#2g anon

[ii-meeple-confessions]

Saw a post about mephone being 'weak' because the memories in the gememories 'weren't that bad' and I'm losing my mind because how can you watch the entire show and not realize something much worse was happening behind all that. Like not only did Mephone realizes cobs was PLANNING to SCRAP him once he was past his 'usefulness' (as shown in the 3GS memory) but like, from the way he reacts to everything, i think it's pretty easy to infer. Yeah, MORE probably happened behind the scenes that wasn't SHOWN. Oh also Cobs then proceeded to try and kill and manipulate him multiple times over GOD

Its obvious these takes are from kids so I'm not going to grill them, but seriously it's so horribly invalidating. Whether or not you think someone's trauma is actually bad or not, their reaction to the event is still legitimate. If my friend were to become depressed after a breakup my reaction wouldn't be 'well it wasn't really that bad...' it'd be 'im sorry you feel that way, how can I help?' because that's a far more productive conversation then shaming someone ever is.

BUT BEYOND THAT. I think this honestly exposes a larger problem in this fandom with how we talk about and treat trauma in shows (particularly ii) and how, oftentimes, characters who have trauma are either woobified, treated as weak, pathetic, or even mocked for reacting to that trauma. Takes like 'Mephones trauma wasn't that bad' have existed since BEFORE the finale, actually-- they were a lot more prevalent prior to the finale because no violence had actually been shown on cobs end. Which tells a lot! If a villain character whos meant to be deceivingly charming fools a good portion of your audience, then you know you've hit the mark!-- But all of this is to say that yeah, fandom sucks at dealing with characters who experience symptoms of trauma. And our reactions to media DO reflect reality, the whole idea of 'well some people die in war so your abusive dad isnt that big of a deal actually' IS SO SO PREVALANT IN TODAYS AGE. And I mean, that's OFTEN a point used by these people-- that 3GS' trauma is 'worse' than Mephones.

It peeves me so much but It's also a horrible, terrible but admittedly very interesting look into society and media reflecting reality. Anyways, people, please be normal about traumatized characters maybe? And don't compare trauma it's not healthy. -2G

GODDD THANK YOU 2G ANON. I DON’T HAVE ANYTHING BIG TO ADD ON BUT THIS IS ALL SO RIGHT. THANK YOUUU THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR SAYING THIS

[ii-meeple-confessions]

Also: I love Mephone4 as a trans allegory. Not much to say on it (lie) (I have so much to say on it) but the metaphor of the egg being inside him brings me to tears everytime I think about it. Be it transfem, transmasc, nonbinary, or something else entirely... that phone... that phone's gender is queer in some way.

Some people have also pointed out before that Paintbrush being nonbinary might be Mephone subconsciously exploring his gender identity and I REALLY love that idea. Being trans also just... Goes really well with Mephones' story in general, especially in his recovery where he is learning to thrive and be himself!!!! He's finally free to be whatever he wants, away from the show, and away from Meeple. And there's also the angle of him having to confront the things he's shoved away like his trauma and actually working on improving himself as a person. Who knows, maybe he's got some Gender Identity issues hidden in his closet!

I think him being trans also works to benefit his friendship with Bot, honestly!!!! Something something we could be besties and also trans and both robots! It's SUCH a fun angle to view his character from and I really hope more people explore themes of Gender Identity with Mephone in particular because he's so rife with trans metaphors!!! -2G Anon

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[ii-meeple-confessions]

One aspect of Mephone's character that makes me so so miserable is his own weird self-hate Specifically in reference to his robotness. I've pointed this out on a few occasions, he literally says machines cant make art when he is The Machine who Makes Art. Dude constantly puts himself down for being a robot. For being AI. And I think this comes less from him doubting if he's as real as other people and instead comes from the exact opposite-- Other people-- Living People, telling him he is less then them because he's a machine. Okay let me explain:

Cobs dehumanizes Mephone. He does. It's. He uses the word "Unmake" when threatening Mephone, "I made you, and now I'll Unmake you--" Or something like that. He does not treat Mephone like a person unto himself, but an off-the-rails creation of his who needs to be reeled back in to his own measures. He talks about how Mephone doesn't NEED to eat-- and thus he shouldn't. And he assigns Mephone to work that he oversees mechanically. Mephone was literally just 'born' and he's already being told he has a job to do. He has... A Purpose. You don't say that to a human, to a living thing, people don't have purposes, not innately. But Machines Do.

So. Mephone is made to work. Throughout his time at Meeple he is not an equal to Cobs but a Product-- Perhaps a particularly showy one. Cobs even talks about Mephones show as 'Product Placement', a big elaborate ad for Meeple. Mephone is a Product. And I think he internalizes this. That he is a computer, made to generate, made to represent Meeple... Made To Work. His wide young eyes are no longer so joyful once he learns the truth. Once he realizes he was Working this whole time and Not Creating it dawns on him that he never HAD control. To his Creator, he will always be a Product who Works. His happiness is secondary to Cobs' will-- And if he fails at his job? Then he's not fired, no, no. He's Scrapped. For Parts. Unmade, not Killed.

Cobs drills this into him time and time again and it's very clear he despises it. He hates feeling like he is under Cobs' control and YET when he loses everything he still cowers back into Cobs' arms. Because he is Scared and Cobs is the only thing he has left.

On the note of dehumanization, actually, Cobs isn't even the only one to speak to him that way. Candle says something like 'Aren't you a supercomputer?' in response to him misspelling something, and he's infantilized by Box in the MeAfterlife. Theres a whole episode where basically everyone agrees AI's cant make art!?!??! Mephone is, by multiple people, AND HIMSELF, demeaned for not being a good little machine that does its tasks effectively. And Idk. That. Yeowch.

It definitely makes my head hurt when I think about all this AND the fact that the contestants aren't real though. He hates being seen as Not a Real Person by Cobs and then goes onto create PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT 'REAL'???? Insane actually . Actually Insane. Oh my god Mephone. And now THEY have to deal with the same identity crisis of THEIR lives not being real and THEIR SELF being literally 'coded into them', etc etc etc. Same thing Mephone probably went through with Cobs. Wow. Wow. Ough. GOD!?!?!?

It's so DEVESTATING. I hate this Phone I hate him someone get me out of here -2G Anon

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[ii-meeple-confessions]

Im sure other people have pointed this out already, but some of the jokes in the first episode of the remaster are really shocking when viewed with the twist in mind. Ill cite a few examples:

"Then I'm committing to death." -Baseball about Mephone's silly high pitched voice -> A SUICIDE JOKE IN THE FIRST EPISODE? Baseball... baseball.. you were like, JUST born!?!?! Mephone WHERE DID THAT COME FROM?????

"Don't worry guys, I have loads of experience in jumping off cliffs." -PICKLE????? Okay yeah obviously this is a lie because he was just born but nevertheless WHAT!!!

"Much better... And YOU'RE next!" - Knife to Mephone (Threatening to throw him off the cliff) -> This is actually so funny KNIFE YOU WERE JUST BORN. Lowkey reminds me of the vote to throw mephone into the volcano in season 3.

"I mean like... I can KILL all of us if that's better?" - Bomb -> YKW IGNORING THE CONTESTANTS HERE FOR A MOMENT, MEPHONE?!?!?!? WHY IS THERE SO MUCH VIOLENCE AND DEATH IN THE FIRST EPISODE. GOD?!?!?!

I think its SO interesting how everyone is so violent and mean in season 1. Just... unashamedly. Its such a good reflection of Mephone's view on the world and his experiences. I mean, if we assume he was physically hurt at Meeple-- which I think the text hints at-- then this shows how normalized the behavior IS to Mephone. Knife straight up punches him first thing and he doesn't even look surprised-- Nor does he retaliate. Sure, he says 'I've committed to this bit' and allat, but when Knife threatens him again he just puts up his hands and nervously relents. Like oh my god.

it makes me frown so deeply-- dont get me wrong, i liked the episode, i LOVE season 1's violence, but viewing it with the twist in mind is so tragic because it exposes so much about Mephone. God. What a bug. Theres something very wrong with that phone and it's already showing. -2G

Oh. Oh my god. Baseball making a suicide joke didn’t even like. Fully click in my head until now. Mephone where DID that come from

I thiiiink the pickle line was in the original version?? I’d have to watch it again to see but. Yeah that IS weird if you take the ii16 twist into account… augh

Oh. Oh that is funny… knife you were just born and you are already planning to kill your creator. That is hilarious actually

ORUGHH. VIOLENCE BEING NORMAL FOR MEPHONE BECAUSE OF HOW HE WAS TREATED IN MEEPLE…. OFUGH(. OGUHHHTG….. “But when knife threatens him again he just puts his hands up and nervously relents” OURHGHHH… WHY WOULD YOU POINT THAT OUT. OW. OWWWW….. 💔💔💔 This phone is so unwell 💔💔💔💔

I liked the episode too but GOD something IS very wrong with that phone…. I need him to be happy 💔💔💔 let him be happy 💔💔💔

[ii-meeple-confessions]

I used to really love calling Mephone4 '4' but after Cobs kept doing it in the finale it's made it so much harder for me to call him 4!!!! Like ew!!! That's Cobs using his number to dehumanize him!!!! And I think that makes Mephone going by 'Mephone' and not '4' or even really 'Mephone4' to the contestants even more meaningful. He strips the number out of his name and goes by something that makes him feel more like an individual rather then a product.

Oh also, him labeling all his contestants and naming them specifically after the object they are because he was named after his object counterpart is so tragic. Dude really assumed that everyone just goes by the object they are and not a unique name. Sighhhh it makes me so genuinely sad that he never experienced an ounce of humanity in Meeple.

Something something this is why it'd be so incredibly meaningful if he ever changes his name again and completely abandons the product label he was given!!! -2G Anon

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[ii-meeple-confessions]

Honestly the way Mephone's contestants react to him in general and them realizing "Oh this guy is kind of messed up" is so funny to me. Because as much as Mephone tries to hide it through the host persona he pushes onto himself to seem normal, it really doesn't work.

Even before everything (This was in 2016, for reference! -- And this is one of my favourite things ever -- Fan, on his blog, wrote what is essentially a Mephone4 Fanfiction (The link is here: it's on his blog! If you care to read it in full..... https://www.tumblr.com/inanimateinsanityfan/150341850210/fan-blog-confessions-i-confess-i-forced-someone?source=share) (sorry the link doesn't actually work when you click on it) And one of the lines was: "M: Alright.  I just kind of have trouble verbalizing what I really want to say?  So a lot of my thoughts just come out as these little attacks." Continuing into "M: Yeah... they’re just so second nature to me, I say them to fill in the gaps... otherwise I wouldn’t really know how to chime in."

And I think its genuinely so funny that Fan read him that well. Be it fanfiction and projection or not, Fan is right here! Mephone has trouble verbalizing and complimenting others. (Probably because he himself wasn't often complimented by Cobs--) and it leads him to ruining potential relationships. He stokes flames of distrust between him and other people to keep himself safe and entertained, and then gets upset when he's all alone because he can't build meaningful relationships with people.

And people realize this really quickly. For another example, take Mepad. Who quickly comes to see Mephone is wrong in his judgement towards Toilet and in his treatment of the contestants. Or Suitcase, who comforts Mephone multiple times-- I'd have to lag my computer into oblivion to get the exact quote/s, but she's very keenly aware that Mephone isn't alright at that time, and she verbalizes that. The final 4 of season 2 AND season 3 all seem to be aware of Mephones mental health declining.

And again, he DOES try to hide this. When he's upset over Mepad quitting / doesn't know how to handle it, he jumps into his obnoxious host persona to hide his true feelings on the matter. He pushes and shoves and lights a ring of fire around himself, sacrificing his relationships in return for the safety of his host persona.

Right out of Meeple, some of his first memories of freedom, ARE of being a host. He was basically immediately (unknowingly) enlisted by Cobs to be a host. In escaping Meeple and the persona he had to take on to appease Cobs, he fit himself right into another persona. Another set of rules to follow on how to behave to, in his eyes, stay safe.

It fucks me up so bad because the entire personality he constructed for himself ruins so many of his relationships and thus sinks him into a deeper pit of loneliness. At its core, it's self-sabotaging, and I think it's clearest in "Truth or Flare" (S2 E15) when Mepad quits. I mentioned this before!! But GOD it hits so hard. The way Suitcase says she legitimately hates him and he justs stands there stupidly grinning "I'm a scamp for drama!" No sir you are a scamp for ruining your relationships!

All of this rambling is to say Mephones persona is really one of his undoings. Forcing himself into the mold of reality show tv host isn't... Good for him. And it becomes his safety net when it really shouldn't. It hurts me, to see him so earnestly playing it up when we see him interviewing Box. Trying to seem like a seasoned professional, unbothered, but perking up when complimented. But as the series goes on, that host persona becomes a much more angry and unlikeable person. Hardly any good comes from his insults and comments. And he ruins many of the chances he has to make genuine connections with people-- which is something he so desperately needs.

Sorry if this is a little unstructured! I didn't begin this thinking it'd get so long, so it's a bit all over the place. Can you tell I think about Mephone a lot? Anyways, good night! -2G Anon

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[ii-meeple-confessions]

i wont lie the fact mephone didn't know the true extent of his powers before the finale is Actually Insane to me. That's gotta be a terrifying existential threat in its own right holy FUCK. Imagine waking up one day and in THE SPAN OF THAT SINGLE DAY learning that you CREATED everyone you've ever loved (barring some exceptions) and your own life is a hell YOU made. Literally everything ever can be blamed on you because suddenly YOU are the root cause of everything wrong with everyone. IN THE SPAN OF A DAY this guy went from being an admittedly traumatized Reality T.V show host to JESUS CHRIST to extremely traumatized and wounded (and also out of a job) average robot guy. I THINK ITS SO AMUSING AND ALSO VERY INSANE.

Something something him having nightmares of being a god again, of having all that power, being in a position of such authority and KNOWING IT, and all the things he could do with it. How he'd kill and disrespect and hurt others without a single care in the world because he was untouchable. In another world, maybe he IS just like that, but in this one, the idea now TERRIFIES him. I love (and have talked about before) the idea of mephone specifically avoiding leadership positions and not trying to take on more power then he thinks he's 'worthy' of because he's nervous at the idea of controlling others. And I think it holds really valid when you look at canon. Power imbalance has been the root of all his pain, be it cobs or himself. And that. Agh. Ough. Ouch. This guy. This GUY... -2G anon (I missed this blog, it's nice to be back!!!!)

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[ii-meeple-confessions]

I'm INCREDIBLY curious as to what the pink shimmer that was inside of Mephone thinks about its time there. Were they Aware they were trapped inside a phone? Did they experience things from his point of view? How interconnected WERE they? God. I kinda hope they weren't conscious that whole time because I'm not sure the Shimmers have therapy services up there. Either way, it's INCREDIBLY interesting.

On a similar note, I really do wonder what Mephone himself thinks of the Shimmer. I mean, they literally were 2 organisms living with and working together. He was BUILT to hold that energy. Are there any side effects now that that energy is gone? (ASIDE FROM THE OBVIOUS LOL).

I dunno I think it's really interesting to think about. Both of these... Living, sentient creatures were forced to act as one being for their entire lives. Mephone, until now, has not had to live without that constant presence of another being. Even if he was unaware of them, they were still... There. And he was still there for them. I really like imagining them BOTH suffering effects from being without each other. I mean, the Pink Shimmer doesn't have their own shell anymore... Mephone WAS their vessel.

I think it's even more interesting if you examine how the Shimmers are naturally communal. The Shimmers are essentially a hyper-intelligent bee colony in which many of them share bodies and act as one! They are USED to being paired up with others, and even the Green Shimmer isn't just one, but two Shimmers inhabiting one body. The Pink Shimmer, in this case, may have just seen Mephone as it's sibling Shimmer. Working alongside him as one being! And, while they seemed perfectly happy with returning to their flock, I wonder if they were confused after some time, at why they were missing the presence of their sibling, who they'd been with all their life?

GOSH ITS SOOO INTERESTING TO MEEE -2G Anon

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