On [Hyperlink Blocked], Holiness, and FRIEND
This post is an attempt to figure out "[Hyperlink Blocked]" by forming a set of criteria that I believe the obfuscated term must have. Since I'm in part just making this post for myself, some connections are more interpretive and might not get equivalent justification as others.
1. SPAMTON POSSESSES IT, BUT DESIRES MORE VIA THE NEO BODY. THEN, VIA THE SOUL
This is straightforward, and one of the few things someone can figure out just from doing Spamton’s questline sans further analysis.
[Figure 1]
He offers it to Kris for the reason in criteria 2, implying he has some (furthered by how he implies to have demonstrated it in his fight), but also desires it in a higher quantity via the NEO body.
[Figure 2]
Since he can transfer it to the disk by transferring himself, it’s probably not like a solid item that he just carries around, but something more ethereal.
2. IT LETS YOU CONTROL FATE
This is also easily understood, and is basically the main idea of the quest.
[Figure 3]
[Figure 4]
Spamton will get [Hyperlink Blocked] in a greater amount from the NEO body, and in exchange, distribute some to Kris, which allows them both to obtain the desired freedom from strings of fate.
However, when this fails, he resorts to plan B.
[Figure 5]
Which creates the implication that the SOUL can grant him [Hyperlink Blocked].
3. IT IS WHAT SPAMTON'S BENEFACTOR PROVIDED
When Spamton reminisces about / references his past, he mentions [Hyperlink Blocked], as shown in Figure 4. It’s what let him become the “BIG SHOT” he wants to return to and then surpass, shown by what he says prior to Figure 1:
[Figure 6]
By this logic, we can also conclude that it was his “secret”, which Tenna tried contracting him into revealing, and which was provided to Spamton by his mysterious benefactor.
4. IT IS USED CONTINUALLY
Already implied by 3, but since Spamton immediately falls once his benefactor stops providing this [Hyperlink Blocked], in addition to how he mentions “SOAK”-ing in it, and interacting with it in mornings in Figure 4 (these lines are probably not meant to be taken literally, but the point remains), we can say that it’s not some sort of one-time use Philosopher’s Stone miracle.
4. SPAMTON GIVES YOU IT IN WEIRD ROUTE, BUT YOU AND NOELLE BEGIN TO MAKE IT INDEPENDENTLY OF HIM
Doesn’t really need elaboration, he just says this.
[Figure 7]
The most notable thing here would just be that it helps with interpretations where [Hyperlink Blocked] is LOVE or Power, both of which I used to believe in.
5. IT IS HOLY
This is relatively the most contentious point I will make, I believe.
[Figure 8]
This dialogue is a bit of a restatement of Figure 2. So, we essentially have two instances of him implying that the heavenly NEO body, which grants him [Hyperlink Blocked], should allow him to shoot for “H E A V E N”. Ergo, [Hyperlink Blocked] is some sort of heavenly force that should allow “clearance” of darkness.
What does this remind you of?
HOPE
[Figure 9]
Logically, I would argue hope makes the most sense. Perhaps not a standard form of hope, its commercial properties are arguably a bit strange, but something representing hope at the very least. Of course, for simplicity, I will just say “hope”. Anyhow,
[Figure 10]
It’s natural that in a desperate situation you would give someone hope,
[Figure 3]
It’s natural that hope would be associated with going against fate, just by definition (consequently fitting with Weird Route, in which both sources, Spamton and Ralsei, believe it will indeed let you change fate, just probably for the worse),
[Figure 11]
It’s natural that Kris would want it when faced with the impossible choice of having to choose between December Holiday (the Roaring Knight)/the final prophecy and Susie / going against it,
[Figure 12]
[Figure 13]
[Figure 14]
and associating it with the PLAYER, banishment of darkness, and holiness is very natural.
The biggest issue I see with this interpretation is that Spamton does say the word “HOPE” in a regular manner, which I can understand as a deal breaker. But, the thing is that the word just works really well? Like, if it isn't hope, are there supposed to be two distinct heavenly forces that can subsume darkness? Surely not. I think the most natural conclusion, where [Hyperlink Blocked] does represent hope, is that it's a word that heavily relates to the concept but isn't just "hope". In this case, it would probably be DETERMINATION, the culmination of hopes and dreams if Asriel Dreemurr's UNDERTALE fight is any indication. Back in DELTARUNE, ERAM relates 'getting what Kris wants', which we've established as cutting their strings, to the SHADOW CRYSTALS, and they have an interesting parallel to "subsuming" darkness; darkness lets you manifest dreams, and the culmination of the crystals is the Pure Crystal, which is an item I would be surprised if not hope related; probably able to create a literal white pen of hope given its role in creating the Twisted Sword. This idea of dreams being replaced with hope is also present in the NEO body aforementioned. So, it works decently, but since I would say the "hope" part of the equation is more important, I still largely see [Hyperlink Blocked] as being synonymous with hope; if it eases it in your mind, you can just call it DETERMINATION.
Otherwise, for the final nail in the coffin:
[Figure 15]
[Figure 16]
Mille viae ducunt homines per saecula Spēs.
A FOOTNOTE ON SPAMTON’S BENEFACTOR
A question I had after coming to this conclusion is “Why does Spamton’s benefactor have this, lol?”
I have a decent (?) answer, but I need to just briefly and violently establish my interpretation of the benefactor itself first.
Firstly, the benefactor is Mike. This is just incredibly apparent by how they both disappear at the same time,
* It seems like whatever was helping him...
* Disappeared.
* His sales dropped to zero...
* And everything came crashing down.
and,
* Tenna always said "Mike acted different" after the other guy left.
with Mike acting differently due to being replaced by the trio.
This doesn’t mean I don’t think December Holiday or W.D Gaster were involved; the former placed the shadow crystal and controls fate,
* It pulls the strings and makes them ring.
etc,
(Feels like guitar strings...)
etc,
and, the latter is probably who called him given the reference to smile.ogg.
Secondly, Mike is FRIEND. The Mike room has a disproportionate amount of references to the cat mike interpretation, Pluey, over the other two, and also FRIEND literally shows up. You can argue that the Mike room is just cat themed because of it being the Cat Petterz cartridge, but to this I would just ask why Toby would make it the Cat Petterz cartridge writing-wise. The guitar minigame doesn’t require justification for existing in Castle Town, for example. It’s the Cat Petterz cartridge for a reason.
Anyway, taking these two facts as true, FRIEND is Spamton’s benefactor. Why does FRIEND have access to “hope”? The only idea I really have is because of its peculiar heavenly associations. Mike is short for Michael, aka the Archangel from that indie gem book known as The Holy Bible. If you think this is absurd, well, he put it in the game.
[Figure 17]
Especially given the reference to the Temptation of Jesus Christ here as well.
(I still do think it’s absurd, lol, but I guess it makes sense that an entity associated with the 666 Lucifer guy also has an angel-related name. Also, if you didn't know, this line is referenced in one mike trio newsletter video's URL, so it's probably important)
Additionally, in the BATTAT minigame, cats that grant more points are more powerful and angelic,
[Figure 18]
And, the one that grants the most points is...
[Figure 19]
So, it’s not out of nowhere.
