So you'll notice that I haven't written anything for a while. This is because I am hard at work, both with my course, and also with writing a new TtM wiki. While I'm not sure how much of an audience it'll find here, I'll be sure to share the wiki here once it's in a complete and presentable state. See y'all later!
I’m taking a break from here for a bit I don’t know when I’ll be back. Just dealing with some things personally! If you’re someone I talk with fairly regularly I’ll message on the other apps I use such as telegram, session or discord. But yeah see you guys whenever I’m back!
alex and bruce are so underrated and unexplored in st denis (imo). thoughts?
I have 0 thoughts because I still need to watch st denis lol. Reblogging gifs from shows I have not watched yet is my pre-watching ritual. I think i might watch it after I've watched s2 of the pitt and once I do that, I'll come back and update you on my thoughts ✨️
The Main 6 as AJR songs(pt.3): OK Orchestra
A/N: Yes, we are in fact back. (spoilers for all routes of course)
Asra: Christmas in June
Christmas In June appeals to one of my favorite aspects of Asra I've really been wanting to talk about.
The emotional distance Asra puts between him and the Apprentice existing in tandem with the literal distance of his long travels is fascinating when you think about it from this song’s perspective: One where the main themes focus around being in between two things you really care about.
For Asra those two things are the love he has for the Mc and protecting the both of them from a painful past.
The singer constantly refers to a person they care about, asking for just a little longer- a bit more time away to get their life in order and putting things on hold but at the same time pushing a loved one away. In the same way, Asra desperately tries to reassure the MC with every trip, making promises to spend time together or to stay with them longer, but never actually following up with those...instead being apologetic.
Asra’s wanderlust and sense of adventure in the game, aside from a part of them, can easily be perceived as a metaphor for creating space from the Apprentice. Not only because of the love for them he has to keep in check, but also from holding on to the past.
It's an impossible situation and balance they have to keep, thinking they are preventing the worst from happening but in reality, hurting his relationship with the MC in a whole other way.
This line especially, is so tragic and related to Asra needing to put a calm and brave front for the MC, but also finally realizing that keeping them in the dark isn’t what either of them wants.
Eventually just like in Christmas in June, Asra realizes just how much time he has lost by pushing the Apprentice away and it’s that revelation that finally causes them to start letting them in during his route.
Nadia: 3 O'Clock Things
For Nadia, 3 O'clock things is very Political in nature and presents a lot of commonalities with her story and possibly inner thoughts regarding how she handles ruling over Vesuvia and the instilled system that she wants so desperately to fix.
In that system the message of corruption is very clear in all routes, what with how funds were handled, how the justice system works and how neglected the citizens were.
So, like the song suggests, Nadia even in her own route, comes face to face with this impossible hurdle in all the people like Lucio and the Courtiers that shaped and destroyed the city. She finally sees it and wants to steer as far away from it as possible.
Meanwhile, her biggest worries are proving herself to be a competent leader and in her own route she comes face to face with who she used to be and how she was pushed to the side. She finds her own voice and she has to learn to be confident in her abilities to convince everyone she is someone to be counted on as a ruler.
Also, these lyrics in the beginning and middle of the song work great as nod to Nadia waking up from her comatose state and a reminder to stay aware in all she has to face.
All in all, 3 O'clock things from Nadia's perspective sounds like a battle plan, like an introspective on all she has to face and the hurdles she has to overcome alongside her own barriers she has to push in order to accomplish her goals.
Even if it's already certain that Nadia is the change that the system needs.
Julian: World's Smallest Violin
One of the most, if not the most popular AJR songs, World's Smallest Violin has so much to dissect with Julian.
WSV explores the themes of never being able to express actual and deep hurt because of the faulty thinking that you can't complain when other people have it worse, which matches his personality a lot.
Julian is someone who wants to save others -everyone really- so much so that he has persuaded himself that he has to be in a position to do that all the time. For all the theatrics and the drama he puts out, you can notice it's all very much inward, most often directed at him while he breezes past the actually horrible things that have happened to himself.
I think Julian minimizes his trauma SO much, he doesn't even notice it. If you actually stack up the things he’s gone through from the Shipwreck to the amputating Lucio’s arm at a young age to the Plague to the Beetle??? We could be here all day...
The entirety of the themes in his story stem from self-sacrifice. Which often means he is willing to also pretend to be okay (and not only physically) when he's actually deeply hurting.
Examples of that are:
- The Apprentice having to force him to rest after taking from them a bleeding side wound via his curse
- The whole "My hands are as sure as the sunrise" bit
- Him being so willing to go through with his "plan", knowing the possible implications
He doesn't rely on others because he is convinced that he always has something more important than himself to focus on.
The song is performative and frantic and fun but all over the place in music direction which, don't get me wrong, that's almost all of AJR's songs are like that. But in reality it's really a fast paced meltdown and expresses the deep need to open up to someone.
Hence the connection with the Apprentice. Especially towards the Upright ending, when they try to make him come face to face with his struggle, eventually finding healing in being helped and letting other people help carry the things that drag him down.
Also yes, I am making a connection to the fact that Julian actually plays a Vielle and it's too perfect, alright?
Muriel: Adventure Is Out There
One of the aspects that I love about Muriel's route is how much the Apprentice manages to get him to change his perspective on seeking out things and people.
Sure, it may not be directly aligned, but Adventure is Out there's themes all circle around the willingness to dare to do things that you were scared or reluctant to do before.
Muriel was, after years in the Coliseum, cut off from practically everyone and he liked it that way. He didn't want to face the cruelty of the world again and made every possible precaution that he wouldn't be found (except from Asra), including his deal and curse.
It wouldn't be until he opened up to the Apprentice, even the slightest bit, that he got thrust into the world again. He went into a journey to help solve the Mystery of the Masquerade and found actual people who cared about him, his roots, and a sense of belonging he would have never found before if he stayed reclused.
It would have to be the most difficult thing -to step out of his comfort zone like that- and face everything that hurt him all over again but it was probably eye-opening to him, realizing that he can be a part of the world again on his own terms.
The song has more of a lazy upbeat sunshine-after-the-storm type of feel to it but it still fits, especially after Muriel's upright ending.
Muriel never had the chance to chase after the things he wanted out of fear, whether that was in himself or the world around him, but when he did finally choose to pursue happiness...perhaps that was the adventure he needed all along.
Portia: Humpty Dumpty
Humpty Dumpty was one of the songs that didn't strike me from afar for Portia until I really looked into it.
Much like the song itself, she is bubbly and energetic but under the surface there’s some frustration that she often masks.
It’s no secret that Portia hides things in the beginning of her route and that includes her emotions as well. Not maliciously, of course, but more so because she feels like she has to be this incredibly bright version of herself all the time. The Apprentice even comments on it the first time they visit Volta's estate.
...And often the environments she is in influence that tremendously.
She works as a handmaiden to Nadia so of course she has to be diplomatic with nobles, encourage the rest of the staff and seem calm under pressure. What’s more, after staying alone with the grandmas back in Nevivon, she probably felt like she had to make herself useful and not complain. She keeps her tears and frustrations bottled up, just like the lyrics suggest, smiling through everything until she reaches a breaking point most of time.
In the end Portia, more than anything else, wants to be known and acknowledged as who she really is, but believes that the easiest way to accomplish it is to show the best parts of her only. It's not that she's not genuine, just that she wants to be someone worth staying for; Something that the Apprentice has a chance to remind her in her own story.
Humpty dumpty is an anthem for her. Of being strong for awhile and not being able to keep up with it, until it's fine to admit to the cracks in the shell.
Lucio: Bang! or The Trick
Well he didn't go out in a Bang, per say, but fire sure was involved...
“Bang” has a boisterous and loud energy that matches Lucio, as always, but more specifically him at his lowest when it comes to its themes.
The way Lucio presents himself and handles his public image can be very well integrated into the lyrics, what with the constant references of appealing to a crowd, the commotion of celebration and the constant movement. He “pretends” that he knows the situation he is in and that he is in control the whole time without any of that being true, especially when it comes to everyone else’s context. Lucio simply puts his “best face” forward to deflect all the questions, distracting everyone with the promise of fun.
Eventually though, the Red Plague, his past and the consequences of his deals and actions get closer and closer, enough for him to realize it subconsciously but deny that his time is running out, So he might as well go down partying...right?
(Especially these lines being in correlation with him having the Plague)
I guess for me, this song is more of a major headcanon regarding Lucio's final moments and it being a culmination to the events of the Masquerade and his "death" in a sense.
Regardless of the logistics of the ritual, I like to imagine that for just a moment -while he was burning alive- Lucio had a strange contentment with it. Knowing he dies memorable or something, so going out in a Bang or I guess in a burst of Flames would have to be one of the most satisfying ways he could have gone instead of an illness.
Him having to come to terms with the facts. How much he was disillusioning himself, about how much at fault he was all along…even for just a second, but still parading it to sell his narrative.
Finally realizing...it's time to go.
That being said, I want to make an obligatory second reference to The Trick. It really hits hard with Lucio’s inner Trick; to use his riches, his image and the deals to become someone who gets the admiration and love he always craved.
He has this seemingly unshakable self-confidence and image, only for it to be completely shattered by the Apprentice in his own route. Pealing back the layers of who he is, the secrets he keeps and the lies he tells, they can finally see someone Lucio isn't actually proud of, but who he needs to be in order to just keep going….to protect the story he tells himself.
scopOphilic_micromessaging_977 - scopOphilic1997 presents a new micro-messaging series: small, subtle, and often unintentional messages we send and receive verbally and non-verbally.
