In the game, all of the Fools were infected but passive outside of the arena. In this story, were they also infected? Were they able to keep enough mind after the Colosseum's collapse to find and take in Vespa's Blessing? Is there a chance any of them are still infected yet passive?
The Fools were still infected in the Colloseum, yes. Up until it’s collapse the whole Colosseum was pretty much the same as it was in the game so most of the canon lore for it hasn’t changed. That being said, there isn’t that much definitive lore we know for sure so everything is still a bit vague haha. I think the bugs inside the Colosseum remained in a state of ‘passive infection’ because of the Colosseum, and that specific situation allowed them to stay non-agressive with enough mind to fight/spectate proficiently. That state of mind benefited the bug and the infection. It’s hard to say what would happen to that ‘passive infection’ state when the reason it is ‘passive’ is taken away. I don’t know.
The Colosseum collapsed because of a honey stream that crashed through the roof of Kingdom’s Edge though. Most inside were crushed by the Colosseum itself, the rock above or the weight of all the honey but those who did survive were instantly subjected to Vespa’s Blessing from that honey stream (almost like it was intentional?). From that there’s probably a split between bugs who accepted the Blessing, denied it or had enough passive mind for the Blessing to latch on regardless. From that situation specifically I’m not sure if there was any choice for bugs to remain ‘passive infected’. It was one side or the other. The bugs who fled the Colosseum as it fell did so to preserve their life and bugs inflicted with infection don’t typically value their own lives so I’d wager they’d choose to take Vespa’s Blessing when they got caught in the honey flood.
God Tamer is a unique case from this event however. She died in the collapse but was reanimated by the infection. She does reject Vespa’s Blessing but when her infection is lessened by Honey in their fight she also chooses to not be infected either (where she jumps into acid to prevent getting pulled under again).
Sorry for the long answer but thanks for the great ask! This was a good question :D
