I accidentally stayed up until 12:41 am tonight listening to “Return of the Hogsbottom Three” (I’ve been making my way through the side-episodes), and I have a few thoughts.
The cauldron reminds me of a Grand Relic, mainly due to it seeming to have a thrall. However, it can be destroyed and has actual limits instead of just bestowing god-like powers upon its wielders.
On a related note, Darius mentioned that the cauldron spoke of a coming darkness. I wonder if the cauldron somehow knew about the Hunger, or if it was a mere coincidence.
I wonder if there is a court system for people who have been enthralled by magical items. If so, this would imply that the BoB is carrying out more of a vigilante-style justice re: the regulators. Then again, the Grand Relics are also more powerful than ordinary magic items, since they don’t appear to have any limitations other than having to be on the same plane re: the Bulwark Staff. It would be interesting to see how this would play out after the Day of Story and Song.
Speaking of courts, turning people into chili-zombies has to count as a death crime.
Because it is after 1 am, here is a crack theory that has no evidence: prior to making its way into the hands of Edward and Lydia, the Animus Bell was used to help make the cauldron.
I hope that, somehow, the Redcheek family learns of No. 3113 and her undeath, whether it be through a meeting prior to her heroic sacrifice, one or more members of the Reaper Squad pulling strings, Merle somehow doing a parlay, or even just Carey talking about how her favorite in-law (at least from Scales’s marriage, who knows about Killian’s family) was a robot.