#riptide theories

[yoiurboi]

Who Is The Traitor

Alright, JRWIeners, since Riptide is coming back in the next few months, I figured I finally get this discussion going again. Who do we think is the mole in Lizzie's crew?

The obvious answer is Caspian. He's kind of the odd one out in the crew, being the only one who predates the campaign. But also. Caspian seems to have been around Lizzie since the Shadowbeard days. Either this is a really long con or something else is up. I think if the mole is Caspian, then he's been replaced by a duplicate, as we saw with the whole DoppleGilly issue.

Then theirs John. While he is a former Navy soldier, I don't think he's the mole. If he was, why'd he get sent to the BLOCK? Unless they made a deal with him there or something??? Also he's been around the crew so much and there hasn't even been the slightest hint of any ulterior motives from him.

Aannnd I don't know enough about Rudith to make a judgement on that. Though, point on their favor, we found them on outlaw soil. Considering Jay got jumped just for looking like a Ferin (granted, she was actually a spy, but Lizzie didn't know that until well after), i doubt a navy rat could survive there for long.

I don't think we know about any other Grandberry pirates members. Idk. What do yall think? Sorry if this is ass, I'm typing this on my phone.

[wings-of-flying]

niklaus told chip how to get to the black sea. he told him that they needed both drey and finn. if my theory about niklaus wanting the egg from the hole in the sea is correct, then he's definitely leading them there. specifically the riptide pirates, and therefore gillion (who owes niklaus a favour). idk guys i think i'm right on this theory that gillion's favour will be to get the egg

[asterrise]

WAIT WAIT WAIT ITS ALL STARTING TO MAKE SO MUCH SENSE HOLY COW

The Edyn theory is so correct now that I think about it, I’m taking that as canon bc holy cow is that obvious now, and CHIP THEORY OMG HOW DID I NOT PICK UP ON THE CHRYSTMAS EPISODE HAVING THAT???? HES MISSING MORE THAN JUST A NAME, HES MISSING HIS EMTIRE ORIGIN OR SOMETHING AHHHH. Also, the JAY THEORY!? It seems so out there but it makes sense.. why does Ava not have an ay at the end of her name? It makes sense seeing the cloning stuff now, it’s all CONNECTED. GOSH I FEEL LIKE A CONSPIRACY THEORIST SAYING THAT. “ITS ALL CONNECTED TRUST ME THE CLONES! THE DARKNESS! THE FISSHHHHHH” I sound insane to the naked eye BUT YOURE SO RIGHT!!

riptide ramblings bwcouse I'm rewatching the black sea arc and thinking about things pt 1

(not all of these are black sea arc it quite literaly is me rambling)

Theory one CHIP IS DEFINITELY NOT HUMAN OMG Rose knew that chip would come for him almost supernaturally like he was told by some outside force that he was going to be apart of this somehow, leaving clues and a whole recording for him, it also is, What I’m thinking is that chip was created for this reason, by niklalus or his patron? Or whatever is in charge of nik, pecouse nik mentions that the reason that he does this “is to be free” referencing that he is tethered to something or someone. Also the "welcome home” from the hole definitely helps this case

Also in the new prophecy there Is ike a creature like the embodiment of darkness and evil or whatever that Is, i think might be tethering nik and also made chip,

“Nameless prince”

Chip definitely has got roses Desire, the clues are all there

In the Christmas one shot crystal or whatever her name is (i forgor) said that chip was "missing more than just a name,"(or somthing along the lines of that) , witch’s further proves my point, Chip is not an orphan he never had parents to begin with

“Is there another chosen one? ”not really”” WTF DOES THIS MEAN? Is Chip “not really”? Because he wasn’t chosen by a god but rather a demon thing and a the black rose? Did Rose know the whole time? Is it one of those repeating cycles where Rose had someone before him? There has been an underlying theme through the whole campaign that is desire.

Am I just insane and Chip has no destiny? Or Was chips' whole life out on sea predetermined?

Theory like 2

Jay Ferin is a clone of her sister She patient 0 of the cloning thing and that’s why she’s different, she was made so Ava could be the fall guy to ensure that the navy can take militaristic control over mana that why her name is Ava and doesn’t and with an -ey Because she was never meant to last long, Jayson knows and that’s why he didn’t grieve as much (but still did bc that’s his daughter ) but this whole ordeal was made by her grandma, the only hole in this theory is may ferin who would definitely tell Jay if this was the case.Or a more grounded theory is that Jay was always going to replace her sister and Ava’s death was alway meant to happen.

THE NAVY IS IN CAHOOTS WITH THE DEVILthem having strong holds in the Black Sea KUBA IS THERE the skin,the clones, the reasoning of them wanting to be in full control, KUBA KINTA???? THE DEAD SOLDIERS IN ARTERWA COUNTRY? Fey definitely has something to do with this she is definitely the type of person to make a deal for power Probably with nik so he has more strings to puppet the world in trying to set free his patron? Maybe Chip is the key to set it free? The deal he made is to not interfere with Gill's deal which might mean something else, maybe the Black Sea has nothing to do with that , but the Black Sea isn’t the end of Riptide (I believe) so maybe this has to be further in the future.

Theory 3 I have a little theory is that edyn is pretending to be the chosen one BECAUSE of the political stuff so the navy can use “the word of the chosen” without it actually being him.

[inkfal]

Forgot I made this lol

Was originally a concept for an animation with What have they done to us from Arcane with Chip and Arlin but, I got bored.

[v-vain]

I have an awful angsty jrwi theory brewing in my mind and I need to put it out there

Upon finding Drey Ferin, he's lost his ability to use his arms and his (likely dominant) eye, meaning he can't shoot anymore, which was the most important thing to him.

In the same vain, Finn Tidestrider lost his intelligence and wisdom with his decaying brain, the most important thing to him.

I have a really bad feeling that Arlin, upon discovery, will have lost his humanity, the most important thing to him, and the riptide pirates, specifically chip, will have to kill the shell of his father figure, because in reality, Arlin's gone.

It would be awful if that happened (I NEED THE ANGST) but it's my running theory for when we finally find Arlin ^_^

EDIT: @saltedcaramelreblogs SAID THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO ARLIN COULD BE CHIP AND THATS EVEN WORSE.

Also @kyoodledoodle said that this could be foreboding for the riptide captains and I'm not okay. The most important thing for them collectively is eachother :(

[here-there-be-drag0ns]

after that oneshot i need all of you to know the ferin aasimar theory doc is getting an update. stares at Rae Ferin. "your wings are magic. perhaps being a pirate has held you back." I FUCKING!!! CALLED IT!!!! YOU MOTHERFUCKERS!!!!!!! (<- screaming with excitement)

[clownfire]

my insane interconnected multiverse theory

this is (mostly) a joke, but also I worked really hard on this

The magic system & pantheons in Judgement and Apotheosis are identical down to the 'cycle of aether' reincarnation system appearing in BOTH, to the point that the players themselves are theorising that it's the same universe. BUT judgement HAS to happen first, because there are still gods and ppl are still aware that usurping the gods is a thing that can be done (Zuen confesses to erasing that from the collective consciousness).

In Apotheosis, Ludite is a magical crystal-like material that rained down from the sky when the celestial realm was destroyed. It allowed mortals, for the first time in history, to wield magic without having to be 'chosen' by the gods. What's also a magic rock? Wonderous Coal.

The very top of the mountain of wonder is directly connected to Prime, as well as many other realms that seem to be converging. Alystr Cross also lives in Wonder (while I'm inclined to believe this is a different version of him, he does reference prime and heroism in a way that to me is meant to imply this is the same Professor Cross from PD). Another character from Convergence that appears in a different campaign is Kasper (referred to as Mr Kass). He travels the multiverse with this pocket-dimension that the carnival is.

We also know that Riptide is connected to Wonderlust - a pirate world does make a brief appearance - and is thus also connected to Prime Defenders. But as further support, I'd refer to the two non-canon what-if crossovers.

Another character from a different campaign also makes an appearance in Riptide; Green is clearly meant to be an older Taxi (Green Needle is was his tabaxi name in fated). Wild theory, but hear me out: the world of Mana in Riptide is the same Mana from Fated, in a timeline where Ungarou won and flooded the world (or at least was defeated after large parts of the land were already lost beneath the tides).

Now that is SEVEN campaigns that I can red-string together through explicit cross-over happening.

I could also connect PD to The Suckening through the taxi driver that Arthur meets who Charlie gives a similar voice to William Wisp, and say that he was that universe's version of him. From there I could say that BITB and TS could feasibly exist in the same universe, on the merit that they are other-wise 'our world' settings, and BITB's story is self-contained to Galloway. There's nothing saying that they couldn't take place in the same universe.

[skunkiez]

Take this goofy ah gillion react.

Was made in like 30 mins so no quality😔

Okay so, here is a theory I have for Riptide, obvi spoilers. Also I'm not like, a super genius for theories but my dad and I are crazy good at randomly guessing plot twists so here is my jab at it. Again, spoilers for Riptide‼️‼️‼️

I think edyn is possibly the traitor, here's the thing tho, I think the fish girl that gillion and everyone is talking to, is not actually Edyn. But a plant by the navy, idk if this theory is too out there and I have literally no proof. But, the modify memory spell as teased by our great dm overlord could be used here (ofc take this with a grain of salt tho cause this was told to us on april fools day). But Gill hasn't seen his sister since childhood, and the navy has communication with the under sea so maybe that's how they know about Edyn. Maybe this is already a common theory? I haven't seen it elsewhere tho! Lmk.

[tagiscool]

Sorry im going to throw up at these lyrics from hole in my heart and their parallels to chip in the later seasons

"No escaping what you did to me" and it's price making him kill for the first time.

"You can't live your life in a fantasy" the fact that he holds onto the hope that arlins alive no matter what.

"Caught up in desire, but that hole in your heart will lead to the end of you" and it's him going into the black sea and the hole because his only want in life is his dad back.

As the prophecy says "the seal is locked by a key of divinity" and it's chips heart and humanity. The key of divinity is jay and gillion. 2 people born of the sun and the sea who showed him that people can be kind.

"I know you think it was meant to be, so go on pretending you want to be" and it's jay and gillion and how they have pretended to want the life that was shoved on them. Chip saying that he wants to be a pirate despite the fact that it's glaringly obvious sometimes he just wants his dad back. Is this anything at all or have I just reached like terminal levels of Autism brainrot

[asterrise]

spoilers for jrwi riptide btw

okay guys this might be actually INSANE but what if chip isn’t actually chip

idk if I can call this a theory bc I don’t even believe it myself but I’m listening to episode 115 and when bizly asked if he would remember being stuck up on the mast and grizzly then said “if you remember that then that’s what you remember”. WHAT IF CHIP IS A CLONE? What if baby chip wasn’t the same chip as we know right now, and something in the hole cloned him and made him live again for some purpose? What if we go into the sea and find Arlin fin and drey but instead of the ones we know it’s the ones that have aged correctly? Modify memory is an insanely powerful spell. Modify memory used on the members of the black rose to remember something different, OR THEY DONT REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED IN THE HOLE BECAUSE OF MODIFY MEMORY!! NEW THEORY HOLY COW THATS WHAT GRIZZ MEANT. MODIFY MEMORY WAS USED ON DREY AND FIN TO ERASE WHAT HAPPENED IN THE HOLE. CASPIAN IS NOT A TRAITOR. REEEEEEEEEE

[yoiurboi]

JRWI X SU: GEM PLACEMENT GUIDE

Forewarning: my handwriting is kind of ass.

A few (like two) of you have asked about this and I am happy to oblige. Apologies in advance for the shitty doodles, I did this on my laptop as opposed to on my PC like I normally do.

First and foremost, I'm going to explain how Gem Placement Theory works. Obviously, if you've no knowledge of Steven Universe, this will make little sense. But to put it simply, the location of the Rocks on these Gem Aliens can tell us a little bit about their characters!

This one's gonna be a little long, so strap in!

For general gem placements, I use a body map like this:

Different regions of the body hold different meanings. The head: brains, intelligence, mindfulness. The chest: emotions, the heart. The naval region: sentimentality and kindness. A few of these have been confirmed to be SU canon. In an interview once, Rebecca Sugar implied that Roses' gem is on her stomach because she is sentimental, or something like that.

I tend to focus on these meanings and then apply them to my gem OCs and Gem AU characters. Gillion fits into this category. However, sometimes gem meanings can be even more specific.

Two big examples of this from Steven Universe are Aquamarine and Jasper. Aquamarine's gem is placed (and shaped) to resemble a fake tear drop. It's sort of ironic because of how uncaring she seems to be. Also it looks like one of those prison murder tats but I don't think that's on purpose. And Jasper's placement was explained (I think in the SU podcast?) to be a reference to being "hard-nosed". Gem Jay and Chip sort of fit into both this and the last category.

I use both the specific meanings and the body regions when making gem designs. But, I generally gravitate towards the first one. Now onto the actual designs.

Gillion is "The Strong One". At least, that's what he wants you to think. Actually, at one point Jay had more HP then him, but that didn't stop him from tanking hits to keep his friends out of harms way. Paladins are also generally more associated with being physically strong than rogues and artificers. So that's one factor, after all, you puff out your chest to feel stronger. But also! Gillion is PASSIONATE! He loves his friends and has all sorts of big emotions that come from being new to the Oversea! And the chest is where the heart is. Finally, and don't take this too seriously, Gill is a little stupid. They all are, actually. There's a reason the Albatrio aren't know for their brains. That's what Edison Kingdom is for. But out of all of them, I think Gillion is the most "Feelings over Thoughts" kind of guy, mostly because he's the least emotionally reserved.

Now Jay and Chip are a little less about where the gem IS and more about where it ISN'T.

Did you know that the right eye is the Eye of Ra? The Egyptian SUN god? Obviously the, Ferin's have connections with Aster, with Jay's "Hot Sun Dreams" and all that. Whether or not she's some Sun chosen one like Gill is to the Moon, I'm not sure. But regardless, she's got a glaring link to the big, bright, fiery lady in the sky. Jay's got some eye stuff going on in general. As do the other Ferins. Her gem is specifically over the one that DOESN'T turn orange, though. Mostly, so it'd still be visible without affecting her gem. Also, people tend to close one eye when aiming.

Chip. Chip. Chippy Chip Boy. Did you know that the left eye is the Eye of Horus? Did you know this eye can be associated with the moon? Did you know Fish and Chi-

Okay, but seriously. His open eye is the left one, which can be associated with "protection from malevolent forces". He survived the Hole in the Sea, which one might say is a malevolent force, relatively unscathed (well, not emotionally, but at least he's not still stuck in there like Arlin is). And of course, there's the shit with Niklaus. A little ironic, as he is DEFINITELY not safe from that guy. Plus undead are often considered to be evil, and well... you know. More irony.

I also wanted all their gems to be symmetrical for when I draw their fusions (I already have technically, just not in Clip Studio).

Additionally, Jay and Chip are sort of two different kinds of traditional "smarts". With Jay being more tech-y/book smart and Chip being a cunning street smart kind of guy.

BONUS! A bunch of doodles I did for other characters in this AU. I think the Black Rose Pirates (and pirates in general) are like the Crystal Gems, and then the Diamond Authority would be the Navy. So, just know that even though I didn't draw him, Captain Rose will probably be either a Desert Rose or just straight up Rose Quartz.

[wings-of-flying]

had to pause the video (episode 70) because arlin just said "i won't let anyone have it" and um. hm. okay. you guys remember my theory that gillion's favour to niklaus will be to retrieve the egg thing, right? and you also remember niklaus telling chip not to touch the thing down there, right? and there's a hard decision waiting for him, and that he's not to let arlin die? yeah. so i'm certain they're gonna have to fight arlin for that egg. and chip might have to turn against gillion

[inkfal]

GUYSGUYSGUYSGUYS WHAT IF IN THE NEW EPS OF RIPTIDE, JAY AND THE GRANDBERRY PIRATES HAVE TO FIGHT THE NAVY AND

What if, while they are fighting, Jay is out kicking ass, her fiery hair ablaze as she takes down soldier after soldier when suddenly, Lizzie hears « OPEN FIRE »

And suddenly she’s back to when she was fighting with Ava, as she watches as a bullet lands square in Jays chest as she collapses to the ground, her fire hair returning to normal then scorching black as she bleeds out. And Lizzie is over there to help faster than she can realize what’s happening, and whilst she’s getting Jay to safety she keeps looking down and seeing Ava, then she blinks, back to Jay, blink, back to Ava.

Like guys, imagine the possibilities

[skywerse]

RIPTIDE THEORY!!!!!!

SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS IN GENERAL

Have you ever wondered why Chip, Jay, and Gillion—a wannabe pirate, a soldier in training, and the champion of the Undersea, respectively—form such a fucking random assortment of people? The only thread connecting them seems to be their association with the Black Rose members.

Their meeting feels like destiny, doesn't it?

What if I told you it's not destiny at all, but rather the aftermath of Captain Rose's failed deal with Niklaus?

Join me on my yapping as I put together a theory that I wrote in my notes app at 4 in the morning!

Firstly, let's look at everything in a grand scale of things.

I believe that the world of Mana, at its core, is fuelled by desire that got corrupted by the darkness that slithered its way from the abyss into this world. For millennia or centuries, these same desires have driven its cycles, repeating history in one way or another, compelling many generations to follow suit to ensure the safety of their world. Keeping the darkness at bay. 

What if I told you that the prophecy isn't solely about Gillion? Instead, it’s about thousands of other chosen ones over centuries, all destined for the same purpose: to protect, to fight, and to avenge the darkness.

The descendants of Aster, children of the sun, were also born to always follow the same mission— to seal away the darkness.

Regarding the descendants of elemental casters, it's VERY speculative since we don't know enough about them. However, I believe they were destined to control the darkness, to take hold of it.

And for as long as this entity, this darkness, had such an effect on Mana, they joined forces to seal it away and safeguard their world.

But what if those cycles of history get suddenly shattered? Perhaps due to an unfulfilled deal, or maybe a deal never meant to be fulfilled… What if one of the descendants of the sun, blessed by Aster, who was meant to seal the darkness away, inadvertently unleashed it? Causing a disturbance in the universe, so violent and so unpredictable that it changes everything?

This disruption could make those united against the darkness to turn on each other, inadvertently allowing the darkness to thrive.

Rather than sealing the darkness, the descendants of the sun are harnessing it for destruction.

Instead of engaging in battle, the Tritons have retreated to the ocean's deepest depths, selecting a sacrificial lamb who would single-handedly play the role of a protector and bear the burden of this fight alone.

While the knowledge about the casters is limited, judging by this pattern, they likely grew weaker, most likely losing their ability to control the darkness altogether. It's probable that it became concealed. 

(May explain why Chip's powers manifested very late—they were hidden away.)

Now, consider this. Jay Ferin, a child of the sun and descendant of those olympians, blessed by Aster; Gillion Tidestrider, a descendant of the Tritons or the Leviathans, blessed by Lunadeyis' light; and Chip, likely a descendant of the elemental casters mentioned in the prophecy, capable of grasping the darkness…

They stand as the ideal heroes of the story, maybe one of the only ones with the original, uncorrupted desire still burning within them, the ones to single-handedly save the world.

It makes a good story, doesn't it?

The sun, the moon, the elements.

Descendants of the three main bloodlines.

The unborn kings?

Now, let’s move to Niklaus for a moment.

Didn’t he say that he likes a good story? 

But first, I'd like to believe that in the grand scheme of things, Niklaus is merely a vessel, born in the abyss, for this entity, this darkness that threatens the world. He is bound to be the one to further its corrupting influence. And maybe with all this power in his hands, many centuries ago, he even self-proclaimed himself as a prince.

Didn't Niklaus once describe himself as a storyteller? What if this storyteller is fated to witness a tale that endlessly repeats itself? Such repetition can grow tedious and mundane. So eventually, a simple desire emerges—to instigate change, to sow chaos, and perhaps to find an opportunity to break free from the chains binding him to this world.

A vessel for darkness, born in the abyss,

Bound to spread corruption,

A nameless prince:

Niklaus.

And then we have the guarding giant, still clinging to his original desire,

Holding the darkness at bay for as long as he can:

Arlin.

Does it make more sense now?

Now let’s take a look at things on a much smaller scale.

Have you ever wondered why Chip, Jay, and Gillion—a wannabe pirate, a soldier, and the champion of the Undersea, respectively—form such a fucking random assortment of people? The only thread connecting them seems to be their association with the Black Rose members. And their meeting feels like destiny, doesn't it? What if I told you it's not destiny at all, but rather the aftermath of Captain Rose's failed deal with Niklaus?

(Was the deal intentionally unfulfillable? Was it by accident? I dont fucking know!)

We know that whatever deal Captain Rose struck with Niklaus aimed to leave behind a legacy that would change the world. However, Rose failed to uphold his end of the deal, leading to his corruption and transformation into a goopy yucky—essentially, his deal backfired.

You might wonder, in what way it backfired? What better way to leave a lasting legacy than to trigger an event so impactful that it halts the endless cycle of history, disrupting the very mechanism that powers this world? To plunge the world into chaos, only to mend it once more, by bringing together the remaining group of individuals to retrace the steps of their ancestors—different people bound by the same desires as those that came before them.

Yes, the same desires.

The last thing Arlin, Drey, and Finn heard after releasing the entity from the egg was,

"What do you desire?"

What did Arlin James desire most?

I'd have two guesses.

Firstly, while discussing their desires on the staircase, Arlin expresses his desire to find the rest of the crew. Later, after Drey kills Rose, Arlin's words are: "There's still others that need our help [...] Adventure's not over."

Secondly, Arlin clearly wanted the best for Chip. He wanted to be there for this scrawny kid with no family or home, offering him something solid to hold onto.

Why do I bring this up? Because Arlin's desires have been passed down to Chip.

Firstly, hasn't Chip been chasing this his entire life? To locate the members of the Black Rose Pirates, to reassemble the crew, and to relive the old days.

Secondly, the dynamic between Chip and Ollie mirrors this relationship. While Ollie might be more like a brother to Chip and vice versa, it's evident to me that Chip cared for Ollie much like Arlin would for him. Just as Arlin gave Chip a coin, Chip passed that same coin on to Ollie.

What did Drey Ferin desire the most?

I believe he yearned to prove himself—not just to be another Ferin, but to establish his independence, to carve out a name for himself. Maybe he harboured hopes of achieving something significant, something that would make his father proud upon his return home.

Why do I bring this up? Because Drey's desires influenced Jay.

Jay Ferin ventures out with a mission: to uncover her sister's killer and exact justice upon the pirates that are responsible. And in doing so, she hoped to earn her father's pride. Maybe she also sought a sense of freedom and independence, desiring not to be entirely under the navy's influence.

What did Finn Tidestrider desire the most?

GAY SEX /J

Finn yearned to leave the Undersea, to broaden his research, and to witness the wonders of the world above first-hand. He aimed to dispel the notion that the surface was as intimidating as the Undersea made it out to be.

Why do I bring this up? Because Finn's desires influenced Gillion.

Who wouldn't, after years of rigorous training to become a champion—enduring beatings, breaking under relentless training, and being moulded into someone you're not—wish for it to cease, to break free and see the world for oneself? Upon witnessing the Elders negotiating with a human, perhaps it was that sight that pushed him over the edge. Maybe it was an impulsive decision, or perhaps it was his destiny all along. And once on the surface, Gillion's curiosity becomes evident. He wants to learn, experience, and judge for himself. Perhaps he also wishes to someday show his people that the surface isn't as menacing as they've been led to believe.

Niklaus was aware of all of this; he knows far more than he ever lets on. That's why, even before arriving in the town on Loffinlot, he was already trailing Chip, Jay and Gillion—the supposed heroes destined to save the world, or maybe aid him in fulfilling his own desire for freedom.

Closing thoughts? 

This might be a load of bullshit!

I'm going to take a nap!

[rodentjazz]

Tarot cards based on my Lunadeyis and Aster designs

[clownfire]

queer reading riptide number bajillion or whatever:

Finn's writing on relationships on the oversea, after leaving behind his research career to join a pirate crew, reads to me as somewhat analogous to the stories of older people who come out as queer much later in life, after already starting a family. Entering a new exploratory period of life.

Rose-tinted glasses being part study, part semi-autobiographical treatise on relationships, compared to the stricter norms of Trench. And his explicit (notably overtly queer) work being locked away in a trunk.