberry in one hand. In the hallway, they meet two minotaur guards who block their way. The little girl furiously goes up to them and stomps her foot (meaning that when Perry remembers her innocent dream, she stays true to herself, and fights to keep moving forward). Magical waves exude from her which send the minotaurs flying and cures Perry. Perry gets up from the wheelchair, takes off the gown revealing a graying dress, and grabs the little girl's hand, as they run down the hallway to the exit. The doors open to reveal a beautiful labyrinth full of colorful flora (unlike the earlier maze with centipedes and cold stones). Perry is now wearing a cream Greek dress covered with strings of pink and yellow flowers and green leaves and has a pink, blue, and orange butterfly in her hair. A cat made of grass stares curiously at the girls with psychedelic, swirly eyes. A "Prince Charming" appears riding a unicorn, and flatters Perry but crosses his fingers behind his back, signaling that he is untrustworthy. When the little girls sees this, she narrows her eyes at him. Perry tricks him by pretending to return his affection and proceeds to punch him so hard that he flies through the fence (reference to "Part of Me"), with Perry combating a man who pretends to love her. Perry's attack against the man is much to the surprise of the little girl. Perry and the girl eventually find the exit, which was the heart-shaped hole made by the prince flying through it when Perry hit him. Both girls exchange high-fives on the way out, and the girl changes back to her original dress. They hug each other before the little girl places something in Perry's closed fist. The little girl is now identified as Katheryn (the younger Perry) by the license plate on her pink bike (a reference of pink bike from "Hot n Cold"); she walks away into a neighborhood (similar to the one in "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)"). Perry returns to her dressing room, now wearing another outfit, this time recognized as the peppermint dress from her California Dreams Tour. She opens her fist, revealing a butterfly that flies away and sparkles as it leaves. The camera pans to a stage where Perry stands on a rising platform, and sings the beginning bars of "Teenage Dream".[25][26][27] Courtesy: Wikipedia
