Vida en el bosque: Diferencias “maternales”
Narra Zack
Ya ha pasado algún tiempo desde que conocí a Halim, desde entonces vengo cada que puedo a visitarlo en el bosque, aunque sea poco tiempo, he notado que hemos tenido un avance en nuestra relación, en un principio el era muy temeroso, serio y algo distante conmigo, solo me permitía tener cierta distancia a él , pero ahora se muestra alegre, risueño y cariñoso, y eso me alegra, le he estado enseñando a hablar, pero solo ha podido aprender algunas palabras, y con eso puedo saber más o menos lo que quiere decirme, he logrado que se ponga algo de ropa, pero cuando vuelvo con él, lo encuentro usando su short viejo y roto en vez de la ropa nueva, parece que cuando no estoy con el no la usa, supongo que tengo que esperar a que se acostumbre, espero y también lograrlo con el calzado. Con Halim no tengo tanto problema cuando se trata de mostrarle cosas nuevas para que las haga o las use, pero… con su “madre” es un caso distinto, aunque ya no desconfía tanto en mi, recuerdo que las primeras veces que me vio me gruñía y parecía que en cualquier momento iba a lanzarse contra mí, pero Halim siempre se interponía; nuestra relación es más tranquila, pero nuestras ideas parecen no relacionarse bien, parece que siempre pensamos opuestamente…
Zack: vamos Halim, tienes que usarlos para proteger tus pies – decía mientras le mostraba unos tenis
Halim: -negando con la cabeza rápidamente-
Zack: Por favor Halim- seguía acercándole los tenis
Halim: -retrocedía mientras seguía negándose- ¡Halim, No!
Mientras, la mamá gaster blaster estaba viendo todo desde hace un rato y empezaba a fastidiarse, se acercó a nosotros, me quitó los tenis con su boca y los lanzó lejos.
Zack: ¡Oye ¿Qué te pasa?, gasté un buen dinero por ellos! - la regañé y fui corriendo a buscarlos.
No le gusta que le dé cosas que molesten a Halim o que no las quiera, pero los tenis podrían cubrir los pies de Halim, así no se los lastimaría, no sé por qué no lo entiende…
Descubrí que a Halim le gustan las cosas dulces, no, no solo le gustan, le encantan…
Halim: ahh –muestra su boca en señal de tener hambre-
Zack: ¿quieres comer, Halim? –saca de una caja térmica un flan- mira este es mi postre favorito, se llama… FLAN
Halim: … ff…am…ffff-a
Zack: FLAN, vamos dilo, FLAAAN
Halim: ff-ll…flllll…mmm…anm
Zack: ¡vamos!, ¡ya casi, ya casi!- decía emocionado
Halim: mmmmm…fl….fllll…..an….fl-an…Fff...¡F-FLAN!
Zack: ¡Sí, lo dijiste! – le dio un gran abrazo haciendo que Halim sonriera
saca una cuchara de la caja, toma un poco del flan con una cuchara y se lo acerca a su cara.
Zack: Vamos Halim, pruébalo, te va a gusta
Halim se queda viendo un momento el flan, dirige sus ojos hacia mí a lo que le respondí con una sonrisa, empieza a acercarse y abrir la boca para probarlo, estaba a punto de comerlo, cuando de la nada la cola de la mamá gaster blaster golpeó la cuchara hacia arriba, haciéndome soltar el botecito por el susto, se cayera de mi mano y derramara la mitad del flan en el piso.
Zack: … ¡¿POR QUE ERES ASI?!-me giré enfadado para verla de frente- ¡Eso no era nada malo, solo un simple postre!
Ella me gruñía mientras yo le repelaba su acción, me sentía tan molesto en ese momento que quería pelear, aunque me aguantaba las ganas, podré parecer algo infantil, pero era un flan, MI flan, el postre más delicioso del universo y esa serpiente súper desarrollada lo había tirado como si fuera un trapo viejo e inservible, debía pagar por eso, pero nuestra riña se esfumó cuando escuchamos una voz.
Halim: ¡FLAN!
Giramos para ver que Halim tenía el bote de flan medio lleno en sus manos, sacando su contenido degustándolo mientras reía y se manchaba la cara y las manos, verlo así hizo que mi molestia se fuera, sonreí enternecido, dirigí mi mirada hacia la “madre”, y ella me miró a mí.
Zack: lo vez, te lo dije, no es nada malo… sé que te preocupas por él, pero te aseguro que lo que yo le dé no será peligroso— le decía mientras la miraba directo a los ojos de manera determinada.
Ella me miró por unos instantes, luego fue hacia Halim y con su lengua empezó a limpiar los restos del flan de su cara, Halim reía por eso, cuando terminó de limpiarlo se alejó un poco, echándose sobre el pasto y cerrando sus ojos para descansar, dirigí mi mirada hacia Halim que con una mirada curiosa intentaba abrir la caja térmica hasta que lo logró, ahora estaba buscando abrir el otro botecito de flan, cosa que consiguió y enseguida empezó a devorarlo, esperen…
Zack: ¡Oye, ese es mio!
Intenté quitárselo, pero Halim se alejó corriendo mientras yo lo perseguía, parece que esta vez no podré comer Flan T-T…
Cosas así pasaron y siguen pasando, la “madre” ha aprendido a tolerar mis ideas… un poco, aun así no deja de estar atenta a lo que haga con Halim.
Por fin publico otra parte sobre la “vida en el bosque” que zack vive con Halim. Esta vez mostrando un poco la relación que tiene con la madre Gaster Blaster en los inicios.
Quizás la siguiente parte sea un mini cómic, no aseguro nada.
Zack-> @mickycute / @makifoxcute
Halim/Mamá Gaster Blaster-> @mente-libre-fanwork
¡Gracias por ver mis avances en esto! :D
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Single Review: “How to Shake Hands” by Clutch
“How to Shake Hands” probably won’t sound familiar, though the latest single from Clutch’s forthcoming album Book of Bad Decisions (out on September 7th via Weathermaker Music) was inspired by another song. On a different note, it also sheds more light on a potential thread that will connect the material that will comprise the record, the title Book of Bad Decisions apparently being rather self-explanatory, centering on either reassessing certain events in hindsight or in this case offering up a scenario in which the outcome could possibly be devastating. Either way, the most basic subject matter may well be just bad decisions.
The original idea for what became “How to Shake Hands” was to cover “John Lee Hooker for President”, a number that Ry Cooder made to honor the iconic bluesman John Lee Hooker, albeit in a humorous way by injecting it with what Hooker may have done if he were to sit in the Oval Office. Abandoning that idea -- Neil Fallon fearful he would be unable to do the song justice – the members of Clutch decided to instead draw on its elements and themes for a song of their own. “How to Shake Hands” was what was spawned from that.
As far removed from that blues song as this one may be, it can still be traced back to it. It’s subtle, though there is a hint of blues to be heard on this track, Fallon channeling a bit of that as influence, buried well beneath that blistering rock ‘n’ roll that dominates this second single.
An unadulterated rock song, “How to Shake Hands” yet again reaffirms that Fallon, Tim Sult, Dan Maines and Jean-Paul Gaster are absolute masters of rock music. More than a quarter of a century in to this project known as Clutch and they still sound as spirited as ever; the commanding nature of their music having only grown more powerful over the years. All of that is on vivid display during this invigorating number, managing to make it sound fresh so that it stands apart from their previous material while still boasting all of the hallmarks that Clutch has developed over the years.
Maines and Gaster control every aspect of this one. As a rhythm section they are on fire, arguably sounding more potent than ever before. From sonorous beats to a rapid-fire assault, Gaster swaps between the varying styles almost instantaneously, making it all sound so fluid while simultaneously crafting a wild and chaotic feel. One that’s meant to put a person on edge, uncertain of what could possibly happen next. Fleshing it out is Maines’ work on the bass. While slightly less noticeable, he makes the percussion sound all the more incredible and robust, allowing it to truly make an impact and be as heavy as possible.
Sult’s contributions are every bit as outstanding, the guitarist laying down some catchy, often sweet licks throughout the piece; the sizzling solo that follows the first chorus acting as a climatic turning point for the story that is unfolding. His determination seeps out of his playing, the guitar coalescing around the bass and drums to capture the ever-mounting sense of urgency.
Fallon’s performance is just as remarkable, belting out the lyrics with defiance and conviction as he takes on the persona of the character whose perspective the story is told from: a populist presidential candidate who is unorthodox and breaks all the norms. A dark horse that may stand more of a chance than people believe.
Political though it may be, “How to Shake Hands” is an exceptionally rare song in that it isn’t outright trying to make a point. It doesn’t take any particular side, nor is it attempting to offer any sort of social commentary. It isn’t meant to necessarily reflect anything currently happening in the political world, but rather just be a fun and extremely dynamic song.
Teeming with gusto, Fallon fits the part of this political outsider, the lyrics beginning by depicting a grassroots campaign to make the nation aware of his candidacy. He even sounds charming as he unabashedly delivers the first bridge, “I'm gonna kiss all the babies. Maybe kiss their Mamas too. I don't need the secret service. I KNOW how to work a room.” The entire track is like that, even touching on a real sentiment with the final line of the chorus, “Oh, I'm ready to give the people what they want, and what they want is straight talk and no jive!” What’s being said may or may not actually be straight talk, but so long as it’s perceived to be…
The frontman even demonstrates his versatility as a vocalist, switching from that loud and proud demeanor to near perfectly imitating a news broadcaster at the second bridge, where he dramatically speaks of the election results coming in.
In the end, there are faint reminders of what Clutch drew on to write “How to Shake Hands”, though it is unquestionably an original song and one done in their vein of music. Just an in-your-face, gritty and raw rock song, one that prides itself in being loud and authoritative. One that demands the listener give it their full attention as they play it, and if you do, you’ll be rewarded with a finely nuanced experienced. There are all sorts of little things to pick up on in the music bed or even the vocals that makes “How to Shake Hands” worth multiple listens. Even the production quality is exceptional.
Clutch’s previous album was arguably their best up to that point, and so far, it seems as if they’ll outdo themselves again with Book of Bad Decisions.
Pre-order Book of Bad Decisions on:
iTunes | Google Play | Amazon MP3
Visit Clutch’s websites:
Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube
Current Shows:
2018
July
15--Inkcareceration Festival--Mansfield, OH
August
4--Earth Rocker Festival 18 at Shiley AcresInwood, WV
September
18—Myth--Saint Paul, MN
19--Uptown Theater--Kansas City, MO
21--House of Blues--Houston, TX
22--River City Rockfest--San Antonio, TX
23--Gas Monkey Live--Dallas, TX
25--House of Blues--Lake Buena Vista, FL
27--The Norva--Norfolk, VA
28--The Ritz--Raleigh, NC
29—Masquerade--Atlanta, GA
30--Louder Than Life Festival--Louisville, KY
October
2--Ogden Theater--Denver, CO
3--The Depot--Salt Lake City, UT
5--Knitting Factory--Boise, ID
6--Knitting Factory--Spokane, WA
7--Showbox SODO--Seattle, WA
8--Commodore Ballroom--Vancouver, Canada
9—Roseland--Portland, OR
11--The Regency Ballroom--San Francisco, CA
12--El Rey Theater--Los Angeles, CA
13--Glen Helen Ampitheater--San Bernardino, CA
14--The Observatory North Park--San Diego, CA
15--Marquee Theater--Tempe, AZ
17--Cains Ballroom--Tulsa, OK
18--POP's--Sauget, IL
19--20 Monroe Live--Grand Rapids, MI
20—Fillmore--Detroit, MI
21--Stage AE--Pittsburgh, PA
23—Rebel--Toronto, Canada
25—Palladium--Worcester, MA
26--Irving Plaza--New York, NY
27--Irving Plaza--New York, NY
28--Electric Factory--Philadelphia, PA
November
27—Melkweg--Amsterdam, Netherlands
29—Pustervik--Göteborg, Sweden
30—Annexet--Stockholm, Sweden
December
2--Astra Kulturhaus--Berlin, Germany
4--Live Music Hall--Cologne, Germany
5—Batschkapp--Frankfurt Am Main, Germany
6—Docks--Hamburg, Germany
7—Proxima--Warszawa, Poland
8--arena wien - verein forum--Wien, Austria
9--Culture Factory--Zagreb, Croatia
11—Fabrique--Milan, Italy
12--Konzertfabrik Z7 & Mini Z7--Pratteln, Switzerland
13--Backstage Werk--Munchen, Germany
14—Longhorn--Stuttgart, Germany
15--Elysee Montmarte--Paris, France
16—AB--Brussels, Belgium
18--O2 Academy Bristol--Bristol, United Kingdom
19--O2 Academy--Glasgow, United Kingdom
20--Manchester Academy--Manchester, United Kingdom
21--O2 Brixton Academy--Brixton, United Kingdom
22--O2 Academy Birmingham--Birmingham, United Kingdom
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Xiao Andy’s Comments On Every Video For the Undertale OST
This is pretty long but it’s a very great read and analyzation of the game, high recommend reading this. :) x
* Some tracks were skipped due to the comment being buried under others!
Undertale OST: 002 - Start Menu
“AAAAAA” Not very creative…? “Toriel” I think you should choose your own name, my child. “Sans” nope. “Papyru” (only six letters allowed) I’LL ALLOW IT! “Blooky” ………… (They’re powerless to stop you.) “Woshua” clean name. “Temmie” hOI! “Alphys” D-Don’t do that. “Alphy” Uh… OK? "Flowey" I already CHOSE that name. “Metta” OOOOH! ARE YOU PROMOTING MY BRAND? “Asgore” You cannot. “Chara” The true name. “Aaron” Is this name correct? ;) “Bratty” Like, OK, I guess. “Catty” Bratty! Bratty! That’s MY name! “Gerson” Wa ha ha! Why not? “Asriel” … “Undyne” Get your OWN name! “Gaster” Reloads the intro sequence. “Shyren” …? “Jerry” Jerry. “Bpants” You are really scraping the bottom of the barrel. “Frisk” Warning: this name will make your life hell. Proceed anyway?
Undertale OST: 004 - Fallen Down
WHY IS THERE NOT AN OPTION TO JUST LIVE WITH TORIEL I DON’T WANT THIS ADVENTURE I DON’T WANT TO TALK TO THAT FLOWER I DON’T WANT TO FIGHT THE KING I DON’T WANT TO GET DUNKED ON I DON’T WANT TO KILL THINGS I DON’T WANT TO BREAK DOWN CRYING I JUST WANT TO STAY HERE AND EAT BUTTERSCOTCH PIE WITH GOAT-MOM
Undertale OST: 007 - Anticipation
Toriel ain’t having any of that Froggit’s shit. Also note how this is the drumbeat to “Enemy Approaching”. God damn it Toby.
Undertale OST: 008 - Unnecessary Tension
Am I the only one who got confused by how long the hallway was? Eventually, I decided that it had to have been an infinitely looping hallway, and backtracked to the previous room because I thought Toriel was trying to test my intelligence. I felt really stupid.
Undertale OST: 012 - Home
The fact that this song is just Undertale slowed down makes it even more touching.
Undertale OST: 013 - Home (Music Box)
She even turned off the light for you! What a sweet goat-mom.
Undertale OST: 015 - sans.
I absolutely love how Sans is developed as a character. You step outside the Ruins, eager to begin your journey, yet still a bit guilty about leaving Toriel alone. You walk along, the lack of music beginning to unnerve you, when you spot a shadowy figure stalking you. You begin to think that maybe staying with Toriel would’ve been a better idea, and then the figure is upon you. And then it’s revealed that he’s a total goofball, sprouting lame puns and trolling his brother. You think to yourself, “Hey, this must be the comic relief character. Glad there’s someone to lighten up the mood around here!” But then, as the game goes on, you start getting glimpses of something deeper at play underneath the laidback persona. Did he just teleport? Wait, how does he know about that? How did he get here? Why is he saying this? Who is this guy?
Undertale OST: 017 - Snowy
Perfect song to listen to when you’re curled up in bed and snow is pattering lightly on your window. So serene and peaceful.
Undertale OST: 019 - Dogbass
“-gamy” is a suffix that means “marriage”. "Dogaressa" is the title given to the female ruler of Venice. The more you know.
Undertale OST: 020 - Mysterious Place
If you use the Mystery Key on the door, you get this message: “You used the key. The lock clicks… as the key fails to fit in the hole.” God damn you, Toby.
Undertale OST: 023 - Shop
It’s a very small touch, but I love how you can TALK to the vendors in this game, and they’ll clue you in on very interesting aspects of the game’s lore. If you don’t talk to Gerson, you won’t know what the Delta Rune is, or why your character can’t just take the SOUL of a Froggit and cross the barrier, and other very important plot-related things. Most games would just have very insignificant conversation options for their vendors, or just prevent you from talking to them at all. But not Undertale.
Undertale OST: 024 - Bonetrousle
It’s pretty damn awesome how this battle is set up. During your entire trek through Snowdin Forest, Papyrus has shown himself to be hilariously inept and incompetent, setting up puzzles that are comically easy to solve and getting outwitted constantly by his brother Sans. So when he starts fighting you, you’re a hundred percent sure that this is gonna be a walk in the park- and it is. Bones slide by harmlessly at the bottom of the screen, and your SOUL is completely safe from them (you don’t even have to move!) Not only that, his fabled “blue attack” turns out to be absolutely ineffective. By that point, you’re probably not even paying attention to the battle, assuming that it will play out by itself. But then, your SOUL turns blue and falls against the bottom of the box. An extremely well-placed bone slides by, damaging you while you’re probably too confused to even react. He spouts that very memorable line, and then that awesome drumbeat kicks in. Papyrus isn’t playing around anymore. Or is he? CHECKing Papyrus shows that he has 8 ATK and 2 DEF. That is higher than Undyne, who has 7 ATK and 0 DEF. Papyrus also acts very distracted and unfocused during the battle, constantly shifting his attention to his upcoming date and his future popularity, and even then he still presents a very serious threat. He is also apparently more in control of his attacks than Toriel, as Papyrus can instantly end his turn if you drop down to 1 HP, making it impossible to die to him, while Toriel can still accidentally kill you if you’re careless enough. To top it off, his final “regular” attack (and I’m not even gonna mention the possibility that his special attack could’ve been extremely powerful) ends in a ridiculously long row of bones, topped off by a giant bone that would normally be impossible to jump over. You are only able to dodge this attack by breaking the rules of the game and somehow managing to float all the way to the top of the box (I imagine that Sans is responsible for this.) If not for that, you would definitely have lost all your HP on that attack, as there is no conceivable way to dodge them regularly. I imagine that Papryus is much, much stronger than Sans, but he never shows his true power because he is much too innocent and kind-hearted. Now, if that innocence were to be shattered…
Undertale OST: 025 - Dating Start
There’s something hilarious about the fact that this silly dating song is a remix of one of the most epic songs on the soundtrack, Hopes and Dreams/SAVE the World. I don’t know why, it’s just amusing to me.
Undertale OST: 028 - Premonition
What makes this exchange even more chilling is the fact that, if you call Papyrus in a handful of locations throughout the game, he will mention Flowey and his interactions with him. Calling him in the room where you land on the golden flowers in Waterfall has him say “FLOWERS…? DO ANY OF THEM TALK?! SAY HI FOR ME!!! FLOWERS ARE OUR BEST FRIENDS!!” Calling him in a different room in Waterfall has him remark “ECHO FLOWERS… THERE’S ONLY ONE TALKING FLOWER FOR ME!” Calling Papyrus (after you’ve befriended Undyne) in MTT Resort has them say:
Undyne: “So you hate this dog (Annoying Dog), but like weird talking flowers?“
Papyrus: "THE FLOWER IS MY FRIEND!"
Undyne: "I mean, if having an imaginary friend makes you happy…"
Papyrus: "OH MY GOD!! HE’S NOT IMAGINARY! HE HAS A NAME!"
Undyne: "What’s his name."
Papyrus: "FL… FLOWERY?"
Undyne: "Oh my GOD!! You just made that up!!”
Papyrus: “OK, I DID! BUT HE’S REAL!"
It really shows just how thoroughly Flowey has been manipulating Papyrus. He’s so clueless, it breaks my heart…
Undertale OST: 032 - Run!
Fun fact: if you take too long to reach the grass during the sequence where Undyne is throwing spears at you, she starts throwing them so fast that they’re nearly impossible to dodge. Then, when she grabs Monster Kid, he’ll run back and ask you what you did to make her so frustrated.
Toby Fox thinks of everything.
Undertale OST: 033 - Quiet Water
Yup, this is the same melody as Waterfall (and by extension, Spear of Justice), slowed down. Gotta love that.
Undertale OST: 041 - Chill
I feel like Napstablook and Moldsmal would get along. Both of them lie down on the ground to understand the world better. A match made in heaven.
Undertale OST: 042 - Thundersnail
Fun fact: if you lose, but only by a small margin, the snail will think that it won, and Napstablook, not wanting to disappoint you, hands you 30G.
Undertale OST: 045 - NGAHHH!!
You can just feel the anime oozing from this track. Undyne is anime incarnate. Telling her that anime isn’t real is like telling God that Christianity is a lie; only a fool would do such a thing.
Undertale OST: 048 - Alphys
Am I the only one who wishes that Alphys had more tracks dedicated to her? Most characters get at least two or three (Mettaton the drama queen gets seven, if you include the ones that are only five or six seconds long), while this is the only track associated solely with Alphys. It’s a shame; Alphys is a very nuanced and complex character, and her antics never failed to make me laugh. Some people found her constant updates and calls annoying, but I found them extremely endearing. She’s an all-around fun character, and she should’ve gotten some more love.
Undertale OST: 049 - It’s Showtime!
You gotta love how Mettaton is first introduced. Alphys starts warning you about a "killer robot with a thirst for human blood” and his numerous “anti-human combat features”. Then you start hearing loud clangs, and the ground starts shaking so powerfully that you and Alphys are jostled into the air. The screen goes white, and you’re fully expecting some kind of gundam mecha titan robot to appear. But no, he’s just a metal rectangle on wheels. A sexy one, but still.
Undertale OST: 050 - Metal Crusher
Funny story: this track is actually what got me into the game. I was browsing videos one day and happened on upon something that used this track as background music. I couldn’t get it out of my head, and eventually I found out the game it came from, and it all spiraled out of control from there. Thank God this track exists.
Undertale OST: 054 - Hotel
WAIT A MAGNIFICENT MOMENT! WE’RE MISSING THE MOST IMPORTANT INGREDIENT! …A HUMAN SOUL! I can’t get over how well Toby can make silly tracks serious, and serious tracks silly. Here he takes the melody to the most tearjerking, heartbreaking song in the soundtrack (Undertale, Track 71) and remixes it into a cozy little track for a cooking show or staying at a resort. Truly a god.
Undertale OST: 062 - Oh! Dungeon
If you avoid stepping on any green tiles, Mettaton’s reaction is pretty funny. “Well well well. Welly well well. Well welly well well, well well welly. You never stepped on a green tile. (awkward silence) AND NOW YOU’RE GOING TO DIE.” battle starts If you manage to complete the puzzle, somehow, Mettaton will deactivate the flames, and then Alphys will call and shout that she’s gonna save you. When Mettaton tells you that you already beat the puzzle, Alphys says “What? THAT puzzle?” before quickly regaining her composure. You’re a really bad actor, Alphys.
Undertale OST: 063 - It’s Raining Somewhere Else
Some people probably think that Sans’ line (You’d be dead where you stand.) was uncalled for, and that it came out of the blue, especially if you’re on a Pacifist playthrough, but I think Sans was totally justified in spooking you like that. In my headcanon, Sans is faintly aware of the events that occur in alternate timelines, and as such knew that the human that stepped out of the Ruins had the potential to become a genocidal, world-ending maniac. However, due to his friendship with Toriel, he decided to take his chances and hope that you went down a different route. This warning is meant to scare you out of doing a Genocide playthrough, because despite the fact that you’ve been a kind, caring and pacifistic little kid so far, he knows that at any moment that could change. And he won’t tolerate that.
Also note how the main melody of this track is just “sans.” slowed down and played on piano. Sans, as lazy as ever.
Undertale OST: 064 - CORE Approach
Calling Papyrus and Undyne at the entrance of the CORE is really saddening. They’ll tell you that since the CORE is made of electricity (or something), you won’t be able to call them. Papyrus tells you that there’s no such thing as “goodbyes” when it comes to his friends, only “see-you-laters.” Undyne laments the fact that you’re going to leave, since you just started being friends with her and she wanted to do so much more with you. They’ll both tell you that they’re there in spirit, and that they believe in you, before hanging up. Friends till the end.
Undertale OST: 065 - CORE
I absolutely love how this track plays over the normal battle theme. And I also love how the enemies you encounter there are versions of the enemies you encountered in the beginning of the game who have gotten over their problems and grew as characters just as much as you. You started out as a scared, lonely kid, but have turned into a determined force of nature who will let nothing stand in the way of their friends. Whimsun started as a meek, timid monster who couldn’t bring themselves to hurt anyone, but has now become a mercenary who has no qualms about their decision. Froggit started out as a confused, unhappy monster whose life was difficult, but now its future looks brighter and brighter. And Loox has become the bully that he always hated. It really makes you feel the culmination of your journey, and how far you have come.
Undertale OST: 071 - Undertale
“Before the song ‘UNDERTALE’ was completed, it went through a completely different iteration. That version sounded a bit more sad, which I think would have been less effective.” -Toby Fox regarding an unused version of this track, released on the anniversary of the game Therein lies what I think makes this track so special. Many fans praise Undertale for being the saddest track in the game, and I’m not one to disagree. Hell, I’ve never once been able to listen to the whole track without shedding at least a single tear. And it accompanies one of the most emotionally climactic scenes in the entire game; when every monster you’ve befriended throughout your journey relays to you a tale. A tale of heartbreak, a tale of sorrow, of death and loss, of a family torn asunder and the hope of an entire civilization extinguished. Why, then, would Toby Fox decide that making the track sadder would lessen its effectiveness? Because Undertale isn’t about sadness. It’s about hope. Love. Kindness. Compassion. Mercy. And above all, holding onto these precious things in the face of pain and sadness. That’s what this track conveys perfectly, I believe. The tale of the fallen child is undoubtedly a tragedy, the monsters going at length to describe the devastation it wrought on both the Dreemurr family and monsterkind as a whole. The future of humans and monsters had died, and the prince of their world’s future along with them. The monsters tell you that at that moment, the underground had lost all hope. But at that very instant when the narration appears on screen (5:20), the music swells, shifting to a new key; an outburst of hope, joy, unconfined love and compassion. There is hope in the underground, and there’s hope everywhere. You just have to keep holding on. That’s what this track conveys to me. Yes, this song makes me cry. Not out of sadness, it’s not a song about sadness. It makes me cry out of joy. The type of tears that roll down your face and past the edge of your trembling, hopeful smile. Because you should be smiling, too.
Aren’t you excited?
Aren’t you happy?
You’re going to be free.
Undertale OST: 073 - The Choice
It’s truly touching how proud Sans sounds when he judges you on a Pacifist playthrough. I think part of it is due to the fact that he knows that you had the potential to become a genocidal monster, to kill his brother and ruin everybody’s lives, but you didn’t. You stayed strong and didn’t let the trials you faced steal your humanity. Because despite everything, all the fights and attempts on your life, all the misadventures, surprises, and tears, you’re still you.
Undertale OST: 075 - Barrier
I really liked the shift in graphical style for the barrier. It was a nice precursor to the horrible monstrosity that was Omega Flowey.
Undertale Ost: 076 - Bergentrückung
Fun fact: Bergentrückung is a German phrase which translates to “king in the mountain.” It is a literary trope used to refer to a character who is “asleep” (usually either missing or dormant due to magic or something), who has not appeared for a long time. However, when people need them the most, the character will awaken and save the day. It’s rather ironic that Asgore’s pre-battle theme is named after this, since everything about him is presented as an inversion of this trope. He’s not a hero who has finally decided to take action to liberate his subjects from a terrible prison; he’s just a regular person, burdened with a terrible choice.
Undertale Ost: 077 - ASGORE
I absolutely love how Toriel’s theme, Heartache, and the game over theme, Determination, are the main components of this track. Asgore really is not that different from Toriel; you don’t want to fight either of them, and they don’t want to fight you, but neither of you are willing to compromise your goals, and a reluctant battle is held. The only difference here is that Asgore is willing to kill you, but not out of malice; he’s just as gentle as Toriel, but the pressure from his people simply wouldn’t let him. And the fact that the game over music plays seems to tell me that even while fighting you with the full intention of taking your life, he is still rooting for you and hoping that you succeed- in fact, he’s probably rooting for you more than he is rooting for himself, since if he wins, he not only becomes a murderer, but must also partake in a horrible, genocidal plan that will stain his hands red forever. It’s such a complex, powerful battle, and it’s probably my second favorite in the game.
Undertale OST: 080 - Finale
This boss battle is god damn perfect. Every little aspect of it, from the presentation to the music to the gameplay, is executed flawlessly. Throughout the battle, there’s that sinking, awful feeling of despair as you’re faced with an abomination that you can never hope to defeat- who is so unimaginably powerful that your only chance at survival is to dodge frantically as the universe is literally crumbling around you. There is nothing you can do but cower in fear as Flowey torments you with his powers, saving and loading files to disorient you, channeling the power of each SOUL to attack you, crashing the game, etc. But then, that glorious moment, when those five blessed words appear on the screen: “Flowey’s DEFENSE dropped to 0!” Now you have a chance. Now you can finally give this damned flower what he deserves. Now… you are filled with DETERMINATION. Personally, I like to imagine that the increased damage is not only a result of the SOULs lowering Flowey’s defense, but also a result of Frisk finally regaining the will to fight back. They’d given up any hope of seeing their friends again or returning to the surface, resigning themselves to this fate of eternal torture, and they were unable to bring themself to do more than a few points of damage. But then, the SOULs give them an opportunity to fight back, to be reunited with their friends. And they take that opportunity, with everything they have.
Undertale OST: 081 - An Ending
Some of the neutral endings to this game are pretty screwed up. Many of them involve Alphys killing herself over the loss of Mettaton and her guilt over the Amalgamates. Toriel can be banished from her position as queen by a revolutionary force led by Undyne herself, who then assumes power and vows to kill any human she sees. Papyrus can become king, naively believing that all his friends are simply on vacation, while Sans works his ass off behind the scenes to keep his brother happy. Mettaton can become king and execute anyone who speaks out against him. The Underground can descend into complete anarchy, with nobody at all fit to rule. Then of course there’s the Annoying Dog ending, where the Annoying Dog becomes king. And somehow everyone is happy because of this.
Undertale OST: 083 - Here We Are
I think the most disturbing part of this track is the fact that it’s just a heavily distorted and darker version of Alphys’ theme. It really goes to show just how much regret and guilt Alphys is hiding over the DETERMINATION experiments. Lynxgriffin’s comic and her follow-ups really drive home the emotional trauma must’ve experienced in this lab.
Undertale OST: 084 - Amalgam
Out of all the Amalgamations, I think the most tragic one has to be So Cold, Snowdrake’s mother. While other Amalgamations are made up of a handful of monsters (Reaper Bird is made up of three- Final Froggit, Whimsalot and Astigmatism- and Lemon Bread is made up of three- Aaron, Shyren’s sister and Moldbygg), Snowdrake’s dad states that So Cold is made up of sixteen different monsters. But despite that, So Cold is still hanging on to her individuality, while the other Amalgamations seem to have given up and merged together into one collective consciousness (see Reaper Bird’s overlapping speech patterns and Lemon Bread’s multiple text boxes.) A mother’s love for her son was able to keep her alive, even in the most trying and nightmarish of circumstances.
Undertale OST: 085 - Fallen Down (Reprise)
This reunion scene takes a bit of a dark turn when you think about it. Papyrus’ statement implies that Flowey manipulated him into bringing everyone into the room so he could take their SOULs… but Toriel came of her own accord, if Alphys’ statement is anything to go by. So if Toriel showing up wasn’t part of Flowey’s plan, and she only came because she felt concerned about your safety, why does Toriel show up in the True Pacifist Ending and not the Neutral Ending? Because all the time you spent exploring the True Lab gave her enough time to make up her mind about coming to your rescue. In a Neutral Ending, she must’ve made up her mind too late, and arrived to see her former husband dead, her adopted child gone, and (possibly) her son, in flower form, dead.
Undertale Ost: 086 - Don’t Give Up
This moment right here was when I realized it was all worth it. All the effort I put into sparing each and every monster I encountered, racking my brain to try and figure out how to get their names yellow, all those times I fought down the urge to just use the FIGHT option and proceed through the game like a regular RPG… it was all worth it, just to see this scene. This was the crowning moment of the True Pacifist Ending for me; it showed the culmination of all the bonds and friendships you’ve made over your journey, and drove home just how far you’ve come.
What’s a tiny little flower against the combined hopes of everyone in the world?
Undertale Ost: 088 - Burn in Despair!
Notice how Asriel’s true form vaguely resembles the Delta Rune from the prophecy. All along, he was the angel who had seen the surface who would empty the underground, not you.
Undertale OST: 090 - His Theme
Asriel did nothing wrong. He tried to be Chara’s friend and went through hell and back for it. He was punished for being kind to someone who didn’t deserve any kindness, for staying loyal and trusting to a backstabber only looking out for themselves. Essentially, he did the exact same thing that you’ve been doing throughout your entire Pacifist playthrough, but received no reward or redemption from his efforts. You can’t even save him in the end; you’re forced to let him stay in the Underground, spending the rest of his days as a flower. Truly a tragic character.
Undertale OST: 091 - Final Power
I think there’s something that most people gloss over when it comes to Asriel deciding to destroy the barrier. In the Genocide Run, Flowey’s dialogue in New Home makes it clear that he expects humanity to slaughter the monsters the moment they exit the barrier, and it makes sense that he’d come to this conclusion; the last time he crossed the barrier, he was murdered in cold blood for a crime he didn’t commit. That experience probably tainted his view of humans, to put it lightly, and he probably doesn’t trust them at all, even when he reverts back to Asriel form. But his brief experience with you, where you forgive and comfort him, was enough to change his perspective enough to break the barrier for everyone else. His selflessness and your compassion are both truly amazing.
Undertale OST: 092 - Reunited
Man, walking around the Underground while this track plays in the background, talking to each and every monster that I’ve befriended and gotten to know over the course of the game… that’s when I knew. This game is my favorite game of all time.
Undertale OST: 094 - Respite
FINALLY YOU GET TO LIVE WITH GOAT-MOM
YES
Undertale OST: 095 - Bring It In, Guys!
God, this track just wraps things up so well. Combined with all the flavor text of the monsters you’ve spared and the clips of all your friends living happily on the surface… perfect way to close the game. Absolutely magical experience.
Undertale Ost: 097 - But the Earth Refused to Die
This is part of Alphys’ theme, believe it or not. Yes, the song that plays when Undyne finds the strength to rise from the ashes of death and fight for what she loves and believes in is Alphys’ theme.
Think about that for a while.
Undertale OST: 100 - Megalovania
Scratch that; I do have something worthwhile to comment on this track. Everyone knows how a majority of the tracks in the OST are simple remixes or reworkings of each other, and almost every track is linked in some way. That doesn’t apply to Megalovania; it’s the odd one out. Now, there’s an out-of-universe reason for this, in that it wasn’t originally composed to be used in Undertale, but I think there’s an in-universe reason for it too. This isn’t Sans’ theme, as most people have deduced. But this isn’t Chara’s theme song, either.
It’s yours. You, the player, have become the megalomaniac obsessed with LOVE.
That’s why it’s unrelated to the rest of the tracks; you’re not part of Undertale’s world. You’re an outsider looking in, and because of that, your song doesn’t belong. It forced its way in, just like you forced your way into everyone’s lives through Frisk and Chara. Chara may be an evil, genocidal maniac, but you? You’re the ultimate villain. And this is your song.
Undertale OST: 101 - Good Night
Finally completed my quest to comment on every single track. What a ride. Thanks for sticking with me throughout the OST, those of you who’ve been reading my comments. It was an awesome experience trying to find something worthwhile to comment on each track and it really made me appreciate some of the subtler stuff in the game. I hope at least one of my 101 comments helped you discover something that you hadn’t known previously. It’s been fun, Undertale. Good night.
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