Psycho-Pass S03E01 - Laelaps Calling
Now that a good chunk of my temporary work files had been busted thanks to a failed drive, I’ve finally found time to watch Psycho-Pass S03E01. Oh, the irony of it – finding time to enjoy something I like only because I temporarily can’t work. Spirit of time, eh. I’m too used to being a workaholic :’)
Back to the matter at hand. Beware the spoilers.
I admit I’m pleasantly surprised with the pilot episode. After the disastrous S02, a slower pacing and a seeming return to the pressing social circumstances are a welcome change. If anything, it helps to build up suspense and tension. Naturally, there is a downside as well. Due to the episode length and the sheer number of new characters introduced all at once, some details become easy to miss. I had to rewind the video multiple times just to refresh my memory. The narration appears to be disjointed at times, although not quite as incongruous as the Sinners of the System were.
Now let’s get to the real fun.
As it turns out, I was right about Bifrost and certain Norse mythology references. For that matter, I was right about the wolf-like figure as well.
Many of you know that in Norse mythology Bifrost is a legendary rainbow bridge that connects the realm of men (Midgard) with the realm of gods (Asgard). I wouldn’t have paid it any attention had it not been for the wolf figure in the trailer. Fenrir, the monstrous wolf, is yet another figure from Norse mythology. It is said that one day Fenrir (or his offsprings, accounts vary) will break free of his chains and will ultimately swallow the Sun/Moon. Fenrir gaining freedom signifies the beginning of Ragnarok, i.e. the apocalypse and the death of gods. This episode, however, confirmed both – at very least the Bifrost thing is real.
From what we saw in the pilot Bifrost is mentioned within the context of the game/tournament that was taking place in a secret hideout.
The process of participating in the game creates a “relation” which I assume to be the “link” or a “bridge” (i.e. the Bifrost) to whatever system they are tapping into. Since Bifrost is meant to link the “world of men” to the “world of gods”, could it be that they have found a way to hijack into some Sibyl controlled processes? I’ve got the impression that they are gambling with the stock exchange. One of them is pulling strings to orchestrate accidents that would make certain indices fall, thus profiting from the share market losses. Oh and round-robin is a kind of a tournament setup, all-vs-all type, that is supposed to provide equal chances to all participants. The one who wins the most games in the round wins.
Oddly enough the very design of that hub/interface is reminiscent of the world structure as represented in Hindu philosophy, but that’s probably just a chance coincidence.
Now the wolf-figure is unquestionably linked to Arata. It has been made clear from the very first minutes of the episode. Peculiarly, Arata’s design sports “wolfish” features, for i.g. his hair is styled akin to beast ears and he has yellowish eyes.
If they truly intend to use Norse mythology for this, then I’d wager to guess that the monstrous wolf is “Fenrir”, who is bound to Arata’s subconsciousness – the menacing figure appears only when he’s sleeping or using his mental tracing.
In other words, Arata either IS the monster himself or is a vessel for the dark being. Something will happen to him and the “monster” will override his personality, thus “breaking free from chains”. According to the myth, Fenrir will aid the “Ragnarok”, i.e. the death of gods. Who are the “gods” within the world of PP? That’s right, the Sibyl System.
Also, in the opening sequence, both Kei and Arata are shown facing off with their guns drawn. Could it be that Arata will turn against the system and become the “bad” guy?
And by the by, is it me, or does Arata appear to be narcoleptic?
The name of the episode is a spoiler itself since it hints about the general direction of the plot. You see, Laelaps is yet another mythical figure. This time – from Greek legends. The tale of Laelaps and the Teumessian Fox tells a story of an ill-fortunate and a paradoxical matchup of a hound and a fox. Laelaps is the hound that is destined to catch whatever prey it’s after, while the Teumessian Fox is a beast never to be caught. Think of a catch-22 or something in that spirit.
Within the context of the plot, it appears this season of PP will focus on murders that are impossible to prove as such. In other words, we are likely to witness a face-off between a skilled detective and an elusive criminal. The detective strives to find evidence that what seems to be an accident at first glance is, in fact, a meticulously planned crime.
I guess that fellow with a stylish fringe or the one with the diagram is our Teumessian Fox. Or maybe the criminal underground as a whole is, that’s anyone’s guess.
Btw the business card Enforcer Mao Kisaragi pulls out of the victim’s wallet sports a Fox logo.
Quite a canine story so far, no?
But there’s more. Interestingly enough, if you take a look at the Laelaps myth, Arata is hinted to be a wolf, not a dog. But do you know what returning character had been likened to a hound in Season 1 and in the side materials (”Psycho-Pass Legend Enforcer Shinya Kogami - The Hound of Utopia, a novel”)? That’s right. Kougami. Kougami, who was noted to be an extremely skilled and intelligent ex-inspector. Could it mean that he will be directly involved in catching the final bad guy and proving the crimes?
Lastly, not mythology but still. The episode featured a character by the name of Bazarov, which is a reference to Ivan Turgenev’s novel “Fathers and sons”. As such, Turgenev’s Bazarov forestalled Nitzsche’s ideas on nihilism by rejecting everything that the older generation (“fathers”) stood for. Not much of clue itself, yet the episode has drawn attention to Arata’s father several times, who allegedly used to be an Inspector as well. A coincidence?
If you go back to the beginning of the vid, where Arata is shown sleeping during the car ride, you’ll see that in his dream sequence it is his dad who’s driving the car. Later the image shifts to that of a monstrous wolf.
So could the dark figure in Arata’s mind represent his father?
Welp, that’s quite a read again, but I had to jot my ideas down.
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