nostalgia to the point of fetishizing and therefore refusing to move on from the past snowballing into an inability to even grow up at all is actually an extremely natural continuation of Eridanâs character, come to think of it.
In even the comic itself, a lot of his arc centers around the fact that he was actually happier before the events of the game- as at the time he had two of his quadrants full. Both of his women leave him for different reasons, and the comic hints at him having some kind of attachment issues.
This is actually due to a broader element of his character which is his desire for control. Eridan loves being in control of things, he loves feeling like he is winning. Very proud boy. He gets angry at himself for failing because he has ideals he set for himself that he wants to live up to. So of course he idealizes the time where he appeared more stable and in control, and being a hope player (fueled by delusion), this idealization would potentially turn into outright fetishization over the years were he allowed to actually grow up.
The archetype he symbolically represents is one that ALSO is very broadly associated with idealizing the past, we see this especially clearly with his love for military history. This can be connected to his real world counterpartâs obsession with the same thing, as well as often times subjects like (in the US specifically) Americana, very note worthy that his dancestor has direct ties to Americana in his fascination with the âgreaserâ archetype. Perhaps Dualscar can be imagined as following this idealizing the past pattern in some way himself!
Even Eridanâs childish, dorky interest in wizards could be read as nostalgic, as the two characters we see liking wizards do so in a way that signifies embarrassment and even age regression. Roxy/Mom is a canon age regressor notable for her childishness, Rose is someone who hides her more embarrassing and childish interests under a facade of intelligence and maturity, to the point of feeling MOCKED by her mom for the wizard stuff. Eridan is a little open with the dorky wizard interest, having wizard statues around his room, but also HIDING his non functional wands (impotency, phallic symbolism) to Eridan wizards are a far off impossible thing he finds fun and even beautiful. It represents imagination, playfulness but also potential. I think making it both symbolic of childhood and the phallus (with the wands) has some insane implications too. It allows me to project an age regression fetish onto him which works a little too well for everything I have established thus far. Fetishization of being young because he didnât have a normal childhood- that being a subconscious desire he will never ever acknowledge. This fetishization is why he wants a mommy. â¤ď¸â¤ď¸â¤ď¸
Noteworthy that Eridanâs interests tie directly into his beliefs and ideals. He wants to be like his war people so he imitates them, he likes magic but thinks its fake and condescends to people who disagree. Two interests in some way tied to the past inform his beliefs and ideals.
As for the refusal to grow up being an extension of this- we know Eridan is a very stubborn person, someone who holds on tightly to his beliefs despite everything that comes his way.
He also said this, which for our purposes could serve as some kind of foreshadowing.
Letâs also mention the symbolic value of the dream bubbles here, which are themselves a place of stagnation, where people go after they die for eons to never mature. Just stay the same but worse, to be so stagnant you become an exaggerated parody of yourself. Shockingly good commentary on what a low stakes existence does to someone, which makes the social media references there kind of clever. Anyway. There is a reason no one except Meenah, someone new to the environment, and Vriska, also new, planned on fighting, while no one else really did.
Even Erisolsprite is stuck in a state of stagnation, literally unable to kill himself because heâs so depressed. He makes things up with Feferi, sure, but he is also part of the reason Fefetasprite explodes. Heâs just forced to spend time fused with someone he hates and made to feel extremely guilty over his actions.
Anyway, my point is, the Homestuck comic itself somewhat supports my idea of Eridan not growing up.
Tldr; a post retcon earth c au Eridan has the potential to be the next Bojack Horseman.