Thoughts, Art, and Whatnot

I don’t have pets, or family close by, or friends close by.

It just didn’t add up to me that Julian’s ending would be so painful and Asra’s is almost lethargic in a twisted way.

So I started going back through the story and there was something that caught my attention.

Besides Muriel having foretold the reversed ending in the epilogue, there is a constant theme when you meet the Magician in the Arcana realm. They keep asking you if you would be able to tell the difference between the real Asra and an impostor.

The Magician never confirms if your chose was right when they give you the test.

Also, in the other stories, we have seen The Devil disguise themselves as other characters, even other Arcana. Like it is a gimmick of theirs...

So with all that, it got me thinking back to Julian’s reversed ending. In there, HE made the deal with The Devil, and he tells you that The Devil has been sending illusions of MC to mess with him, but he can tell it is not MC. And from what it sounds like, Julian has been trapped by The Devil for years before MC gets to them. Not to mention that drinks get served for Julian just as the tea is served for Asra and MC.

So... what if that is the same case with MC in the Asra’s reversed ending? MC is trapped alone with an illusion of Asra, but they cannot tell the difference. They were so desperate to be with Asra and keep them safe that they did not even question it. And with Asra erasing the pool of water through where Muriel and Asra’s parents were trying to communicate... and being all “there, no more voices” it feels like Asra is acting off. Asra is curious and adventurous, not shying away from new experiences. He wouldn’t get rid of the source of the voices, he would try to see if they can do it again.

So my conclusion to this is that in the reverse ending for Asra’s story, MC is trapped in a happy prison, The Devil having learned his lesson with Asra’s parents and not make the prison FEEL like a prison. They just give MC everything they could possibly want while destroying all avenues others could have to communicate with them.

Where is Asra? Probably in the same boat, in their own happy place.

Now, THAT matches the same feeling Julian’s reversed ending has.

So I decided to go through my old sketchbooks and redraw some of the stuff I found there.

It helped me a bunch... I think the oldest thing I redrew was from 2007

I am okay with that one. Specially after I saw that Muriel and Asra’s parents were fine.

People we cared about were alive in the new world, free to live their lives, and my character and Asra were together, forever in love in a happy prison of bliss.

That reversed ending feels a lot more of a win than Julian’s. I mean, holy shit! Julian’s broke me. Asra’s actually left me with a bit of a smile. I guess I am satisfied if I get the chance to give myself for those I care about.

Then I started playing The Arcana while I’m a stuck at home, and I loved it! I got all upright endings and played through all the partial books and short stories.

But I still wanted to keep playing, so I decided to give it a shot at the reversed endings. Knowing little about tarot, reverses cards are not bad, just different, so I figured it would be fine.

I started with Julian’s story... and holy fuck! I had not cried from a broken hearts like that since I first played Dragon Age and the idiot that dump me for political reasons wouldn’t let me do my job to save the world by giving up my life.