Hey! I heard that you were thinking of doing a colour analysis of the Phantomarine comic? As someone who's recently fallen down the Cheth whirlpool and is trying to learn more visual storytelling techniques I would love to see it if/when you felt like going ahead. Could I ask for a tag when it drops?
I'm glad you are looking forward to it! I won't say it will be a very professional thing, but I am glad people are getting some joy out of my ramblings. I will be posting it to the #phantomarine tag... and honestly this comment helped spur me through the last bit, so I think you will find a certain something if you scroll down on my blog, if that helps any. Hope it helps!
At just a cursory glance at this webcomic, it is very obvious that there are strong colors and that they will be tied to themes of the story. And the impulse to discuss and dissect them is.... far too great.
So! Let's start with something general, yes?
Saturation
There are two types of color schemes in the webcomic so far. Schemes with brighter colors and additional accents, and more muted colors with much more limited value differences. Practically speaking, more saturated colors and visual interest helps to draw the eye to what is important; like black thick lines around animated characters to distinguish them from the background. But.... we have a group of characters who has changed from a background scheme to a main character scheme. Such as....
...Our Favorite Princess.
Three different color schemes for three different Phaedras. The first muted yellows and browns, almost boring against the intense lighting of the Candlelight Sea and its foreshadowing hues. The second an intense yellow and terracotta red that hold up against the maroons and deep reds of the Red Tide. The third, blues and white like the very sea she was looking down at but saturated and darkened with indigo and purple unlike any of the other sea ghosts we have seen before.
The transition from background color scheme to VIP color scheme coincide with the very critical moment of the Princess meeting Cheth, demonstrating that her death is a critical moment plot-wise. Her transition to a completely different but still VIP scheme is when she realizes exactly what has happened... and we see that it changes her outlook down to its core, all the warm colors replaced with cool tones.
So, a characters' color scheme tells us both how important they are and can clue us in to their mental states and affiliations. Nothing new. Let's see those groups!
Cheth
As the Red Tide King, it isn't surprising that his color scheme is dominated by a bright red, mixing into warmer purples with highly contrasting white and black. This color scheme overtakes the muted blues of the sea ghost, as well as marking them with his tattoos. White is the secondary color closely associated with Cheth in-story, representing bones featured both in skeletons and his original divine body the Bonefish. This sort of color pallet usually infers more sinister intentions, with red commonly being associated with aggression, but I believe in this case it implies passion. Not necessarily romantic passion, mind, but a deep level of involvement and care.
The Plume Church
Black and bright turquoise and blue with touches of white and green, Cheline and the institution worshiping her are perfect foils to Cheth in color scheme; the cool colors of the Goddess of Life oppose the warm tones of the God of Death while still being unique against The Candlelight Sea. I imagine the black represents the ashes left in the wake of her fire and the greens and blue new life growing from it, though the predominantly black robes are not the usual choice for a Life Diety. The very liberal use of black also paints a more sinister color scheme, with it's traditional use to imply 'evil' in villains. As of writing this, I do actually think that is the intention.
The Mantaluna Crew
Being Seaghosts, the group's scheme is focused around a cool blue, but with more saturation and variation than other seaghosts to represent how they still have some life in them yet. Their cooler colors also allows them to contrast starkly with Cheth, but the purple gives it just a bit more warmth than the Plume Church, showing that while the crew may follow their Church's teachings.... they are fundamentally different on some level than those who have tied themselves closer to the Church.
Pavel, Vanna, and the Lodestars
Characterized by yellow with accents of white, red, and black, the Lodestars stand out. Being the third primary color, they easily stand apart from both Cheth and The Plume Church, showing they are not tied to either. Yellow appears to be the 'neutral' side in this diefic-level conflict, with Best Boy Pavel trying to be a mediator and Phaedra from Chapter 1 treating Cheth with more empathy than in the current chapters when her color scheme was strikingly similar. They do not have a side: they simply want what they think is best and try to stand as a beacon against the dark.
The Fata Morgana
Monochromatic with only lighting and their pale pink eyes for color, these enigmas stand apart as blank voids against the rich vibrancy of the rest of the Candlelight sea. The dominant white with bone-like designs implies a closer relation with Cheth than Cheline, though the exact nature is still up for debate.
Seaghosts
Another monochromatic and muted color scheme, the seaghosts of the Candlelight sea are a pale blue with some white to outline and to fill the eyes. A traditional scheme for spirits, hostile or otherwise, and it blends nicely with their home in the ocean, truly making them feel a part of it. Their cooler color scheme also allows the Red Tide to stand out beside them.
I have a few special mentions that are not fully flung schemes of their own, yet, but that I feel need mentioning.
Silas, though we have yet to see him in different lighting, has the Plume Church's signature blues and greens catching in his hair, with the rest of his pallet being a background tone with little detail. Almost like a certain bird's words have wormed right into the head of 'some nobody' and he all too eagerly listens for the boons she promises.
Daphnie and Euphamina also share a muted color scheme, tending towards the golds with purple to show their high status. Though this is their funeral dress, Daphnie having the black on top covering her own warm and regal colors while her mother instead covers the black with yellow and dons spectacles of a familiar red seem to hint at how the Plume Church interacts with them. Daphine is being covered and almost smothered, though her pure intentions still peek through; Euphamina cannot get away from the influences, but has found ways to assert her will.
Speaking of the funeral, we have a mystery bean with their very own VIP color scheme with cool, deep blues that we have yet to see used elsewhere.
Finally, we have Amos Ellery. We also do not know much of his color scheme sans funeral, but I believe his color scheme hits at his own motivations, similar to Silas. Whereas Silas's colors were seemingly very average for persons in Saperport, save the little highlighting of his hair, Amos is all black, white, and grey. His course is chosen not because of promises, nor because he agrees with the Church... they are driven by the Church being the only thing 'correct' to follow.
I hope you have enjoyed my ramblings, the pretty colors, and any snippets of a story you saw. Do please go read and give the author all the support!
"I was lead to believe you liked my company, Nailo."
Rod nearly flung into Rhotano, Peren swore anew before looking back at the former Azure Dragoon who really had no business being in Fisherman's Bottom. For his flailing display that almost sent him into the water, all the Duskwright got was a quirk of the brow and a frown. Well that cast was shot...
"To what do I owe the pleasure of your time, Varlineau..." the mage sighed, reeling and recasting as second nature as weaving explosions. "Thought you were still eastward." The dragoon just crossed his arms, head canting to the side like a question. Why was--
OH. That. Right.
"I wasn't talking about you."
"You know someone else named Estinien?" Well, at least the tone had eased towards curious as opposed more annoyed. Peren sighed, hands beginning to real in a catch on instinct. Likely just a sardine, hardly any effort at this point.
"In a way, I sup--"
He had been lax. Too distracted. As the little fish was torn up out of the briny waters, a pale dart dove from his perch. It was too late. Catching the line, all that remained dangling from the hook was the wavekin's head as a gull shrieked in victory.
"Estinien Squidblood, I will wring your feathered neck! You already had your sacrifice today you ungracious fiend, now go heckle someone else!!!"
".....the gull? You named a gull after me?"
Eyes still alight with indignation, Peren whirled towards the dragoon, who had to quickly hide a chuckle at the man's expense. "For your information, it was not me that coined the name, but ooooh is it apt for a holy terror falling from the sky!!" he snapped, eyes darting back to the smug looking seagull that had already swallowed the catch whole. "Damn thing has been terrorizing the new fishers for months, Wawalago likes the 'challenge' it adds for some reason, so I have been denied crisping it.... Bloody bird knows it, too."
The snort Estinien had been holding back could not help but escape; watching a Warrior of Light curse out a bird that would perish if he squeezed it was... amusing. But... well, the man did look liable to pull out his staff sooner than later.
"I... see. I was planning to have a meal before continuing on my path. You are welcome to join me."
Recently I have been thinking about the phenomena of 'forgetting or minimizing the terrible things a character you like does and treating/writing them like an innocent lil guy even though they have done some SHIT.' I am personally dubbing this 'Rose-Tinted Blorbo' until such a time as something snappier comes along. It's something I have noticed myself doing without realizing it, and then I got to thinking about why.
Not going to write a post telling anybody HOW they have to enjoy a character, because that's... silly, and really none of my business. Enjoy what you enjoy, interoperate your favorites the way that makes you happiest, anyone telling you to stop is a cop. People can consume other fan content, the ORIGINAL content... and make their own to better cater to their tastes, no one can stop anyone else from doing this. But examining WHY this is a thing feels worth-while, so hey, why not.
I am not and expert, but I can think about why I have done it and offer some thoughts...
For me, at least... I am a terrible sucker for the general theme of 'Needing and FINALLY GETTING help'. So when I see a character that I like.... who has been through it and has definitely not finished processing it... Well, my little heart focuses right in on that aspect of their character. Like, for a recent example..... Astarian from Baldur's Gate III.
The man is a murderer. Not even remorseful about it, he has killed people and killing whatever is theoretically threatening him is the first reaction he has. It is clear that this is coming from a very dark place for him if you pay attention... But the man is still a murderer with no real plans to stop. In my brain, however... well, it knows the parts that really got it interested in the character, the aspects that it wants to play with, so this gets, on occasion..... sidelined. This also showed in my early fics with other characters I liked, where their need for support would be prioritized over all other characterizations... to their and the fic's detriment.
Does taking Astarian's volatile and extremely unhealthy coping mechanisms elevate the trauma and how intimate and scary it would be to work through it? Definitely! Is facing the consequences of a smarmy bastard's own behavior really great to watch? For sure! Does my brain still sometimes focus in on how hurt a character is instead of what they have done with that hurt and the sheer cruelty they used their pain as an excuse for? ....Some moments, yeah.
Some days I just want this person I like to see feel a little less hurt. Sometimes I want the glimmer of good inside them to be bigger and brighter than it really is. Sometimes I want them to have made different choices and see just how different they would be because of that. And sometimes, I want them to be horrible gremlins gleefully causing chaos on purpose and living for it, or complicated and tragic and screaming for blood the whole way down.
And I don't think that's a bad thing, necessarily, as long as you can stop and notice when you do put blinders on. Characters have multiple dimensions, and they feed into each other and strengthen each other when they are written well! Realizing that someone is a product of a really fucked up situation and holding them responsible for what they CHOSE to do are not mutually exclusive concepts.... but they are nuanced and complicated and there are some days where I don't want to think that hard.
That's okay. But it is so much more fun when you can look at a character from every angle and see both someone in need and deserving of love... and someone who is causing problems on purpose and needs to be stopped for everyone else's sake.
I realized today... that I can't wait to see where Amos Ellery ends up and I have more predictions about how that'd go.
Do I think he's going to be showing up frequently? Likely only as frequently as we check in on the rest of the Parents Squad, not often until thicker plot entanglement. Is he going to have important things to do and plot-impacting choices to make? Ooooh, most assuredly. And I am most eager to see which garden path he grouches down.
From my perspective... there are two options, and both of them are so very very fun.
This man has already been asked to and made some hard choices. He would not be a confidant of That Bird Goddess if he hadn't committed. The man knows his son has been dead for two months and that his body will never be found. And he isn't enthused about it, even grumbles a complaint, but that is as far as it gets. He reaffirms his loyalty. This is a man... that clings to the belief that seeing whatever this is through will be worth it in the end.
He has put his eggs in this basket and come hell of high water, he will defend those choices.
.....for now.
We don't currently know why Amos was upset about Irving not getting a body double that could at least be brought home. And I can think of a few reasons other than caring for his son that could fit that bill, but again, we don't know. With how hostile he got when our favorite Grandmother of Chaos implied he didn't, I do think he loves Irving, and expresses his affections... differently.
So we have a grumpy man currently working for the assumed Big Bad who seems like he may be loyal out of principle, fear, and honestly not believing there to be another option. He professes that he will do whatever it takes to see this through, even something like being implicit in the murders of his family and friends...
So what do we think is going to happen when news inevitably breaks of some Really Funky Seaghosts that look like those missing nobles? Yeah, the Phantomarine Crew are going to do their best to stay out of sight, but if a Pavel needs defending? Screw that, protect the baby! Let's face it, the boy with a stigmatized condition and a Godly Bounty on his head is going to be at risk of harm around people and in the wilds in equal measure. But what will the Parents do with this knowledge...
Personally... I hope Amos will be given chances at choosing something else, and he will double down the first couple times. He is a man of conviction. He does not read as someone who gets shaken easily, expression barely changing, voice rarely raised... Changing tracks just like that for likely only vague information would undercut all of that unless he was shown to take the time to VERY thoroughly research it on his own. I doubt he would be given the time to, however. No no... it's going to be the last time he has a choice that would be interesting.
It would be a choice that he cannot take back; most of the cards will be on the table and he will not be able to feign ignorance of the consequences. And he would have two options... Continue on this current course, or finally reach his limit and do ANYTHING else. Either he goes down as a man who finally tried to stand up to a Deity, or as someone who could not accept he had done the wrong thing.
What can I say? I am a sucker for these sorts of stories. An antagonist that just can't accept they did something wrong for a shitty reason is so cathartic to watch go down, just as good as someone finally taking a stand and responsibility for their actions and striving to dig back out of a very deep hole is.
Am I reading too far into a side character? Maybe! But he seems to be set up as the actual right hand of the Big Bad and is a protagonist's FATHER. He has some stuff to do here... And I see some veeeeeery fun flags.
ok I'm so sorry I never continued these
but let's just say I was crying and screaming and going "FUCK YEAH" too much to draw anything anymore, and I should draw something again eventually.
but just for a moment I will say - it is rare to find a story that blends its plot THIS perfectly with its theme, visuals, and motifs. and Shadowbringers was IT.
sometimes I think about it again and I'm just stopped in my tracks. it's not perfect. but it's about as perfect as you can get.
AKA Why Cheth and Phaedra need therapy and Phantomarine won’t leave my head--
The sheer importance of Pavel as a character and what he does hit me very hard today and I needed to share.
Cheth the Red Tide King is an ageless being who has been betrayed, mutilated, and discredited for a comparatively short 500 years out of his thousands. Everything he was, everything he had, taken away by someone who was supposed to be his equal and someone who his feelings about seem to be very... complicated. Even then, he didn’t even get to die, just watch as more as more was stripped away so not even the people’s memory of him remained unwrapped. His only company was himself... and a few fleeting moments with people who feared and hated him. If that didn’t fuck him up a bit, nothing could.
If he was to be made the villain until some nebulous future that might not even come, why not lean into it and have at least a shred of vengeance and amusement? The perfect target is right there, after all, a royal line dedicated to the church that sullies his memory with lies is right there. Why *not* torment them when they pass, why not make those ruthless bloodthirsty puppets feel despair? After all, he knows who is calling the shots. He knows she doesn’t care one bit once she can no longer use them...
The Red Tide surrounded and transported at least three sea bite victims to shore that we know of, however. Doubtless there are many more lives he has tried to save from a painful and premature death. But he can only be so many places at once... And it is rather telling that every seabite victim we have seen so far has been a child.
He thought Phaedra no better than a tyrant early in her reign when she came down to his domain. That she could not possibly know the loss that had occurred because of her people’s actions. That none of her line could, because ***she*** was pulling the strings... And of course, she would never trust him, so to get her to do anything, of course he had to lie. She had been manipulated all her life and was clearly none the wiser, even now when contradictions begin arising. And really, he has no patience for it anymore, for stubborn fools who refuse to hear him.... and Cheth is far too out of practice to do anything about this himself.
Phaedra is lugging around centuries of religious propaganda and pressure, as well as being young, inexperienced, and grieving the loss of her father. Her whole life has been surrounded by the church and it’s teachings, of her future responsibilities in relation to them, who her immortal enemy was and who her biggest inspiration should be. She was very literally tailor-raised to hate Cheth.
His actions don’t help alleviate this either. I doubt he was lying about being able to bring back only one soul, but not being clear about it broke what trust Phaedra was ever willing to put in the god. She was not nearly as hostile towards him until that little snag, and has seemed only to double down on this stance ever since, her color scheme changing from yellows to blues. She will find the most bad-faith read of his words and believe that to be the only correct answer. His penchant to not being completely clear and honest with his intentions also clearly vexes her.
Clearly though, she cares deeply about people. She took up her father’s tradition to ease the grieving. She was willing to do whatever it took to save her friends, and feels incredible guilt for ‘dooming’ them to a these last months of not-quite-life. She wants to help people, really help them... but she can only see ‘help’ in such a narrow worldview and has been taught there are some people you just shouldn’t help.
And then... there’s Pavel. And the very first thing we learn about him is that the boy has more heart than sense. Vanna raised him well, but the kind of deep empathy to care for the very beings that killed his father and basically gave him a terminal disease with heavy stigmas that forced him to leave the life he loved for ***seven years*** takes a little more than teaching.
Pavel has defended almost every single being that has harmed him.
He understood that sea ghosts just couldn’t stop themselves and that they were people once because he trusted his mother and her research. He understood that his friend Eddy was scared and alone and lashing out because of that. He questioned and pushed back against Sofia’s manipulations and the bad faith readings of the Mantaluna crew, but tried to understand that they must be having a pretty hard time. He told the Manta Princess to her face that *Cheth was hurting too* and asked a literal deity to be nicer to the biggest pain in his neck.
This little boy is a critical bridge. He can just *feel* when people are coming from a place of genuine care or hurt and tries to explain that to others who are being overly harsh in his opinion. There is a reason he is neither Cheth’s nor Phaedra’s color scheme. *This tiny boy is the one neutral party that both of these stubborn powerful people will listen to, now.*
Phaedra only turned sour when the talk got a little too close to questioning the very foundation of her beliefs, and she just went cold and tried to make Pavel change the subject. She was so relieved to know she hadn’t hurt him, wanted to do everything she could to make him comfortable and did not even question if they should help him get somewhere safe. And Cheth... Cheth loves children and hates having to welcome a single one into his collection, I think. He tried to mock Phaedra with how many *orphans* her father’s last battle created. He became *angry* and cold at even the implication that he would have lied to Pavel. And Cheth does everything he can to make sure a child survives a sea ghost attack.
Without Pavel... neither of these two have any hope of working through their shit, because neither of them are able to view the other and their reactions clearly. Cheth IS AN ASSHOLE AND VINDICTIVE. Phae IS NAIVE AND OVERZEALOUS. And Pavel is the once person who can read them both as say it like it is. And that is going to make for one hell of a boat ride.
