Spoiler for Deltarune Chapter 3
Some Gaster, Knight, and Ralsei thoughts I have:
I showed my friend Chapter 3 today, and appearantly If you die to the Knight, Gaster is supposed to talk to you? Didn't happen at my playthrough, as far as I remember...
Is it actually possible to Beat the knight in that Battle?
anyway, I kinda think don't forget is about Ralsei now? Since Susie assured him that He won't be forgotten, and he kinda is with us in the dark.
Also it's kinda interesting that like, I think Ralsei suffers from existential dread (I don't actually know how to use that word correctly) Like not only is he super terrified of the Roaring, but also of just his object breaking, or something, right? I mean we all die eventually, and I think Ralsei knows lightners die as well but, when you are also told that your only purpose is to exist for others, and through "dying" you kinda failed that purpose... that must be pretty scary for someone with such low self worth
I wonder if "we don't exist, we don't Matter" is also a coping mechanism because then the reality of dying becomes less painful? If you never mattered then your death doesn't either.
I also think Ralsei started to realized how deeply unhappy "not being real" actually is for him, so he kinda tries to distract and cope with it, maybe even through the TV Show, and through continuing to tell himself (and Tenna) that he is nothing.
I find him expressing that he shouldn't have feelings, that he thinks he's selfish for having them and, I think he even said that it really hurts him that He is not "enough" for His friends really heartwrenching to read, i don't know they're Just such strong expressions, Just wanted to Put that Here...
At the end of Chapter 3 he does give Susie a lightner smile after she cheered him up, but I don't fully think he is completely convinced yet that he actually Matters, but he's starting to heal, I kinda also wanna see him grow a bit more though, maybe have him Break down at some Point or actually have a "Noelle" Moment. But then again I'm scared we might also part ways with Ralsei at some point because he isn't able to convince himself that He Matters. Spoiler for Ch. 4 but He is the only one without a Guts stat. Maybe that just means he'll gain one, but I don't have such a good Feeling about that right now...
I was also thinking about the kinda obvious "don't escapism too much" metaphore a bit, but it doesn't work that well for me, since... None of These characters are real technically. It's not like Ralsei is a Videogame character with pre-programmed dialogue that will run out of options, at least in a world where every character is a Videogame character with pre-programmed dialogue options, and yeah darkners are a bit more over the top than like, a normal Person would be, but honestly, Most lightworld npcs are the same? Ralsei clearly has more complex feelings than the Idea of the "flat Darkner", and many darkners think about deeper stuff as well. By all means there is no reason why Ralsei shouldn't be considered a full friend, Susie even says that it doesn't matter to her If Ralsei is real or not, and his character arc points in that direction, but right now there are just enough signs to Point in the direction of "Ralsei was right". If for example Dess really Is the Knight, I can easily See her getting corrupt by the darkness to the Point she ended Up looking Like that and with These insane powers, and if spending too Long in the Darkworld results like this then... yeah that's not good. Also again with the Gaster not acknowledging darkners as relevant, even If one of them is a Main character, and the whole "Darkner plushies are okay, but lightner plushies aren't" thing... Is the metaphore Just in a "the lightners make the darkners and all their Problems up completely as they go? That also doesn't make that much sense, otherwise Tenna would've probably mentioned Kris immediatly when He talked with Susie about the fun they Had, or Ralsei wouldn't have talked about that purpose stuff with Susie, it clearly Made her uncomfortable in Chapter one, and I honestly doubt that she really thinks about needing to Server Others or something, unless it's her deep, deep subconciance... I don't know, I just think stripping all the realness of a character away for a metaphore like that... Not the best ending imo, I hope it's some sort of middle thing or something...
Actually yes, maybe that's really it... Kris's meta Story/Arc is "what is it like being a Videogame Protagonist" but from the Angle of "it was out of your control/ maybe even against your will". A story about "what is it like being a fictional character" fits just right in there, no? And if Kris can Rebell against being controlled, why shouldn't Ralsei be able to decise that he actually is real, is allowed to have feelings ect.
When I wrote my general thoughts about Just where I'm currently at in the chapters, I often found myself thinking "dang that Ralsei stuff sure Sounds a lot like Kris right now" I think the two really have more in common than they (or even we) realized.
I don't regret choosing the being nice to Ralsei Route, poor boy...
I'm actually really scared that he is just straight up going to die at the end. I mean, I mentioned "doomed" Ralsei here and there, but doomed doesn't necessarily have to mean death, just ending up alone forever suffering under your own beliefs or destiny ect.
I still haven't really started the Chapter 4 Main Storyline yet, I was just going around Home and Castletown a bunch, so I am optimistically terrified of what's to come next.
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