I did a thing that was hard for me today and I’m sitting here trying to avoid being bitter about how easy it is for others and how easy it is in theory and how easy it would be if I could just-
But that’s why I made this account and that’s why I named it eat an orange because an orange to me isn’t an orange to you if you hate citrus fruit but you still might love that poem about the friends who split one in halves and quarters and then one day when you’ve learned again how to romanticize the mundane eating an orange is all you need to solve your bad mood and then you learn that the problem was trying to solve your emotions in the first place rather than feeling them. I’m talking to you but I’m talking to me.
Picture it. Decades after the world is saved, a huge alien spacecraft touches down on earth.
Scientist, politicians, and thousands of reporters gather to witness the aliens disembark the ship. A group of boulder-like creatures, clicking and whistling to the humans around them.
One of them raises something large and metallic towards the crowd.
There's an immediate recoil of fear (is it a weapon?!) before the audience realises it's human technology. A laptop, old and beaten and looks like it was put back together by a drunk.
The alien presses a button.
"Hello Earth, this is Doctor Captain Ryland Grace. These guys are Eridians and they're here on a shopping trip. I have a list and no money, but I did save the world so that has to count for something. Number one, salt and vinegar chips. Actually anything potato. Number two, I miss apple juice. Number three,"
Anyone else thinking about how Important names are to Eridian culture, considering how Rocky addressed himself and Adrian, and what that would mean once Grace got to Erid.
(ignore statements of time i refuse to do the conversions)
Imagine, after decades of your world becoming colder and colder, you are saved. A single Eridian, the only one of twenty three to survive, arrives in an alien ship, accompanied by a creature you can barely conceive.
Everything about the alien is so loud, hinges formed from tissue thumping and stretching in constant movement, even while unconscious. Completely organic, reliant of oxygen and hydrogen. Instead of a protective carapace, it regrows its damaged tissues. It has senses you do not, and technology so unlike your own, both able to utilise a force you have never heard of. The same force that killed almost your entire mission team. Highly adaptable, able to teach itself how to fly its ship in under a week, able to become fluent in the engineer's dialect in less than four years.
And if Erid's best engineer is correct (and there's no reason it wouldn't be), this creature not only managed to breed a predator of the warmth-taker to survive in various atmospheres, including Threeworld's, but also turned around to provide aid when it discovered that the predator could escape xenonite.
And you think: Surely, this creature which protects itself without a carapace, which sleeps so lightly and knows so much and learns so quickly, which saved two planets at the cost of ever returning to its thrum, surely, a creature so extraordinary must have a name to match
And you think: Perhaps it is strength, Mountain-Base or Lonsdaleite-Carapace. Perhaps it is intellect, Diamond-Claw or Lockpick-Mind. Perhaps it is courage, Song-Through-Silence or Path-Carver
And you think: None of these names hold the true weight of what this creature is to them. How do you describe something like that, which aids without expectation of anything in return, which risks its own life for the sake of a species it cannot touch, which performs miracles simply because it was asked.
And then you learn: Your saviour's name is Kindness
Hello Friends I am about to yap and do character analysis that may only end up making sense to me but alas. I made individual character playlists for Ryland Grace from Project Hail Mary and Simon from Iron Lung,,,, idk if i did them a justice by describing it but it hits hard for me trust.
LONG AF UNDER THE CUTTTTT I ALMOST MADE THIS A POWERPOINT. I COULD MAKE INDIVIDUAL POSTS FOR ALL OF THESE SONGS BUT IM IMPATIENT AND AFFLICTED WITH TUNNEL VISION SO U GET THIS.
I also understand my brain makes connections appear out of thin air so like pls know I'm a 'many interpretations can be true at once' truther and this is me acknowledging that indeed these songs make me think of them in part because its My Music That I've Been Listening To Lately.
*then I made a bloodymary playlist bc they consume my thoughts. its more like a bonus treat and less like analysis. The Grace and Simon ones have songs in that order On Purpose.
Bloodymary joint playlist will be in the reblog hehe.*
Pools by Glass Animals: The chorus of this song is flippant! Grace! He is Eva Stratt's toy and he's okay with that until he's not!!! until he's 'dead'!! (i'm dead before I,,,) but he has. to keep going. anyway. (next chorus/chorus repeats) he's already in space he needs to learn to smile because he wants to.
Frozen Pines by Lord Huron: (honorable mention here, the yawning grave,,,, but I picked the arguably more hopeful/song w a tone of acceptance to it) Theres that trailing off that sounds like the yawning grave but again hes. already here. he's figuring out whether or not he did that on purpose (first verse slash first half of the song,, think strange light = petrova line) while also connecting with someone in new ways (~2:23,,, hes gonna follow rocky! its early to know this but he knows. we as the viewer or reader know. they're a bonded pair your honor). There is. LITERALLY 'another life beyond the line' (rocky. he found rocky because of the petrova line). hah.
Go Steady by tender: okay so lets revisit Our Time On Earth. Lets remember ourselves as a use case and lets recognize that betrayal and lets keep our heads 'steady' about it. What's the plan? are you still a man of many tricks and tools knowing what you know, now? its moodier, but still upbeat, he's figuring it out, and there's betrayal in the bridge and it's delicious bitterness. to me. let my man be Bitter.
Voyager by Ethan Hibbs is an instrumental because. well. because space motif. It's contemplative. Grace is contemplative. send post.
Miyazaki by Paris Paloma: is Grace's attempt at regaining the autonomy taken from him and the defiance of joy he chooses in Rocky :) 'i am not a violent person but I make things with aggression', i'd like to think, is him remembering and hopefully becoming vindicated over being right This Whole Time about waterless life. There's a more dignified bitterness in this one. And further, This is his declaration of choosing Rocky, of sending the Beatles back and hoping they make it but not letting being Earth's Savior rob him of another connection. if that's fair to say
It's all so incredibly loud by glass animals: remembering trauma. betrayal breaks worldview. between that and also when the ship is crashing out. spiral song. send post.
Storm warnings by florence road: a continuation of said spiral because it deserves two songs. we tune in to the internal storm mentioned in its all so incredibly loud and externalize it because will he Even Survive This. Should he have seen this coming? Were there warning signs?
Welcome to the DCC by nothing but thieves: the Beatles he sends back to earth have little to none of the above internal turmoil, but a reconnection to that flippant scientist, unaged, making the best out of a situation that should have by all means screwed him completely over. peace and love stratt. This one is for u my love. The dog who weeps is no less guilty or whatever.
Sun Bleaches Flies by ethel cain: I think this is how he would actually feel behind the DCC facade and also I've seen some BANGER edits of him to this song. the more it hurts the less it shows. Continued theme of bargaining one's choice versus the definition of home and redefining that if you have to. send post.
Abstract (psychopomp) by hozier: Rocky homage. grace rocky save stars. he will grieve earth forever. but there was no choice, no competition, he loves rocky to the point of bravery.
and as a point for later if u move on/are interested in Simon iron lung. lets remember 'see how it shines' :) if u were just here for phm, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed! if you are here for Iron Lung, proceed. His songs are less so a story progression but still felt important to order as such.
Aquarius by lor: The strings in this song makes it feel like a dive, make the lyrics feel less grave, but they are, the sea is angry and crushing. is he already dead? there are whispers of that even in the beginning. he's welded in. he has to dive again.
The summit by spiritbox: walk with me. is this toooooooo literal??? I've been hyperfixating on this song, yes, but also the BRIDGE? HELLO? THE VENOM IS WHAT KEEPS ME ALIVE? i rest my case. surely. do you hear elements of scream starting? yeah you do. well. we're desperate.
infinite baths by sleep token: we might make it out just yet! who is screaming like that. is that blood? I've only seen the movie once, but surely the monster wants him to have a semblance of reprieve. I noticed him choosing survival over a life with autonomy (or rather, thinking that was a choice he had) "one more dive and then ill be free?" oh but the screaming is louderrrrrrrr. mind split incoming.
Loom (Eydís Evensen Piano Rework): this one used to have a poem about the ocean even though the song is instrumental. I can try to find that but it's mainly bringing back the strings we started with in a way that to me, makes the sea feel navigable. Lets make a map.
Rule #27 Drunk on Pride by Fish in a Birdcage, Philip Bowen: SIMON IS UNNAMED. FOR THE FIRST FULL HOUR OF THE MOVIE. I like strings and I'm projecting my music tastes on to Simon. I am also quite fond of the little strings motif I've set up for him. it's getting more frantic, too.
Dead Talk by wind walkers: well. does it matter? at this point does anything matter besides staying 'sane'? his mind takes over his brain. send post
hedonist (recharged) by bad omens and wargasm: well if I didn't think about miss Ava in the duration of this song I'd be lying. It does work for simon too and the eel (?) like gaining more control as well. but I'm here to say i support women's wrongs. I think the repetition denotes how she knows they've lost a ship before. 'theres no meaning' re: thinking of the good of others. shes evil for it but she'd do it again. to live with the devil, to sleep with it.
Willoughby's interlude by ethel cain: alive or dead, real or fake, can you just keep talking to me? you can promise me living and freedom? besides the everpresent darkness? Ambiance to denote solitude, the final 30 minute lock-in.
Sun killer by spiritbox: if i had a nickel for every spiritbox song i thought hit right on the nose for this movie i'd have two nickels. we're screaming again but it's blended now. get's got by the eel. send post
mistakes by gregory alan isakov: i will say I hurt myself with this one. I just think bringing the strings back to contrast all the horror with something so calm and mournful is the intent Simon always deserved but never got. you have to pause while you watch the ship fill with blood. he thought he made it, or could, but the ocean never stopped being angry. so you paid and paid and paid and paid.
I ended both playlists on accident with songs that had repeating lyrics to close but I am happy it happened. Grace has this bittersweet grief to live with (see how it shines) and Simon succeeded and died (so you paid)
and if you made it this far thanks for walking with me and taking a peek into my psyche :)
I wish they were a cigarette I could smoke (i haven’t smoked a day in my life) but this is close enough
The joint playlist is less refined, a few are in there bc of the ship name, a few I think are the vibe of if I ‘mixed’ the playlists together, others are songs that make me think of them or honorable mentions (I mean no shit but. By way of resonating With Their Actual Characters). Sometimes it’s just songs I like and by proxy I Make It Relate. <3
And guys. Can I tell you a secret. I would put sign of the times by harry styles in the grace playlist but I HATE that song. It does something autistic to me like genuinely I think that is my least favorite song in existence bc of the visceral reaction I have. So. Yeah. Nothing against Harry or it being in the movie at all I think it’s aptly placed but good god. Something about it overstimulates me it’s too raw it’s dissonant to the way my brain Listens. (Probs a hallmark of it being a good song though)
panels where Olly looks really smol next to Qifrey. very important to me, yes.
mrrrrrrgggghhh their fingers in the second one, the almost-not-quite brush, the flame held between them that's DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT'S NOT DANGEROUS!!! LIKE HOW OLLY BEING QIFREY'S SAFE PLACE IS WHAT MAKES HIM DANGEROUS FOR HIM HLASDKFLKDSJAFLSD *crying screaming throwing up etc etc*
See the thing about Stratt putting all media ever in the Hail Mary is that it isn’t just for lolz or to keep the crew entertained, it always struck me as something deeply sad.
Because even if all the crew survived, there was no way they could consume all possible media ever, language barriers alone would present a problem. And even then, they had a job to do and focus on first (which could have theoretically taken decades of work to figure out) so they wouldn’t have much use for The Great Gatsby or a week’s worth of poorly written amateur Guatemalan experimental opera. Let us remember that Stratt is practical and true utilitarian
Instead, I think it was another part of the Hail Mary. If the scientists failed, if the Earth died, then what? Everything would have been completely lost. Art, music, film, history. Destroyed. Without a single living soul to remember it by. It would be as if all of humanity had never existed.
But if it survived? If other alien civilizations discovered traces of humanity? Then the memory of mankind could live on and be remembered.
What better way to do that than to send everything (literally everything, the art, the music, the science, the history) out as far as humanly possible so that it might connect with someone else in the universe? It would be a long shot, a Hail Mary, but it was the best chance that humanity had to be remembered
I scrolled through the notes on this post and my favorite has to be one mockingly accusing Madeline Miller (a Latin and Greek teacher with a Masters in Classics) of needing to do research and she wasn’t a real writer like them.
Anyway when I read that line I immediately understood what she was trying to say.
Honestly, the first time I saw this tweet, I laughed my tits straight into the ocean.
I know what ‘olive skinned’ (and thus variations on it) means, but the author taking the time to have a little laugh, acknowledge that it’s at least a bit funny, and drop some knowledge is appreciated.
And a double thanks to the person I reblogged from for linking the articles.
Hello Friends I am about to yap and do character analysis that may only end up making sense to me but alas. I made individual character playlists for Ryland Grace from Project Hail Mary and Simon from Iron Lung,,,, idk if i did them a justice by describing it but it hits hard for me trust.
LONG AF UNDER THE CUTTTTT I ALMOST MADE THIS A POWERPOINT. I COULD MAKE INDIVIDUAL POSTS FOR ALL OF THESE SONGS BUT IM IMPATIENT AND AFFLICTED WITH TUNNEL VISION SO U GET THIS.
I also understand my brain makes connections appear out of thin air so like pls know I'm a 'many interpretations can be true at once' truther and this is me acknowledging that indeed these songs make me think of them in part because its My Music That I've Been Listening To Lately.
*then I made a bloodymary playlist bc they consume my thoughts. its more like a bonus treat and less like analysis. The Grace and Simon ones have songs in that order On Purpose.
Bloodymary joint playlist will be in the reblog hehe.*
Pools by Glass Animals: The chorus of this song is flippant! Grace! He is Eva Stratt's toy and he's okay with that until he's not!!! until he's 'dead'!! (i'm dead before I,,,) but he has. to keep going. anyway. (next chorus/chorus repeats) he's already in space he needs to learn to smile because he wants to.
Frozen Pines by Lord Huron: (honorable mention here, the yawning grave,,,, but I picked the arguably more hopeful/song w a tone of acceptance to it) Theres that trailing off that sounds like the yawning grave but again hes. already here. he's figuring out whether or not he did that on purpose (first verse slash first half of the song,, think strange light = petrova line) while also connecting with someone in new ways (~2:23,,, hes gonna follow rocky! its early to know this but he knows. we as the viewer or reader know. they're a bonded pair your honor). There is. LITERALLY 'another life beyond the line' (rocky. he found rocky because of the petrova line). hah.
Go Steady by tender: okay so lets revisit Our Time On Earth. Lets remember ourselves as a use case and lets recognize that betrayal and lets keep our heads 'steady' about it. What's the plan? are you still a man of many tricks and tools knowing what you know, now? its moodier, but still upbeat, he's figuring it out, and there's betrayal in the bridge and it's delicious bitterness. to me. let my man be Bitter.
Voyager by Ethan Hibbs is an instrumental because. well. because space motif. It's contemplative. Grace is contemplative. send post.
Miyazaki by Paris Paloma: is Grace's attempt at regaining the autonomy taken from him and the defiance of joy he chooses in Rocky :) 'i am not a violent person but I make things with aggression', i'd like to think, is him remembering and hopefully becoming vindicated over being right This Whole Time about waterless life. There's a more dignified bitterness in this one. And further, This is his declaration of choosing Rocky, of sending the Beatles back and hoping they make it but not letting being Earth's Savior rob him of another connection. if that's fair to say
It's all so incredibly loud by glass animals: remembering trauma. betrayal breaks worldview. between that and also when the ship is crashing out. spiral song. send post.
Storm warnings by florence road: a continuation of said spiral because it deserves two songs. we tune in to the internal storm mentioned in its all so incredibly loud and externalize it because will he Even Survive This. Should he have seen this coming? Were there warning signs?
Welcome to the DCC by nothing but thieves: the Beatles he sends back to earth have little to none of the above internal turmoil, but a reconnection to that flippant scientist, unaged, making the best out of a situation that should have by all means screwed him completely over. peace and love stratt. This one is for u my love. The dog who weeps is no less guilty or whatever.
Sun Bleaches Flies by ethel cain: I think this is how he would actually feel behind the DCC facade and also I've seen some BANGER edits of him to this song. the more it hurts the less it shows. Continued theme of bargaining one's choice versus the definition of home and redefining that if you have to. send post.
Abstract (psychopomp) by hozier: Rocky homage. grace rocky save stars. he will grieve earth forever. but there was no choice, no competition, he loves rocky to the point of bravery.
and as a point for later if u move on/are interested in Simon iron lung. lets remember 'see how it shines' :) if u were just here for phm, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed! if you are here for Iron Lung, proceed. His songs are less so a story progression but still felt important to order as such.
Aquarius by lor: The strings in this song makes it feel like a dive, make the lyrics feel less grave, but they are, the sea is angry and crushing. is he already dead? there are whispers of that even in the beginning. he's welded in. he has to dive again.
The summit by spiritbox: walk with me. is this toooooooo literal??? I've been hyperfixating on this song, yes, but also the BRIDGE? HELLO? THE VENOM IS WHAT KEEPS ME ALIVE? i rest my case. surely. do you hear elements of scream starting? yeah you do. well. we're desperate.
infinite baths by sleep token: we might make it out just yet! who is screaming like that. is that blood? I've only seen the movie once, but surely the monster wants him to have a semblance of reprieve. I noticed him choosing survival over a life with autonomy (or rather, thinking that was a choice he had) "one more dive and then ill be free?" oh but the screaming is louderrrrrrrr. mind split incoming.
Loom (Eydís Evensen Piano Rework): this one used to have a poem about the ocean even though the song is instrumental. I can try to find that but it's mainly bringing back the strings we started with in a way that to me, makes the sea feel navigable. Lets make a map.
Rule #27 Drunk on Pride by Fish in a Birdcage, Philip Bowen: SIMON IS UNNAMED. FOR THE FIRST FULL HOUR OF THE MOVIE. I like strings and I'm projecting my music tastes on to Simon. I am also quite fond of the little strings motif I've set up for him. it's getting more frantic, too.
Dead Talk by wind walkers: well. does it matter? at this point does anything matter besides staying 'sane'? his mind takes over his brain. send post
hedonist (recharged) by bad omens and wargasm: well if I didn't think about miss Ava in the duration of this song I'd be lying. It does work for simon too and the eel (?) like gaining more control as well. but I'm here to say i support women's wrongs. I think the repetition denotes how she knows they've lost a ship before. 'theres no meaning' re: thinking of the good of others. shes evil for it but she'd do it again. to live with the devil, to sleep with it.
Willoughby's interlude by ethel cain: alive or dead, real or fake, can you just keep talking to me? you can promise me living and freedom? besides the everpresent darkness? Ambiance to denote solitude, the final 30 minute lock-in.
Sun killer by spiritbox: if i had a nickel for every spiritbox song i thought hit right on the nose for this movie i'd have two nickels. we're screaming again but it's blended now. get's got by the eel. send post
mistakes by gregory alan isakov: i will say I hurt myself with this one. I just think bringing the strings back to contrast all the horror with something so calm and mournful is the intent Simon always deserved but never got. you have to pause while you watch the ship fill with blood. he thought he made it, or could, but the ocean never stopped being angry. so you paid and paid and paid and paid.
I ended both playlists on accident with songs that had repeating lyrics to close but I am happy it happened. Grace has this bittersweet grief to live with (see how it shines) and Simon succeeded and died (so you paid)
and if you made it this far thanks for walking with me and taking a peek into my psyche :)
