This guy’s been in my periphery for a long while, coming through more and more - and he has been with me far beyond this lifetime, I think. His form has come through in my art since I can remember, resonating deeply with what I find desirable; Horns, wings, tails, pointed ears and clawed hands. Over and over again, like a poorly remembered dream.
He guided me in my creation of this piece, allowing me to chase the fragmented glimpses of him and gather them into a whole - and he was sure to let me know what I got right and what needed some tweaking…mostly as a result of not asking enough questions in the first place. 😂
Okay…so chapter 40 did not deliver and I’m not sure how 41, whenever that comes out, will fix it
Basically MC just goes home. Nothing is addressed, like Nightbringer’s identity, the fact MC is actually from the future, the hinted Little D Rebellion, why Nightbringer played so many tricks with MC in the first volume, Michael’s involvement in season one, who plotted the Cocytus imprisonment, etc… literally none of that was addressed
In the hard mode, MC comes home but everyone acts normally with a sense they haven’t seen MC in a long time and it’s not stated if MC just went back to the future or a different time line and why do none of them remember MC’s disappearance?
Literally nothing has been cleared up and we’re supposedly in the present again… literally the only continuation was the boys reading the letter MC wrote several chapters ago…that was all…
The Authoritarianism of "Father's" Celestial Realm (NB Season 2)
OKAY, life got crazy for a while, but we're finally all caught up on Nightbringer's main story, and PHEW we've got some things to talk about. So let's dive right in, starting with one of our favorite topics:
God and the Celestial Realm actually kinda suck in the OM universe!!!
(spoilers up to NB lesson 38!)
Now, this been a consistent pattern for most of OM's story and lore, but we're going to be focusing here mostly on Lessons 37 and 38 in particular this time, because they had a lot to talk about in that regard.
In Lesson 37, we are introduced to the underworld, specifically Cocytus at the very bottom layer of it.
One interesting note, however, is that this region is territory of the Celestial Realm, despite it being geographically in the Devildom, and the Celestial Realm is the one that doles out punishments relating to it -- usually. We'll dive more into that whole conspiracy in another post, but it's certainly an interesting geopolitical fact of the Three Realms.
As for the underworld itself, the idea of multiple layers of hell is a common one which originates from Dante's Inferno, the first section of the Divine Comedy, and we see that Cocytus here is taken pretty directly from that as well. Just like Dante describes in the Divine Comedy, Simeon informs us that there are four regions that make up Cocytus, made up of four concentric circles of growing intensity according to their corresponding offenses. Specifically, each layer of Cocytus is related to a type of betrayal: of family, of homeland, of guests, and finally, as the very worst type of betrayal, of "him".
The design of that is immediately very telling about how the Celestial Realm views these offenses. Other offenses may land a person in the underworld in general, but these specific types of betrayal are the worst. And among those worsts, betraying God is the ultimate offense, absolutely beyond anything else one could ever do.
Now, these levels of Cocytus almost directly match Dante's Inferno take on them -- with one major, interesting distinction. In the Divine Comedy, Judecca is for "traitors to masters and benefactors." In OM, it is traitors to "him." Considering that the rest of the levels are a direct match, this suggests that, in OM, their father is the master who must never be betrayed.
And as Mammon notes, that's exactly what our beloved demon brothers did, with Lucifer in the lead.
That brings us to the present situation, with Lucifer chained and suffering at the very center of the bottom of the underworld. The worst of the worst offenders.
Simeon, Luke, and MC arrive to find Lucifer in a screaming rage, noting that same fact. Lucifer is in such pain and rage that he's creating dangerously massive gusts of wind, and as he worries about MC and then his brothers, it only gets worse. Suddenly, Raphael appears to read Lucifer his charges. And then, we get this conversation:
There's a lot going on there, but to go piece by piece, Luke is obviously distraught upon hearing the brothers' decreed fate. He wants to protest it and argue against it. Simeon stops him because Luke absolutely must not say another word -- as a reminder, arguing against Lilith's punishment was the catalyst for the whole rebellion that ensued, which is the entire reason Lucifer is being punished like this now!
Simeon, however, has recently been demoted. We know he was a seraph at the time of the rebellion; the official Nightbringer website specifies that he was demoted for "covering for" the brothers, though we don't know the specifics of what happened there. Simeon has always been a little daring on speaking truth to power, and considering he's already been demoted, it seems he's willing to take the potential consequence of speaking up again here. So he does, expressing his questions and concerns about the whole situation going on. And, finally, he calls out Raphael on also feeling the same as he and Luke both do.
It is perhaps the most telling moment we've gotten to date of how Raphael has felt about this whole civil war between the angels. In the past, he's been fairly consistently strict about the Celestial Realm's rules, which essentially boil down to always obeying their father, and Michael by extension. And he holds himself to basically the same standards, obediently doing whatever Michael tells him to even as he's disgruntled or frustrated by the myriad requests. But when it comes to seeing Lucifer punished this way, he can't accept it either. It's wrong, and he knows it.
But he can't question decisions that come from on high. Even doubting is considered wrong.
We've heard the same from Lucifer once before -- that he questioned one who was never to be questioned. That is what he has been punished for.
This is the reason Luke must not speak up. This is the reason Raphael is crying. And it's the reason for Lucifer's current punishment. Simeon, Lucifer, and Raphael all know it implicitly -- what comes from on high is absolute. Questioning is unacceptable. Doubts are unacceptable. And rebellion is unacceptable -- the absolute worst thing that someone can do.
Anyway, now throw all that out though, because apparently Lesson 38 wants to attempt to bring us to a completely different conclusion!
Let's be honest here -- OM is a bit jumpy on its writing sometimes, and sometimes makes wild left turns. But we ended Lesson 37 feeling pretty excited because it's revisiting a common theme we've had hinted at throughout both games about what kind of leader their father is and what kind of place the Celestial Realm really is under him. And what we've seen, generally, is this: it is a very strict place, unforgiving of those who step out of line, where their father's word is absolute, and even feeling doubt is a grave offense. We even know that Simeon's greatest fear is their father!
So imagine our shock and disappointment when Lesson 38 suddenly decides that, no, actually, this punishment and everything else is actually God's love for them. What?!
New theory: exactly one person on OM's writing team is actually super religious and keeps trying to make this game about dating demons into a message that God is good. These lessons were not written by the same person.
Lesson 38 starts with a rather chaotic scene -- Lucifer has broken free of his chains and is lashing out in rage and despair, not thinking straight. Diavolo makes his appearance and tries to subdue Lucifer, though the two end up going into an all-out brawl as Lucifer lashes out at Diavolo as well. MC eventually intervenes and the brothers show up to protect MC from both Lucifer's and Diavolo's attacks. Lucifer is taken aback seeing that his brothers are all okay and present in front of him, and as MC approaches him to further calm him down, the Ring of Light glows and Lucifer momentarily transforms into his angel form, inspiring awe from everyone around at the sight of the Morning Star once more.
Earlier, Lucifer was begging to be shown some kind of sign from his father, of what it was that he wanted from him. Simeon comments that this might be Father answering that call for a sign -- a sign of his love. Lucifer seems to accept this, though with some bewilderment. But we have Lucifer straight up tell MC later in the lesson that he "must have forgotten" that Father loved them all along! That all he ever did was give, and never ask for anything in return!
Except for blind, unwavering loyalty. Something that Lucifer has actually forgotten about in this moment.
For that matter, why does Simeon automatically assume it's this grand sign of their father's love?! He himself just stated his own doubts and called Raphael out on his.
It's a huge 180 that gave us some intense whiplash for sure. But this isn't the first time we've seen that more religious trauma view from Simeon; we've seen it before in OG season 4, where he has obviously been deeply affected by being demoted out of being an angel altogether but tries to reassure himself that their father does everything for a reason, "even this."
However, even aside from the very sudden turnaround, this explanation leaves a lot to be desired, because it doesn't actually answer anything!!!
We just got told that Raphael was crying from the cognitive dissonance of obeying orders to read the charges against Lucifer while feeling deep down in his heart of hearts that this is wrong. Luke has been stopped from saying anything that could be construed as going against their father! Even harboring doubts is wrong, but somehow we are supposed to suddenly believe that it's because their father loves them?
If that's God's love, it's sure sounding like God is an abusive helicopter parent, because that's not a healthy loving relationship.
Think about it -- this is a scene of punishment. Lucifer isn't just chilling down here for fun; he is actively in pain when we find him, and it only escalates his torment at the thought that his brothers are being punished similarly. And even as we are told that Little D. No. 1 couldn't take material form because their father "just loved them so much," is it really a healthy form of so-called love to hold on to a piece of Lucifer's soul without his knowledge, even after casting him out?! We wouldn't say that a parent who throws their own child out to be homeless while keeping their old room intact is a good, loving parent; why should we think this is any different?
Plus, this is the case for Lucifer -- but what about the other brothers? Though they all managed to get free, Cocytus itself seemed prepared to punish each of them for their various transgressions, and as Mammon points out, all of them were guilty of treason against their father. Yet, it's only Lucifer whose Little D. was never able to take form. It is Lucifer specifically who is targeted for this Cocytus punishment, and the others would likely have been left alone if not for the fact that they came to save him. Lucifer is the one who, for that one moment, regains his angel form.
And what does this mean, if this is God letting go of the last of his grip on Lucifer? That he still loved his favorite son but is casting him away for real now? We know Lucifer has said that God would never forgive him in particular, and though he's been accused of just being stubborn himself (and make no mistake, Lucifer certainly is also stubborn too), it does seem in line with everything else we've been shown about their father. Does this mean that their father no longer loves Lucifer, from this specific point onwards?
And, if their father loves them so much -- then why did they need to rebel for Lilith's sake? The implication here is truly bizarre: their father was going to obliterate Lilith entirely from all existence so that not even her soul would remain, but he also just loves Lucifer so much, but is also so authoritarian that Lucifer trying to talk it out with him was met with a complete shutdown so that Lucifer felt he had no other choice but to start the war. Of course, conveniently, this lesson also just chooses to completely disregard the whole Lilith thing, both her existence at all alongside the brothers before the war and her punishment, so apparently none of that matters!
It's completely out of line with the rest of everything we've ever really been told about the Celestial Realm, and frankly, we don't like or accept it. This so-called love that's suddenly used as the explanation in Lesson 38 isn't a true or healthy kind of love, and we don't want it.
So in conclusion: God is gaslighting us but he really does totally actually suck. We're just supposed to suddenly believe now, out of nowhere, that he doesn't. But he definitely, really does.
Anyway so, Lesson 37 is 10/10 and 38 is -10/10, would not read again. Merry Crisis!
Lol, at first I was a bit resentful of the sheep thing, but decided to go along with it and have some fun. The plays on words like “ram” and “bastard” just kind of happened, but worked out beautifully.
Okay, so…sitting on all of that for a bit. The whole “I forgot Father’s Love but He’s Loved Me The Whole Time and I was Too Prideful to See It” or whatever stings for a lot of reasons. One being: religious trauma and the validation that christianity is pretty shit and being able to relate to falling on the side of “other” and “outcast” because you don’t fall in line and Two: validation and resonance in dealing with a toxic parental figure you’re estranged from.
Like, if I am interpreting this lesson wrong then please tell me and explain what I am not seeing- but as a Luci fan who usually picks up what they’re putting down…I’m not sure that I am?
The CR sentenced his sister to DEATH, and that was a huge catalyst for the rebellion. It was also noted that the tension was building some time before that even happened. As an OG player, I can’t forget this. (Also, they’ve changed the NB intro?? But I’ve already translated the original text into fanfic…and am not so willing to override that?)
So we have Luci and the gang fighting their former allies, watching their sister get attacked and killed and being driven from their home because They Had a Problem With That, having their bodies change into something unrecognizable to them, and suffering prejudice on both sides…but hey, their Father has actually loved them the entire time in spite of it all. Lucifer just forgot that little detail, so it’s all good.
Fuck that.
It’s like watching my mother try to “apologize” for utterly destroying our family for the sake of her immature, selfish whims. For abandoning our brother after letting someone abuse him, and making it so none of us could ever contact him again. For parentifying me, and mentally and emotionally abusing the rest of them…but it’s okay because she tried her best and that she’s always loved us - and expects forgiveness and understanding for that.
But hey, you know what? Just loving someone isn’t fucking enough to make up for all the shittiness you’ve put on them. I’ll never be okay with that woman until she dies - and honestly, I’ll still hate her guts in spite of that.
Because she was our parent. She was supposed to care for us and protect us, but she didn’t. She only cared about herself and what she wanted - and when I eventually defied her selfish and unfair behavior, l became a problem and was punished.
So, this turn of events doesn’t sit right with me. I’m trying to allow myself to be distracted by all the good things in this chapter, but the bitter taste in my mouth doesn’t want to go away.
I think I need to go back into it and give it more consideration, but I really don’t want to for a minute.
I don’t want to be involved, yet here I am. Still involved.
I want to be an asshole, heartless and detached…and yet I make beds and clean rooms in a hurry, making sure everyone is cared and accounted for.
I could just drop them off in the dark and ship them off on the bus, letting them be someone else’s problem - yet here I am making plans to drive them directly to school in the morning, forgoing the bus entirely.
Here we are dealing with the consequences of our shitty mother’s choices. We’re in the middle of a multi-day power outage and yet she decides to leave her kids alone in the dark without power for an overnight shift, desperate for money over unnecessary expenses.
My brother and I are so done with her, but we both looked at each other and said “we’re not going to leave those kids in the cold and dark all on their own.” So we opened our house and clustered together to weather the storm.
And you know what? As resentful as I am, I actually enjoyed having this house bursting full of life. I enjoyed watching the youngest brother chase my daughter around the house, watching those tiny legs trying to keep up, and laughed at the fact that every single sibling of mine had a story about falling down those motherfucking stairs.
This isn’t Obey Me content, but boy doesn’t it feel relevant, with older siblings banding together to take care of younger ones - in spite of shitty parenting.
“The sea and the trees feel hot blooded today. As Mainers we don’t just love this state, we are apart of it. We feel it in our bones and spirits. We resonate with the waters and the wildlife. Our intuition is strong, and our dense woods show no mercy. We manifest resilience and redemption.”
“We live here not because it’s the most convenient, or because there is an abundance of opportunity for great success…
In fact, it’s the opposite, really. It takes forever to get anywhere, and don’t get us started on the weather…or, please do because we secretly love to talk about it, argue about it even.
We live here because our hearts are here. We live here because even though Maine is ‘YUGE,’ if someone asks, “Do you know ‘So and So’ from whatever town you’ve said you’re from, chances are we do know ‘em.
We live here because we can live through blizzards and freezing temperatures every year, and won’t hesitate to help shovel out our neighbors or push strangers cars out of snow banks…even if we are wearing pajamas and slippers.
We wear shorts until it snows and roll our windows down as soon as we hit 40 degrees in April…a tough breed, if you will.
We think you’re weird if you don’t like Lobster or if you’ve never heard of Fluff…but we’ll talk to strangers like we’ve known them forever, hold the door and wish them a good day.
And when anyone from outside of Maine asks where we are from, we just say, ‘Portland’ because, well…you know.
We live here. We love here. We know each other and love each other. We wanted to think that this could or would never happen here...”
But it did.
“We are stunned, scared, confused, sad, pissed, worried and feeling all of it. But we are feeling it together. Our eyes have been cruelly opened and our magnificent state is forever changed.
But we have not changed. Our Mainer hearts are still beating together. We need each other more today than maybe ever before. None of us are alone, you are not alone.
Reach out to neighbors today, help whomever needs it. Keep your pajamas and slippers on if you want, grab a Dunks and be a Mainer.
Pray and send positive thoughts to the victims, thank first responders and healthcare workers. Give blood.
When the dust settles and the devastation lessens in time, we will all still have each other. And together we will be ok again…someday.”
Quite frankly I’m not sure that any place is going to be okay. We’re all going mad and psychos have the power to ruin hundreds of lives on a whim. And yes, hundreds, because everyone in this state is interconnected in a weird way and if you haven’t been directly affected, you’re at least gonna know someone who had a part in responding to this, or know someone who knew someone hurt by this fucker.
But we Mainers are tough, and we’ve got grit - and we’ll keep soldiering on and surviving like we’ve always done.
And we’re gonna cheer when that asshole gets what’s coming to him.
Burn in hell, coward. I’d gladly give ‘em all my firewood if it would help make it hotter for ya.
