Homestuck: Beyond Canon (reactions page 666 - "Mindfang's journal" path)
Man, that was yet another amazing update to this page.
So, we're already in year 4 now! I don't remember seeing the year 3 message? I suppose it means her reconciliation with Aradia and Tavros happened during year 3? Then I guess the remaining paths here will be in years 5 to 7 respectively, and Vriska finally gets out at year 8?
Vriska's definitely grown over the years, both figuratively AND literally! Her talksprite's starting to look more like a grown-up compared to the previous conversations, that's so cool.
I love how my theories on who Vriska would talk to during this Mindfang journal path (Eridan or Aranea) proved to be completely wrong.
Nannasprite was DEFINITELY not what I was expecting, and before we got to this page 666 I'd have never thought such a sweet conversation between Vriska and Nannasprite was even a remote possibility.
I've always enjoyed the conversations we got with Nannasprite during Homestuck, it was just a shame how few there really were. But this one's definitely another amazing addition to it.
And hey, I'm not complaining about how many new talksprites we're getting here!
I'm so glad we finally get to see Nannasprite's thoughts on the dark path Candy Jane is on, and more of an insight on her feelings about her own life.
Heh, Vriska calls Nannasprite "a real one". I know what it means in normal conversations, but I can't help again but think about how the ghosts of her past that Vriska meets are all meant to be "fake" imaginations made up of Vriska's memories of them, while for the Sprites it's much less clear.
These conversations with the Sprites feel much more real, so I wouldn't be surprised if the Sprites are REALLY here with Vriska. Which makes Vriska's remark that Nannasprite is "a real one", and Nannasprite's response to it, so much funnier.
The conversation between John and Vriska where they bonded over the similarities with their ancestors was always one of my favorite and most memorable conversations between them, so I love how Vriska referenced it again now.
It's a shame Vriska's conversations with Eridan, John and Kanaya all happened off-screen, those were definitely all people she had special relationships with that could use some sorting out, but I understand that they didn't decide to show it. Knowing what her conversations with Aradia and Tavros were like, you can make somewhat of a guess what it would be like with these people as well. And hey, it's pretty likely we're still going to get more conversations between Vriska and the real John/Kanaya in the future, so that's fine and still something to look forward to.
And then Vriska's conversation with "Momfang"…. Jegus CHRIST.
That was a horrifying combination I never expected, but it makes so much sense. They are her 2 "moms" in a way, who basically made her into who she was. So there was a lot to unpack there and a lot to deal with, and those issues are intricately connected to each other.
The way Spidermom pops up in Mindfang's hair, in her arms, or even replaces her face… It's so creepy, and I love it. It gives me goosebumps.
This way we also finally get to see Spidermom "talk"! I think that's only the second time we ever see a Lusus talk, right? I think Kanaya's Mothersprite was the only other Lusus we ever saw talk on-screen, when she comforted Kanaya (ironically enough because of what Vriska did).
I feel sad for Vriska that Momfang's dialogue confirms that Spidermom never truly cared about her. It confirms that Spidermom truly was a really really bad custodian and only cared about her own survival. I wonder what she was even like as a Sprite, which are SUPPOSED to be helpful and guide the players.
I love how Mindfang talks as a narrator here, the only way Vriska ever knew her. And yet, in some of Mindfang's dialogue it's also like she's not just Mindfang here, but also Vriska's Mindfang PERSONA from her flarping days, referring to the actions Vriska did as something "we did".
Which makes it a bit like Vriska's also talking to her own past self here (which may even get more literal if eventually the 8-ball path on this page does lead to her talking to either her past self or her pre-retcon self).
I also like how Vriska acknowledges that Vrissy's powers are different from hers, that she's capable of doing other things, like manipulating humans.
And I love how Vriska's finally truly rejecting what Spidermom and Mindfang did to her life, how different she could have been. Which makes me wonder what Vriska would have been like on Beforus? What does a Vriska look like who was free to make her own path?
And now Vriska finally gets to walk away from that. I love this.
It all just makes me so curious, what will the cueball path be about?? I'm like at least 88% ( ;) ) sure that Vriska will be talking to Doc Scratch in it (god I'd love to see his smug style again even if just for a little bit, AND to get a talksprite!) and that it will be about his manipulation of her, but what will Vriska gain from it?
Will it also be about Doc Scratch's link with Lord English (which could be an excellent tie-in to Vriska's next conversation after that, with presumably Davepetasprite^2)?
It's also notable how both the flarping manual and Mindfang's journal paths have had conversations with 2 different characters: Tavros and Aradia in the first path, and Nannasprite and Momfang in the second path (ok technically that makes 3 characters in this path but whatever).
So in the cueball path, will Vriska talk to someone else before Doc Scratch first? Who could it be then?
If we're talking about Doc Scratch and Lord English, then I'm of course reminded of how they're partly made up of Gamzee and Arquiusprite, so could it be we're going to see one of them? My guess would be that Arquiusprite is the most likely one, but it's notable that we didn't see him with all the other Sprites before.
Anyway, this was another amazing update and I'm looking forward to how Vriska's journey through hell continues.
