anidiotonloose

[anidiotonloose]

Im at chapter 50 of the LOTM novel now (I decided to read while watching the dongua) and I just want to talk about one thing. Just. It cracks me up.

I know animation has limited times to fit everything, they gotta cut some things and all (and the novel doesnt really helps with long chapter full of worldbuilding) so the Donghua goes at NECK BREAKING speed I Cannot stress this enough, and the thing that makes me laugh in particular is just how much more chill the Nighthawks comes across and how cautious (and lampooning) Klein is in the novel.

Im not kidding, in the novel he becomes a Beyonder at chapter 30. Chapter 30. And thats not a small number, lotm chapters are pretty long - at least for my standards dont ask me what the average is supposed to be. By chapter 30 of your average Danmei they're usually at that turning point where they realize they're in love you know ? Here its merely the beginning

Captain Dunn explains to him the different ways Beyonders loses controls and Klein's ass get really freaked out by this, as in 'well im not sure if i wanna do that now...' and he goes on to be a civilian worker at the Nighthawks for a few days before taking a decision.

In the Donghua, Dunn goes 'Yeah here are all of the tombs of our dead compatriots who lost control', Klein responds 'damn thats sad' and then becomes a Beyonder 5mn later lmfao losing control who ? What ? Ill figure that out later

Then there's also the Nighthawks, in the Donghua Klein gets yoinked by Daly who jumpscares him by behind and immediately starts to dig into his memory. In the novel they fucking sit him down first, present Daly (who does tease him a bit) explain what they're going to do in a bit more details and then they have him lay down on a sofa before starting the memory digging. Like damn ok, yeah they're chill

Its not that big of a deal, though ig the speedrunning does make it so Klein loses a bit of 'character' (and we havent seen much of Dunn's shit memory which is fun ! Fun characterization. I like his chuckling too. I like him if you cant tell) but also the novel is a first person narration so of course there's a lot more characterization in there but still. Idk if im the only one that finds that so funny. Enters the Nighthawks QG, not even employed yet, Dunn goes 'yeah being a Beyonder kinda sucks' and then 10mn later Klein is a Seer lmfao

[anidiotonloose]

I want to talk about this thing 🕊️

lotm vol 7 spoilers

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…..dunn smith quote heartache and leoklein my darlings aside, I really wondered why the donghua kept showing klein accompanied by pigeons/doves. even showed them flying as a focal point in the ending theme song. same goes for some of the official illustrations I’ve seen which included them too

I am now aware

I knew he fed them but the symbolism and klein’s deeper association with them didn’t click for me until I read this beautiful scene with leonard. so of course I went and started deeply analyzing pigeons in the context of the story + klein’s character for a couple hours

first is the obvious: a magician’s famous magic trick of pulling a pigeon out of a hat!! next, it was his dwayne dantes identity that was always feeding them daily outside the evernight cathedral, and his notable action back then was establishing a charity foundation to help children which later was used to help people struggling during the war. the pigeons were gone during the time when klein was trapped in the forsaken land of the gods, they returned when he returned… when he left leonard, they flew away at the same time. isn’t this interesting? it feels like he is super linked with them symbolically

white pigeons/doves are a symbol of peace after hardship. they are also signs of spiritual guidance, compassion, love, and in stories are messengers of the divine. its literally all klein. in a way these birds simultaneously have a symbolism of divinity alongside a symbolism of humanity too bc pigeons were domesticated by humans since ancient times as companion animals, they live in this natural everyday setting of cities, coexisting together with humans. I feel like this could possibly show the narrow road klein is walking keeping a balance with his godhood and his human nature… klein has a compassionate heart and always seeks peace and to give peace to others. the fool is a savior god, a guardian & guide for the people struggling in darkness and pain. danitz literally called the city of silver people “mr. fool’s flock” earlier as well

it’s all so neat to me

[anidiotonloose]

a witch who was always searching for love

[anidiotonloose]

[anidiotonloose]

TILLS ALIVE

omg omg omg omg omg omg omg omg omg omg omg omg omg omgomomgomgomgomomgomgomgomgomgomgomgoomgoomgomogmomgomgomgomgomgomgomomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomg

ALSO WHAT THE HELL TRANSPIRED IN THE MV OH GOD

[anidiotonloose]

Guardian Shine's influence on Mizi is so visible it makes me ill (/pos)

— Only able to find some(one)thing adorable when it's no threat to them

— Adopting their vocabulary, taking "crush" to mean kill/death

— Tying her personal value to her ability to bring joy, to be cute and lovable

— Becoming a people pleaser because only if she's loved can she survive

[anidiotonloose]

Klein: i just want to eat nice food and travel around and see all my friends and have everyone be happy

various horrific entities: what the fuck did you just fucking say im about to make it my lifes mission to fuck you up

[anidiotonloose]

Lotm Volume 1: wow this is really good

Lotm Volume 2: he cant possibly top this

Lotm Volume 3: he cant possibly top this

Lotm Volume 4: he cant possibly top this

Lotm Volume 5: he cant possibly top this

Lotm Volume 6: he cant possibly top this

Lotm Volume 7: he cant possibly top this

Lotm Volume 8: he cant possibly top this

COI volume 1: HE'S FRENCH?!?

[anidiotonloose]

mfs be crying about lotm ending

its me. im mfs

[anidiotonloose]

Sometimes I wonder about Azik pre-deal-with-Klein-to-help-recover-memories. Like for some years this sequence 2 angel just worked in a university while just assuming “oh yeah I have something special going on with me I wanna know what but I can’t figure it out yet” like does this man ever question why he doesn’t feel hungry?? Does he know hunger?? Has there ever been moments where his colleagues are like “aughhhh I’m starving hey Azik let’s go eat” and Azik is like “nah I’m good (wdym starving)” and they’re like “wtf dude you haven’t eaten in two days how are you not dying” or after meals does he just not go to the toilet for so long that his workers get concerned. Or if one day they’re just strolling through a market and Azik gets mugged and stabbed in the stomach and his colleague is like “AZIK YOU NEED TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL” and Azik while clearly bleeding is going “ow um but it’s ok it’ll go away it doesn’t hurt that bad economy these days haha you know”. I know eventually Azik would common sense it out that this is the natural way people should be reacting or do something but just imagine being one of Azik’s colleagues during the first years of his “reset cycle”. You just know this man is not a normal human being in every sense of the word but hey he’s trying.

[anidiotonloose]

"i swear on my life" bitch you keep dying swear on something else

-Leonard to Klein, probably

[anidiotonloose]

[anidiotonloose]

I've been and I currently am in many fandoms and I love interacting with other fans but BY THE GODS the Alien Stage fandom is probably one of the worst because people seem so... illiterate?? In a sense that they can't comprehend characters and actions without having a "black and white" "good and bad" perspective

This is probably because ALNST is a "new" web series born in the Tiktok era where everyone in fandoms seems to be braindead (I blame americans for that, as always, especially teenagers who go around thinking they are some kind of moral police just because they have religious trauma or whatever and need to project their beliefs in others)

But yeah, in the ALNST fandom they can only go "Ivan bad bc kiss and choke Till bad" "Luka bad bc manipulate others bad" when literally THE ALIENS are the reason for all of this and why some characters were forced to act in a certain way (all the time they spend hating on those two characters can be spent hating on the aliens but no)

They are in a life or death competition created by the aliens where they only want to survive or save the opponent and you think the things they do on that deathly stage are THE WORST THINGS??

All the things Luka has done, Ivan's actions while sacrificing himself, Sua's sacrifice, Till's actions, Hyuna's words, Mizi's whole character's point are WAY DEEPER AND MORE COMPLICATED THAN "BAD" "GOOD" "PROBLEMATIC" "TOXIC" OR ANY OTHER WORD YOU LOVE USING JUST TO EXPOSE YOUR INABILITY TO HAVE A CRITICAL THOUGHT ON A MEDIA YOU CONSUME

I can't comprehend this level of immaturity I swear

[anidiotonloose]

"I'll be your new puzzle to solve" is so crazy. I've always liked that Rubik's cubes are symbolic of a human's complexity. Luka's essentially got it all figured out. But HyunA left him with a puzzle he couldn't possibly solve. All of the layers upon layers of complexities behind her death, her words, her hatred, and her love for him. He will never understand her soul, leaving him to come to his own conclusion and deal with whats left just like she had to... it's crazy

[anidiotonloose]

Honestly, I had questions when HyunA died, most of them just being why. After everything, after the pain Luka left her with, and the immense guilt over Hyunwoo's death, knowing what she's been through, why would she willingly take a bullet for Luka or even embrace him? It felt contradictory for a while, but now that I think about it, it feels very true to what we know about her for HyunA's character to have gone in this direction because of the person she is.

HyunA is the character who lived the "freest" life after escaping Alien stage. She got to experience what living freely was like outside of that environment and learned how to grow beyond being a pet human into her own person.

She was determined to keep pushing herself to move forward with each day because she would not let the struggle or her past stop her from continuing to live. Luka might've thought of Hyuna's rebellion as avoiding the situation, but she was building a life for herself, and we can see just how much HyunA grew during her time with the rebellion, how much she was loved and loved in return

HyunA didn't dwell on her past too often. Even so, her attachment to her childhood is significant; naturally, it makes her who she is today. The happy memories from her time in Anakt Garden that shared space in her heart with her moments with the rebels show she's reluctant to let that part of her go. But alongside this comes a burden she has to carry for years because she's constantly reminded of Hyunwoo's death; the child in her was still, always grieving him, feeling to blame for something that wasn't her fault. The pain of remembering it all weighs on her heavily.

Luka is the last living symbol of her past and her trauma that she couldn't let go of. The lasting sentiments and fondness she has for him clash with the complicated feelings he left her with after her brother's death. She couldn't bear being close to Luka anymore because knowing he was the cause of her brother's death hurt her. She regretted ever even getting close to Luka. She resented herself even more because she didn't want to let go of him

HyunA is brave for having worked so hard to get to the point where she could laugh again after escaping. There was a time when she was overdrinking and smoking to cope with the full force of her emotions when she first arrived at the rebellion.

After time passed, she could act as if she were confident and already resolutely moved on on the surface.

But really, Luka remained an everlasting and lingering presence in her life. The way Luka haunts her brings her back to the past she doesn't want to address. The way she used to see him as this harmless lonely boy who'd cling to her and follow her around. Now, she avoids his gaze or freezes when she sees him. He's a constant obstacle in her journey. She resents that undeniably. But she's guilty that despite that, and after everything, she still cares about Luka enough that he is a weak spot for her.

HyunA isn't a vengeful person. She is a justice seeker, but she isn't angry. She wants peace; she wants peace for herself and the people she cares about, and you can't find that in anger or hatred. Many people's first response in her position would've been to be angry, and rightfully so. But HyunA doesn't let anger dictate her next actions no matter how justified she would've been. That isn't the kind of person she is. This doesn't mean she accepts the pain she went through, but she always wants to keep moving forward in the right direction.

HyunA's humanity and love are strong aspects of her character; they've guided her to this point, and since she is effortlessly compassionate and selfless, always putting what she cares about before herself no matter how foolish it may be

It didn't even take her a minute's thought to save Luka the moment she realized he was at risk. She just moved. Despite her appearance of disinterest moments before, when she realized what he was doing, that look in his eyes (she knew him better than anyone there did anyway), that part of her from childhood that was always caring for and looking after him naturally resurfaced instantly. And like the impulsive, self-sacrificing person she is, she protected him.

Even with HyunA's extremely mixed feelings and lingering affections for Luka, it is not acceptance of all he did to her or forgiveness that makes her save him. The pain and discomfort Luka put her through is inexcusable. Regardless of however much she might disregard/dismiss it, she still suffered. She never forgot that, that's why she can't forgive him.

But it is HyunA's love, compassion, and humanity that have always guided her. At heart, she has a beautiful and kind soul. She fights for others because of her many experiences and the death of her closest loved one. Even though she 'could've' let Luka die, her strongest core values override the resentment she has in her. She doesn't forgive him, but it represents how HyunA cares about humanity. It represents how HyunA has always cared about Luka no matter what happened between them.

Love is twisted in every aspect of this series as it is fully intertwined with humanity. and it shows. Despite her complicated feelings that are deeper than even terms like love or hate can accurately apply, Luka is still HyunA's biggest weakness, despite the moments when she was angry with him and maybe even wanted to hate him; it's a testament to how much she cared about Luka. She couldn't. In fact, her love was so great that she wanted him to live.

It's incredible how this is her most selfless and selfish act yet. There was so much on the line. The rebellion still needed her, and Mizi still needed her. She still had a life to live for. but she died for Luka because she couldn't see him die. After all, she still cared about him so deeply. She even sees that Luka should still have a chance after everything and passes down her soul to him through the words she'd been told before, urging him to find peace within himself and live on without her, knowing he has never had that chance. And that is so fittingly human of her.

But really, why does he deserve it? Why does HyunA think Luka deserves it?

HyunA didn't want to live in self-hatred and anger over things she couldn't change. She wants to look beyond it, grow, and experience life to the best of her ability while she's still alive and working with the rebellion.

-

"HYUNA is the kind of kid who carves out a path for herself that she thinks is right."

"She doesn't look back when she feels weak or hurt; she keeps moving forward, and that's what HYUNA is today."

-

It's because of the person she is that she even rescued Mizi. Because HyunA recognized herself in the lost, distressed girl who was carrying a burden like no other and needed guidance. That's why she rescues Luka. Because she recognizes him as a human who deserves a life worth living with happiness and peace like any other. The narrative doesn't excuse Luka simply because HyunA feels that way for him, but it does provide insight into her reasoning for saving him. Optimistic or foolish as it may be, it's very HyunA in its way of execution

do you know how hard I prayed hyuna would say Sike and revive at the church today... its been a whole 2 days I've been crying nonstop

[anidiotonloose]

Breakdown of Hyun Woo's Incident

That day, Luka was clinging to a troubled Hyuna while Hyun Woo tried to make him let go. Luka is either sweating heavily or crying here (unusually expressive and emotive for him) as he adamantly refuses to release her.

Hyun Woo is deeply upset and loses his patience. He resorts to violence.

In the ensuing scuffle between the two, Hyun Woo's head made lethal impact with a rock.

His death wasn't intentional — the rock was embedded in the ground.

(If the point was that Luka purposefully killed him, the rock would've been loose to imply it's a weapon he used to bash Hyun Woo's head with.)

Luka doesn't even seem to register or care about Hyun Woo's state. He's singlehandedly focused on the joy of being able to return to Hyuna now that no one is stopping him.

This is the main reason Hyuna resents him — he doesn't even acknowledge Hyun Woo's death and what happened.

Can she blame someone who doesn't know? Can she forgive someone who doesn't understand? She can only resent him.

"It's you who's in the wrong."

"Bet you had no idea."

— All-In

Now the question is why was Hyun Woo so upset? That's not the expression of an ordinary day-to-day conflict.

The answer:

Luka changed his behavior at some point. Specifically, this point.

Before this, Luka was aloof and unemotive. He cared about the two of course ("Your life is mine" (/matter of fact)) in his own way, but it's a drastic difference from the tunnel vision he gets later on where just the sight of Hyuna brings him an overjoyed smile regardless of circumstances.

This moment with Hyuna is the changing point for him. His controlling friendship (likely towards both Hyuna and Hyun Woo) and his entire world, is consumed by an unhealthily anxious love for Hyuna.

This abrupt development catches her off guard and she isn't sure how to react. She's certainly not okay with it.

Hyun Woo was worked up that day because ever since then, Luka has started to become obsessively clingy towards his sister and this is likely just the most recent in a series of incidents where he refused to let Hyuna go despite her wishes (Hyuna is looking at Luka as she raises her hand with a troubled face).

It's possible there's jealousy here feeling like Luka's trying to monopolize his sister, but I think it's more likely he was angry on Hyuna's behalf due to Vivimeng's repeated emphasis on how he has a strong sense of justice.

He also may have heard about Luka attempting to force himself on Hyuna and was agitated by the need to protect his sister and get him away from her.

Lastly, Wiege makes it clear that Hyun Woo and Luka both considered each other friends.

Luka's pov — The camera is low because he's looking up at them as the smallest one.

Luka's drawing — He's standing between the siblings and holding both of their hands.

[anidiotonloose]

People really like to talk about how Luka is one of the most docile competitors when it comes to obliging the aliens: he is the fan favorite, behaves well during interviews, and diligently fulfills his role of an entertainer. However, during the rounds we barely see his childhood/past.

In Wiege, we finally get some answers regarding how he was born and raised. This scene, in particular:

It's obvious that Luka broke into this place without permission, given that he's holding something that he's likely used to rip the capsules with naked bodies inside. His left hand is on the switch, and the scene ends with aliens reaching out to him.

This is the first instance of Luka's rebellion that we get to witness.

His body is frail, there are many frames of him being connected to the monitoring devices. It paints a picture of him being highly dependent on the support that his owner provides. One might think this is why he wouldn't dare to against the rules.

Which is why I find the second frame so interesting.

His room is covered in posters of a known "human terrorist", and he kisses Hyuna's image in front of the cameras. He isn't afraid of getting punished for it, and that makes me wonder if the owner knowingly indulged him in this one obsession, under assumption that it'll keep Luka compliant.

This scene takes place later, and he's visibly less shaken up by what's in front of him. People in the first one didn't have the incisions, so it's likely that they were tossed away before the aliens could start the surgical procedures. We later see similar scars on Luka's body.