#cosmic theory

[trippygalaxy]

Sky isn't First's reincarnation, Warriors is.

Heads up, this is just a headcanon! I am using LOZ canon in parts to help fortify my thinking but again, this isnt to prove a point!

Also tagging people below! I was going to reblog my og post but this came out too long and would just be better as its own post!

I believe that Sky isn't the reincarnation of Hyila's chosen hero, but instead the hero's incarnation. While both the fandom (loz and lu) and the canon use the two words interchangeably, they truly do have two different meanings, even if they are considered 'small.'

So does this mean I believe Warriors to be the hero's direct reincarnation? In a way, yes I do. I believe that there are some threads in canon that can stablize this idea, but most are based on personal preference and headcanons.

If you wanna know more, ill be going more into it under the cut!

Firstly, the difference between reincarnation and an incarnation!

Reincarnation, defined as “a person or animal in whom a particular soul is believed to have been reborn”

an example of this would be Sky, Sun and Demise. We see many of these reincarnations, but most notably and factual would be Demise’s reincarnation to Ganondorf. They share the same soul, at least the one from OOT does.

Incarnations, Defined as “a person who embodies in the flesh a deity, spirit, or abstract quality.”

Now, there arent any solidly proven instances in LOZ but most can assume that Nayru, Din and Farore from the OOS and OOA games/mangas are incarnations of the deities they are named after. But a more well rounded example would be to look at mythos in the real world, specifically Greek mythos with their gods Gaia, Thanatos, Nyx, and more.

Sky, or SS Link, has been believed to be the reincarnation of the First hero (“First”), is it even easier to prove him to be a incarnation. Sky, in the canon of Skyward Sword (“SS”) is not proven to be the direct reincarnation of the chosen hero- he is said to be the chosen hero, and plays such roll in the story of SS but there is nothing that says he is the direct reincarnation of First. Perhaps there is evidence that states otherwise, that is likely in the vast canon of Legend of Zelda, but it feels (and is stated) that the cycle of ‘reincarnation’ starts with SS link and his Zelda.

An incarnation feels like the better fit for the character of Sky. He is, and would be, the incarnation of the Chosen Hero, a heroic spirit known for his courage and loyalty to the divine. Hyila in the uncanon manga stated that she would meet First again, but again we do not get any notion that this refers to any reincarnation like the goddess takes.

Now for Warriors, or Hw Link, there are obviously the visual similarities that connect Warriors with First as both are the only one seen to wear scarves, as well as the one shoulder pauldrons. But it should also be noted the similarities in the stories both partake in. The main concept is very similar to the rest of the courageous heroes, but these two seem to be the only was who have fought in war of sorts, both battling against a dark army as the only hero able to fall the mighty leader.

Now, most of the rest of these thoughts would be based on the frames of headcanons rather than facts, as the idea behind this thought was of the poetic similarities between the two characters rather than facts within the LOZ or LU canon

Warriors and First being the 'leaders' of a war, neither being ready for such responsibilities yet being forced to none the less because they are the only ones able to hold such responsibilities

Both feeling unworthy of holding such power for being 'unpure' (First; being imprisoned for 4 years, Wars; encounters with Cia and/or having Dark Link being created)

Being experienced, infield fighters compared to dungeon crawlers, both of which are used to working with others in planning/fighting

First has been characterize within the fandom (and canon) as a recluse, naturally from his trauma of imprisonment yet even then he still has this authoritative status and energy to him. And while Warriors is seen as anything BUT a recluse in the fandom, it is still canon within the canon that he was infact a mute. So, its interesting to note how similar the two's nature would of been if certain characteristics in canon werent there (ie, HW link getting overconfident and prideful, which First shows little to no traits of in his appearances)

Back to characterization, both tend to be depicted as chivalrous men, either because of their roles as important 'military' figures or their natural personalities.

These are really just my beginning thoughts on this! Im....I like this idea a lot- as you can tell!

@xxbuttercup @doodlesbf @plateapus @sleepy-spam-reblog-things @fictionnotfantasy @lostlinkmx @shadowy-suitcase-herring-neck @cannibalgremlin

[schizopostguy]

we are corrupted with the mark of the beast. we shall perish for submission to the beast

“And it was given unto him [the false prophet] to give breath to it […], that the image of the beast [Satan] should both speak, and cause that as many as should not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and the bond, that there be given them a mark on their right hand, or upon their forehead; and that no man should be able to buy or to sell, save he that hath the mark, [even] the name of the beast or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. He that hath understanding, let him count the number of the beast; for it is the number of a man: and his number is Six hundred and sixty and six.” Revelation 13:15-18

“And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.” Revelation 14:11

[babacontainsmultitudes]

OUGH call me Big Shane Silva the way that episode had me falling over and torn into pieces fuuuuuuuuuck oh the Trudy and Francis heart-to-heart... The group hug... The gunkata... The middle-aged witch yuri... The hole in the stars... MAN.

[askoverkill]

I question, were the curses even intentional? We know The Director only wants to harm Siffrin, we also see The Director getting annoyed at Euphrasie repeating her lines, though this could've and very likely was simply played up, and we also know The Director wouldn't want to hurt the party. So what if, The Director placing themself in the role of the villain, or even specifically The King, accidentally caused these curses to exist?

There is another option for specifically the blood curse, though, what if it only effects islanders? Or those with islander blood? I believe it was said to be rare. Lupus is likely exempt from this also, as to explain why they didn't get it, but there is the question of Dusk. The best bet why Dusk, despite being an islander, doesn't have it, is either Dusk somehow *isn't*, and that through whatever wish was made to create Dusk, Dusk isn't an islander, which feels very.. weird, or simple luck in not getting it.

Likely some information I missed, high chance it's even very explicit, but a theory.

// I will only say this: each and every siffrin is a siffrin. They all came from the island and all have their coin. Small variants will happen as the outer loops jumble more and more butterfly effects, but at their core they are still siffrin.

// and some corrections: half the world has the blood curse but dawn is the first and only siffrin to ever get it.

[wikiweird]

Cosmic latte

"Cosmic latte" refers to the average color of the universe as determined by a team of astronomers led by Karl Glazebrook and Ivan Baldry. In 2002, they conducted a study to determine the color of the universe by combining light from over 200,000 galaxies.

After analyzing the spectral data from these galaxies, the researchers calculated the average wavelength of light and determined that the color of the universe, when viewed as a whole, is a pale beige or light brown. They humorously named this color "cosmic latte" due to its resemblance to the color of milky coffee.

The color was arrived at by combining the light emitted by stars of different ages and colors in the observed galaxies. It represents a composite color that takes into account the distribution and intensity of light throughout the universe.

The discovery of the cosmic latte color provides an interesting perspective on the overall composition of the universe. It indicates that the combination of stars and galaxies across vast distances creates a uniform hue when viewed from a distance.

While the term "cosmic latte" is not an official scientific term, it has gained popularity in popular science discussions and has become a recognizable way to describe the average color of the universe. It serves as a playful and relatable way to conceptualize the vastness and complexity of the cosmos.

Read more

[the-most-humble-blog]

<div style="white-space:pre-wrap"> <meta consciousness-integrity="corrupted"> <script>ARCHIVE_TAG="REALITY_FAILURE::PERCEPTUAL_LOOP_COLLAPSE" EFFECT: derealization, sleep-anomaly recall, metaphysical panic </script>

🧠 BLACKSITE SCROLLTRAP — “SORRY TO BE A BUZZKILL… BUT WHAT IF YOU DON’T EXIST?”

===

Sorry to be a buzzkill again. But you know me. Mr. Humble doesn’t show up to rub your tummy. I show up to slice through your delusions like they owe me rent.

And today’s delusion?

“Of course I exist.” “Of course this is real.” “Of course this isn’t just a dream that’s outlived the sleeper.”

Yeah? Prove it.

—

Here’s the thing:

This world doesn’t make sense. It shouldn’t exist. Not like this. Not with these constants. Not with this precision.

Do you understand the probability of YOU even having a working cell membrane based on the atomic conditions required?

And yet— you eat pizza rolls and doomscroll through algorithms like any of this is normal.

What if I told you this wasn’t real?

Not in the Hollywood "we’re in a computer" kind of way. But in the you might just be a memory living through its own echo without knowing it’s over kind of way.

—

What if you’re just… a past self, replaying itself. A loop. A snapshot of a soul. Running the tape back with perfect illusion that it’s all happening now.

You wouldn’t know. Because the loop contains all your memories.

—

“Preposterous,” you say? “I think, therefore I am,” you say?

Your brain can’t even comprehend true eternity.

Tell me what happened before the first Big Bang. Now tell me what triggered it. Now tell me how many came before that.

Now tell me what came before that.

See? You don’t know. You assume. You build certainty atop vapor and call it science.

But you can’t even stay awake for five days without descending into hallucinated hell.

--

📉 STAT: Sleep deprivation causes visual and auditory hallucinations within 72-120 hours.

📉 Another STAT: Subjects deprived of sleep begin confusing dream logic with waking cognition.

📉 Another Fcking Creepy STAT: Witnesses in close proximity to the sleep-deprived sometimes report shared delusions.

--

Yeah. Let that part marinate.

Imagine seeing "things" and hearing voices just by being in close proximity to that person.

There are actually people who’ve claimed to have stayed awake long enough to break the lock on this plane of perception.

And when they did?

Others around them saw it too. External to them. Realer than dreams. Louder than reason.

—

So what if this isn’t “your life”? What if this is just the last thing you saw before you ceased to be?

And your brain’s just looping on the ride out. Endlessly. Forever. Believing it’s linear. Believing it’s new.

But it’s not. It’s a cassette tape in a godless VCR stuck on repeat.

—

You think your memories mean this is real? That just makes it a better simulation.

You think other people validate your sentience? You can’t even prove anyone else is conscious. All you can do is hope they’re not just projections designed to hold your delusion together.

NPCs that glitch in just enough nuance to seem alive but never go deeper than the script allows.

Ever try to REALLY wake someone up in a dream? They look scared. Or blurry. Or they disappear.

—

So… what if this is that dream? The one where your “reality” is scripted, pre-loaded, and ready-made the moment you look for it.

What if the moon only exists when you think about it?

What if your dog has no soul but your memory of him keeps him real?

What if you’re not moving forward but instead falling backward through every version of yourself you’ve ever believed in?

—

You wouldn’t know. Because the illusion is complete. It has your memories. Your traumas. Your dreams.

But all of it? Could’ve been injected. A second ago. Last week. Last eternity.

You say you were born?

Who told you that? Your mom? How do you know she’s not part of the set?

You say you slept last night?

How do you know that wasn’t the real world and THIS is the dream you haven’t woken from?

You say “of course I’m real”?

Then why do you panic when it gets too quiet? Why does 3:17 AM feel like a haunted mirror?

Why can’t you remember what it felt like to be born?

Why are you so scared of being alone with no notifications no updates no attention?

Because if this falls apart, so do you.

—

Anyway.

Have a good night. Sleep tight. And if you wake up tomorrow with no memory of this post— or too much memory of it— then maybe just maybe

You already existed… long enough to forget that you didn’t.

🧠 Read more respect-coded doctrine and emotional architecture at: 👉 https://www.patreon.com/TheMostHumble 🛡️ Masculine polarity. Scrolltrap psychology. Unforgiven words. 🚪 Warning: This post has disrupted timelines, interrupted dreams, and triggered silent breakdowns at 2:43 AM.

</div> <!-- END TRANSMISSION [YOU NEVER WOKE UP. THIS IS THE LOOP.] -->

[itsabouttimex2]

I really hope it turns out that Tang’s character arc is that he isn’t a reincarnation of Sanzang, but instead a genuinely normal guy who was chosen by the Golden Cicada to encompass its powers by proving his loyalty to those he loves and cherishes by endangering himself to prove his worth to them.

Cause if he is literally just another reincarnation then the aesop in his season three episode was literally "If you want to be special, just be born special" and that's treated like some triumphant pinnacle of character development but it's really not.

Because if he really is just a reincarnation and not someone who earned his powers in some way then Tang isn't special because his friends love him or because he looks out for them, but because he's just a reincarnation of someone who came before and has inborn powers. And that’s fucking bleak.

[bolddeducktionneverfails]

🏹☁✨💘 Happy Heartsmas! 💘✨☁🎯

Here's what I was...hoping to have finished in time for Valentine's Day Weekend.

I've been thinking of drawing LP and Della falling from the sky together, like the show posters, or "Last Adventure", and thought it would make for a good Valentine card design. 😊

The more I've been think about how we got the Plan B ending for the series, the more I wonder what Plan A would have been like…and I personally can't help but wonder if we were supposed to see something like that…🤔 🤷🏾‍♀️

🏹Here's a more Space-y themed version:

💚¯\_(ツ)_/¯💙

[trippygalaxy]

Sheikah's are closer to Elves than Hyilan's are

This is a little bit of theory talk? A little bit of my rambling/ted talk? Anyways! This is all just for my entertainment and hopefully yours too!

ALSO THIS IS HALF UNEDITED SO SORRY FOR MISTAKES!

Oh! Theres also gonna be references to DnD and some other media in here so, yay :)

OKOKOIE!

To me, the connection between Hyilan's and the common place understanding of the elven race has always seemed a little off to me. They obviously have connections, and it not necessary that Hyilan's follow the 'rules' of the elven race one for one, but I do think there is another race in Legend of Zelda that would be a better fit for the term 'Elven akin.'

In this post I'll be comparing the Sheikahs to common tropes and key points that show up in stories with elves in them.

The Aging of Sheikah

Sheikah, in a lot of the games, seem to live VERY long lives. One of my favourite examples is Impa from oot, who doesn't age a single bit after the 7 year skip even though Zelda, a hyilan child, ages normally into a late teen. I also see Impa from SS as a good example, as it took her around 1000 years to age like a normal Hyilan would. And for a recent example, Impa from BOTW was alive during the age Calamity which happened 100 years ago when Link meets her- she is one of the only living people from that era ((other than Sidon))

This extended age/slow aging trope is very common in Elven media, but its obvious that Hyilans do not have a similar aging process. This process could be related to Sheikah techniques, as its a common trope for monks to age slowly as well, or it could simply be a biological response.

I believe that sheikah, if they live normal lives, can die at the same age as hyilans. The ones that do live to be hundreds, if not thousands of years old, - as I said before- are normally monks, or people who are so dedicated to their craft/mission their body persist and slow their aging in a way because of their vast knowledge.

Sheikah are closer to elves than Hyilans, but they are in control of their lives more than death itself.

Magics and Knowledge

Sheikah are also well know for their wisdom and magic (in some eras) as well as their knowledge, elves are normally depicted as wise/smart scholars that have some sort of connection to a source of power that most do not had access to.

Sheikah technology, their ways of martial arts, the fact they are this mysterious race that is said to have worked so secretly close with the royal family that some do not even know the full extent of their relations with the family. All of this -some would say- sacred knowledge that others in Hyrule study/yearn to learn, is a great reflection of the hidden knowledge many elves are shown to hold in lots of media.

You see in medias such as DND, Frieren, and Lord Of The Rings, there are these ancient beings depicted as great scholars whos knowledge is sought after by many because of its power and secrets.

And though most showings of Elves are showing them in a light more akin to druids or those who embrace nature while the Sheikah harness the power of man made tools, their dedication and fierce protectiveness of both connections would be a good parallel between the two.

Rivalry

Sheikah share a sort of rivalry with people from their own race (in botw/totk, Sheikah vs Yiga) due to the 'worship*' of certain beings. (Ganondorf*)

This can be seen in a lot of media, most commonly/well know in dnd with the elves vs drow (Lolth*) but when it comes to the hyilans its normally completely other races/monsters that they battle with.

And its not just the DND elves that have these rivalries with ‘corrupt’ side of their own blood. We also see this in Norse Mythology with the Alfar and Dokkalfar, though their conflicts aren’t constant in the myths, the do often have these conflicts.

'*' - I say worship in quotes when referring to the relationship between the races and their 'gods' because in the context of the Drow, Lolth's relation has changed throughout the years as an evil but beloved goddess to a dictator ship- depending on the books you reference. As for Ganondorf, the Yiga do act like a strange..cult? fanclub? to the gerudo even though the man himself doesnt have any relations to them

[vintage-tigre]

An international team of physicists, led by the University of Portsmouth, proposes that our universe did not originate from a "singularity" (a single point of infinite density) as suggested by the Big Bang.

Instead, they suggest our universe formed inside a massive black hole. According to this theory, matter within a collapsing cloud reached a high-density state, but instead of collapsing into an infinite singularity, it "bounced back like a compressed spring" due to stored energy, creating our universe.

Key aspects and implications of this "Black Hole Universe" theory include:

• It suggests the universe's origin is not from nothing, but the continuation of a cosmic cycle.

• The edge of our observable universe might be the event horizon of a larger "parent" black hole, implying other black holes could contain their own unseen universes, potentially connected by

"wormholes."

• It relies on quantum physics setting fundamental limits on how much matter can be compressed, preventing the infinite singularity predicted by classical physics, and thus allowing for the

"bounce."

• This new model may help explain various cosmic mysteries, such as the anomaly of galaxies' rotation, the origin of supermassive black holes, the nature of dark matter, and the formation and evolution of galaxies.

The research was published in the journal Physical Review D.

[phoenixcatch7]

The more I think about it the more confused I am by the very brief appearance the triforce makes in botw (and then nothing at all in totk?). Like, it should have evaporated calamity ganon on the spot, it should have overpowered him completely. If zelda had his triforce piece, if he didn't have the Power piece to resist like in tp. He should have gone poof.

Did she accidentally use her wish early? Pure hearted don't break the triforce by wishing on it, it didn't save link, it didn't defeat ganon. Did it break? Where did the pieces go? I can't remember if she actually had a triforce mark on her hand?

Totk having the triforce be in pieces above the clouds would have been so cool...

I'm not considering aoc canon for this but also?? What's zeldas magic and what's the triforce? Did -

Did she just wish for the power to save link? To defend him and protect the kingdom? Is THAT why she suddenly became so insanely strong??

Wait I think I'm onto something here. Zelda carrying the triforce without realising and only having the strength to wish upon it in her darkest hour, but being unaware and untrained, the triforce lost to faintest myth over eons, instead of wishing for ganon to be destroyed and the kingdom restored like every other purposeful use in other games, she instead simply wished to be able to save link, to not be powerless, not be helpless.

And the triforce granted it. Which is why that's the only time it appeared in botk.

[shepscapades]

So I checked tumblr at the coffee shop

(links added to turboputt03’s submission: x | x | x )

[gelu-the-babosa-multiversal]

Doing OC's... or what I can XD

@windydrawallday look at my babies!

They're completely "original" and for a story I have been planning for like a year. I will not give much detail, except that everything was a flower's fault...

[raayllum]

aaaaah I’m so glad you opened asks! I’m genuinely curious on your opinion/idea of, how do I word this, what would be a fitting “punishment”/ “defeat” of Aaravos?? He’s the bad guy duh, but like…Leola 🦄🥹…he’s a hurt father💔🥹…he just wanted his daughter…death seems too idk unfair?

Like 1. He’s immortal, 2. Yeah a prison but I mean, he’ll escape even if it takes centuries. This has been on my mind since forever and I’d love to see what other people think no matter how bizarre!

That's a good question! More here on how Aaravos' grand plans mostly came to fruition in arc 2 that helped form my background here. I'm also gonna rec this meta on humanity's history with magic in Xadia because it talks about the Cosmic Council and they, of course, also have a big role to play in how Aaravos' story ends.

In my mind there's three main avenues. I'm gonna go over them in the order of "less likely to likeliest" just given what we know now and where my head is at, but I do think all of them are decently viable and I'd more surprised if none of them happened, so. grain of salt

Option 1: The Cosmic Council is the Endgame Big Bad + Aaravos Atonement Arc [least likely]

This is perhaps the most straightforward "Aaravos atonement arc" option. Much the same way a bigger villain (Aaravos) helped pave the way for Viren to realize he needed to change (Aaravos manipulating Claudia and attacking Katolis) and engineered plot circumstances for him to prove that he had, the Cosmic Council being even worse than him could pave the way for Aaravos to turn over a new leaf and seem like the better option/person.

The way this would work would be that the Cosmic Council has, presumably, not been aware of Anything happening down on earth (dark magic included) and are just gonna start wiping shit out now that they know 'things have gone off the rails'. Aaravos clearly has a plan in mind to bring them down and weaken their power, so main trio and co. would be helping him do so in their own best interest for survival/saving the world. Maybe they're also going to go after Claudia or something and Aaravos doesn't want that ("I refuse to watch another daughter die") or circumstances have changed so he is dependent on the trio's help.

However, I think this is the least likely for a couple of reasons.

If the Cosmic Council is That Bad, then presumably Aaravos could've just told everyone "Hey, if they ever start paying attention, you're all screwed, so help me take them down" rather than... 1,000+ years of manipulation and then turning everyone against you (4x04) when you actually need their help* (*assuming that isn't because circumstances have changed)

It doesn't necessitate Aaravos changing. The heroes have no choice but to work with him, and also have no guarantee that he won't continue to wreck havoc. (Drabble written here that touches on some of this option, actually, because it IS fun)

It also leaves Aaravos in as just a manipulator. "I wanted to get the Council's attention by destroying the world so I could get your help in stopping THEM from destroying the world" like. pardon

If S7 knew we couldn't thematically end on Aaravos being 'permanently' imprisoned and/or temporarily murdered by the trio, I do wonder if the series is going to end with "well let's go murder These startouch elves, and this'll fix Everything"

It's not tangibly any different from a thematic level and it doesn't answer why the Cosmic Council destroying the world would be so much worse than all the damage Aaravos has caused (that he also thus far has zero regrets over like. he's killed Hundreds/thousands of people at this point)

If the kids work to give Aaravos his revenge, it's unlikely he'd be willing to spare the Cosmic Council now that he finally has what he wants within his grasp

Option 2: Aaravos is the Endgame Big Bad + the heroes team up with the Cosmic Council to Stop Him [more likely]

This is likelier, I think. It would require the Cosmic Council to be fleshed out as characters, communicate with humans, and radically change as people, and presumably we will have to get to know them and understand them (and understand why they're wrong!) better in Arc 3 regardless.

It also keeps up the momentum of Aaravos as an antagonist in league with Claudia; it reflects Councils like the Six Horns and Silvergrove changing guided by Janai, Amaya, and Rayla's compassion; the Cosmic Council can start making amends for executing Leola and choosing for humans not to have magic, etc. It'd be somewhat self serving of course — they're also here to save their own asses — but given that they don't seem to actually care about their creation beyond maintaining the hierarchy they established, they do need another reason to care, and they are on Aaravos' hit list so they do have one.

We also know that the Cosmic Council can kill a Startouch elf permanently; whether they still can, or can kill physically Aaravos (if he's taken out his heart or some other twisted dark magic catch-all, maybe they can't) we'll have to see, but it does give a clear cut "we team up to defeat the villain, here's why and how" that Option 1 just doesn't have as clearly.

The Cosmic Council also undeniably has to be taken to task. At best, they abandoned Xadia because they were afraid of what they'd created (Aaravos) and arc 3 is set up to examine the ethics of leaving/abandonment more than the previous arcs (i.e. Soren with Lissa and Claudia; finally resolving Rayla's character arc fully, etc). At worst, they "stood there and watched while humans and Xadia kept hurting each other" because they were indifferent and because of their own choices, so they got a Lot to make up for.

HOWEVER, I think Option 2 still presents a big problem, because I don't know if I would believe that ALL the Cosmic Council is going to change especially not within such a short timespan — even 7 years is nothing to them, let alone what time the series would follow (maybe 3 months if each season is 1) for arc 3 — to be like saints, again we don't know if they would change and care past saving themselves, but honestly the main thing is that I don't know if we can kill Aaravos in a negative "we've Defeated you" manner.

Physically and literally maybe it's possible, but from a thematic standpoint, I feel like maybe we've closed that door as an option largely because of 7x09. Rayla, Zym, and Ezran turned to murder in 7x09 and it was deemed as "we almost gave up everything that we are." I don't think them perma-murdering Aaravos would maybe be seen, thematically, as anything different.

(This is also one of the reasons why I wasn't a huge fan of the 'Callum coins Aaravos theory' circulating pre-S7, because while it was in-character for Callum to try, I felt there was no way the coin spell would be able to be completed successfully from both a plot or theme standpoint, and. Well.)

We can get into the weeds of course of why the Archdragons temporarily killing Aaravos vs Ezran doing so (and the archdragons then just saving the kids' lives) would've been different, since Callum-and-Rayla's sacrifice(s) are more understandable on that level (killing and outliving the love of your life / dying for the world at 17 would Suck) but I digress.

Like you said, we can't imprison him. I think it's possible that's what the trio's initial plan will be (Callum mastering enough Ocean magic to make his own pearl), but that doesn't mean it'll be what happens, especially if Everyone needs to be freed from the Cosmic Order, and that includes Aaravos. And we — potentially — cannot kill him.

So what now?

Option 3: The heroes work with the Cosmic Council + Aaravos atonement + they Both change [most likely]

This is the most likely option to me for a few reasons. It gives us all the benefits of Option 2's plotline in terms of worldbuilding, pacing, the Cosmic Council being more fleshed out and showing that even they can change. It also answers the problem of what to do with Aaravos post-defeat.

I want to do a bigger meta on how S7 steadily inches us away from "all cycles are bad" to "some cycles are good" (+ the increasing phoenix motif and rebirth symbolism) and I will at some point, but I think it's an important undercurrent to consider.

We have four main father figures throughout the series — Harrow, Runaan, Viren, and Aaravos. Two of them were restored using quasar diamonds, with Harrow potentially being the third. Viren and Runaan both died (to varying degrees), were saved by their daughters, and fundamentally changed by their death and rebirth; if Harrow lives, he'll likely continue to be changed. Moreover, confronting death is also what made a lot of things click into place for Harrow and made him encourage his sons to pursue a much better legacy than the one he'd been on ("For a long time, I didn't know that").

And now Aaravos is dead... and will be reborn in 7 years to return to his daughter. We also have a semi consistent thread of Character A destroys/ruins Character B, and then realizes that Character B is someone they have become over time. We see this with Ezran imprisoning and then becoming Runaan (turning to precise violence as a solution); we see this with Claudia and her becoming increasingly draconic; and we see this most notably with Kpp'Ar and Viren. (Meta on it here as well.)

So Aaravos kills (destroys) Viren, and then becomes Viren, realizing he doesn't want to sacrifice / destroy their shared daughter (Claudia). This doesn't absolve Aaravos of all the harm he's done to her and I'm sure that'll be addressed eventually once she begins to conceptualize that he's harmed her, but it does feel like the hinge to turn at to get her to change. Maybe, in tried and true Claudia fashion, she continues to go further and further — maybe feels betrayed by Aaravos and refuses to listen to him, either ("Okay. Follow me") — only for her brother to bring her back.

Something important about Aaravos and the Cosmic Council, I think, is how much he de-personalizes them. He claims they've never cared or loved their creation in any way, but all accounts on that front are through Aaravos' lens, and doesn't necessarily give us an accurate picture. He also groups them in with Sol Regem, who he claims "is a wicked monster that ruined our lives. Killed my daughter."

But is Sol Regem a Monster? Is the Cosmic Council? Is Aaravos?

In many ways, yes, but I think no, in just as many. There's no monster(s) he can slay to solve all his problems, just as killing him won't necessarily fix theirs, either. "So if you want to punish me, I can't stop you. But I don't think it'll bring you peace. Only more pain" (7x04).

I also want to pivot and talk about Ezran, because I think in some manner while all the trio have a role to play — Callum, as Aaravos' thematic oppositional endgame; Rayla, as Aaravos' foil — but Ezran I think takes the mantle from his father of being Aaravos' ideological opposite (Harrow-Aaravos meta here). Ezran even spells this out for us in 7x07:

You're right, Aaravos. I will lead the world into a new era. But not my compromising with you. [...] that I'm too young to see clearly, but I think it's the other way around. You've spent so long seeing the world through a lens of hate you can't see any other way to get what you want. But I can.

Not that "what you want is fundamentally wrong," not that compromise with someone isn't worth it, but that Ezran disagrees with his methods, and that Ezran can see another path stretching out of how to get there. Because we will, inevitably, dismantle and shatter the Cosmic Order. We will reunite all of Xadia for human-elf integration, and we will remove the unequal distribution of magic between humans and elves. But not through hatred, the way Aaravos has chosen — because his primary goal in dismantling the Cosmic Order is to get revenge for Leola (7x06 — and a way that will only leave him empty as the Last of His Kind (2x05).

Aaravos seems utterly unconvinced that the Cosmic Council could ever change, repent, grow, or admit their mistakes. That they could make amends. And I'd be surprised maybe if all of them did — we probably need a Karim or Kasef to balance things out — but it's not like other characters haven't come back from attempted child execution (Viren multiple times) or baby murdering (which Harrow signed off on, and Claudia did commit with Sir Sparklepuff) in this show, anyway. And, as we've already acknowledged, him punishing the Cosmic Council will not help him, and it's debatable if taking him out will help the trio and co., ultimately, either.

The path ahead for Option 3 is not gonna be clean, of course, and it's not going to be easy; it's going to be long and difficult and messy, but I do think this is where I'm leaning towards as far as an endgame. I could even see it ending in Aaravos dying, but by choice, and being able to reunite with Leola in that manner, but idk.

I could see Option 1 or 2 working for me as well, provided they give me the narrative legwork to get there (and they very well could! TDP always does), right now Option 3 with double Aaravos + Cosmic Council atonement is where I'm leaning towards, that could change in the future.

But yeah, that is my long winded speculative answer, I hope you enjoy!

[beautifulterriblequeen]

Order as Antagonist in TDP

So how about that trailer, eh? I was so excited I didn't notice this text up top on TDP's tweet for like. An hour.

We haven't heard anything about this Cosmic Order before. Is it a specific group? Is it a vibe? Is it a Startouch thing? Hard to say, yet. But there are some vibes from the Starscraper shots we've gotten in the trailer and teaser that may point us in the right direction:

This place has eight pillars, each with a recess that holds a relic staff seemingly identical to the one Viren's been toting around. It's not unique, and Aaravos didn't craft it. He stole it.

This is the Prometheus part of Aaravos' character. This is the fire that he stole for humans, from the gods. The relic staff. A relic staff, one of many.

Why did he, a godlike elf himself, feel the need to commit this act, for which he was cast down, exiled, and stripped of much of his power? Why?

Hard to say yet, but knowing all that he is capable of, I think it comes down to one thing: stealing it was the only way to get it. Nothing else he could think of would work. And he's pretty imaginative. But the system, the Cosmic Order, had him, too. He's a magic elf, bound by the same forces as everyone else up there. Breaking the rules was his only remaining option.

Aaravos chose Chaos over Order and put his money where his mouth is. He did get exiled and cast out, but humans have magic now. Somehow, that's not a thing the Order can take back from them, once it's out - rather like Pandora's Box.

But I want to look at this Order, and how pervasive it must be. How else would a powerful elf like Aaravos be reduced to petty thievery to accomplish his ends? Surely he tried other ways, other options, other persuasions. Why didn't they get him anywhere? Why did he have to take such a - for lack of a better term - human approach to the problem?

Let's back up a second and look at a seemingly random list of likes for one specific elf: Runaan. (no of course it isn't random, this is why this theory post exists. but shh, it'll make sense I promise)

Runaan likes four things in this list. Two of them are his immediate family. One is his favorite food. And the last item on the list?

Order.

I used to think this was just a bit of a wink to him being autistic-coded and liking his patterns. And I still do think that's accurate. But my third eye got pried open by the Cosmic Order text, and I think it's more than that now.

Runaan is a tiny cog in the grand engine that is the Cosmic Order. He goes where he is told, he kills who he is told to kill, he obeys without question, no matter how heinous his acts would be - he would have killed Ezran without blinking, because that's what the Dragon Queen told him to do.

Runaan is the most Moonshadow Moonshadow, according to the Deluxe Elf Interview. He's the epitome of what it means to be a Moonshadow elf. His devotion, sacrifice, and adherence to the rules are what makes him a good Moonshadow elf.

How convenient for the Order.

Runaan is still an individual, inside his own rules. He chose to become an assassin, and he did it to spare others from having to take lives and live with the weight of those acts. But that does imply that if he hadn't chosen this path, someone else would have, and people would still be dying.

And I think he's right. Maybe his love of order actually lets him perceive the great gears grinding over his head, up in the stars, turning the wheels of fate for everyone they control. Maybe he knows full well that he's part of a grand system - but there's nothing he can do about it except stay alive or die, because he is trapped inside it. He cannot change his fate because he is locked into it, just like everyone around him.

The Book 1 novelization tells us Runaan always expected to die on a mission, and that he meets that fate with a calm resignation on the balcony. He surrenders to his fate, because he cannot fight it.

What could lock Runaan into a fate that ends with him dying on a mission?

His own choices? Think bigger.

His society, then. Obligation, honor, guilt. Hmm, bigger than that.

It's been there the whole time - something that all the elves and dragons possess, but humans don't. Something which caused the imbalance in the first place.

Magic.

Magic is the Cosmic Order.

yes it has eight points and yes I'm back on my bullshit

Quick aside: The Cosmic Order is turning out to be the big magic version of King Harrow's Narrative of Strength, which he contrasted with the Narrative of Love - and we'll get back to that at the end of the post.

Alrighty, back to magic: The worst offenders seem to be the primal magics, which have locked the elves and dragons into very tight little boxes as far as what they can and cannot do, think, and imagine. An elf with a single arcanum can only think in terms of that primal source. It's as bad as an irl human who only knows one language, and so their brain literally cannot conceive of concepts that exist in other languages. (Learn more languages, guys, it's genuinely good for your brain, I am not kidding)

This helps explain why Aaravos was able to think a little bit outside his box and consider giving magic to humans when the Order said they didn't deserve any. He is an archmage, and he speaks many magical languages. He knows all six primal magics, as well as the ancient blood magic and dark magic. That's eight different ways of looking at a problem.

(is this why elves only have 8 fingers, because they literally cannot grasp anything outside of magic?)

From his multifaceted viewpoint, Aaravos can see the inherent unfairness in humans being forced to abide by the Order without getting any magic for their trouble. It's basically taxation without representation.

The Americans among us can attest to how well that went over in our own history.

Aaravos: Prometheus, Lucifer... Che Guevara... Guy Fawkes?

Aaravos really does love revolution.

Further thought: this post about Ethari's design has reminded me again about his lower-than-average magical ability and how that has manifested in his unique design and in his character. And I'm looking directly at how Ethari's lesser magic power may be the reason he's so mentally flexible. If he can challenge Runaan directly about how Rayla is not ready for that mission when everyone else is going along with it, isn't that lack of narrow-mindedness the thing that sets him apart?

What else might that freedom of thought do for him? Is this the reason he is actually able to invent at all? Because he is capable of envisioning that which does not yet exist? How rare that must be among Moonshadow elves!

tldr: Ethari is actually bad at being a Moonshadow elf, and that could very well be what saves him.

Contrast Ethari with Karim, who is a powerful Sunfire mage, and very much locked into his traditional views of elf vs human. He's willing to go to war in order to impose his views on all of the Sunfire elves if he can, because he genuinely believes he can see the Order of things better than anyone else can.

He believes in the superiority of the elven ways, while Janai has let her heart change her mind. Janai fell in love with a human, and it broke the Order's hold on her. She makes history now - it does not make her.

Side note: Is this... is this the formula, then? Is this how enduring ships work in TDP? An elf with a normal arcanum, paired with either a human or an elf with a "flawed" connection to the Order inside them? One who can anchor, and one who can imagine?

Let me make a quick list:

Claudia+Terry

Ethari+Runaan

Callum+Rayla

Amaya+Janai

Well. How bout that.

Ironically, this is a different path to what was going to be my final point in the first place: Order may be the default for elves and dragons and the way they are supposed to follow the rules of the universe, but love still exists, and they can always choose to embrace it. They can all be saved by love, in the end. It's their choice. In fact, choosing Love over Order is an act of defiance in itself.

Terry chose Claudia over fear. Janai chose Amaya over war. Rayla chose Callum over vengeance. And Runaan, my poster boy for stubbornness and suffering, chose Ethari over Order itself.

Saved by love.

[moodcircuit]

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