#I feel like not enough people are mentioning the Dreammaster and his part in the background

[finisnihil]

2.2 Sunday analysis spoilers ahead

I think a scene that perfectly sums up the Dreammaster and his relationship with Sunday is the one where he’s breaking the news to Sunday that Robin was shot.

Sunday has just appointed head of the Oak Family, given a position of upmost power. The Dreammaster leads in by giving Sunday Robin’s letter and then he innocently asks if she mentioned a stray bullet. A stray bullet? Why would she mention a stray bullet? Robin is safe and happy, wherever could she run into a stray bullet?

Well, a war broke out on that planet she sought it out because of it. For the sake of the Harmony and saving lives… she went to the front lines. You know, where stray bullets tend to shoot down innocent birds?

Well, holy shit, is she okay? Of course I mean it only struck her neck directly but I guess because she is doing such glorious deeds Xipe saw fit let her sing a while longer still. You should write to her- oh no, you stupid boy, only after you finish your pressing work now that you're head, hm?

Let's break down the interaction, shall we?

Firstly, this show was meant to sever Sunday's trust in Robin and isolate him. Robin is the person Sunday cares about the most, his life is but a tool to maintain her happiness and he's not quiet about the fact he'd chose Robin over the Family. When Robin didn't want to sing for Ena in the final plan, Sunday betrays the Dreammaster by taking her place as the sacrificial lamb instead. Point being, Robin is Sunday's only real support system and his only access to something that hasn't been rotted by the Family's corruption. The Dreammaster starts the conversation by highlighting how Robin withholds information from Sunday. She didn't mention getting shot, she didn't mention going to a planet because of war, she didn't mention anything. She isn't telling Sunday when she's in danger. Sunday is already terrified of the world around him, of how bleeding hearts like his sister's and his suffer for their kindness. The Dreammaster going about things this way instills a layer of distrust, Sunday can't trust Robin to be honest with him, he can't trust Robin to be safe, he can’t trust her to trust him. Thus, Robin is taken out of the equation and Sunday is alone with only the Dreammaster in his ear.

Next, we drill in a blame of the Harmony. Robin serves the Harmony like a good child of Xipe but it's precisely that which put her in harm's way. Would she have gone into that situation if not for the ideals of the Harmony? The Dreammaster twists this logic in Sunday's head, whispering it was the Harmony that got his sister shot and mockingly noting that maybe the only reason Robin wasn't dead from it was because she served Xipe so well; he implies that if she failed to meet that nonexistent standard next time, maybe Xipe will let Robin die. Sunday can't trust Xipe to protect Robin because it was Xipe's will that almost killed her. Now he's more vulnerable for the ideals of Order to sing their claws in.

Finally, Sunday's lack of control is emphasized. Sunday has just been appointed Oak Family Head but he still has no control over anything. He can't act out of line because those who supported him may stop and if he fails to uphold the pristine image of the Family there will be hell to pay. Still, I think the most sinister thing about his lack of control is seen when the Dreammaster stresses that Sunday can only write back to Robin after he has finished his "outstanding tasks". He was just coldly told the person he cares most about in the world was almost killed without her deigning to inform him, and he can't even talk about it with her and make sure she's okay until he does his paperwork. The position of Family head is nothing but a formality and it isn't enough to save Robin, it isn't enough to save anyone. Sunday has never been in control so maybe... He should create a world where he has it through Order.

In the credits we see the Dreammaster refered to as "Sunday's Servant" but it's obvious the Dreammaster was the one who manipulated and pushed Sunday to this point, intensifying his trauma and pushing Robin out so he could be the only whisper in Sunday's ear, so he could warp Sunday to be the vessel of Order he wants from him.

This entire scene would have gone so much differently if the Dreammaster actually cared about Sunday but we can tell he doesn't. From the start Sunday has been a bleeding heart that bleeds more heavily every time he tries to alleviate suffering. He's trapped in the cage of Penacony and has come to think the buildup of broken dreams and pain he's exposed to is the way of the entire universe. Robin escaped but Sunday can't.

Sunday is ultimately responsible for everything he did but you can't ignore that the path he took to get here reeks of the Dreammaster's malicious influence. Gallagher notes Sunday is just like Misha in a lot of ways and I think that's why the Dreammaster honed in on him so intensely. Sunday had the potential to ruin everything if he took the path Robin and Misha did so he had to have his wings clipped and taught to think a cage means love, that Order is the way, not Harmony.

It's genuinely such a good sequence, the tension of it all makes it work so well. The fact that Sunday is haunted by it and that the Dreammaster so successfully got into his head without him really noticing. He basically did what Aventurine bragged about doing, exploiting Robin's suffering to hit Sunday where he's soft. The Dreammaster functionally set up a bomb and coaxed Sunday into being the one to set it off.

Sunday is a wonderfully written antagonist, but the Dreammaster is a wonderfully written villain.

[revserrayyu]

2.2 Penacony thoughts [part 2]

**Spoiler warning** in place for the story as per usual. Got through a decent amount I think since the other night but I haven’t a clue on how much is left. This time I stopped right after we received a special hat so if you haven’t obtained such a gift yet then of course turn away now.

So we’re wandering around Golden Hour as the siblings, even running into Sparkle who was cosplaying Robin and tosses in a couple chicken wing boy comments as usual, as we listen to a few people’s opinions about dreams. I understand both the sibling’s perspectives, with Robin saying that the dreamscape is a nice escape once in a while but shouldn’t exactly be lived in and mistaken for reality, while Sunday believes it has given so many people the opportunity to actually live a life worth living. The idea of having a stress free life is indeed an inviting ideal but too much of something is never a good thing.

The options the game gave us to choose right here are hilarious and it’s perfect!

The challenges for the competition went along fine. I chose the battles for the first round and then some Hanu stuff for the second, but for the final round, I certainly wasn’t expecting our fabulously gorgeous knight Argenti!! I recall the announcer mentioning that there was someone ahead of us with striking red hair, but I thought he was just referring to Himeko since she teamed up with March and presumedly went another way, but once we approached the final stage and our beloved knight slowly came into view, I got so excited! Even the trailblazer was like “No way, I think I just saw someone…someone extraordinary.”

Only I was faced with instant disappointment because WHY WAS HE NOT VOICED?? I thought my sound was messed up or my earbuds weren’t working properly but then I heard Firefly speak no problem, so what happened to Argenti?? He has such a nice voice and it gets bugged? I’m so sad. I waited for the day he would actually appear in the main story and it’s all scuffed! Ahh! But I love that everyone resorts to calling Aventurine a peacock.

The fight went just fine, so much better than the first time I encountered him on the train during his mission, even though I don’t think I had anyone to weakness break him. Soon enough we appear in front of Sunday who is undoubtedly showing his bad side now as we get a flashback of him, Welt and Robin chatting with the “Dreammaster.” Things seemed to be going well until they weren’t and we see Sunday using those creepy Harmony rainbow waves on his dearest sister.

Turns out our holy man isn’t as harmonious as we all thought, striding on the path of Order instead. No wonder I saw so many theories floating around with that one image of its Aeon, Ena.

Jumping into a brief Sunday flashback where he’s chatting with the “Dreammaster” about a letter he received about Robin while she’s away and I’m honestly quite surprised to learn that our precious idol was actually shot. In the neck of all places too. Definitely the worst place for a singer. (Reminds me of Black Clover where Vetto pretty much attacked Kahono the same way in the Underwater Temple.) Thank heavens Robin didn’t actually perish from such a wound though. “Dreammaster” mentions that’s why she chooses to wear accessories on her neck which makes sense. I love when lore is the reason behind some sort of outfit choice. All that aside, yes hearing Sunday so panicked and ready to drop everything at a moments notice to go help her is sweet, but I’m still skeptical about him.

His motives seem dreamlike though. Yeah it’s admirable that he wishes to eradicate all feelings of despair and free people of their sorrows so they can experiences true happiness in their lives, but surely there’s gotta be a better way to go about doing it than living in a false reality.

Like.. of course I understand. Two or three days never really feels like enough time to rest after working a full week. There’s so much we wanna do in life, but limiting our free time to certain days doesn’t seem fulfilling. So, he proposes a new world (see? I knew this dude gave me Cocolia vibes for a reason!) where everyday should be a relaxing day. Where everyday can be..Sunday. And if this is the reason why they named him this then that’s too funny yet also clever. I can’t be mad at it.

It was at this moment I thought he was gonna reveal that the sacrifice was going to be one of us, or worst of all, Robin, and got a bit scared. If you want such a perfect world, why don’t you become the sacrifice yourself, chicken wing boy?

Speak your truth girlie! Love that Firefly called him out a little bit. Sunday believed that she could relate to such a wish due to her condition, but she completely tossed his meager comments aside and stood up for herself.

Now forgive me, I don’t recall if this whole ordeal with Misha is a flashback before we started that competition to see Sunday or if some magic caused it all to happen somehow during that conversation but anyways, we finally get the opportunity to learn about this child. We arrive at that place where we first encountered the Memory Zone Meme with all those flashy tvs and creepy callouts and it all seems rather familiar to Misha as his distant memories slowly come back to him. One thing I’m not too surprised about is that Mikhail was his grandpa who was acquainted with the Nameless and perhaps even one himself.

What I didn’t expect what to hear that this boy is actually from this memory bubble, much like “Dormancy.” It’s also clarified that the Express can all see Clockie because everyone has a childlike spirit, unlike Firefly and Acheron, so it seems neither of them could’ve ever found the Watchmaker’s legacy.

Yeah.. mhhhm. The confusion begins now alright. Is he is own ghost or something?? That’s how it’s making sense in my head. I dunno. Misha remains a whole dang mystery to me.

Thanks for clearing it up a little bit but. Nope. 100% denying that last part with every fiber of my being. If I wanted a mechanic on the Express I’d venture all the way back to Jarilo-VI and pick up Serval like she had originally wished during her companion guest. I’ll honestly so ticked off if after all this if Misha somehow comes to reality and officially joins Express. And don’t start saying “oh but he receives a ticket from Welt in the ‘Incredible Promise’ light cone.” That ain’t Welt. He wears his glove on his right hand, not the left hand that’s depicted in the artwork. Also the description of that light cone doesn’t even sound like it could’ve been Welt. (Sorry I’m only focusing on that last bit but I’m so passionate about Serval if that wasn’t clear as day already.)

Apologizing once again because I know this is supposed to be an emotional scene, but all I could think about was “yes, good, you stay here. No train mechanic job for you.”

I don’t really have the words to explain why I like this explanation of clockwork and how it connects to trailblazing, but yeah. All we need is that extra bit of encouragement to make our choices.

The smooth transition they did from this..

.. to this was real nice. Also, I’m realizing now that the head piece of the Watchmaker relic set is an eyepiece. For the longest time I thought it was just a real tiny hat.. and no I didn’t even think to read its name as it’s literally called “Watchmaker’s Telescoping Lens.” I’m not perfect. I’ll admit to being a little stupid.

The cutscene continues as we inherit the old dude’s hat and I love how proud mommy Himeko looks at us.

Sunday on the other hand.. well, certainly not happy that Xipe chose to smile upon us.

Eeehehe look at our girl, serving up looks! We’re so dang snazzy now and I’m loving every moment of it!

As awesome as this moment is, it does look a bit ridiculous with all us ladies there and then.. Clockie, sporting that giant grin on his face as usual.

And just like that, a new path has been acquired! Thank heavens we don’t have to be quiet about it anymore. I feel like it’s been so many weeks since I first saw the Harmony Trailblazer’s gameplay. It was a bit difficult to not get so excited while watching the 2.2 livestream and seeing little sneak peaks of the hat finally make its appearance.

And to think they teased our new ultimate all the way back during the White Night trailer. Amazing. Spectacular. Brilliant. Dazzling.

This was also another reason I decided to skip out on Robin. Didn’t think I needed two new Harmony units in one patch. But that’s all for now. I’m hoping to finish the story this weekend. First things first, however, is to hunt for a proper relic set for our dashing new Trailblazer. I did pre-farm most materials to level up traces since I was aware of the new path, but I’m still in need of more decent Watchmaker relics.