#feldstalks

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I don't have a favorite character (lying)

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Not enough people talk about anger being a vital stage of grief. Not enough people talk about the weight of unresolved grief. Feldspar haunts the narrative like a ghost of times that used to be simpler. Hornfels admits to being the one who wasn't as close with them, yet can't talk about them without visibly becoming sad—neither Gossan nor Slate mention them. How deep does the pain run, I wonder

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Stop romanticizing the grind. Start romanticizing living in a small collectivist community of no more than 25 people and starting a space program with a small group of friends

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I have talked about my analysis of the hatchling's position in the Ventures before in regards to my Feldspar analysis, but I feel the need to talk about this specific aspect again:

Like Gossan, Slate does not bring up Feldspar, however, they refer to the Player Character as a “Pilot type” (“Hey, you’re the pilot – you tell me. Aren’t you pilot-types all eager to get up there and explore for yourselves?[…]”), which is distinctly not synonymous with the word "astronaut", as confirmed later by Feldspar: “[…]You’re a fine astronaut, sure, but you might just become a pilot yet!”

This, along with losing Feldspar as their test pilot (Hornfels: “[...] [Feldspar] test-piloted everything Slate ever built![…]”) and their insistence that most technical failures are “pilot error”, could suggest that Feldspar’s absence is actively hindering their work, as they express being excited to be able to test a new feature “with a pilot instead of the autoflight system”; this may mean that the Protagonist is the first “pilot/explorer only” in recent history, unlike the other astronauts, whose space expeditions are usually not exploration based but follow a specific mission.

There is a void in the Ventures.

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I have talked about this before, but I am passionate enough to bring it up here again because I feel very strongly about this.

Edit: this is not meant to be a headcanon but a discussion about the actual meaning and intended messaging through interpreative analysis. I argue on the basis of the source material.

Feldspar's story is not about voluntary seclusion or escaping an identity imposed onto them. They are not choosing to stay on Dark Bramble.

There is objectively no escaping their situation on their own accord.

Feldspar's ship is surrounded by static electricity, and most of the standard electronic OWV equipment is missing from their camp, implying that it was damaged in the crash. This includes their radio, but they also do not have a jetpack on them.

Even worse, their air system is compromised through both the crack in their helmet and the fact that their suit is visibly not pressurized. They cannot leave the anglerfish skeleton.

The "lesser evil" is entirely subjective.

Choosing the perceived lesser evil of being trapped vs. returning home does not mean that one of these options is objectively more desirable. While leaving a situation is an active process, staying is passive and thus easier. This mirrors the level of emotional avoidance Feldspar displays in dialogue with the protagonist.

They are not escaping an identity that suffocates them: this is their identity

One of my least favorite arguments in the discussion is the idea that Feldspar was trying to escape the "best pilot" label.

The actual problem is that the exact opposite is the case.

They do not present themself as anything but, very clearly seeing their worth represented mostly in that very trait. This becomes problematic, considering that crashing your ship and becoming stranded would comprimise this view of your own identity.

This introduced shame into the equasion.

"Being saved" does not align with Feldspar's self image.

We have to remember who Feldspar is talking to. Presumably, they are talking to someone who at one point admired them as a child. A lot of their speech is defensive, and they are quick to snap at the player character when questioned on the circumstances of the crash (specifically it being Feldspar’s fault).iiiui

The fact that they are not immediately willing to return home with the protagonist does not come as a surprise for Hornfels.

"That Feldspar didn’t immediately join you on your ship and return here is incredibly Feldspar of them. We were never entirely sure what Feldspar was thinking back then, either.

Still, we ought to fish them out of that dreadful place with all haste! I’ll radio Gossan and have them prepare a ship. It really should be Gossan who brings Feldspar home."

The implication here is that Feldspar would not go home with the protagonist, but that Gossan specifically would be able to return them. In my opinion, this is less about friendship, but rather about Gossan being Feldspar's equal instead of an adolescent, in their eyes inexperienced, astronaut.

Feldspar not returning is about fear and pride, rather than actually prefering the current situation.

(Also they are very much in denial. Not asking about TH and refering to everyone as if they left yesterday.)

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I am being downvoted on r/Zamonia because I reminded them that there are furries in their books. they don't like it

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@pant--eater The sacred text...plus audio samples from every Vulphead who has a speaking part.

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Every friend group has:

The nerd!!

The crazy engineer!!

The teacher who was horrifically injured and is not on good terms with the engineer anymore!

That one reckless friend who disappeared into the vastness of space never to be seen again, whose absence caused the friend group to drift apart in order to keep alive what you built together, wondering each and every day if they found a swift and merciful end or if they suffered the cruelty of a prolonged death as you all go about your lives training new recruits for the very job that possibly killed them!!