crack tbhx theory: birds aren't real
(potential spoilers?)
of course, this is brought on by the outro revealed today in Episode 2. For some reason, they decided to associate feathers with X:
now, something about this didn't sit right with me. it seemed a little off for being just a metaphor, so i did some digging. Call me a True Love Recipe viewer because I have been Enlightened. I believe Li Haoling is trying to foreshadow a huge twist about X's real nature, right under our noses.
X is linked to the specifically white birds more than we think. first off, obviously he's white. Next off:
In X's character PV (with subtitles), A coworker says "I believe... he's omnipotent!" very interesting choice of words. X also is described as knowing the truth of this world i think (don't quote me on this i can't remember where this is from). he is heavily implied to break the 4th wall and be aware of a lot of things in some way. if he was in the birds, he would have access to every hero in the city, therefore having more awareness and information. Information is very important to X it seems, because of his chess associations (a game where both players have complete information).
let's analyze the trailer:
it starts with my husband leaving his chair. where is he going? hmm very sus... CUT TO THE BIRDS. they fly past a bunch of other heroes, such as E-Soul's billboard and what seems to be Loli's home. implying exactly what I said earlier, that the birds are able to study the other top 10 heroes, even having access to their homes since they can fly and look through windows.
Also, someone with L&B Johnny's keychain and what seems to be a power line. Li Haoling and the TBHX team have already proven they are very in tune with pop culture, seeing how the humor is well-preserved even in english localization. it's not absurd to think that they would know about the birds and powerline connection. powerlines also connect the city, like how the intro/ outro with X and his birds are the commonality between every episode/hero pov in TBHX.
This close up of a bird as well. animation details are very intentional, and TBHX has a high budget. why is the bird looking at us, the viewer? who else looks at us - that's right, X. almost like he can see what this bird sees. it's followed by using the bird as a transition as X steps forwards.
I believe that X is able to somehow gather information through the birds such as by using them as cameras like government drones or by seeing through their eyes/controlling them. white birds such as these could be common in the TBHX world; they could just be regular pigeons that nobody would question, or perhaps the existence of Heroes like Nice just make doves a common sight.
Speaking of Nice: that is where we have seen the white birds in canon. But... Lin Ling has yet to have anything about white birds mentioned to him. Nobody is telling him he can summon birds. If X is the one linked to the birds instead, then he would have been granted a front-row seat to LL witnessing Nice's death and everything after. Nice is the one hero who is least likely to question white birds following him around since he has this angelic perfect persona. Maybe he even just figures it's a side effect of his powers.
We hear X's snap when the art style changes in episode 2. so far it seems the 2d style is reserved for "protagonist moments" for lack of a better word. LOOK WHERE THEY ARE. IN THE SKY. Who else can be in the sky? BIRDS. X is probably helping Lin Ling out, because Miss J just told him he can't fight someone as strong as Wreck yet.
You could argue that X and birds are only linked in the outro, and technically every character is somewhat associated with the birds there. But... this isn't the first time X has been with white birds. where else have we seen white birds? that's right, THE INTRO OF THE SHOW.
X throws a bunch of cards that turn into white birds, that then proceed to FLY INTO HIM AND TRIGGER HIS TRANSFORMATION.
Moving on to something very important: WHY would X be the birds. what reason does he have to creep on everybody in the city? I'll tell you.
As we know, the main looming event of the plot is the Hero Tournament. But...what do we know about X so far as a person?
he's been #1 for pretty long (2 years)
as for what he's said directly, pretty much just one line in the trailers:
this checks out for both being a corporate slave and also heroism. X wants to step away from the throne.
Being a hero isn't always good. for Moon it was basically hell as we are now seeing. A key X trait is that he is incredibly strong. If Nice, Rank 10, is plausibly under threat from terrorists to where the public doesn't question it much, how do the rest of the top 10 scale? The tournament is a farce and the entire series is X trying to pick out who is the best successor for the next X.
One of the major themes of TBHX also seems to be "freedom". it's literally a lyric in the opening, INERTIA: "I've got to believe / that I am free / so no hesitation". The first two episodes reinforce this, with Nice and Moon's struggles. What else is associated with freedom? BIRDS.
One more point: Nice and X have a lot of parallels to the point it feels like Director Li Haoling is trying to bait us towards something (I suggest the idea that Nice will win the tournament). in the picture above: Nice looks... kind of... BIRDLIKE, wouldn't you say?? plus his weird chestpiece having wings on it. If X is the Bird Guy then this would be Nice-X parallel number five million.
thusly I speak my truth and I rest my case. Thoughts?
titsay
jacobvanloon
dededos
tangentwithtanner
janainaart
jbbartram-illu
discoholicmusic
pixelskylines
ellievsbear
