#(kinda grasping at straws here but I hope it's understandable where I'm coming from... ^^')

[ideas-on-paper]

I was thinking the same thing when the guy suddenly said: "I'm... sorry, you want to know the year?"

Like yes??? Please?!? I'd love to be able to actually understand this game's super vague timeline!

Given that we see what looks like a younger Spring, I also agree that it can't be too far back - I also think that the Petrification Disease had been a thing in Krat for a longer time, though what does make me curious is the existence of Ergo monsters. I previously had assumed these might have originated from the Charity House/Rose Estate Incident, or at least Simon's experiments - however, this max-size durian thing we saw in the trailer that looks very much like those at the cathedral/Lorenzini Arcade might be located in an experiment chamber of the Alchemists, judging by the background. (You can see one of those stone statues that are typical of the Arche Abbey.)

Also, some additional things to note about the winter setting: In the very first trailer of the game, they also showed Krat in winter - and, just as it happens, we see Geppetto putting the Nameless Puppet (Frankenstein Carlo) to the test in that trailer. (At least that's what we can assume given that Geppetto is dragging around the same suitcase he kept the NP in.)

Second, the lyrics of the song "Someday" - which is headcanoned as Romeo's song by some people (which I feel inclined to agree with) - actually mentions "snowflakes shining in the night sky", and the record's description says it's a song about "waiting for a departed lover". (Here's the full translated lyrics, for reference.)

I'm aware this might be a bit of a stretch, but... What if the DLC transports us back into the time shortly before Carlo dies? What if Carlo left for some reason and Romeo was waiting for him, but he never came back? Also, this would mean that the Puppet Frenzy/the Absolute Apocalypse™ occurred shortly afterwards, since it's still winter at the point of the first teaser. (Which would fit in with the theory that the Puppet Frenzy is a fairly recent occurrence.)

It's quite likely that the Legendary Stalker also had a relationship to Carlo and Romeo - the line "I wish I'd got here sooner..." has been previously interpreted by @lopposting as her personally blaming herself for Carlo's death (like if she got there sooner she could've prevented it), an impression that's further reinforced by the trailer.

What's interesting to me though is that the Legendary Stalker - Lea, as she's officially named - seems to know that they were thrown back in time (as she wants to avoid making the same mistake again). So, how does she know this?

Also, given that she's fiercely determined to prevent his death, that must mean Carlo is still alive at this point. Now, this sort of brought me back to my old idea of Pinocchio meeting the former classmates of Geppetto's son - just imagine the absolute chaos that would ensue if Carlo and Romeo were to actually meet P. (Romeo: "Hey Carlo! Um... What's up with your arm?" Carlo: "What the fuck is that?!?")

Oh well. At least it looks like we're going to meet the actual Alidoro in the DLC - which is pretty cool, ngl. :-)

I have many thoughts about the trailer - I do love it when we get a tone of infos without context so we're baited into putting things together. How to get a community invested 101, really, please more of that, this is one of the rare things in life that give me dopamine.

One thing I'd like to point out is the mention of a year. Will we have a clearer understanding of the timeline? It being messy in games kinda makes sense between the sudden, incredible violence that can make people feel like a week is a whole year, and Sophia's time manipulation that blurs everything.

I would LOVE to get a clearer timeline, because I do like to keep my events in proper order.

Seeing the Legendary Stalker in this context, aside from making me tear up on first watch (and yes, I had to refrain from screaming in the office but I also stopped working solely to rewatch it multiple times lol), makes me wonder. If we're having more time shenanigans, some details to note: it mustn't be TOO far in the past because Spring seems younger (smaller and fuzzier, like a young cat/kitten), yet the Petrification Disease must already very much be a thing if we meet the Legendary Stalker at that point in time, based on her "not being late" line (THANKS FOR THE HEARTWRENCH NEOWIZ - btw they did have a quarantine area as well when things started going to shit with the puppets, so it'd make a lot of sense to have the Petrification Disease predate it too, although it wasn't clear for how long that specific issue has been on-going).

I'll share more thoughts later, after multiple rewatches, and also because if I don't get back to work now, I'll get yelled at by a pesky manager.

[bonesandthebees]

Hi first time sending an ask, kinda nervous...

I've wanted to say I adore your fic The Stars and Their Children! The world building is nothing short of amazing and the story and the characters are incredible. It is very entertaining to read and seeing you upload always makes my day.

I do however have a theory I want to ask about! If I am right please feel free to ignore this message completely so it is not spoiled for anyone else, but it I'm wrong please tell me why this theory sucks and how wrong I am! So I've been wondering about Wilbur's father a little bit. We don't know much about him and it's not even directly about him. We know that he and the boys' mom met when she ran away (? Hope i remember that correctly) to an outer sector planet, before she was quickly taken back to Themis. We also know that Emperor Phil grew up in the outer sector planets. He is also suspiciously protective of/obsessed with Prince Wilbur. So! I have a sneaking suspicion than Philza is actually Dadza. We don't know the Queen's name either so maybe she is Kristen! And that could also be the reason he calls Will a little bird!

It's mostly started as a gut feeling and then i was just looking at anything and maybe I'm basically just a delusional fool grasping at straws haha

Hope any of my written ramblings make sense I have big thoughts and not many words i know to describe them

Have a lovely day!

hi i'm so glad you're enjoying!! that means so much to me to hear that my uploads make your day :D

so while I totally understand where your theory comes from, because let's be real if stars was a traditional tv show/movie they probably would go for that twist of phil being wilbur's biological father, I just wanna say outright that's not the case here. the reason I didn't make that the case was primarily because a lot of stars!wilbur's insecurity comes from the fact that he's a bastard. his father was a nobody. he's unimportant compared to his little brother, who is in line for the throne. and phil sees this bastard boy who has been written off and dismissed by everyone else, and sees potential in him just because of who he is. wilbur's importance to phil isn't defined by his blood relations, it's because of who he is as person. his intelligence, his cunning, his stubbornness—this is what endears wilbur to phil. and i feel like if I made the twist that oh wow they were related all along that would really just take away that message of phil valuing wilbur because of who he is and not because of his blood.

also, if wilbur was biologically phil's child you would be able to tell. avians as a species are the result of elytrians intermingling with any other species in the galaxy. elytrian genes are not subtle—if wilbur was half-elytrian, he'd almost 100% certainly have wings, and if by some weird genetic happenstance he didn't, he'd definitely have feathers on his face and arms at least like phil does.

(also, wilbur and tommy's mom was not kristin either. she's just a random oc I made, I guess you could think of her as a humanized samsung fridge lmao)