About kriselle amalgam knight, doesnt the sword minigame kinda contradict it? It very clearly shows the weird route, and after crossing the lake, the scene where game-noelle and game-kris are used up. Afaik that diesnt really match the theory? How would they be considered used up if they become the knight, an integral to the plot character
Let's look a little closer to what the game tells us about the Sword Route: As the preamble, Ramb introduces this to us with the preface that Kris didn't like Tenna's game, while noting that the game isn't the original one and that the whole thing is linear and bounded, and that what Kris wants is Freedom. He then implies this original game will have Freedom in it. Note that in order to even start the game, you need the Odd Controller, an item explicitly connected to FRIEND through the pink and yellow colouration.
Firstly, Board 1 essentially to me represents Ch1 and Ch2. A simple 'GET STRONGER' message, picking up a sword for HERO_SWORD to kill monsters, only to end up destroying trees that bound your way and obtaining the 'ICE KEY', which to me at least represents reaching the point where Noelle joins the party.
Next is Board 2, which represents to me at least Ch2 to Ch5. Starting off from the beginning from the acknowledgement it follows a similar path to Board 1 at the start up until you go up to Northernlight and enter the Ice Palace. There, you will find yourself unable to kill certain enemies until you find someone called a WHITE CLOAK, who you must follow and have her use ICE MAGIC to begin the FORBIDDEN PATH.
After having done some freezing with the WHITE CLOAK to a blue bird, you must then go through a maze area that according to Noelle's own blog, only she can seemingly get through. You might have heard it before, but the path she takes is essentially the path the Player takes for Ch2, Ch4, and Ch5's WR. You go from Library to Noelle's Home to the Lake. By that point when you've reached the Lake, the using up of WHITE CLOAK occurs here, where we find a black void and ERAM's voice saying "Well done. You found my secret hiding place. But there's nothing here...is there?" and then we find a save point like star which when touched states "YOU FOUND THE SHELTER KEY". After that, ERAM responds "Oh, you found that, too! Perfect, just perfect... Thanks for all your hard work, Kris!" before the words YOU WERE USED UP show up and the game ends there.
Now quite literally, we are saying that Kris and Noelle went into a lake, went to an area associated with where a devil is hidden, and obtain the means to go into the Shelter, with the implication that this is something Kris is supposed to do. I'd like to note this later with ERAM, but they are pretty explicitly connected to the Knight given they are stated to both have work to do.
Finally, Board 3. This starts off with the City Board and HERO_SWORD is with the mini Susie and Ralsei characters here. There are 2 things to note here: The use of the City Board notes back to what Noelle has said about it being a place would've wanted to take her, that being a place outside the bounds. And also the fact that Susie and Ralsei are here implies this is at a point where Susie and Ralsei will at least have some idea of the boundedness of the world, most likely a Ch6 relevation. In this board, the presumption from here on is that this is a timeline where the Knight succeeds, given the killing of Susie and Ralsei at this point, implying the Knight has reached the point where "the three heroes meet at World's Edge." Next, we go into the manhole and go into the Hometown inspired area according to Roots Theory. To note about that theory, there are monsters implied to represent both Asgore and Undyne here. Only then, do we get to see the Black Deer Monster, the one that copies Kris, gets controlled by us, and then is attacked when we try to get too close to Kris.
After that, we destroy the tree barriers with our strength and leave the Hometown area. After that, we get to see mini Tenna talking about the deal they made with Kris, getting killed by HERO_SWORD and then immediately going to the Shelter right after that conversation. Seriously, a character talks about a deal and then we immediately go to the Shelter right after. Kris is shown themself to be hestitant, but we go in anyways.
We then enter the Shelter and get this: "Kris...oh...Kris...Is it fun, Kris? Playing around like this...That's why you're searching for them, aren't you? The SHADOW CRYSTALs...and the SHADOW MANTLE that I'm holding! Do you honestly think it'll get you what you want...?...no, part of you is just...enjoying this, isn't it? [WROnly] The same part of you that enjoyed yesterday. Knowing you could say it wasn't really you. [WROnly] Oh, don't make that sour face. I can see in the dark, you know! The question is... can you?"
If we treat ERAM as similar to the Knight, we can understand the following:
They don't think the Shadow Crystals or Shadow Mantle will get Kris what they want, implying they think these elements won't change fate at all.
They accuse Kris of only doing this for enjoyment's sake alone, and go out of their way to say they enjoy what they did in Ch2 WR because they don't have full control over themselves. I'd imagine they only accuse Kris of this because of how the Knight is now.
The part that interests me is the "I can see in the dark. Can you?" is how it compares to a line that came up in Ch1 during the Cliffs section, specifically: "In this land, only eyes blinded by darkness can see the way..." implying that seeing in the dark = Understanding the fate of the future ahead. The line is essentially saying 'I know exactly what's going to happen due to the bounds of the game. Can you understand it?'
Anyways, after the fight is over and you've attacked ERAM and the FRIENDlings enough, they say this: "There! That's what I wanted to see! Flickering red, like pretty little flames... Your eyes can't hide it, Kris. Without play... The knife grows dull. Haha...well, enough of that! We both have work to do! So if you want this MANTLE, hurry up and take it...If you can reach it!" before then putting the Shadow Mantle in an chest that requires the Player to break the bounds on purpose to get it.
The flickering red has only been shown in eyes of those who are determined and willing to make a Dark Fountain. There's also the use of 'Without play.. The knife grows dull' implying that the Knight is playing because essentially, if they don't try altering little things like that, their strength and brutality will weaken. If they don't distract themselves, their determination will falter. And in a way, because the Shadow Mantle weakens the Knight's attacks, it adds a challenge for the Knight, it gives a risk of defeat, because while they don't mind winning, they also have the desire to test the strength of the Fun Gang as well.
















