dorm leader riddle vs cater
adfiblafyofayfa OKAY, before the first of the book 7 Heartslabyul updates comes out... I wanted to take a look at Cater's new SSR and compare it to Riddle's Dorm Uniform SSR (since many fans are speculating that Cater's card + dream will involve him being dorm leader).
Let's look at the initial card art for our two contenders! You can tell right away that the shots are framed very differently:
The camera is looking UP at Riddle (ie a worm's eye view), which conveys the subject with tons of power and presence. Riddle in a mainly white outfit adopts a very action-oriented pose too, stepping up on a platform (which makes him more intimidating + makes up for his short stature), granting his full attention, and pointing his scepter at you, as if delivering a verdict. You can see that he's being an active participant in the trial; Riddle has stepped down from his perch on high to make a big announcement.
The lighting is similar to a spotlight, casting Riddle as the “main character”. This is further supported by him being the ONLY character in the artwork. Even the rose petals scattered around just serve to indicate that Riddle commands this scene and the courtroom. Bro’s dominating every second you’re looking at the card.
Finally, as I'm sure many of you can recall, Riddle's Dorm Uniform SSR is known to be a very strong attacking card with three powerful fire spells. It suits his fiery personality and temper... how flames can quickly spiral out of control, taking down everything in its path along with it.
Cater, by comparison, is almost Riddle’s complete opposite. We look at Cater from above, which places him at a bird's eye view. It makes him appear demure and passive--and even his pose is relaxed, legs propped up on the judge's bench. Cater doesn't seem to be paying attention to the ongoing trial either. He has tooons of distractions around: his skateboard, his phone, and not to mention the full pizza, a soda, and a bottle of hot sauce out. Truly, living in excess… Notably, the pizza seems to be over up documents/a book which... um??? You think he might need to look up the rules and render a fair verdict?? But again, he's not really paying it any mind. It all definitely gives the impression that Cater is a way laxer leader than Riddle is. He has power, yes--but is he truly present and in the moment? Cater isn't even looking at the mob student, doesn't have the gavel in hand for a verdict.
The lighting in Cater's card is concentrated on one side of him. It's actually much darker overall in his composition than Riddle's, at least from a glance. I can't help but think that's intentional... especially considering that Cater himself isn't even fully lit, which fits in with how he has that cheery persona (the part exposed to the light/the public) while the more depressed persona (the part shrouded in the shadows/kept private) is hidden away. Gone are the rose petals too, even though those flowers are so synonymous with Heartslabyul itself. It's almost like the flowers don't want to (metaphorically) bloom for Cater, the false dorm leader. (You'd think someone as Magicam-oriented as him would want to aesthetically jazz up the courtroom, no?)
Cater’s outfit is also interestingly predominantly black instead of Riddle’s white (the latter of which is closer to the original Heartslabyul dorm uniform color). Riddle is following tradition laid out by his predecessors whereas Cater is setting a new standard with his black, which makes him really stand out from his peers. This denotes the “black and white”, “guilty and innocent” nature of the law, but could also represent how polar opposites his and Riddle’s ruling styles are. I think it’s also telling that Cater’s card has way more students in it yet Cater is the one who always feels alone as the Spectator of Diamonds. He may be “king” now, but in reality he is no different than one of the many mobs in the dark, waiting in the wings.
Now, Cater's spells are very interesting. His M1 and M2 are both water. Cooling, calming water--the opposite of Riddle, much like how Cater is the relaxed one whereas Riddle is very strict and stern. But then his M3 spell is cosmic/null. Why? I think it's because that water he puts up is his "front" (especially considering that water and emotions are associated with his star sign, Aquarius), and the cosmic/null represents how Cater truly is... that part of himself he doesn't share with anyone.
... Anyway, this analysis will all be very embarrassing if it turns out that Cater ISN'T the dorm leader in his dream :DD We shall see when the update drops!
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