The fact NEXT’s are involved with making NEXT’s look bad is a small part of a big picture Ourorboros is still painting in the series. Let's explore some theories...
BAS (Big-Ass Snake)
The ourorboros is an ancient, global symbol originating in Egypt with several meanings: infinity, heaven meeting earth, time being nonlinear, and a planet-sized monster at the bottom of the ocean waiting to fight Thor and fuck shit up.
The last description is of Jörmungandr (J), a globe-hugging snake of Norse myth and a child of Loki’s. J is also an ourorboros, a serpent consuming its tail. When J releases his tail, Ragnarok begins. Some events foretold are deaths of central gods, cataclysmic disasters, and submersion of the world into water.
Norse Mythos?
If we accept that Hugan and Mugan were representative of Odin’s crows, we could probs say contextually J is the best interpretation of T&B’s Ouroboros. So the org could be pushing an end of days scenario.
In Ragnarok, society and nature start over again with a new administration, I mean, central gods. So is Ourorboros a bunch of NEXT’s trying to topple governments and regimes? Are they trying to induce anti-NEXT sentiment to galvanize NEXTs to take up arms against their human siblings and bring about Ragnarok?
We saw Jake specifically rile up NEXT’s in the manga to create a NEXT nation, and we see him and Kriem attempt to sink the city under water.Jake’s wild appearance could be called wolf-like, especially with his fur coat. Was he Fenrir?
Unless….
Revisiting the Egyptian origin, we see the earliest extant representation of the ourorboros in the top left of the image, next to the tattoo. Seems awfully similar, yeah? It’s taken from the papyrus, “Chrysopoeia of Cleopatra”. Chrysopoeia translated from Greek is “gold making”. The Greek meaning was an alchemical one referencing transmuting base metals to gold.
It’s widely accepted in alchemical circles that the esoteric definition is of people transmuting from imperfect, diseased and dying creatures into perfect, immortal creatures, similar to the divine. Another prized pursuit of alchemists.
The papyrus was attributed to Cleopatra the Alchemist, a famous inventor of her time who was rumored to be one of four female alchemists who could actually make the metal-transmuting Philosopher’s Stone. Written in the middle of the ourorboros in Greek is, “the all is one”.
This is very similar to the saying later alchemists developed: "As above, so below". Meaning, every thing and every action reflects and reverberates into higher and lower planes of existence.
Could this be another take on who the author of “Hope”, Little Aurora might be? An alchemical NEXT who can transmute the world and shepherd people to their best selves?
But on the T&B tattoo there’s a big ol’ medieval sword slicing through it. The writing on the T&B tat is also different on the second line. This could be something that's supposed to be there in-universe, e.g., the original coulda said something else, or it could be something completely different, or it's random Greek letters.
Tying Two Meanings Together
Depending on the flexibility of your beliefs, we could shoehorn Odin and Norse mythology into the alchemical schema. Odin was a man so invested in knowledge he literally sacrificed his eye, speared himself, and then hanged himself upside down from the world tree for nine days in order to receive secret knowledge. Many alchemists would also sacrifice themselves for knowledge—working with lead and mercury really shortened one’s life.
He was also a seer, so he could see the future and talk to spirits and the dead, not really alchemical, but there to prove Odin had mystical knowledge cred. Odin could also ride through the nine realms on his eight-legged horse Sleipnir. Could the “the all is one” be referencing bringing these worlds together? Or keeping them apart as it were because of the sword? Or is the sword symbolic of stopping Ragnarok? Is Sunrise maybe aligning the worlds of their series in some way?
Hope you’re mentally limber for that one, because it’s a stretch.
Not Nearly Enough Data
While it’s fun to theorize what this all means, there’s not enough factual or contextual data to draw solid conclusions. For all we know the writers are mashing together different mythos to create something that serves the story. Hopefully cour two gives us more of, if not all, the data we need to flesh out our theories or draw that chapter to a close.
Send me 3-5 emojis and I'll write you a drabble based off of them.
The moon is high in the sky as Kotetsu grits his teeth and his mech slides backward. Barnaby strikes out at Jake's own mech, but it's no use -- whatever tech he's using is strong.
What the hell did these Ouroboros freaks have access to, anyway? It was something above what even Doc Saito could do -- the thought sends a chill down his spine.
"Bunny, watch out!" He lunges when Jake's mech moves to strike. He takes the hit, and it's enough to send his own over the edge.
He's sent reeling back, an explosion taking out a good half of his own mech. Barnaby lets out a gasp, looks back at him. He grits his teeth and yells into the comms.
"Just go! I'll be fine!"
More explosions come, the remaining limbs of his mech fully giving out. He gets caught in a few -- not enough to kill him, but enough to hurt.
Barnaby continues to fight as he throws himself from the cockpit to the ground. Nathan and Pao-Lin are there, picking him up and carrying him away.
Kotetsu watches Barnaby until the mechanical clashing can no longer be seen in the distance.
You know i get a real kick out of how Rock Bison figured out Jake's powers in the manga. Like. A. Maybe don't go around reading their minds, saying exactly what they're thinking and going "haha it's like i read your mind." Unless you're Really sure they're dead. (Thanks time unwinder) But also
"You you and you- go to the bathroom."
From the back of the crowd: "can i also go?"
"oh? Yeah sure."
Bison: So he's got limited range.
Like JAKE WHY. HOW DOES KNOWING WHO NEEDS THE TOILET AND SHOWING OFF THAT HELP YOU. DID YOU THINK THEY'D LIKE A KING WHO CAN RECOGNIZE BASIC NEEDS LIKE BATHROOM TIME?! WHY????
Yeah, yeah, but how? If I, say, can turn into a bassarisk, how does that save people? I'd be more fit for robbing people, wouldn't I? But see, there's these things called earthquakes, explosions, and other rubble-causing incidents, and that's when I can help. By becoming something so small and light and able to shimmy through cracks in the earth and work in low light, I could help reach people that are trapped and bring them food and water until rescue workers or other heroes can reach them, or even bring something like an airline oxygen mask to them if they're in a poorly-ventilated space. (Yeah, those things are genius. There's no oxygen tanks on the plane above them. Fun fact.)
That quote from Mr. Legend - fallen hero though he is, in more ways than one - has gotten me thinking at times about how the villains' and other NEXT's powers could save people. Spoilers ahead, and this is based on my limited knowledge of only having watched the anime, read the manga, and owning a manga version of the first film. So...yeah. If there's any new villains in the other films, like there was in the first, feel free to mention them if you're a bigger T&B weeb than me in a reblog. Just be warned that you'll be spoiling them for me.
Tony: Explained in the manga. Being able to move the biggest things is amazing, and helped keep an ice rink from toppling over. Definitely going to be a Crusher For Justice when he grows up, though. Some destruction just can't be avoided, I'm afraid.
Robin Baxter: Switching places with people can definitely help save people who think their lives aren't worth it. A few swaps and you could negate all g-force-inflicted damage. Either that or a suit that can absorb it so that you only have to do the one.
Pauly: Turning yourself into diamond? Just stay out of fires and you could be a good human shield without getting too hurt.
Lunatic: Essentially could work in a duo with Fire Emblem, if he weren't a judge who just so happened to kill his father Mr. Legend when his powers manifested.
The HERO Academy students: Explained and seen in action in the manga, and it's my headcanon they became the Second League.
Edward: Seen in action in the manga when he and Origami went underground to survive an explosion.
The Mayor's Son: When he grows up, whatever telekinetics do best!
Lies, Danger, and Money/Powers: Bodyguards. Definitely bodyguards.
Kriem: Being able to control things you put your hair into, with the ability to use range extenders, can definitely help keep people off the battlefield. A power for war, perhaps, but saving lives nonetheless.
Jake Martinez: Being able to read minds and deflect things with force fields would have made him more than capable of defusing shooter situations. It's unfortunate that he had such a God Complex (and desecrated an image of the Blessed Mother in the manga) when dealing with other people...er, "insects." His childhood friend from the manga also had the mind-reading power, but of people he touched, and had a second power that we never got to see because of the fact that Jake killed him, though whether it was by accident is debatable. His abusive father also didn't help. Great potential that went completely to waste.
That NEXT who could change the color of his skin: Solving racism.
The kid who could repair things within five minutes of being broken: Natural medic as we saw in the manga. (Also, what's with time-influenced powers and five minutes?)
The Next who could turn invisible: Perfect stealth, as long as he holds his breath and there's no infrared cameras.
The NEXT Kaede copied who could turn magnetic: Climb a metal surface and help people down, or steal a shooter's gun from him.
Mr. Maverick: He could definitely help trauma victims.
If there's any I missed from these sources, please let me know!
I finally drew all my babies. They’re not super detailed or neat but I wasn’t trying all too hard with them. I just wanted to confirm what they looked like since most of them I only seen in my mind.
I’m so late to watch this, but “Stumptown” was so goooood!
The humor, the drama, especially the PTSD related moments and the collective personalities and hardship and joy of every character. Everything was top notch🙌🏼