#''my creator‚ please do not worry of the possibility of your creation becoming a monster. i can assure you that i will never turn evil‚

[crescentmp3]

about to sob! genuinely!

[bleepbloo]

Season Episode Breakdown for Second Citadel (Part 1)

Based Solely off the poster and speculation thereof.

Thoughts under the cut, whitelist #bleepbloo theories if you’re not interested.

(At this time, 12/8/19, the first episode, ‘The Fool in the Garden of Death, Part 2’ has been released to the public; It will factor into discussion below. Spoilers Ahead, You Have Been Warned)

((Warning: VERY LONG, and has in-universe issues of Second Citadel))

Alright so, as based on the initial poster thoughts and the first episode in it’s entirety has been released, it confirms that we are going to be using the Major Arcana for each of the episodes, and that they will be in clusters of threes, for the most part. I will be analyzing each episode based on the trio presented, what that’ll mean for the episode, as well as the characters that may be highlighted as a result of the conflict presented. 

Before I get started, here are some things to keep in mind:

I will be using only one website [here], because there are often minor variations between different Arcana decks that end up giving it different meanings overall; so if you go exploring into Arcana yourself, please note that that’s a thing. Also something to note about major Arcana is that the can represent People as well as Significant Issues in your Life. I won’t be listing the full meaning for each card, as that’s going to make this MUCH longer than I know it’s going to be; I will be listing the BASIC positive(Upright), negative(Reversed), and general concepts behind each card, just so you don’t have to look up the full meaning. As a result, I’m going to be splitting my analysis in half due to sheer length it would be otherwise.

With all that mind let’s get started:

1- The Fool, The Magician, and the High Priestess

Fool: The Day Dreaming Adventurer

Positive: New Beginnings, innocence, free spirit 

Negative: Recklessness, inconsideration, taken advantage of

Magician: The Infinite Creator  

Positive: Willpower, desire, Creation, Manifestation 

Negative: Trickery, Illusions, Out of Touch

High Priestess: The one of the In-between  

Positive: Intuitive, Unconscious, Inner Voice

Negative: repressed feelings, lost inner voice, lack of center

So, I know this episode has aired already, but it’s worth going over, if only we have an established base. 

The sister’s at the garden of Death are probably dead. Marc realizes this, even if Olala doesn’t/can’t consider it - which, give her a break, she’s apparently like, 9 - and this thus has led Marc to try and figure out where to put her to hide, if only to buy more time. 

In terms of representation, I’m sure Sister Teele(Tile? Tealy? IDK how to spell her name, going to call her Sister Mom) is(was) meant to represent the High Priestess, considering she’s meant to see between the spirits, and the should, will and could happen.

I’m less sure if Marc’s meant to represent the Magician or if the Kite is, simply because they use different tool sets of mechanical vs. magical. 

(Side-note, but I do think it’s interesting that their titles as ‘creatures’ - with Marc being a Salamander and The Kite being The Kite - seem to signal to others that they are in some way associated with magic. Even though Marc’s only NOW gotten personally involved with Magic through Arum, he has known Rilla, who’s an exile for ‘magic’, even though she’s been unexiled through new laws, in comparison to the Kite, who’s very clearly a Witch. I absolutely do think we’re about to get some foiling regarding The Kite and The Salamander.)

((Also, semi-unrelated, regarding the bird to the East turning people into stone, and The Kite being disappointed that that isn’t true and that “it’s just an old wive’s tale” - if that ISN’T CLEARLY FORESHADOWING the OPPOSITE  to become true hopefully proven by someone from the East I will eat my goddamn pajamas.))

Here’s something I am sure of though; the more we see of the Kite on-screen, the more I’m sure that all 20 of the Sisters are dead. 

I’d be more worried if Sister Telay was alive, however, because that means The Kite- whoever he is- is going to be using her to some end. The same as with the rest of them, if they’re still alive. 

According to some research, however, The Kite apparently references a bird of prey- a hunter, which, y’know, explains the Axe of Wilds. Four of Wastes may be where Marc tries to take Olala, but then, they will encounter the Kite?

Really, it depends on where Marc decides to take her. 

Something that continuing to worry me however, is the Death card that keeps popping up- because that is the card of Death, make no mistake - is a signal that something is going to end. 

However, the Death card originally showed up when Olala asked what is her place in the universe; the Death card is in reference to /her/. The fact that, even now, when she has clearly escaped it (at least for the moment), doesn’t bond well for her survival overall. 

Here’s something interesting, regarding the Fool card of our deck. It’s not necessarily a numbered card- it can show up anywhere in the deck, in theory. In some decks, it shows up at the beginning; other times, it shows up after the World card, signalling the start of a new beginning, even after the end. 

Let that sink in. Let also sink in the knowledge that Olala- both in title, in name, and in her personality - is meant to be our “Fool”. 

So I mean, I’m not saying Olala’s going to end up becoming a sacrifice to renew some cycle, but it’s not outside of the realm of possibility either. The universe CLEARLY has something in mind for her, something involving death (or if nothing else an ending) and thus a new beginning, but what it is, is hard to say at this point. 

It is absolutely easy to say at this point, however, is that if Olala permanently dies, everyone’s going to ****ing riot. 

2- The Empress, The Emperor, and the Hierophant

Empress: The Female Authority

Positive: Motherhood, Fertility, Nature 

Negative: Dependence, Smothering, Emptiness, Nosiness

Emperor:  The Male Authority

Positive: Fatherhood, Authority, Structure, Control

Negative: Tyranny, Rigidity, Coldness

Hierophant: The Core Society

Positive: Tradition, Conformity, Morality, Ethics

Negative: Rebellion, Subversiveness, New Approaches

Here we get more into authority figures of the Arcana, and thus the society itself; the base of foundations that hold up any society. The mother, the father, and the society that binds us. Something I do believe we’re going to be seeing in this of episode are the parents of some of our Crew, as well as folks who have influenced them- like in Damien’s and Angelo’s Case, Sir Absolom, their mentor of knighthood. 

If this isn’t the episode we meet Sir Absolom, I’ll be surprised. I’m also hoping that this is the episode where we find out how Marc got his Knighthood title, and whether Talfryn is a knight as well, since...well, given what we know about Marc’s fears regarding Tal leaving, and Tal worried about not being wanted in addition to knowing he doesn’t want to be a knight, I’m more than a touch worried about their relationship. 

We should be able to explore - for whatever reason - why the Citadel is struggling through a shortage. I don’t know whether it’s a drought or what have you, but they’re clearly going through something, and as much as Mira can read, if you’ve never gone through a shortage before, things get rough quickly. Given Queen Mira is most likely meant to represent the Empress, well, she’s likely experiencing the more negative connotations of the card at the moment. I doubt a new solution will come quickly, if at all, and we’re going to be left uneasy just like in the first episode. 

Which is going to be interesting, especially considering the Second Citadel’s whole thing about ‘Unity’ and how it’s all about the community versus personal desires. 

Now, there’s likely going to be a rebel force that forms, maybe to oppose the Queen, because if people are hungry and angry, they’ll listen to anyone with influence that will promise them some food and protection and guidance, if the one currently providing isn’t doing that good of a job; which then ties back to the Hierophant, the society at large

Now, the question becomes this: who’s going to represent the Emperor? 

At first glance and thought, you think it’s going to be Sir Absolom, but while I think there’s some basis for it, I actually think it’s going to be Damien’s Father. After all, when things are hard, people go to church and listen to the priest. And Damien’s Father is a noted missionary, and if nothing else, a FIRM believer in the Saints and their messages. If there isn’t some conflict between Damien and his Father regarding the messages of the Saints, especially when it comes to monsters, I will eat my pajamas. 

So, to sum up: The episode is going to deal with authority figures, and them dealing with the conflicts that come up as a result of this shortage, as well as the power conflicts between the Empress and Emperor, as well as the overall society at large; when people are hungry, they get angry, and start looking towards anyone that’ll promise change. 

3 - The Lovers, The Chariot, Strength

Lovers: Those we value

Positive: Partnerships, Duality, Union

Negative: Loss of balance, one-sidedness, disharmony

The Chariot: Movement

Positive: Direction, Control, Willpower

Negative: Lack of control, Lack of Direction, aggression

Strength: What lies inside

Positive: Inner strength, Compassion, Focus

Negative: Self-Doubt, Weakness, Insecurity

Something to note about the Lovers card; it does represent the traditional meaning of Lovers, but also represents close relationships in general. Like a sibling/friendship bond, like Tal and Marc, or Marc and Rilla, or Sir Caroline and Angelo, or Sirs Damien and Angelo. However, this is going to be a Sir Caroline/Quanyii and a Rilla/Damien/Arum episode for sure

Also, I know we’ve had that whole arc about Damien growing and maturing, but like. He’s still got a long way to go to being a better person, or if not a better person necessarily, then at least to try and recognize his flaws to be an even better person. As with Sir Angelo, Sir Caroline, Talfryn, Rilla, Arum - everyone’s got shit to work on. 

The road to being a better person is recognizing flaws, and trying to improve, even if you fail a lot of the time. 

Plus, Rilla and Damien, for all that they love and respect and prioritize each other, haven’t talked about what they want 1) for their marriage or 2) what they want their wedding to be like. Also, now there’s also Arum to consider, and what he wants from the relationship, is another added factor

It’s not a bad thing, it’s just another voice in the conversation; the bigger issue is that Rilla and Damien haven’t talked about it at all, so Arum’s just going to be- thrown into the ring as it were. 

Which kind of sucks for Arum, considering he’s been I.D.’d as a hermit, by Helicoid “...then there are solitary beasts like that..(sounds of disgust)..Lizard and his House (The Hallowed Hall’s of Helicoid Part 2)” and Ernmark’s analysis (here). 

I think we’re going to the inner strength of Talfryn and Marc come to something of a resolution regarding their differences, and Talfryn will start to figure out what he wants to do with his life. 

I bet we’re going to see some stagnation in some characters, especially Sir Absolom, considering he really doesn’t like Marc. 

In Summary: we’re going to get some resolution between Tal and Marc’s relationship, most likely a positive one, but a not so good one between Rilla/Damien/Arum, due to the Arcana of the next episode. 

 4- The Hermit, The Wheel of Fortune, Justice 

The Hermit: The Distance

Positive: Contemplation, search for truth, Inner guidance 

Negative: Loneliness, Isolation, Lost your way

The Wheel of Fortune: The Changing Luck and Wheel

Positive: Change, Cycles, Inevitable fate 

Negative: No control, clinging to control, Bad Luck

Justice: Exactly what it says

Positive: Cause and Effect, Clarity, Truth

Negative: Dishonesty, Unaccountability, Unfairness

Hey. 

Hey. 

Remember when I said Arum’s the Hermit? This is going to be an Arum focused episode, I can feel it. That being said, if Marc is worried about Arum and Rilla asks, Marc’s probably going to be tailing Arum, and so is Olala. 

Remember, the major arcana both events and people,  so chances are, Justice is likely to be Sir Caroline. Why she’s following him, i can’t be sure, but clearly, a changing fortune and justice is occurring for Arum. Or something. 

I’m going to go out on a limb here, and say that the Kite is a part of the changing fortune, and Olala’s going to get captured by him? It’s a little hard to say at this point what else the changing fortune is.

Still thinking about Olala and the Death card, I worry a little more regarding the ‘inevitable fate’ part of the Wheel of Fortune, especially since (again) Olala is specifically I.D.’d with Death. 

In Short: This is going to be an Arum centric/focused episode. Marc will likely be nosy and follow, and because of Sir Caroline or something happening, Olala will fall into The Kite’s greedy, greedy and SUPER murderous hands. Clearly has something in mind for Olala, and boy, that worries me more than anything else. 

~~~

That’s it for part 1, will put link to Part 2 [Here], when it’s finished.