#river analysis

[nalariverofficial]

Should we do analysis?

TW: mention of dubcon(?) / unintentional (potential) SA mention, manipulation, etc.

Let me just copy-paste our theories here... (some are comments under posts, or from the official discord)

Comment under @vaughn-is-villainizeme 's post:

The fact that:

Alex doesn't know who he loves anymore. Not because he magically fell in love with Dean the second he told the truth, but because Dean has always been there, meaning there are possibilities that parts of Dean are what made Alex attracted to Christian, under the thought of "This is just Chris." That he was only seeing Chris. Alex probably loves both of them, and probably doesn't know which parts that he loves belongs to whom. It's so tragic and I'm glad they got the chance for communication </3

Gives the "cry for me" video more insight as to why Dean would care about paying Andrew back for Alex and not just Christian.

Some combined theory from the discord server:

SheildLoving <3

In my opinion, I think there are parts of Dean that Alex thought he loved Christian for, so I think he's in love with both, but just doesn't know which parts he loves about them, belong to who

Additional:

Look at his face. Look at his fuckin face, darlings. He's confused, probably assuming Dean meant "I am Dean" as in "I'm going by my criminal name now / I am the serial killer, Dean", but still willing to adapt, to learn, to be there for them.

But this also means Dean has tried (the "you say that a lot lately" comment) so many times to tell Alex. And Alex has been considerate and tried to understand, which is probably why Dean thought Alex knew.

The way Dean is so defensive about Alex's love, how he's convinced that Alex feels for him too, not just Chris, and maybe not Chris at all. But he also seems not to care for Ethan, at least not much, saying "Xander is better than Ethan in any way".

Also, with the way Dean treats Alex later on (you'll see at the bottom), it contradicts this statement. But if Alex knew how highly Dean used to think of him (during this time, anyway), maybe his self-esteem would've been better. Because Alex has hated himself for ages, thinking he's not enough, that Ethan has and always will be better.

"Xander is better than Ethan in any way"

The wonders it would have done for Alex had he been able to hear that...

And the second D.F. informs him otherwise, he goes to explain, to be honest. Dean does not run from confrontation, or at least he didn't use to. Things may have changed since then, maybe he didn't take the reaction well, and maybe that's why Dean is so cruel to Alex now (more current lore / after the "I Am Dean" arc, calling Alex "another killer", and saying "you'll be enough")

Clearly something went wrong after Dean told the truth. Something that made him shut down, unless he and Alex (for some reason) end up having sex after this.

Anyway, ShieldLoving ♡♡♡

They deserved more time to grow, your honor.

(Also we may change the theme of this blog to be Alexander or Destiny themed, since Lyra is pretty close to Destiny's aesthetic, and Alex potentially because we literally have an Alex fictive now </3)

-Eclipse (host)

[mo0nflwr]

Bcs im too lazy to retype them and splice them. They mostly all say the same thing, but some extra pieces i didnt have in each.

Have fun, im tired, and dont have time for full blown analysis. Peace 💜

[nalariverofficial]

Does Andrew love Ethan? Survey says: YES.

The caption isn't serious, by the way. There was no survey, though we may add one to the end of this post.

So! Onto the analysis: we know it's been awhile, but life is a bitch sometimes so here we are.

People may think that Andrew is trying to manipulated Ethan or the others again, which is VERY plausible!

But, we've seen many times how close Andrew and Ethan were before. I'll probably have to continue this as a two-part post since we will reach the image limit. But when Ethan rejected Andrew, someone who clearly had some sort of infatuation with him... how do you think Andrew felt? There are two possibilities as to WHY Andrew got Ethan in trouble here:

Either Andrew acted out to hurt Ethan for the rejection, going to his house and bringIng a flower to get him in trouble as revenge. OR (because we have seen how his father and the Lee family teaches "love"), Andrew may have delusioned himself to the point of thinking: "Ethan is playing hard to get... and he DOES love me... he just doesn't realize we're together... that he has to love me back..." etc. Andrew is fucked up to all hell, and I wouldn't be surprised if he fails to realize his stalking and obsession is not a healthy form of love.

But Andrew... why include Jo? Why include Johnathan, that had nothing to do with your plan?

"I'd even rather kiss Jo."

Ethan, upon rejecting Andrew, said he would rather be with someone else, someone who clearly isn't into him, nor is he into.

In "Johnathan, You're Stupid", Ethan, while talking about his newfound job (which comes after Andrew's betrayal and everything), tells Jo to "get out of (his) ass".

Look at him. His fucking eye twitch. At first we assumed it was annoyance with Jo's stupid and innocent response, but. It's jealousy. It was always Johnathan, wasn't it, Ethan?

"...to have fun with me and Johnathan"

He not only was potentially delusioned, but in the process wanted to make sure Ethan was forced to cut Jo out of his life. Getting rid of an opposing force for Andrew. Andrew is a fucking yandere because of his extremely unstable living environment and his lack of being taught the difference between actual love and obsession.

We will continue this in pt. 2

[PT. 2 here]

[nalariverofficial]

Been awhile since we've been active. So we want to start up an activity!

Favorite Zeyn_Syre Arc

Fate (The Punch)

Angels (The Big Three's Deaths + Mary)

Downfall (MurderClue)

Coma (Micah's attempt)

Reveal (Andrew + Alex development)

Betrayal (Chris's death and revival)

Prisoner (I Am Dean)

Demon (Possession)

Detective (Current + Alex's descent + Fate is Satisfied)

Voting ended onMay 6

I also want to know examples of what your favorite ZTC era is (as in artsyle, or before vs after she got super popular or hated on, did you prefer a less organized schedule compared to the lore funny every other day, etc etc)

We want to know why you love Zeyn_Syre, and what keeps you in the fandom, what got you in it!

(We will also make polls for favorite main and side characters [parents will be their own])

- This post was made by: Eclipse! (Host)

[nalariverofficial]

I am... very scared. For D.F.

We have in order:

Christian

Dean: (lil bitch, i knew he had a lack of emotion considering Ethan from that last video) [narcissistic mf–]

Umi: (literal baby. PROTECT HIM)

And D.F.:

But EVERYONE saw D.F.'s glitch.

So i slowed it down and the best i got?

And what i can make out?

○Not D.F. but...? (Cant get the rest)

○Demon

○Sent from hell (?)

And most importantly:

○NOT AN ALTER

Edit: someone has better vid quality than me and managed to get the whole thing here:

So its all actually:

●Demon

●Sent from hell after Christian died (maybe after Zeyn shot him? Or maybe he replaced a different D.F. alter... since the next part)

●Not D.F. but looks exactly like the same.

●NOT AN ALTER

AND THANKS TO TUMBLR:

So yeah, the REAL D.F. is stuck and trapped, replaced by a demon. Fuck

[nalariverofficial]

Let it be known that I wrote this on the official server before knowing that the beginning of today's video was the morning after. There may be some inaccuracies/repetition

Analysis ahead.

In very, very old shorts its been shown that (Chris) wanted to give xander that chance (in the past, before everything) but clearly in this new short (chris) wasn't ready, despite thinking it over a lot. So either he thought at some point he was ready for that, or he was desperate enough to get it over with that he rushed himself

^convo with a friend outside the server

v my yt comment (slightly changed)

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY HUSBAND (even though this short wrecked me)

Xander finally got what he wanted. He was always respectful of Christian's boundaries. Either Dean (or Chris) was desperate enough for a distraction, or Chris thought he was ready to move on before he really was."

They pretty much say the same thing, however I wanted to bring up how Xander has always respected Chris, and his boundaries. Plus, considering hair lengths (and general timeline, Xander did technically "betray" chris [Hell/Second Chance arc]/start losing his love for chris [I Am Dean arc], plus their hairlength, implies before all of these)

Anyway, dissapointed that after multiple videos teasing this to be true ("Just My Type" and even "I Hear The Angels Cry"), the topic finally got it's own short. On Xander's birthday, no less.

------------

Continuation here, after reading more analysis;

Now realizing that it first showed us the morning after (thanks to @lovingvaughn), I truly do think both Chris (and even Dean) were desperate. One or both of them thought being with Xander would help them in some way, whether it be helping with getting over Destiny (and possibly Ethan, depending on the timeline), or whether they thought it would help to have a romantic connection again, with someone they knew they wouldn't possibly lose (Xander being the one who taught Chris = less likely to be caught in a position like Destiny), or have to betray/hold lies with (Christian being a killer and originally basing his relationship on deceit)

Anyway, this is super lazy... sorry. Had really bad news today.

@mo0nflwr is my main. As you know.

[nalariverofficial]

Warning: bug rant/analysis

Some people are saying Xander is betraying Chris again. Either by telling Ethan what happened, or by denying Chris's choice to have Ethan stay with him.

But its not betrayal. In one video (nothing breaks like a heart:)

Its brought up to Xander... What wouldve happened had it been Blake that died and not Mike? And Xander, realizing he stelped out of line, did not lash out again, even after being slapped. He knew he was in the wrong. This is a respectable man who knows the difference between right and wrong, and who knows when he's made a mistake.

So of course he told Ethan. Ethan deserved to know what really happened to his nephew mike. Because he has also been forced to think "what if this happened to blake?" Knowing what Xander knows, of COURSE if he were in Rthan's situation, he would want to knoe the truth.

And Ethan's decision to leave was perfectly valid. Imagine the person who hates you most, who has attempted to kill you and later on actually DID, was the one to tell you that your nephew was murdered by your lover. When your lover couldnt even tell you what he did himself. Hearing from someone else what Christian had done definitely hurt more than what it wouldve had Chris told him from the start.

And concerning the "defying Chris" thing this video. It was goddamn clear at the start when Chris was deciding FOR ETHAN where he would go, and what would happen, that Ethan wasnt happy or comfortable with it. But he didnt have a chance to say anything until Xander interrupted Chris. This is Ethan's LIFE we're talking about. He deserves a chance to speak and choose what to do about it.

Xander was merely extending that right to Ethan's own life. Its HIS life, why doesnt he decide? Cant he talk? Its his choice to make with HIS life. You dont have to speak for him, Chris.

Christian assymed because they were lovers at one point, that Ethan would clearly stay with him. Its really not hid fault, honestly. He didnt know thar Ethan knew about the truth behind Mike's death. So of course he'd want to stay with him. He probably just thought Xander was bsing unnecessarily rude and cold to him. Because of course my (ex)boyfriend who clearly still cares would rather stay with me than the person who hates him. Its a valid assumption to make. But once again, Xander coming in with the logic:

Did Ethan ever excplicitly say he wanted to stay with Chris? Its a cinsent thing,, Christian. Did he ever tell you that he wanted to stay with you, or are you just assuming.

This is where i tell you about the thing i love by. What happens when you assume things?

Makes an ASS- out of -U- and -ME. Ass-u-me.

Xander was just giving Ethan a rught to speak, and a right to choose what happens with his life. Honestly it reminded me of a custody battle, where one parent is so sure that the child would stay with them over the 'loser/poor/raggedy' parent, but the kid would rather be with the other parent, because the ASSUMING parent, is actually an asshole.

Either way, Xander was just being a respectable man. He knows whats right and wrong. It was wrong of anyone to try and make decisions about a persons life, right in front of them, without asking what they want. If Ethan was too scared/upset to dp it himself, god be damned if Xander didnt stand up for a man condemned.

Chris didnt know Ethan knew. Thats why he's so shocked (also bcs, once again why would Ethan chose to stay with someone who hates him?)

Ethan's choice and reaction were valid. He knew about Mike before he "confessed" as Dean before the police. He willingly sacrificed himself for Chris. But he isn't about to stay with a man who killed his nephew, even after being revived. He's done more than Chris deserves from him, he's not about to keep giving. Ethan is breaking his own cycle of self-sacrificing, especially concerning people who haven't yet earned that sacrifice. It doesn't matter if Ethan loved Chris. Chris killed his family, his found family, and was lying to Ethan from the very start of their relationship, just to keep Mike's death from Ethan. Ethan didnt owe him anything, hut he still gave up everything for him.

He's starting to get his sense of self back. It's not selfish to put his own mental health fjrst, its not betrayal. He is just finally starting to realize it is not worth his LIFE for someone who's already taken a lot from it. When Christian apologizes and earns Ethan's favor back, and they're on equal ground, then maybe it should be considered. But that relationship was doomed since the first date and the first kiss. You can't build something healthy on lies.

[nalariverofficial]

Does Andrew love Ethan? Survey says: YES! PT. 2

[PT. 1 here]

TW: DISTURBING DRAWINGS, MENTIONS OF ABUSE/MURDER, ETC.

He went to see Alexander, sure...

But the second he's able to get Ethan alone? He takes it. He's BLUSHING. Look at his face in the first one. He looks desperate, relieved to see him again. Besides, wasn't he supposed to hate Alex? Someone who, by his father's insistence, wasn't even part of the Lee family? If anything, seeing Alex was an excuse to see Ethan. That is all he ever truly loved after his father killed his mother and made him hate Alex. That was all he had when Mary accidentally killed his father.

But to further my argument on how Andrew is in fact, a yandere by nurture: look at what his own father did, leading by example.The same father obsessed with his wife cheating, just to try and assault another woman most likely during that time, or after she was gone.

This is love in the Lee family. Full of abuse, lies, manipulation, generational trauma, deceit, and betrayal around every fucking corner.

Love is obsession and paranoia. Love is eliminating every obstacle or contradiction. You take love into your own hands and mold it and control it to be the picture you want it to be, even if it means driving yourself insane.

THAT is what love is on the men's side of the Lee family.

And to further prove his incessant need to keep Ethan from others?

Look at what he put his own cousin through. Yes, we know Andrew's father practically disowned Alex's part of the family. Alex's mother and father, (most likely due to Andrew's own mother cheating on his father). We know Andrew has been influenced to hate Alex by his father. But he's been able to grow out of that if he wished to, and clearly he still cared enough about Alex to warn him about the potential abuse he would face in the future with his own father.

But in this case, when Andrew had so many other ways to hate and hurt Alex, why choose to make him hate Ethan? To cut him out of Ethan's life, just like he might have done with Jo?

Jealousy. Alex not only was made to be outcast by Andrew's own father, which was all he had and all he was able to learn from, but now Alex was able to bond with the very person Andrew actually wanted. With the person that rejected him.

How come Ethan could actually like an outcast? Someone who wasn't even a real Lee? A murderer. A nobody...

Jealousy. Andrew wanted Alex to hate Ethan. And then fueled Alex's addiction for one reason or another, most likely because of his hatred for Alex. He wanted to reduce Alexander to the nothing he was forced to see him as, by enabling him and making Alex dependent on him and him alone.

Andrew was in love with Ethan the only way he knew. Look at Ethan, just for a moment. Go back to that photo or older photos of him if you must. Then look at Alex and Andrew's mothers.

Similar hairstyles and colors. It's a stretch, but...

His trauma, the way he was taught. Brown haired women, with early greys/potentially a dirty blonde, makeup, earrings.

Ethan. Brown hair, with early greys/dirty blonde, makeup, and earring and TONGUE PIERCING, before the earring was ripped out.

He found a man that fit the average Lee wife. The "perfect trophy wife". Andrew found what he figured must be meant for him, and applied the knowledge he knew of love.

"He must be for me..."

Pattern recognition.

So he used what he had. He loved foolishly, in the only way he knew how. Abuse, stalking, obsession...

And it spread to Micah later on, who reminded Andrew of Ethan.

Andrew loved Ethan because he thought he should, and did so the only way how.

That, or he realized he had gained true, genuine feelings, and when those feelings did not match what he knew, he changed his actions to make sure they lined up and made sense.

Andrew loved Ethan to unhealthy lengths. But he still loved Ethan. In his own, twisted, fucked up way, because that's what he was taught and all that he knew.

Did Andrew love Ethan?

Yes. It truly seems he cared at one point. But it evolved into something far more sinister and wicked.

So, what do you think?

Did Andrew Lee truly love Ethan Collins?

Yes, absolutely

Potentially

I don't think so / add reasons in comments

Absolutely not

Other/results

Voting ended onJan 30

If you have other reasons to potentially back this up or debunk it, by all means, please let us know in the comments.

There's probably more we didn't add, or spelling errors. Please forgive us for that.