Bethany Goes Feral Over a Playlist
So recently, sherb gave us access to the playlist for the newest sherb version, Ryker, and since then, i have not been able to stop thinking about this playlist or this character, even though we have not even met them yet, so i decided that instead of clogging the sherbverse gen chat in sherb's discord for the like, third time this week, i would sit down and put all my thoughts into a comprehensive tumblr post, like @sage-is-in-fact-very-tired does. hope you enjoy my unhinged thoughts on these songs that i cant stop listening to. also wanna point out that while i was almost half way through this post, sherb added three more songs to the playlist, and so it is longer now than it was going to be
This song really sets up how Ryker is not going to be a good person, something we do sort of have confirmed as sherb said their new sherb version was going to be pretty far on the asshole side of the scale they made. This song does slightly imply that they would not want to be like that somewhat, but I see it more as them manipulating others, especially when the other songs are taken into account. But this song does do a good job at setting up the vibes that they are going to have, which is good for a first song to do for a character.
Bust Your Knee Caps (Johnny Don't Leave Me)
Yall, this song has once again pushed into me a toxic relationship, or a toxic ex, which put me back in the building that I was in when looking at Asri's playlist, but this one really pushes the idea of the sherbert being the toxic one in this situation. Also I do look at the lines about family, but those do not have as much grounds, so for now I just have an inkling about toxic family dynamics, which is fairly common for sherb versions. But the main thing that this song tells me is that Ryker is very manipulative towards someone, likely a partner or an ex, and the manipulation does appear to involve threats. But what is a sherb version without a toxic relationship /silly.
This song to me is one of the harder ones to get anything too specific from, as it mostly comes across to me as being a song that just sort of reaffirms the manipulative nature of Ryker. It could be a bit about how they try to manipulate their way into other bunkers in the apocalypse, but overall, I think this song mainly just adds more fuel to the fire of how much of an asshole manipulator they are.
This song is the first one that really seems to confirm how murderous Ryker seems to be. This one also implies that their being a murder is not well known, as this song is about how you do not know the horrible things that those around you have done. Them being a murder is confirmed by the trailer, as they do kill someone just because the mayor askes them to. This song also does make sense for an apocalypse in general, as most people that would survive to be in an apocalypse would likely not be a good person, or at least would be willing to do horrible things.
This song to me implies that Ryker has always been a bit of a bad person, but used to hide how bad, and now they are not hiding it as much. The whole first verse goes on about hiding the dark parts of a person, and something changes that and now they are showing off who they really are. This would make sense as well, as an apocalypse would give him an excuse to be a terrible person more openly and claim it is to survive. Also the ways that it implies that someone is the reason, could be the mayor encouraging Ryker to kill certain people, or possibly could be that potential toxic relationship partner/ex.
While this song does seem to reaffirm the terrible person bit even more, this song introduces something that is interesting to think about. And that is the idea of them maybe being a bit self destructive. This is not the only song that gives those vibes, but it does seem to imply that they might end up being a bit reckless with their life (or others), which would be an interesting thing to see.
This song seems to imply that there was a period of time where they tried to ignore their more homicidal tendencies, but they eventually gave in, likely because they were encouraged to do so by the mayor. This song also sounds like they are trying to convince someone that they could not help it, which again lends itself to the idea of a partner that they are manipulating. Also the lines about getting used and needing to be in control, it could be Ryker talking there, but it would also make sense to be the mayor as we have seen that she can just tell Ryker to kill someone and he will do it instantly.
Oh how this song screams manipulation and threats. There is not much more to say about this song, the whole idea of spreading false information to control others, or to threaten them, seems pretty overt here.
This song to me comes across sort of as being a weapon for someone else, but not entirely minding that much. It feels like someone is asking them how they are so comfortable with what they are doing, but they just do not care about all of the people that they are killing. This does also make me think that the person that would be interrogating them about their kills is likely the partner/ex, and they are once again manipulating them.
This song does seem to further the terrible person vibes that the rest of the playlist has been giving, but also seems to reaffirm the fact that they are doing a lot of the terrible things that they are doing because someone has told them to, with the lines about selling their soul to the devil.
This song really does give the vibe about being a terrible person, but not caring what other people think or what the consequences of their actions might end up being.
More. Ryker. Being. The. Problem! This whole song is about how causing pain and violence is this persons idea of fun and entertainment, so it is just really reaffirming how much Ryker is not a good person and enjoys causing other people pain.
This to me is just the mayor and Ryker, as it is very duo coded, with one being in charge, which does seem to be the energy that they are going to be giving. Though this song does make me laugh a bit more that the others, cause while the other songs give off dangerous vibes, this one feels more like they are trying to be intimidating, but failing. However, I think this song is just trying to establish the dynamic between the mayor and Ryker.
This song feels almost like trying to justify themself to someone else, saying that they can not be blamed for turning into a killer because of the circumstances, which just feel like more *gaslighting*. Once again, my brain wants to say the person he is talking to is a partner or ex that he is manipulating, but it could be anyone that is being talked to.
Oh manipulation, gaslighting, and threats, they sure are prevalent in this playlist. This song really is just threats, but it also gives off them having been close to someone, and then coming out as not being their friend, which could be interesting if that were to be them talking to the mayor, but this could also just be them generally threatening people.
Oh pandemic songs for an apocalypse. Jokes aside, this song is very manipulation coded, trying to use people for what they have, which is regards to the fact that this smp takes place in an apocalypse, makes sense for them trying to take other people's supplies.
My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark
Chat me me when this song. This song is so terrible person coded and I love it. And it do be giving arson, which is a common sherb version trait, so it does feel fitting for sureee. Also the line about someone being the cure to everything except them is tasty, and once again looks at possible toxic ex or partner situation.
Oh the ways that this song really wants to confirm my toxic partner/ex theory, with the idea of Ryker letting in that they are not a good person and they will not care about what happens to said person. I just look at this song as showing how they seem to have lost a lot of their empathy, and also does hint slightly at the being a bit more reckless with their life and other people's lives.
This song to me is the vibes of them having pretended to be a normal, nice person, and now they are not doing that anymore. Also all of the going out with a bang, again I look at him seeming a lot more reckless. But overall, this song just makes me want to yell, "LOOK OUT THEY HAVE A GUN" cause I think its funny.
Yall. . . what if I said, it is giving manipulating a partner again? I know, shocking. But the lines about why aren't you scared of me/why do you care for me, it gives dragging someone along with all of the horrible things that they are doing a bit, but in a really toxic way. In addition to this song also just again giving general bad person/killer vibes.
Chat I have been listening to this song on repeat since it was added to this playlist. Also, it is just so so toxic relationship coded, the lines about how if this is love, they do not want to be loved, is so tasty. Also we love songs that say failure, cause oh the sherb versions and their failure tendencies.
This song feels like them being at odds with someone else, cause this song is a fight, and I like it a lot. Like, in my mind it is someone who had been onto Ryker being a bad person, and now it has finally come out and this is the confrontation, and it is fun. But also the lines about having someone in a trance, looks at possible this is confrontation with manipulated partner who is finally seeing what is happening. Just saying.
This song is very paranoia coded, which would make sense for Ryker, as they are not a good person so it would make sense for them to not trust other people, but it also gives them having been stabbed in the back and now they are spiraling over it. This song makes me feel like at some point the mayor and Ryker are going to have a falling out, cause this song really feels like someone who is alone cause of a betrayal.
This song feels like it is just about them going a bit feral, with a healthy dose of threats and manipulation. I look in particular at the line about the seeds of doubt having manifested into their investment, cause that sure does feel like they are trying to drive wedges into other people as a way to keep the attention off of them.
This song is so murdering people coded, and thinking that they are in the right for it. But it especially feeds into the way that Ryker is killing because someone else told them to, with the lines about blaming simon for what he is doing. Also the lines about catching criminals, since they are working for the mayor, it lines up that they would seem themself as being more of an enforcer.
Could you believe, I am once again going to say that is toxic relationship coded, and manipulation coded. There is not much more to say about this one, especially since this is one of the new songs.
This song is so very not hiding who they are anymore coded due to circumstances. The line about not being able to see, so not hiding anymore, as well as the lines about not being the sunshine or the moon is really giving not pretending to be something they are not anymore and no longer worrying about what others will see as much. Even the title lends itself to that, as they are saying the person you thought you knew is gone now.
Chemical Overreaction/ Compound Fracture
This song to me is sort of the vibe of being ganged up on, and deciding to go out swinging. This to me means that they will be more likely to fight when others start to question them more, not caring about anyone getting hurt in the process, cause they feel they are backed into a corner. Also the last couple of lines about how bad things happen to good people, and good things happen to them, is interesting because that would make sense for good people to be at a disadvantage in the apocalypse over someone who is willing to kill to get what they want.
Anyways, that is my current analysis of the Ryker playlist where it is at right now. I know there are going to be things that I got wrong, but this is just what my take on it is rn. This was just my way of silencing the brain worms a bit while we have to wait for the smp to actually start.
