Kinda just wanna communicate how I see Kris's character. Not gonna go too deep into specific aspects because this is more for my own references and so that people see my angle whenever I write stuff about them.
So, Kris. They been running on autopilot for a very long time. Just going through life but not really experiencing it. Many people take this as Kris just being Kris and that's the point. They're doing just enough to get through each day and then rinse and repeat. So when when their vision begins to clear people believe there's something wrong. That they've changed and that they're no longer acting in a "Kris-like" way anymore. And while it is true that they have changed, the people around them don't really seem to understand why that is. This is the most "Kris-like" they've ever been in awhile but they haven't been themself in such a long time where people believe that it's flipped.
Every time they take their SOUL out there's fog. Like the idea of doing something but not fully registering what you're doing as if someone's living your life for you. If asked what they were doing, they physically would not be able to tell you what they did unless their SOUL was present because they quite literally do not know, they don't remember. There are times where even with their SOUL in they have a tendency of dissociating when the topic is something related to their trauma. The Shelter for example. It's clear something happened there but what...? They can't even communicate that themself but their body sure as hell remembers so they attempt to hide and destroy the codes to avoid confronting that and this is something they don't have much control over but deep down they wished to be stopped.
They want to tell Susie but their body won't let them. They want to help her in finding the Shelter codes but their body won't let them. The only way they can communicate is via the Dark Worlds where pieces of their life is presented to her but they do so at the risk of the Knight appearing. They barely even know who the Knight is but their body... They smile at them despite the overwhelming amount of fear... They can't find the strength to fight at their best unless their friends get hurt and they become blinded with rage... What is this? Why do they feel this way...? The Knight surely can't be... The truth scares them.
...The promise. The general idea I have is that they made this promise right before Dess went missing. What was this promise? To find her of course. But what for...? They seem to have forgotten the point of it all. So they listen to the person on the phone. They tell them what to do, what to believe... How much time has passed since Dess left...? Don't forget Kris. You promised. Realistically, the person on the phone is blackmailing them via the promise that they made but this is only because they can't remember the details of it. Who is this mysterious person on the phone? Their body seems to listen to them as if they're someone familiar. The answer may be a lot closer to them than they think. I believe the person on the phone is ERAM but the reason why I believe this is a lot so I'll save that for a future post that I'm currently working on. I will say that I do believe that ERAM represents Kris to some extent so keep that in mind when it comes to the stuff I say.
The best way I can put it is that their promise involves finding her. Finding her in the Light World to be more specific. The issue is that finding her means confronting the reality of what's happened to her. They know exactly where she's at but they refuse to actually find her because they don't wanna move on. They can't move on. I see Kris and Dess having a similar relationship to Asriel and Chara where Kris is Asriel and Dess is Chara. Dess moved on leaving Kris behind which is why the purpose of opening Dark Fountains is to ultimately delay the inevitable. The prophecy pits them against each other so naturally it would make sense to attempt to prevent that. But Kris as they are right now doesn't seem to fully register this. They've forgotten and I feel like this will reach a head when the Knight comes for Toriel again.
Sword Route represents the back side of their mind. The part that they normally push down and hide. It is a very real part of them, not just their fears. Their Dark World frames it in that way because Kris themself believes that they're evil, irredeemable. And that's precisely why ERAM acts the way that they do. They know Kris, a lot more than Kris is willing to admit. It's almost as if they're the same person... But seeing someone directly point out the very parts of yourself that you hate? Of course they'll deny it. Of course they'll pretend that they're disgusted at it. It's like playing the Genocide Route of Undertale and trying to justify why you did it when in reality, you only did it because you wanted to see what happens. But this is the truth. This underlining gravitation towards pain and violence due to the circumstances they've been experiencing in their life is the truth.
Their Dark World self is very interesting because, well, are we sure this is a reflection of themself? Or is this someone who they feel like they need to be? The fact that Susie stopped covering her eyes, the fact that Ralsei stopped wearing their hat... So what about Kris...? This especially is jarring when you see how they act in the Light World versus how they act in the Dark World. Truly, I believe that this appearance is only part of the story and the other half? Look no further than ERAM themself. They split their good and bad traits from each other but sometimes... They seep in. Such as the "Good. Keep smiling." dialogue choice. Sometimes they can stop themself, sometimes they can't. A belief that I have is that their appearance will change later and it will be a fusion between ERAM and their current Dark World appearance. To show how they've finally accepted themself and all of their flaws.
...Weird Route is unironically the clearest they've ever seen in awhile. It's the flipside of all the changes they went through during Normal Route. SIde B if you will. This intense desire to proceed, to reach their goal. But what is it...? That's the real question isn't it? The same as Normal Route... Whatever it is they're desperate and they managed to pull in their childhood friend who feels like she can do anything if they're the one to tell her to do it. Only they know the end goal but... is it worth it? Will this truly make everything better? Or will it make it worse. Oh well...
To follow this path so closely that they don't even see where they're going... They don't remember taking Berdly to the hospital but their body remembers. They don't remember talking to Noelle during the night but their body remembers. So, now that Noelle's reminded them of the night before despite their body telling her not to do that, why don't they pick up where they left off...? They accidentally went to Nowhere with someone else... The heart wants what it wants. But they'll make it. They always do, don't they...?
Lastly is the Egg Rooms. They seem to be related to events that actually happened to them in the past. They don't seem to remember who the Forgotten Man is... but their body remembers. Each Egg Room seems to add more and more context regarding what happened in their past. The most interesting Egg Rooms by far is Egg Room 3 and 4. 3 is very interesting because this is the first time you see Kris in their Light World attire in the Dark World before they change back after they talk to the man. Also, Mancountry which no doubt links to their identity issues. 4 is interesting because you learn that they may have developed a more violent side as a result of something that they saw that led to them going to art therapy in order to draw it out. Also the room that they enter in completely blacked out, almost as if the very memory of it is too painful to process.
The man seems to care about them a lot... who is he...? They still take his Eggs all the same. No doubt these Eggs will end up being the deciding factor that ties all of these loose ends together. That factor that allows Kris to remember the truth. The full truth. Not too important, not too unimportant. It's interesting because IMAGE_FRIEND seems to be a huge factor in whatever may have happened to them considering their significant presence in both of their Dark Worlds. At the most Friend is just watching from afar in other Dark Worlds. And the fact that the Eggs are considered as issues? This is concerning to say the least... It's interesting how the prophecy hinges on Kris not remembering the truth and recovering from their trauma. Interesting...
The relationship you have as the player is that you represent a very important part of them: their SOUL. Their SOUL is the culmination of their being, what's makes them who they are for better or for worse. You get to experience what it's like to be "Kris". The feeling of being trapped in your own body. The feeling of not being able to convey your true emotions to those around you. The feeling of your life falling apart and not being able to do anything about it. The feeling of constantly not being fully aware of what's happening in your own life. The feeling of your life being on autopilot. The constant feeling of being alone. The feeling of being watched. The feeling of living in your brother's shadow. The feeling of being trapped on your own pre-determined path. How it feels to be "The Cage with Human SOUL and parts".
