a portal into the illustarium

Genshin player from 2020: “Holy shit, you went to the moon?”

Me: “I wonder if they’re going to continue the themes of colonialism in the future of the game.”

2020 player: “The moon in the fucking sky?”

how omega dottore and segment 8 ask pantalone for funding

But one part just kept baffling me.

What the actual fuck, Dottore? That came really out of left field?? Traveler is right, why would you offer them that?

In a negotiation for amicable companionship, offering up all sorts of rewards and benefits... That? 👆 Makes no sense whatsoever.

Unless, of course, you dig just a little deeper.

The title of Dottore's boss theme on the OST is Prajnaparamitopadesa To Quell Seven Calamities.

Prajnaparamita is a school of Buddhist thought. It refers to the state of mind of a Bodhisattva, a world saviour who helps other escape the cycles of suffering.

And on the wikipedia page for that, we get little gems like this:

Ah. Bringing beings to awakening? Seeing past the false truths to the ultimate truth? Working within illusions to end the greatest illusion of all..? Yeah, that sounds like what he's actually aiming to do.

(Incidentally the "existing or not existing, arising or not arising" part there? Those are the actual opening lyrics of his boss theme.)

Decarabian tried to protect the old Monstadt from the Archon War through his wind dome, he doomed his citizens and himself.

Deshret tried to break free from the shackles of fate using Nabu Malikata's knowledge and the Forbidden Knowledge, he doomed his friends and the desert instead.

Remus tried to save the Remurians from the flood prophecy and fate through the Symphony, he doomed Remuria instead.

Rene tried to save the world through... uh, whatever is his plan, and doomed his friends instead.

Och-Kan tried to save Ochkanatlan from fate and stuff, he genocided the dragons and doomed his nation instead.

Xiuhcoatl tried to save his people with Huitzilopochtli, he doomed them all instead as his nation descended into the Dragonlords' tyranny and stupidity.

Instead, the game praises characters that recognized that they couldn't do anything alone/ didn't snatch the glory of heroism for themselves. The whole Natlan, Varka directing the Favonius Knights to Nod-Krai to aid them fighting the Wild Hunt and trusting the rest of Mondstadt to save themselves instead of hoarding the glory of heroism for himself. The latest Sumeru AQ. The game praises teamwork and friendship gang.

Phanes is essentially in the same category as the failed lone hero. Their plan hinges on everyone following their direction and never, ever, ever, EVER straying from their intended path. Angels must obey them, humanity must obey them, dragons must be subjugated and everyone musn't ever, ever, EVER look beyond the false sky. Everyone musn't look for the solutions themselves because Phanes had already figure it all out, and all of the rest of them have to do is just to follow and obey their plan. Simple.

So simple.

So fucking simple.

So don't break your order. Don't fall in love with someone beyond this world. Don't be curious of what lies beyond the false sky. Don't try to break your fate, no matter how horrible it is. Don't intermingle with the dragons even if I stole everything from them just please please listen. Don't do anything that goes beyond my will. Don't be yourself. Always be like everyone else, don't disobey don't disobey don't disobey--

BY GOD, EVERYBODY JUST LISTEN TO THEM AND BE GOOD TO THEM AND OBEY THEM BECAUSE THEY DID THIS FOR THEIR OWN GOOD NO YOU MUSN'T KNOW WHAT AM I TRYING TO PROTECT YOU FROM EVERYBODY JUST LISTEN TO ME, JUST TRUST ME, JUST FOLLOW ME OTHERWISE I HAVE TO KILL YOU!