I'm so glad Stargaze Vash shot to kill Legato out of anger. Sure, 98 Vash and Maximum Vash were furious too, but they are mostly desperate and devastated and overwhelmed and wracked with grief, especially given their expressions after they pull the trigger.
Stargaze Vash? His primary feeling is bloodlust. His expression AFTER he let's the bullet fly? Malice, contempt, hate. The fangs have finally come out, dripping venom.
Up to this point, Stargaze Vash hasn't been allowed to be truly angry. To be petty. All versions of Vash run and avoid their problems, constantly being pulled back into the plot against their will, but they haven't let Stargaze Vash do a bunch of side quests to give him the facade of agency. This is the most soft and passive version of him, not even allowing him to have quippy one liners. Showing us moments where he literally can't speak, can't drive, can't move, and is flying through the air at the mercy of gravity and Wolfwood trying to catch him. He's not just pulled, he's dragged through the narrative every step of the way by friends and enemies alike. Not even kicking and screaming. He's the antithesis of a leading man, who Vash has always been. But this time, he's a trauma response personified.
Given this, his character development was always going to be this moment, this selfish, cruel moment, he has an emotional kill, where he not only lets himself want, but he follows through on that want. And he wants Legato dead.
It is more revealing, more devastating, more human to have pulled the trigger after the neck snap as opposed to before. Vash has seen Wolfwood come back from a lot of extreme damage, riddled with bullet holes and coughing up blood, more than any other version. There is hope even as pink foam coats his lips. But is there any coming back from that sickening crunch? Any chance to inhale those vials if his airway is crushed and his brain is dead?
This, only this, is when Vash has had enough.
This is the payoff. This was always what his character arc was building to. To not only be caught in a checkmate, but to kill out of anger, revenge, love. Something his brother had already done for him, what his brother had always wanted in return from him.
And Vash did it for a human instead. And not just any human, but one he's had more connection with, more primal fondness for, than anyone else. Because that's where his allegiance ultimately lies.
And he doesn't even get to have it. He doesn't even get to wallow in the consequences of his kill. He doesn't get to because this is a man who isn't allowed to want or have anything.
would it not be in the spirit of trimax if this version of the story ends in an even more hopeful way that takes for granted the existence of the other versions in order to get its message across?
not in an "i won't bother to develop my own story because the audience can depend on the other versions to fill the gaps" way, but in the sense that trigun is a story about resilience and hope prevailing amidst even the worst tragedy. the tragedy won't ever stop, so our hope and our efforts to connect to one another and be kinder than we were yesterday must also never stop, because one day it will, it might pay off
in the story, there are many who doubt this, who doubt vash and his message as the messenger of the story. sometimes they're right - vash carries the scars that prove it; people are sometimes given the option to act kindly and don't pick it; people often can't afford to hope, to remain both moral and alive. everything in this story questions whether we should still try, and neither vash nor the reader has an answer until the very end, until everything that could prove any of the characters' views right or wrong has been accounted for and communicated
some characters have never made it to the end of this story, and we've learned to expect that they won't, just like the people of no-man's land have learned to expect the worst – and they were justified, just like we might be by the end of the story
in the end of trimax, the plants and humans connect through vash – both sides know everything (or the closest we can get to that, which is direct access to memories and experience), and make their decision as to whether or not they should believe in one another, whether or not they should hope, whether or not it's worth it
trimax tells us that, with everything on the table, it is. wouldn't the hope that stargaze instills in us for otherwise doomed characters mean that we, as the audience, also hear the version of the story in which, despite all odds being against them in any other version, these characters make it? and wouldn't that be in line with the original story whose message is that humans might've lost hope a hundred times, but they can still hope anew, because something might change, something can change?
both the witnesses and the creators of this version of the story know that the other versions exist. so, if we think about it, isn't stargaze so far telling us that, with everything on the table, and no matter how things have gone so far, we should still be hoping?
and i have no idea if it's gonna go this way, but all i'm saying is that what might be perceived as over-hopefulness on behalf of stargaze might (also) be read as an acknowledgement of what the other versions of the story has already said and of the fact that we know it
I have a lot of conflicting emotions when it comes to Stargaze but I think my biggest gripe with it as a whole (er,,,what I think my most valid complaint is, so to say?) is the way that it treats the “villain” characters
(more under read more i did Not Realize How Long This Was Sorry !!)
I think Knives and Razlo are written incredibly 2-dimensionally (I’d go as far as to say 1-dimensionally honestly). This is an issue I feel with most of the characters, likely in part a result of the series just. Not having the time to actually develop anyone because of the sheer amount of story it’s trying to tell in just 24 episodes, but it is the most blaringly obvious when it comes to Knives and Razlo (at least as of 8 episodes into Stargaze)
A big part of Trigun imo is being able to see where our "bad guys" are coming from, and why they end up doing the things they do--because in most cases it's NOT just "for the sake of it" !! Many times in this series it is mentioned that people act out the way they do because they feel as though they have no other choice, because No Man's Land is a harsh planet to live on, and the people are suffering.
Stamgaze starts off with even child Knives being cold and uncaring, which means you don't really grasp the severe impact that Tesla (along with the repeated mistreatment by the humans on the ship) has on him. Knives WANTED to get along with the humans. Hell, initially it's VASH who is untrusting of them! To me, Knives' story is one of the loss of childhood innocence too soon, and what can happen when you feel like you don't have the proper support systems. You lash out, and you fall through the cracks.
In the case of Livio and Razlo, it feels like there is a...fundamental misunderstanding of what, exactly, Razlo's "job" is. Myself and many others have read trimax with the understanding that Razlo formed as a direct result of the trauma he experienced growing up before the orphanage. In Stampgaze, it seems Razlo is formed whilst Livio is under the Eye of Michael, which definitely changes how the audience is reading his character (it feels more like Livio was sort of...experimentally nudged to form an alter, rather than it happening "naturally" due to the need to protect himself)
Livio and Razlo were never perfect DID representation, but undeniably their portrayal is better in the manga--or at least more respectful. Razlo's goal--his entire reason for being, was to protect Livio. In Stampgaze, we just see an angry, hateful Razlo who is doing all of this...just for the sake of doing it? We don't get to see his betrayal by Chapel--the one person he thought cared about him, or hold any faith in him and his abilities, nor do we get to his his agony at the thought that Chapel died and left him alone. Chapel's manipulation of Razlo is pretty important to understanding his character, because it gives a lot of insight as to WHY Razlo is so willing to push so hard to complete his task (killing the fuck out of wolfwood)
Make no mistake, Razlo is definitely unhinged, but he's also human deep down, and that's an important part of all this. He lives and breathes and feels the same as anyone else, and his heart can hurt. This aspect of him just does not come across in stampgaze, so it makes all of it feel very corny and excruciatingly pointless, at least to me
I posted this analysis months ago on X after studio Orange confirmed that the red tint in Wolfwood’s sunglasses symbolizes his relationship with Vash.
Link to the original thread: here
Attention ⚠️:
This is just my personal take on color symbolism that I prepared to be a section on one of my upcoming Trigun Stampede analyses. But after the panel I thought it would be nice to share my thoughts about it.
˚₊‧ ꒰ঌ ♡ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚
The red tint in Wolfwood’s dark lenses mirrors how he is forced to see the world. His vision is quite literally stained with blood. Everything he looks at is filtered through violence, duty, and the weight of the Punisher he never chose.
He cannot take it off, not truly; the darkness and the blood follow him no matter where he turns.
But red carries a dual weight. It is blood, sacrifice, and death — yet also love, passion, warmth and determination. Wolfwood lives in that contradiction: every compromise he makes is both violent and deeply rooted to love. The tint is subtle, almost hidden, like the warmth he tries to bury. And it also can be taken as Vash’s touch itself, the gentle hand that stains him with color. (/Hypnos’s gentle touch for those who read my other Trigun Stampede analyses on X)
At the same time, red isn’t just Vash reflected ideals in him—it is also the cost of walking beside him. The reality that Wolfwood sees the same desert, the same people, but always through a harsher shade. One that reminds him of sacrifice and death. And, Vash’s path through Trimax is a dark one. Full of blood and death and loss, yet his will didn’t break under all that weight. With Wolfwood by his side, and taking his side, he had to pay the price of that with his blood and life.
Vash, by contrast, sees the world through yellow-orange lenses — the color of sunlight, sand at dawn, of hope. He forces himself to see the world not for what it is, but for what it could be if it was nurtured with more love.
His vision is painted with light, because without that filter, the cruelty of reality would be unbearable at times. Where Wolfwood sees blood and death, Vash sees the chance for growth and life. Where Wolfwood sees darkness, Vash insists on color and light.
Colors in Trigun Stampede (and the Trigun Maximum) aren’t just aesthetic—they are identity as well. For example, Vash’s whole existence is colorful. He’s a man defined by colors.
In the story, most people have never seen his true face; they mistake his height, his build, even his demeanor. But the colors never blur. The red coat, bright and impossible to miss. The golden-yellow of his hair. The orange-yellow shades.
Vash exists in the world less as a man and more as an image — a myth stitched together in colors. Red marks him as both danger, blood, death (for plants), the figure whose presence means destruction has followed — and also love, passion, warmth, and determination.
In a barren desert world drained of life, it is color that makes him unforgettable. Color becomes identity. Color becomes myth. Vash himself becomes color, and his hand has touched Wolfwood, tinting him with his red.
Wolfwood sunglasses are black, but the fact that the tint of red is there at all matters. It shows that even in the bleakness Wolfwood lives through, love and compassion bleed through. His vision is darker than Vash’s, but never empty. The tint of red betrays him: for all his armor, he cannot erase the warmth that still flickers inside. And Vash can see that. He’s familiar with this color.
Both of them see the same world, but through opposite lenses: one darkened by death and blood, the other brightened by hope despite the harsh reality around him. Because this is who Vash is. He tries to see the bright side of life. To make room for second chances. An optimistic.
Where Vash is remembered through bright, unmistakable colors — red and yellow, vivid as myth — Wolfwood is defined by darkness. He is a man who lives in shadow but still carries the mark of passion, of blood and sacrifice, of love.
And yet, despite all the differences between them, they walk side by side. Balancing each other. A perfect team.
So, the glasses tells us a bit about them as characters: Wolfwood cannot escape violence, Vash cannot let go of hope, and together their visions meet in harmony.
In some ways, Vash and Wolfwood mirror each other. In others, they diverge.
Wolfwood's character consistently serves as a counterpoint to Vash. His glasses are black — hard, impenetrable, a shield between him and the world.
Yet, somehow… a trace of red still seeped through, symbolizing the influence of Vash and their relationship. Vash's presence only fueled its growth, bringing it to the forefront to face the light, guiding his no-longer-lost-heart through his final fight.
My two cents about the anatomy of the Angel Arm & the Gate
Last update: 09th of May
Spoilers for basically the whole story
• Core starts to form in the Ulna
• The core is formed first in the ulna, of independents through either physical contact with a trigger or a triggering biochemistry that is found in stressfully situations, if willingy or not.
can also be triggered though Plant-Song (presence of Knives in a close distence in JuLai)
Hardening of the skin and partial melting and with clothing (assimilation of matter into body)
Prominent Plant markings appear on the whole area
• Tissue growth around the core follows this
• Growth before Structure
• Solid and dense at first
• Changes from solid to more feathery
• Winglets develop, which will provide stabilizers/visor
dominant side seems to differ from individual to individual
Arm Design
• 4 Structural Supports:
• 2 act like heart muscles, which can achieve contractions and expansions -that's propaply whats been his lower arm
2 maybe be the same but didn't need to spread
massive core
• 2 lower growths for stabilization to better shoot at city's (fuck Knives)
• 2 floating rings-one at the very front and one at the tail of the Arm while charging (most likely for energy concentration and To polarize the energy in one direction
• 4 Faces Encased in Forearm
• Depict 2 men, 1 woman, and 1 angel (?)
• Wing-like Structure, Bat and dragonfly wing crossed
• Probably finger bones transformed to extend as wings from the arm
Muzzle Design
• The tip has parallel striped bands evoking muscle fibers or connective tissue for stability
• Feathers form at the end, which may subconsciously formed for resisting maximum recoil and hurting of Knives
Smaller "Backfire-prison-break" version
• Later in the manga, a small and compact version of the Angel Arm is used.
• No secondary sexual characteristics appear.
growth of another 4 faces at the elbow part, they appear more deformed
• New growths act as counterweights for upper and lower parts.
• Hand behaves like an end of the arm with plates of bone that help to control the release of energy.
• Golden Angle Alignment, its design probably has the Golden Angle, about 137.5°, which may help reach energy and structural optimisation
Symbolism of the four faces and different genders
•There are four faces: two? men, one woman, and one angel. This could be the manifestations of humanity in their various facets, such as strength, compassion (Rem) the struggle between human and godhood
They have legs (!)
the core seems to be located in the stomach area similar to his sisters
• Perhaps the inlayed male and female figures are indicative of the balance between masculine and feminine character traits of him
Vashs first Angel Arm (July)
realease seems to aktivate a part of thier brain that is responsible for pleasure, adds to the impression that the Fith Moon Incident was way worse than on first sight
This post about it is great:
(CW for SA, suicidal ideation) Here we go. My favorite and simultaneously least favorite panel of Vash and Knives.
I've seen a few interpre
The structure is less smooth, which may be due to the missing experience with the newly developed body part. Similar to certain animals, whose bone surfaces appear blocky or rough—such as in birds or dinosaurs, where these structures serve as anchors for tendons, muscles, or scales—the rough texture here could also be the result of incomplete adaptation or development bc of the inecpirience with his power
more feathery than later apprances
very small core with a single little wing on the (later would have grown) angel part
feathers spread on arm to upper torso
Additionally up to 2m (6.5 feet) long feathers grow out of right shoulder
Small faces grow on the upper arm above the core without any distinguishable features
Shoulder feathers will grow up to 5m (16ft)
Feathers seem to be more like Primaries (more for ranged actions like protecting or maybe fleeing)
Further characteristics of his arm in the trance like state and a few ramblings about Vashs phycology
possibly a mental hellscape when using the gate connected to one's mind
No Plant-Marks appear
matter seem to be more flesh-like than the other versions
Self image displays several eyes mouths and disformed bodyparts
Doesn't seem to follow a order, spreads like a Tree into more and more parts
human and snake like with tongues and even carnies
similar are also apperand in Knives pardon
10+ tentacle like growths at the former hand part
~15 deformed finger like growths
the deformed faces seem to be in pain from his selfharm -same nerves system
he tried to scratch his arm of at the schoulder area (where a emmense scar-cut in his skin and muscle is)
Survivor's guilt in relation to traumatic experiences or PTSD will, more than likely, involve self-image at its core. In having survived a tragedy, he is overcome with an immense amount of responsibility and guilt for having lived while others have died. More often than not, this is attached to the guilt associated with being unworthy of having survived, leading to feelings of low self-worth (for example jumping into line of fire or not healing his scars if subconsciously or not) and or blame being placed upon one's self. This may result in distortion of their self-concept and in the feeling of being undeserving of happiness or unable to move further in life.
PTSD can exacerbate this guilt through intrusive memories, flashbacks, and hyperarousal, whereby the survivor is pressed to continually relive the event in question. This inability to escape such mental relapses can further promote feelings of helplessness that will degrade one's self-esteem and reinforce negative self-judgments. The latter, in turn, can promote further avoidance behaviors, such as dissociation or emotional numbing, possibly counterproductive for trauma processing and creating a self-sustaining cycle of repression.
Another coping mechanism we see, is repression this can even more strongly compound the problem. By excluding painful memories or emotions from consciousness, survivors skip confrontation with guilt or trauma in a straightforward way. Yet, this usually leads to internal conflict because the unresolved feelings of the survivors continue to impress their subconscious, confusing them, self-doubting, and fragmenting their identities. The usually resultant picture is that of a deformed negative self-image, alienated from one's real self.
Ultimately, his past actions and unresolved trauma may trap him in a cycle of guilt, anger, and self-hate. This inner conflict, combined with toxic relationship with his brother, could leave him emotionally isolated, struggling to reconcile the good he tries to show with the darker parts of his past, unable to find peace with himself or others.
Also in the Book of Revelation, Revelation 13:1 is a kinda similar thing discriped: “And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads.” (ESV)
Vashs Gate in the elevator-arc
The clothing appears to integrate into the skin, suggesting a bio-synthetic fusion mechanism, potentially mediated by specialized cellular processes or biochemical signaling pathways
Carnies seem to exhibit growth, potentially influenced by hormonal or environmental factors that stimulate cellular proliferation or morphogenesis.
His iris and pupil appear to disappear, potentially due to a regression or atrophy of ocular structures, to be more suited/in touch to the higher dimension like his sister are. This phenomenon might represent an adaptive response to environmental pressures, such as reduced reliance on conventional vision in favor of alternative sensory systems. In the case of his sisters this may also indicate their genetic engineering. This might suggest that such modifications could involve the downregulation of ocular development genes or the activation of latent traits better suited to lower-dimensional sensory and perceptual demands.
Similar to how some deep-sea organisms adapt to bioluminescent environments or how snow animals adapt to reflect excess light, the bioengineered sisters may exhibit depigmentation as a protective measure against overwhelming brightness.
components of thier eyes might have been modified to diffuse incoming light. For example, a highly reflective or translucent outer layer (like a tapetum lucidum in nocturnal animals) could scatter light, reducing glare while still enabling some form of light perception.
In the context of higher-dimensional species adapted to lower-dimensional environments, the whiteness of the eyes might also indicate the prioritization of non-visual sensory modalities, such as heightened bioelectric, auditory, or tactile senses. These senses could be better suited for navigating or interacting within a dimension characterized by overwhelming brightness.
The presence of a significant number of feathers may also result from the uncontrolled activation of genetic pathways related to feather development, possibly mediated by external stimuli linked to the gate’s activation
The wide variety of feathers, ranging from small to primary feathers, might suggest an adaptive response for enhanced physical protection. This could involve evolutionary pressure favoring diverse feather morphologies for thermal regulation, camouflage, or structural defense.
The ability to establish a mental connection may be associated with the feathers of his dying sisters, potentially linked to specialized bioelectric or biochemical signaling mechanisms. This phenomenon could involve a unique frequency of communication facilitated by the structural and functional properties of the feathers
The involvement of a specific frequency, combined with a symbiotic relationship akin to a mycorrhizal network, could suggest the presence of a complex interspecies signaling system. Such a system might leverage biochemical signal transduction pathways to facilitate communication and resource exchange between individuals
Primary Wing
the growth of a wing seems to be triggered by a flee instinkt (in Vashs case)
4 sections, one extra on the back for horizontal range -from fused together limbs?
Vash Angel wing in the end and defence mechanism of the Gate
2,5 meters long, bird like minus the Coracoid
Sooo he's got feathers that protect him like I'm my food, as seen right after the elevator-arc
If a shot’s fired at you from 4 meters away, you’ve got almost no time to react. Bullets typically travel at speeds ranging from about 300 to 1,200 meters per second, depending on the type of gun and ammo. At 4 meters, that bullet’s gonna hit you in a blink—literally. For a rough estimate, if the bullet’s speed is, say, 340 meters per second (a typical handgun speed), it would cover 4 meters in roughly 0.012 seconds. A blink of an eye takes about 100-150 milliseconds. So yeah, by the time a human even think of moving, that bullet’s would have already hit its mark.
Extreme elegance is key to dodge bullets (as seen in the Legato fight)
At this range roughly of 3 meters, a bullet traveling at 800 to 1,000 meters per second is gonna reach you in about 0.003 to 0.004 seconds. That’s less than the blink of an eye, hell, even thinking about dodging would take longer than that.
With multiple angles and those rounds coming at you that fast, you’d basically need to start dodging before they even fired. We’re talking some ultra-instinct, superhuman reflexes here.
Trigun: We have some of the most powerful characters in seinen hehe
Power of Vashs Gate-Bullets
Trimax Vol 12, Chapter 08: Lights
the shots seem to inplode like a black hole
Anti matter bullets
Explanation (As seen in the battle against the Arc-Collective)
If a single shot could destroy 7% of the Northern Hemisphere of a habitable planet, we are dealing with a weapon of cosmic-scale power. The energy released in such a shot would far exceed any terrestrial weapon, venturing into the realm of exotic physics. To put it into perspective, to annihilate an area of around 14 million square kilometers, the energy output would need to be on the order of 10^24 to 10^27 joules, which rivals phenomena like gamma-ray bursts or the Sun’s total output over several hours.
The cartridge contains exotic matter capable of distorting space-time enough to form a micro black hole. This might involve the use of antimatter or even negative mass to reach the required density and energy concentration. By collapsing the mass-energy within the cartridge through an exotic quantum process, a micro black hole emerges, which can either evaporate through Hawking radiation or expand, depending on the stabilization mechanics used. Luckily for them he's made them evaporate after a second.
To control and limit the effects of the micro black hole, the bullet employs gravitational confinement techniques or manages Hawking radiation to ensure the black hole persists for just long enough to cause catastrophic damage. It uses quantum field manipulation to create a gravitational gradient, holding the black hole in a state of quasi-stability before allowing it to collapse in a burst of energy.
The transfer of matter across dimensions occurs through a temporary connection to higher-dimensional space, such as in brane cosmology theories, where our 3D universe interacts with a higher-dimensional structure. When matter is drawn into another dimension, a transient wormhole or topological defect, like a cosmic string, forms, allowing matter to be siphoned off.
This process resembles Kaluza-Klein theory, where compactified extra dimensions permit the energy to escape from our familiar three-dimensional space-time into the higher-dimensional realm. It’s as if the explosion opens a drain that lets matter flow out of thier universe, erasing the affected area from existence.
Imagine it as pulling the plug on a bathtub; the water (representing matter) rapidly drains into an unseen reservoir (the higher dimension), leaving behind a chaotic disturbance on the surface (massive explosion and gravitational disruptions). It doesn’t just destroy; it erases a portion of space-time itself.
If he limits a shot to a maximum diameter of 50 cm and a duration of 1 second, while ensuring that it does not cause terraforming-scale damage, then we’re dealing with some extreme physics constraints.
Energy Compression and Containment
To achieve such massive destructive power within a confined space of max 50 cm, the energy would need to be incredibly dense and compressed, using some form of exotic energy state or quantum-scale manipulation. We might think of a process similar to creating a quark-gluon plasma, where matter is compressed to such high densities that conventional atomic structures no longer exist. This would allow for an incredibly high energy concentration without needing a massive physical size.
Control Over the Shockwave
To prevent the shot from causing terraforming-level damage, the shockwave dynamics would have to be controlled precisely. This could involve using fields or containment mechanisms that limit the expansion of the blast wave to a very small effective radius, absorbing or dispersing the energy beyond that point.
For example, a localized gravitational field could be used to constrain the energy within the 50 cm radius, causing the shockwave to rapidly lose intensity beyond that point. This would result in a highly concentrated but short-lived explosion, powerful enough to cause intense localized destruction without spreading its effects over a larger area.
Duration and Rapid Energy Dissipation
With a duration of only roughly 1 second, the energy release would need to be extremely quick and then dissipate almost immediately. One way to achieve this could be by utilizing a form of Hawking radiation or controlled quantum tunneling, allowing the energy to decay rapidly into other forms of radiation or be siphoned off into a higher-dimensional space right after reaching its peak.
This approach would make the explosion appear like a brief, intense flash of destruction, where the peak intensity lasts less than a second, followed by rapid normalization of the local environment. There would still be a violent local effect, but it would be contained to prevent any significant alterations to the landscape.
Think of it as a controlled fusion explosion, where the fusion reaction is ignited but then immediately halted by a containment field, causing the released energy to dissipate almost as soon as it appears. It would be like a microburst of a star’s energy, contained and then extinguished just before it gets out of control.
The shot would feel like a brief, intense thud, with a powerful but contained shockwave that wouldn’t extend far beyond the immediate vicinity, preventing large-scale geological or atmospheric effects. It would still be lethal within its limited range but without causing collateral damage on a world ending scale.
Knives Angel Arm
possess more animal like traits
Pant markings seem to appear more regulary maybe a matter of practice to hide them
Massive Blade(s) on left arm
For direct slashing
Seem to be able to reach for hundreds miles
probably with some kind of ultra thin blade almost like a wire
Gate
form seems to be similar
creating of blade bullets when leader of collective
discharge of a spherical projectile
during its flight trajectory through the air, the projectile undergoes structural disintegration, transitioning from its original form into numerous spiral-shaped, highly flexible, and extraordinarily sharp blades
these blades at first align in a conical arrangement trailing behind the projectile then coming forth in a more circle like shape
within the core of the projectile, distinctive phenotypic characteristics of the Gate are observable, which maybe be directly linked to its dynamic spiral motion and the sequential release of the blades
cutting of everything in range of these blades if not countered by another Gate
The Ark-Collective
First sister to be absorbed seems to trigger growth of multible tumors, some kind of autoimmune response
at first 2 wings, they possess more bones
Width: 689 feet
roughly the length of two football fields placed end-to-end (a standard football field is about 360 feet long).
Height: 453 feet
about the height of a 45-story building, as each story is approximately 10 feet tall.
length to the space ships round about 311 miles (500km)
It has its own gravity field
It's gonna be interesting when/if they ever animate that behemoth.
Theory about his worp usage of the higher dimension
he's creating a cut in the reality goes into the higher dimension and reappears at a different place propably with exotic matter (warping space-time)
The Ark is organic in composition and, in structure, would be much like a biological entity that achieves buoyancy, from certain deep-sea life forms to large organisms with gas-filled cavities. In its advanced organic material, there is a percentage of gas pockets or low-density compounds, enabling it to stay aloft in a dense atmosphere. The organic superconducting materials of the combined might also serve to create strong magnetic fields upon activation. This highly developed organic structure creates these fields for the lifting effect on objects in a certain radius. It apparently has the ability to emit or manipulate antigravitons-particles that act against gravity-and such an ability would reduce gravitational pull on everything in a localized area. In creating a small field around itself, it is essentially working against or neutralizing gravity. The Ark also has the possibility of causing local distortions in gravitational fields, creating a sort of "bubble" that decreases the pulling power of gravity on objects around it, hence allowing it to levitate them. In such a case, the bio-machinery of this organism would need high energy density structures, such as muscle fibers, that store energy and afterward release it. It’s cells would need organelles with very high output energy, which would be able to store energy and afterwards release it to build force or fields. These cells function like biological equivalents of batteries or power cells, generating very powerful bioelectric fields. The Collective amplifies bioelectric potentials to considerable magnitudes to generate site-specific magnetic fields, or any other force-related phenomena that are powerful enough to levitate masses. In its domain of quantum biology, the entity uses quantum effects for levitation or lifting. It taps and channels energy with high efficiency through processes somewhat related to quantum coherence in photosynthesis. Presumably, this biological use of quantum interaction enables it to achieve the very fine control over force fields and manipulate gravitational pull on a quantum scale, thus enabling the lifting forces.
lower section resembles a flower🌺
I will just leave this here.
Maybe Im just seeing things.
To be added:
My auto correction made "his sisters" into "his disorders" lol I love my phone gremlin
I'm so happy to have a reason to work with all this cool scientific theories and concepts bc of this post about a Sifi-Western.
Characteristics of his wing
struckture reflects his gate
made of many different blades
its made of 2 different sections
lower section is connected to his back /schoulderblade
Phycological factor:
does he has the need to harm humans trough his true nature (most likely yes)
The Gate of their Sisters (dependends)
look at Death Omen
Core seems only to manifest when entering their last run
Or maybe it is always there but covered by flesh?
thier Core forms in their womb
Maybe their naitve environment has lead their "original" species evolve to have body patterns to express emotions, Multi-layered membranes so their sensory organs could detect tiny changes in the fabric of space-time, like a natural “gravitational radar” leading to a different kind of seeing as their primary source of well... visual information
Melting of the body:
- first the feathers start do disintegrate
- Hair gets black
- then the outer layer of their body’s rots (skin, muscles….)
- head seems more resilient
- later the more solid structures like bones start to melt…
(I want to find my old notes about this)
Knives morphed form in Volume 7
-THIS THING FOLLOWS THE BONE STRUCTURE OF A HAND!!!
So my theory is that Vashs power is to delete/absorb/take matter into the higher dimension and Knives is to add/give materia into the lower dimension.
did Vash really have a romantic interest in Meryl?
spoiler alert: Trigun manga, Trigun Maximum
In the case of Meryl, there are several signs she has developed feelings for him. She accepts it and lets Vash be himself.
Mmm with Vash it’s hard to answer…
We see they’re good friends…she can be a bit tough with him but Vash always smiles to her.
I think that’s really sweet and he acts like that with everyone…
BUT
When Zasie kidnapped Meryl, Vash goes to rescue her and yes, that is something he could do for anyone who needs his help…but in Trigun Maximum chapter 28 when Vash suffers remembering all July’s tragedy…he thinks about Meryl in danger and keeps going.
And when he finally finds her in chapter 29, the worry and fear in his face is undeniable.
Then, there’s something really interesting FOR HIM happening after that.
Meryl witnesses July’s tragedy in a memory…and then she begins to be afraid every time she sees Vash in his angel form.
After seeing her so frightened, Vash says he feels like crying…
That could have separate them…
BUT
Vash receives a revolver from Meryl, being really surprised that she still wants to look after him, and smiles…relieved.
Meryl continues by his side, even after seeing his scariest power…and cares about him no matter the circumstances.
If we look for a romantic relationship…I think this is more complicated than that.
Oxford Languages defines romance as a feeling of excitement and mystery associated with love.
We can’t say Vash is excited or nervous about Meryl…All we see is Vash nervous about Meryl crying most likely because he doesn’t know what to do, but that’s all (and that’s really cute).
Instead of that, Vash could be more oriented to “love” instead of “romance”.
But for someone like him, who is 150 years old, full of sorrows and regrets…what does “love” mean?
Cambridge Dictionary says:
Love is used to describe all strong feelings of closeness and care between two people.
After all they have been though together, they developed really strong feelings for each other, especially closeness and care.
And there is this moment, one of the most precious to me in this relationship.
Almost at the end, Vash is going to confront Knives but he makes a promise to Meryl before he leaves.
(Yes, we know he was a bit late but remember he was really injured, he had to heal at human speed at that time…but he was already on his way when he was found again).
He could have made promises many other times in his life but here he doesn’t only says he will return. He, who never asks nothing from anyone, asks her to wait for him.
Ok yes, he may be capable of love all humans…but he has always been a lonely wolf. He has friends, but he always travels alone.
It is until he meets Wolfwood and Meryl that he wants to stay with someone.
And Meryl is the one Vash wants to wait for his return.
I’ve seen a few take a different approach to Vashs pacifism and non violence, but one of the most intriguing ones is that Vash doesn’t actually believe in it; and instead is doing it because it’s the only thing Rem ever really asked of him.
And while, from a general standpoint I do think it’s an interesting stance to take. From that viewpoint it shows why Vash clocked Wolfwoods whole deal immediately, because they’re the same. It also elevates Vashs anger in a way I haven’t really thought of before.
However
It takes away the only agency Vash has in his life. It’s what Knives is trying to tell him, that he “doesn’t really believe in it.” And that takes away so much of what makes Vash a strong character. Taking away his pacifism hurts him so bad in Trimax because that is who he is. Vash stand firm on his ideals and that’s what makes him Vash
Rightyo long trigun post~
I’m glad to have watched Episode 3 of Stargaze before writing this. After three episodes I think I got more used to the faster pacing. The action sequences have been fantastic so far, arguably better than Stampede for me. I think the tone is on point, as there’s a sense of melancholy with Vash after JuLai, and it does feel more sombre compared to Stampede which I feel is a a good direction.
Before the third episode, I was a grump because of how Episode 2 ended, but felt two episodes isn’t enough for a fair opinion. Episode 3’s ending redeems where Episode 2 felt lacking for me. We see Vash confessing to Luida his inability to stop Knives. Luida in turn reminds Vash that he is not the only one responsible for the tragedy, and Meryl reminds him he is not fighting alone.
The reunion with everyone accomplished what I felt like was missing from the earlier episodes, we get to see Vash recovering because of his interaction with his close ones and his connection to people.
I’m going to put my nitpicks under the cut with thoughts on Episode 2, Episode 3 (overall I think Ep3 pacing was good and much better than Ep2), and just some general bits. I will also do some comparisons with Trimax. I know some people hate comparisons - but it is fun for me so I will say my piece:
So, I reveal, my biggest peeve in Ep2 was the reason Vash snapped out of the fugue state was to save Jessica. Yes, Hoppered looked after him, but Vash still isn’t mentally back on his feet. The issue for me is that Vash woke up to save someone as the hero of a story, rather than it being about Vash being saved by the people he interacts with in the story.
Comparing it with Trimax, in a way, the real heroes of the “Hero Reborn” chapters are Lina and Sheryl. They found Vash at is lowest after Fifth Moon, and through their care, and friendship he recovered and ewas living a relatively peaceful live. It was thanks to them he had strength and headspace to step back up as the hero of the story again when he needed to help Lina.
The kindness and strength of humanity are important themes of the manga. Every point in the story where Vash hits rockbottom, a human was there to help him back up. Rem was there after he discovered what happened to Tesla with his Knives. Lina and Sheryl at Fifth Moon, Meryl shooting Legato for him, Wolfwood rescuing him from the Ark, Livio carrying Vash back after the Legato fight. The goodness in people was what gave Vash strength to fight on, and is also and the very reason the Sister plants chose not to side with Knives and exterminate humans. Even though there are irredeemable humans how abuse Plants, there are also those who care and are grateful to co-existence with Plants. The strength and kindness of people around Vash play a more important role to the theme than Vash himself being the kindhearted hero of the story. You could argue much of Vash's own kindness is inspired by the people around him.
This is a very long winded way to say: if the first two episodes were a slice-of-life with Hoppered and fully recovered Vash, living in a delulu domesticity, only for it shatter when they both confront the truth of who they are after Jessica arrives, then I would have zero problems. What is important for me is Vash recovers through interaction and connection with other people as it reinforced the theme of there is goodness in mankind.
As mentioned earlier Ep3 redeems it for me because it seems like they are using the reunion to help him heal from Eriks to Vash. It still keeps to the theme. Here's to hoping by episode 4 or episode 6 - so a third or half way through the story, he gets the hair cut ;)
In the context of Stargaze, I liked how they handled Leonof. It's much more fast paced and action orientated - whitch works and I unironically think is a good direction. In the context of this show, as it's own reimagining, staying with pacing of the manga is too slow and sentimental. As much as how much I liked Vash's appeal to Emilio's humanity by asking: "Do you remember the taste of your father's bread?" It would have felt horribly off context of Stargaze without space for it to sink in. There's limited time to slow down, and I'm glad they saved it for the reunion.
The only thing I would nitpick in episode three was the prologue of how Emilio decided to follow Knives. It feels very out of character for him to just let a kid follow along. I feel Knives is too much of a misanthrope for it. I think they could have left his back story to conjecture. His original backstory was also quite vague, and low impact to the grand scheme of things.
Lastly I've seen some posts about the possibility of Legato taking Chapel's role in Stargaze. I think it's a great idea and smart move to cut Chapel. There is a religious hierarchy with Legato and Chapel. He is Chapel's Master, as Chapel is Master to Livio/Razlo. It's like how Legato is the Pope to Chapel's Cardinal - I think one of the things people look away from is how similar Chapel and Legato's concept of devotion, the obedience and purity of it at the expense of other emotions or attachments. Thematically there is a good overlap between them.
If the showrunners have the balls to have Legato kill Ww, then I’d call it a Legato win (no hate to Ww - it's more how I expect Legato to stir up controversy because it's Legato). The other Legatos have a degree of notoriety that the current Legato doesn't, killing Ww would definitely give him that level of infamy, but at what cost?
