Someone pointed out that Malleus must have been looking at the three goons before he came across the Prince and Princess.
And it’s true!! 🥹💚
(Source)
You can see the goons in the picture frame behind him. He must have looked at it before coming across the couple.
I love how we have these tiny details that show how much Lilia means to Malleus and vice versa. 💞💚
It really tells you about their connections and how much they mean to each other, making book 7 that much more impactful and meaningful. 🥹😭
As we saw with Malleus’ union jacket card, we see these details about the love they share. Clues and hints that were in front of us that we didn’t notice before are now seen and shown now in a new light with much more deeper meaning.
I just love learning about these new details. It makes the story that much more precious and painful
99 notes
·
View notes
I think Ch. 7/4 may have just given us both Crowley's identity as well as the identity of his "dear esteemed benefactor"
Obvs. Spoilers Ahead in this analysis and speculative hypothesis (which will link the prologue to the current events in Ch. 7):
This moment is the moment that sent me down this rabbit hole:
General Lilia essentially calling Lady Malenore Briar Country's "most evil" princess.
I went over the prologue again semi-recently to see if the knowledge we have gathered since the start of the game recontextulizes some things. And while the purpose of the analysis then was different, what I did take special note of was that Crowley is speaking to a different but very specific person. To quote the man himself (from the English version):
"Ah, my dear esteemed benefactor...
My proud, beautiful flower of evil.
You are truly the fairiest one of all."
The way Crowley addresses this person is very interesting because it at once seems very subservient and almost intimate.
But what is even more interesting is the original Japanese phrasing. I will go through the lines one by one to point out the notable details:
ああ‥‥‥愛しい我が君
"愛しい" (itoshii) is generally used to describe something that is lovely, dear. "我が君" (waga kimi) is generally understood to mean "my lord/ruler/master". The translation as "my dear esteemed benefactor" is... alright, though it does seem to detract a bit from the portrayal of this person as someone that has a lot of power over Crowley.
What I'd like to note though is that since Japanese is a very context dependent language this line might also be read a very different way: if "kimi" was used in the context that Crowley knows this person very well, being allowed to address them directly like this... then the line could also be read as Crowley calling this person "My beloved." There is still the underlying power dynamic underneath but it is more finely tuned and something that reminds me more of a pair of royals.
This would certainly not be the first way for someone to understand this line but subtext and double meanings can reveal a lot.
気高く麗しい悪の華
Notable here is mainly that Crowley is using a lot of archaic words to describe the person he is speaking to (e.g. using the kanji "華" instead of the modern "花" - both pronounced "hana," meaning flower). This may indicate that this person is of a people whose culture does not move as fast as the rest of the world's - still bound to old ways of speaking and thinking.
貴女こそが世界で一番美しい
Now, this last line is spicy. The English version of this line is pretty gender neutral after all - the fairest of them all. But what the original line makes very explicit is that Crowley is talking to/about a woman.
"貴女" (anata) - not "貴方" (anata), not "我が君" (waga kimi) but "貴女"
Crowley is addressing a noble woman directly in a manner that implies they are of equal standing. Like a husband addressing his wife.
Now let's circle back to that conversation Lilia, Silver, Sebek and co. are having about Malenore for a minute.
Because what Lilia also calls Malenore is this:
Malenore is the only daughter to Queen Maleficia and she the ruling Lady of "Wild Rose Castle" (野ばら城). Which is known to Silver only as "Black Scale Castle" (黒鱗城).
In other words, Malenore is one of the most powerful noble women in the Twisted Wonderland, she is strongly associated with with Wild Roses/ Briar Roses, and on top of that described as the "most evil" princess by her own general (whether in jest or not is of little consequence).
And this description should ring very familiar after going over Crowley's introductory monolog. A noble, beautiful "Flower of Evil" as it were.
But if that is the truth, then the familiar way Crowley addresses Malenore can only mean that Crowley's true identity is Malenore's husband. Who else would be allowed to speak to her im such an intimate and familiar manner.
Malenore's husband whose status hasn't actually been confirmed, other than he is missing in some capacity. And while I have seen a many transcriptions of his name, no one seems to have gotten it right yet:
"竜眠公レヴァーン"
The Sleeping Dragon Lord Raven
And what is the associated animal of our dear Night Raven's headmaster?
A crow.
A corvid.
A raven.
Crowley did always had something of the mad hatter to him, didn't he? And he might just have something with a raven and a writing desk..
After all, a raven is nevar the same front to back as back to front.
And thus, at the end, we have the lost parents of a little dragon, summoning a human with no magical ability to this Twisted Wonderland - a human that cannot be influenced by blot.
Curious, curious...
Curious indeed...
251 notes
·
View notes
Anthony came out SWINGING with the Hermie fact this episode, saying that his idea of heaven would be performing a one-man show for his dad. The obvious question, of course, is what dad is he referring to? He has at least two, probably three, maybe four dads to choose from, and I have been rotating the Implications of each one in my mind.
Could it be his adoptive father? We don’t know anything about him. Does he have a good relationship with Hermie, despite all evidence to the contrary? Is he supportive, or is Hermie desperate to prove himself? Is their relationship rocky after all, but since meeting Jodie and Scam as points of comparison, he seeks to mend it all the same?
Could it be Jodie? Does he want to forge a bond with him after all? Despite rejecting them at first, how often are Jodie’s parting words echoing through his mind, “I’m sorry” and “I love you”? He couldn’t accept them, and maybe he still can’t, but maybe if he did the one thing he was good at, maybe if he proved himself worthy of this apology and affection, could he?
Could it be Scam? After everything he put him through, does he still want to prove himself somehow? Was the brief moment of pride, of “your father loves you” and “I’m so proud of you” enough for Hermie to grow addicted, despite how hollow the words rang considering the events that both proceeded and followed it? Does he want to make up for failing, for disappointing him yet again? Is he still chasing after that validation, despite everything?
Well, it’s certainly not that deep. But it could be.
97 notes
·
View notes