#Tiphereth's expectation for the meaning of existence ... Gebura's courage to protect ...

[throughpatchesofviolet]

Revisited Lobotomy Corporation, and now I'm crying.

[firestorm09890]

Here is my most batshit Limbus Company theory

CONTEXT

FIRST you need to know about another theory, one which actually makes quite a bit of sense and is likely what will happen: Dante will receive one Sapling of Light ability per canto, in the order of the sephirot on the Kabbalah, and the corresponding virtue learned in Lobotomy Corporation will be associated with the relevant sinner. Heathcliff got "The eye embracing the past; building the future", remembering Catherine yet letting go of Wuthering Heights, and Don Quixote got "The eye facing the fear; breaking the cycle", choosing to fight against the first kindred.

As it follows, Hong Lu will receive Chesed ("Those who are faithful and trustworthy"), Ryōshū will receive Gebura ("The courage to protect"), and Meursault will receive Tiphereth ("The expectation for the meaning of existence"). Things get a little shaky after that; these three can fit their sephirah lessons quite well, but then after is Outis and Faust, who would get Netzach's and Hod's respectively, which leaves uncertainty around Yesod and Malkuth, and "The fearlessness to keep on living" (Netzach's) needs more thinking to connect back to Outis than the previous three.

MY THEORY

Instead of leaning into the absurdism/existentialism themes for Meursault (the reason why Tiphereth fits him), his canto will have Malkuth, "The will to stand up straight", leaning into his tendency to just do whatever other people tell him.

Why?

Because Binah, Hokma, Gebura, Chesed, and Malkuth are the 5 symbols attached to the chains binding Gregor's arm in Suddenly, One Day.

We'll be in N Corp. for Meursault's canto for sure- with that and with the five featured sephirot invoked, it's the perfect time for Hermann's present to go off!!

There is a major sticking point that I can't think of a way Hermann could possibly know how to connect Gregor's arm to Dante's Sapling of Light powers or what order they'd awaken them in but that’s why the theory is “batshit”.

Maybe Malkuth is just like when there’s a graph and you want to show tons of data later on so you put a little lightning bolt break— all the other sephirot do exist between there, but there wasn’t space. In that case maybe it’d go off after the sinner cantos end, at the same time Dante’s clock hits midnight

[leonawriter]

I've covered this before I'm sure and I've definitely covered similarities between the Sinners and the Librarians/Sephirot, but honestly, the Sephirah that each Sinner corresponds to also equates to what they need. In literal, Kabbalistic terms.

Heathcliff was afraid of going back home and of not being improved enough for Cathy. He often says that he hadn't wanted to come back home at all. What he needed was the wisdom of Hokma; in terms of the Seed of Light, he needed the ability to Embrace his Past, and be able to move on from it.

Don Quixote had, effectively, also been running from her own past for an untold amount of time; she may have been unaware, but that was what she was doing. She had run because she had been forced to, but she had faced a horrific sight, experienced seeing La Manchaland as a place of fear instead of hope. In coming back, she needs Binah - the ability to Face her Fear - and in deciding to become Don Quixote once again and not turn on the Sinners by going back to being Sancho the blood fiend, she also becomes able to Break the Cycle.

My predictions for Hong Lu (I'm partway through what we have available so far, but I'm going to keep this as spoiler-free as possible) is that given how he's shown himself to be so far, expressing himself as calm and easygoing while actually having deep shadows within him... he's got a lot of similarities to Chesed the Sephirah, and to be honest, I think that what Hong Lu is going to need from Chesed is that same kindness that he shows others, even if it's not always the most honest. Chesed's Seed of Light is "Those who are Faithful and Trustworthy," and he's going to realise, through the Canto, that there are people he can rely on and share experiences with, who won't betray him.

As for the remaining others, some of them are more like educated guesses as yet than anything; I can suggest that Ryoshu might need Courage to Protect, since she had failed to do so in the past, but that's a guess on her backstory that hasn't been fully revealed yet.

I can suggest too that since Meursault has both the side of him that he has suppressed (stated previously, he didn't always used to talk like he does now) and the self he has now; perhaps he has need of Tiphereth's ability to create balance (in terms of the Tree, that would be between Chesed [Kindness] and Gebura [Strength]), but also the fact that he has so far mostly been following others' orders entirely, though in a different way to Hong Lu. Therefore Meursault would gain from Tiphereth's Expectation of the Meaning of Existence - but that, too, is conjecture, and we have yet to see how that's going to play out.

With Outis and Faust, it's even more vague and hazy, since we know even less about them and the ways they might relate to their given Sephirah, therefore we don't know what they need - or if we can assume based on who said Sephirah is, we still don't necessarily know why.

(Dante, of course, is both the outlier in that they're almost certainly Keter, and... considering that a simple wiki search says "It represents pure consciousness and transcends human understanding" and "Keter is also known as "Nothing" (אַיִן, ayin) or "The Hidden Light"," I think we can safely assume that Dante's Canto would be about giving them back their memories and (former) sense of self as a person. Also, hello there Dante's old name, fancy meeting you here.)

[picaroroboto]

rambly theorizing about the thematic overlap between upcoming Cantos and the Sapling of Light abilities associated with the Sephirah:

so when Canto 6 gave us that time-slowing power, in a moment that had all this symbolic overlap with Hokma from LobCorp and LoR, my mind was seriously blown. and while I still haven't played Canto 7 yet (I'm literally working on the Intervallos right now) I understand that there's a new ability associated with Binah granted there. bet my last Lunacy however we unlock it has got something thematically to do with this scene:

(as well as maybe the coincidence that during the Reception of the Reverberation Ensemble in LoR, Binah's floor is pitted against Elena, a Bloodfiend)

Next in the pattern, since we're following the proper order of the Sephirot and not the reverse order from LobCorp, would be Hong Lu's Canto and the Sephirah Chesed, which I've touched on a little - the obvious similarities being the color blue and water symbolism, and both being rich guys who seem chill and casual but also have got some tragic stuff going on. and the name of Chesed's Suppression, "Those who are Faithful and Trustworthy", I could see that playing out in Hong Lu's Canto as a contrast to Hong Lu's family.

After that is Ryoshu, with Gebura - well it's the color red and the smoking habit, and the violence. Gebura's Suppression, "The Courage to Protect" features her going on a misdirected rampage out of rage for the people she's failed to protect...if they bring that in with regards to Ryoshu and her daughter's fate (they most certainly will) then it will break my heart (it most certainly will).

Meursault with Tiphereth...works, surprisingly, if you think about her thing of "Expectation for the Meaning of Existence" and the existential themes present in l'Etranger. Sorry I can't really explain it any better but if you want to figure things out for yourself l'Etranger is a really short book...

But after him would be Outis + Netzach, followed by Faust + Hod...and honestly I can't really come up with anything as far as similarities between characters and themes. Maybe Outis as a survivor of war ties with Netzach's theme of "The Fearlessness to Continue Living"?

[dsknsk]

so I saw that primadoll thing and I was like hey. that could be a wack au.

Here they are automata, autonomous mechanical dolls initially created to serve important roles at a large underground facility. Since it's ran its due, their tasks were changed and they now run a cafe. They've also all been dressed in pretty kimono-like clothing because why the hell not. While it's known that they're not human, their extremely human behavior is enough to spread a large rumor that in the end, they may not be fully robotic. (something something human soul trapped in mechanical shell)

Short description of them all:

Malkuth

Height: 163cm

Favorite: Strawberry montblanc

Wish: I want the will to stand up straight.

One of the most amiable waiters and widely liked for her upbeat personality. She's slightly clumsy, but very reliable. Also feels it when a guest has had a bad day and always tries taking an opportunity to talk to them. Her specialty is sweet pastries.

Yesod

Height: 171cm

Favorite: Unknown

Wish: I want to keep the rationality to maintain discretion.

Probably one of the few that is really bent on keeping everything in order. If he weren't there, stuff probably wouldn't get cleaned. When he's stressed he starts to scratch his artificial skin, but not to the point it's problematic. Mostly has his hands full with the day-to-day management.

Hod

Height: 166cm

Favorite: Shortbread (has to have vanilla in it!)

Wish: I hope I can be a better person.

She's responsible for the pastries together with Malkuth. Serves not as often as Malkuth, as she's pretty much always found in the kitchen. Will even eat burnt cookies, says they taste just fine. Sometimes fixes the costumes of the others.

Netzach

Height: 175cm

Favorite: Doesn't really care about the food, just about the beer

Wish: I wish I had the fearlessness to keep on living.

After his facility work, he was bummed to find out he had to work yet again. Doesn't like it, is usually found making and serving alcoholic drinks. Despite that though, the others are used to it. Gebura has complained in the past for the amount of booze he is willingly to give to guests, and as such he tries to warn them when they ask for another round (keyword: tries).

Tiphereth

Height: 159cm

Favorite: Anything not too overtly sweet and sticky

Wish: I'm expecting for the meaning of existence.

Originally created as one of two, the mind of her male counterpart was uploaded into hers. Rather nimble, and she can levitate. Often checks on Netzach to see if he doesn't drink too much himself. Is another liked appearance, but sometimes she does leave people wondering as to what they used her for in the past.

Gebura

Height: 181cm

Favorite: Pocky

Wish: I wish to have the courage to protect.

The bouncer. Or rather, responsible for security. She used to fulfill a disciplinary function, and the coating of her 'skin' is more damaged than the others, causing her joints to be visible. Nowadays, her sword is largely for show...at least, it is on paper. Doesn't like to wear the ruffles and lace the other girls do, and honestly doesn't have much with running a cafe. However if someone vandalizes it, she's the one who tracks down the culprit.

Chesed

Height: 183cm

Favorite: A good cup of coffee

Wish: I want to be faithful and trustworthy.

He's in charge of the coffee (of course) and knows at least 50 different varieties. Thinks there's no such thing as an obscure kind of coffee. Has a preference for fancy clothing. The staff is now just to complement his aesthetic, it used to be a weapon.

Binah

Height: 174cm

Favorite: Almost every tea if it isn't pungent or badly made

Wish: I want to face the fear and break the cycle.

Serves the tea, but more importantly is one of the head managers. Is the one who organizes much of the behind the scenes stuff, and if you go to the cafe you likely won't see her unless you ask for tea. For most guests, she's an enigma, but those who truly appreciate tea will at least find a common ground.

Hokma

Height: 182cm

Favorite: Lemon tea

Wish: I want to embrace the past and build the future.

Another head manager, he keeps the financial records. Spends his days behind the counter. He often works together with Binah in regards to the accounting business. In contrast to the rest, he's not really one for too fancy clothing since he doesn't serve the food anyway. Sometimes, attentive guests can find him muttering about the creator of their bodies.

Angela

Height: 170cm

Favorite: ???

Wish: I want to know.

The director of the entire thing. Almost never seen in public, only during certain events when she has to show her face. She resides in the topmost floor of the building the cafe is seated in, and is essentially the head of the administration. When she appears, guests get a different impression from her than from the others; almost as if she's something else entirely.