Sorry if this has already been answered, but do we know Simon's life timeline? I've seen many different interpretations for how old he is, how old he was at Filiment, how long he spent in prison, etc. I know he lived on Mars and was alive for the Quiet Rapture, but do we get any ages or amounts of time? If not, what's your interpretation for your writing?
The Big Timeline Post
SPOILER WARNING. This is as accurate as I could possibly get, interpreting from clues derived from the movie, the game, and some behind the scenes resources. This is my personal Iron Lung timeline fully backed with evidence.
We can infer some things based off of the game lore, movie script, and then by stealing Markiplier's age at the time of filming (Simon is Markiplier's evil bizzaro world self-insert, so it's not a huge leap to make.)
So, let's assume Simon is 33, as this is the closest "canon" approximation we have. We can then do a bunch of math, and...
Whoops! This fell out of my back pocket and into the master reference! Oh nooooo~
Okay, I've got you. Here's the whole graphic in text format, with explanations and sources.
0 EIC | 0 IMC | 1992 AD
Epoch of Interplanetary Colonization Begins
The first off-world colony is established on Mars. This officially launches the EIC calendar system based on Earth's rotation.
[...] establishment of the first off-earth colony on mars in 1992 ad (0 eic). - Game Terminal Entry
143 EIC | 76 IMC | 2135 AD
Mars Surpasses Earth Population
Mars becomes the most populated planet in the solar system. The Interstellar Martial Calendar, based on Mars' rotation, is commonplace.
[...] mars was most populated planet in the solar system before 'the quiet rapture' , surpassing earth in 143 eic. - Game Terminal Entry
345 EIC | 184 IMC | 2337 AD
Simon's Birth
Simon is born 214 years after Mars' population boom. Martian society has existed independently for 345 Earth years. From ages 0 to an unverified age, Simon lives on Mars before moving to Eden.
2370 - 33 = 2337
357 EIC | 190 IMC | 2349 AD
The Quiet Rapture
All known habitable planets and stars vanish without warning. Only uninhabitable moons and asteroids remain in the galaxy. The human population is cut to around 787 living individuals. I pulled this number by adding back the population of Filament Station to the total number of living humans stated across all terminal entries.
At age 12, the Quiet Rapture occurs, and Simon joins the Brotherhood of Eden.
[…] in 357 eic, without any prior warning, radio contact with our respective planets was suddenly cut. - Game Terminal Entry
the consolidation of iron, or c.o.i, is a brotherhood of three space stations and two spacecrafts, found on the principle of collectivism and ruled by popular vote of all citizens (numbering 257 at the time of this entry). - Game Terminal Entry
[Eden] has a current population of 468 and has the only known remaining trees in its interior garden. - Game Terminal Entry
(257 + 468) = (725 + 62) = 787
362 EIC | 193 IMC | 2354 AD
Battle of Filament Station
A 9-day conflict erupts between the C.O.I. and Eden over ideological differences. The station's reactor is intentionally breached, destroying it. More than 62 lives are lost, and the population is now 725 individuals.
At age 17, Simon is deployed to Filament Station as an Eden Soldier.
(They could only make Markiplier look so young. I'm doing the best I can here LOL - I'm also a personal subscriber to child soldier Simon, and this timeline makes him just young enough for this to be extra tragic.)
Simon surrenders to the C.O.I. and begins 16 years of indentured labor.
I made this inference from both the game timeline, and the official costume guide, which states that Simon was originally going to be in C.O.I. standard issue uniform:
2370 - 2354 = 16 years between Filament Station and the events of Iron Lung. The last we've heard of Simon was that he had surrendered and was in C.O.I. custody.
Simon was not in prison. They threatened him with prison if he didn't take the AT-5 deal:
Simon was doing labor for the C.O.I. This is one of the reasons why he's so dirty and so beefed up during the events of Iron Lung; he was not rotting away in a cell. This isn't Filament Station soot; this is doing bullshit for the C.O.I. for years:
[...] tensions between the c.o.i. and eden erupted in a 9 day battle on the station. - Game Terminal Entry
the conflict battle ended unresolved when eden troops resorted to sabotaging the station's reactor, resulting in a critical breach. - Game Terminal Entry
At least 62 Filament Station victims confirmed by the movie.
5/378 EIC | 201 IMC | 2370 AD
Deployment of the SM-13 Hemorover
In May, an Eden Brother is sent to Moon AT-5 to investigate its blood ocean. After dying, Simon is sent in his stead, leading to the deaths of almost the entire crew and SM-8 black box recovery. Simon retrieves the SM-8 black box, but Simon dies.
The population is now roughly 721 individuals. I came to this number by removing Ava, Simon, Jack, and the deceased Eden Brother from the population total.
The terminal was last updated on the fifth month of 378 EIC, implying that Iron Lung occurs in May.
381 EIC | 203 IMC | 2373 AD
End of Conviction Realization
Prisoners taken during the Filament Station conflict are expected to finally repay their debts. The C.O.I. expects to integrate them back into society at this time.
[...] prisoners taken during the conflict have been undergoing conviction realization in the years since, with the final ones expected to repay their debts and integrate into c.o.i. society by 381 eic. - Game Terminal Entry
This is my absolute best shot at interpreting and forming a timeline. There's inherent wiggle room on exact numbers regarding the population due to the vague nature of everything, but this is probably the best we're gonna get regarding compiled clues. This is my personal timeline that I subscribe to; feel free to use it!
Okay this post makes so much sense to me. Especially the muscles Simon has, cos it did occur to me that if he had been in prison (like I and others assumed), he likely wouldn't have been fed enough to keep up the muscle mass even if he did work out in his cell.
The problems humanity faces in this universe aren't just food/water/habitable space but also human resources too. People are also in short supply and making/raising kids is a massive time and resource sink. Not that it can't be worthwhile, but when shit needs repairing/piloting/made now you need every available hand on task.
So even people tantamount to prisoners can't be left idle for years on end, they just can't afford that.
Simon with his willing surrender and lack of belief in Eden's ideology makes him a prime candidate for menial labour. Nothing too important or skilled but something that needs two hands a bit of muscle to fix. And that's probably why he was chosen for the program, he likely toed the line for the COI long enough (years!) they could trust him on a slightly more important mission with that full citizenship/acceptance being the ultimate reward for his work.
.......it's just a shame he never got to claim that. But maybe that's for the best
For those wondering about the fox. Grace has a subtle motif with this animal throughout the movie, but especially this shot where they pack this toy fox with his belongings on the Hail Mary. The pose of it looked a little haunting to me, thus prompting this illustration.
__________
(Small/large prints are also available on my etsy ❤️)
And funnily enough, literally nothing on that list ends up killing him! It's the Blood Eel with the steel chair that does him in. He's arguably not even dead after! Toughest bastard award to a Mr Simon Lung please
Parts 1 and 1.5 of this deep dive can be found here: Part 1 Part 1.5
Living Iron Lung:
After meeting Light/Singularity it's not just Simon that has been altered. The submarine is visibly different from the start of the film with changes that only intensify as time goes on.
Blood is now actively seeping through the walls, forming fleshy masses in the corners, especially on the lefthand side where the sub was cut through by Light's power initially.
The radio is now fixed, but it's also inexplicably dripping blood. The oxygen level even goes up a bar- evoking the namesake of the film but also indicating that the sub itself is now producing its own oxygen. (Please let me know if you want to see a post on the parallels and real life comparisons contained in that moment, I will happily deliver)
The only warning that (albeit briefly) sounds off from this point on is the hull breach alarm. And that's because the hull is now breached and the blood ocean is gradually getting inside. It's the beginning of the end for Simon despite his hope that he can deliver the data.
These changes happen because I believe the Singularity repairs the damage the Iron Lung has sustained with the only plentiful material about- the blood ocean itself.
Whether this makeshift and ultimately fatal repair was ignorance or cruelty on the part of the Singularity depends on whether you believe that it's cruel or simply ignorant towards humans.
Either way, I think the Iron Lung can be counted as a creature. It's a vessel with blood inside, it's fleshy membranes are primative lungs and it has a computer for a brain and if you want to get metaphysical- it also has one, singular soul inside that's only separated on death. It's alive, but not sapient in the same way it's occupant is.....
My friend Bunkeror goes further to also argue that throughout the film the Iron Lung does seem to be doing it's uttermost to get through it's mission in one piece. He attributes it to machine spirit- That despite it's crude design and rough handling the designers and builders put everything they had into making it tough to destroy and as a result it became that. Because in a universe like Iron Lung, how could you not devote everything you have into what few resources you possess? Right up until the end it responds to console input despite the encroaching blood that fills it's dials and guages. This sub deserves credit as it survives just about everything Simon goes through. The only thing that kills it in the end is deliberate, malicious sabotage by an outside force.
Back with more theories to expand upon my previous one! If you haven't seen it, my post on the symbology of The Eyes and why Simon and Elli transformed is here: link
Within and waiting just outside:
I believe theres four creatures/entities with Simon in the latter half of the film. Specifically, after Simon encounters Light.
The first is the Blood Ocean itself. There's a lot to suggest that this in and of itself is alive within the film. The X-rays Simon takes towards the end look like the interiors of a heart I once dissected, rendered in black and white. The odd chambers, the circular path the sub takes, the constantly shifting terrain and plentiful "blood" lends credibility that the deeper levels of this Blood moon may be the circulatory system of a massive creature.
With a gigantic heart and it's biologically correspondingly slow heartbeat, Simon was unlucky enough to be within the blood ocean when one happened, upending everything. It would explain why it doesnt happen again during the film, because a creature the size of a planet may well have it's heart beat once a week. Despite signs of life, I don't think it's a given conclusion that it's sapient and aware of what it does. For that we have to rely on what Elli says, and she has her own reasons and motives for what she tells Simon.
As for the "blood" itself, Im not sure if it is human blood and not something entirely different. It doesn't act like human blood, in fact it appears to have corrosive properties to human skin and tissue- even metal. In regards to what it could be, I have to thank YouTube commenter byronsmothers8064 (source below) for suggesting that it could be comprised of zooids, small organisms cooperating with each other. They suggest that the SM-8 was mistaken in it's identification and that the ocean was preparing to symbiotically bond with humans. Though, I also argue that it could alternatively be preparing to digest them for nutrients instead. The corrosion being caused by enzymes it releases to digest it's meal, helping to explain it's behaviour and properties. (Although, I am no biologist so please take this part with a grain of salt.)
The second is Light, otherwise known as Singularity. It is a being of immense power with reality warping properties. Having met it, Simon suffers from its morphing effects. This entity can either be viewed as malicious or ignorant and I have further theories exploring those two ideas I will expand upon in another linked post.
The third is Elli, the combined bodies of the SM-8 crew fused into the form of a Blood Eel. For what she is, Ill credit YouTube commenter thisischarls (source below) who theorises that she is a Siphonophore. She is numerous organisms conjoined together for survival after all. Im not equipped to elaborate more (Where's Doctor Ryland Grace when you need him smh) but if anyone can expand or elaborate on what Elli being a Siphonophore precisely would entail I would love to hear it. Either way, she is capricious, unstable and I don't believe she knows as much as she thinks she does about Light or the blood ocean. She claims to speak for it but that can be read as her way to terrorise Simon whenever he's out of her reach or her quite literally yelling the beliefs she formed from trying to cope with her wretched existence. I believe she acts of her own accord, it's just so happens that the Blood Ocean is incomparable with unmodified human life and as a result tries to digest it and not her.
And lastly, my favourite theory; is that the Iron Lung itself is alive. Granted, I don't believe this is true from the very start of the film. But after meeting Light I belive this very much starts to become the case. This will be elaborated on in the next part I'll link to once it's published, stay tuned
Source video for YouTube commentators:
MrHunterU "Solving Iron Lung: The entire movie and lore explained" IMO a good video but I feel it does miss the mark on numerous points. The comment section however is absolutely packed with insight and worth a scroll through for highlighted symbolism you may have missed
So! I rewatched Iron Lung with my friend Bunkeror and we ended up putting our heads together on a series of theories. We ended up with a lot of theories so this will have multiple posts dedicated to each one so stay tuned!
The Eyes have it:
Eyes and sight/seeing are a massive theme and reoccurring motif in Iron Lung. There's eyes absolutely everywhere in the movie:
The porthole looks like an eye and when it's cracked it looks like a vertically narrowed pupil watching him. Simon is even temporarily blinded by a spray of blood from the ocean from it.
The pendant is rounded and cracks just like the porthole to resemble a bloodshot eye too.
Jack's eyes are spared the radiaton burns by his welding goggles- he was protected from the light emitted from his welding gear but that wasn't enough to save him from harm. From my theories perspective, this is a massive bit of foreshadowing.
Simon is blind to the ocean outside of the Iron Lung for the entire movie, he sees the world outside second hand as described to him by X-rays. The dive crew don't have a video feed on Simon, they have to rely on what they hear from him and not what they see too.
We don't know how Ava lost her eye, it's never mentioned. But considering the COI are at war with Eden and the lengthy scar down her face she likely lost it in the conflict. Up until Simon, there's no remorse for putting prisoners through the Iron Lung missions. She's carrying out "An eye for an eye," in her duty to punish killers. Simon also meets the Light with his blood drenched hair covering over his left eye- quite literally meeting it "Eye to eye" as well.
There's so much interplay between what any given character in the film can see at a given point. And that also extends into what any given character knows about what's happening. It all serves towards the ultimate feeling that Simon, Ava, Elli, the COI and the rest of humanity are just fumbling about in the dark trying to get observe as much as they can though secondhand means and proxies before it's too late and they can see and learn nothing at all.
I mention this because I have a theory that it isn't the blood ocean that mutates people into blood Eels. It's being observed by Light that did that to Elli. Light- the entity (Bunkeror called it Singularity which is also a fitting name), is so powerful that anything it observes or attempts to observe is changed as a result of doing so. It's the effect known in physics and quantum physics as "The Observer Effect" magnified a thousand times.
This could be what Elli is referring to when she says;
"An ignorant god see a sliver of our universe through a pinhole and thinks it understands all that is and all that will be- and it will."
"Because a god makes sense of what it sees despite what it should be,"
In quantifying the neighbouring universe it's peering into, it fundermentally changes it and causes the Quiet Rapture. What this change is- whether it was the space stations and ships dragged into Light's universe or the Rapture was a deliberate act to order what it saw, or some other event happened is uncertain. But was we can assume is that whatever it views, it irreversibly changes.
The crew of the SM-8 met Light and ended up merging into Elli. Simon meets Light and transforms into a tree grown from the sapling he has. These changes are based upon what they value most as well as what surrounds them. For the SM-8 crew it was each other and the blood ocean, so they were fused into a form that can never be appart. Simon valued the sapling in his pendant that he never parted with upon finding it. Therefore his transformation sees him fuse with it.
If you extrapolate this theory further that the Blood moon Simon explores used to be earth, then being viewed by Light could have merged the two most plentiful and highly valued things together. In their universe and as much as ours, humanity only has each other with seeming aliens just being a different form of human. We collectively value ourselves and our biosphere and for that we are horrifically merged into it.
I don't think either the SM8 crew or Simon can ever change back into what they once were, in much the same way the Quiet Rapture seemingly can't be undone...
Welcome to the blog I guess- long time lurker, first time posting and all
Little intro to me: my name's Six and Im a writer ^^
Ive made fan works for Transformers, TF2 and now I'm working on a Bloody Mary fic with the hope to publish all three on Ao3 for your enjoyment sometime soon!
I've also written a good few original works that I'm hoping to publish one day. If this blog gets off the ground I'm up to take questions as I can yap all day about them :D
Big shout out to the literal two followers I have currently, you guys are gonna be the originals once I start posting properly ^^
I found some Heavymedic angst doodles I hadn't finished! Exploring the Cheavy fight aftermath/being together again. They're in a shitty little motel in the two sketches
Both suffering in silence because it would be bad to make the other one worry, right?
As an aside about my animatic and that sort of ending I painted, cause a lot of people have been saying "why is Legs in hell 😢 he redeemed himself"
I don't think they're in hell together. In my mind they are just in some sort of personal oblivion. I think it's a lot more fun rather than trying to discern some sort of heaven/purgatory/hell moral trinary that if a character gets an afterlife, presuming it's not some sort of specific landscape like Avid's limbo (which is more of a realm than an afterlife), they get an afterlife that's specifically suited to them.
In Owen's case, he loses Louis and is condemned to the dark and solitude he cursed himself with (he was literally going to bury himself and go back to stewing in his grief and isolation if he lived anyways). Deep down he knows that if Louis was everything pure and good in the world that Louis should end up somewhere good and kind, and that place is not the place for the monster he views himself as. Just like how he couldn't accept Legs as a replacement for Louis because of how he views Leg's sins, he knows Louis would not accept what he's become in his name. He LITERALLY refers to himself as the claws and fangs Louis was too good to bear - he is everything unholy that Louis could not be. Legs being there is both a gift and a curse; Owen is forced to live with his sins, but he's not alone. He gets the eternity with Legs like he proposed. He'll never be alone again, which is ultimately what he always wanted.
and it's the same for Legs - he doesn't think of himself as someone who deserves eternal paradise. He thinks of himself as someone who deserves oblivion. He doesn't want eternity, he just wants it to be over. He wasn't trying to redeem himself in life, he was just trying to break even as much as possible, because he didn't think he could redeem himself. It's a mindset he couldn't shake. But at his core he IS someone who helps people, and is stubborn to a fault and doesn't want to give up on someone in distress - be them dying or undead and spiraling. No matter how many times he said he was done with Owen he STILL went out to meet up with him, because deep down he refused to give up on him. He is a character defined by his relations to others because that is how he views himself ("The sum total of lives that I have cursed with my presence"). Plus, he wanted revenge on Owen but never got it because Owen died first. By being stuck with Owen it both feels like them being shackled together as monsters and reflections of each other, but its also Legs being given the chance to help Owen heal for the rest of however long their spirits wander there, and maybe finally truly start to heal himself. And also maybe torment Owen a little bit as payback. Get in a little comeuppance before they make amends. They've got time.
Them being stuck together in oblivion is heaven, hell, and purgatory for both of them all wrapped up into one. They'll torment each other as reminders of what happened. They'll be each other's only company in the lonely darkness. They'll be the ones who see something beyond just a monster in each other when they can only see their own sins. They'll finally get their damn hugs. And maybe, one day, they'll be okay. But until then they're at least not alone.
words can't describe how perfect Owen and Scott are as the original vampires. they've got the same goal, but are complete opposites in motivation and execution. I'm obsessed with them
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