When I got the game, I wondered for awhile what Loop's whole deal was. At first, I thought they were the Favor Tree, but it's so obvious of a first choice that surely they'd say it if they were. So what were they? They behaved strangely with Siffrin. They seemed to know him in a way he didn't quite know them. And I didn't consciously pick up on much of it, but I could tell there were similarities between the two. I noticed that the King has stars, just like Loop has stars, connecting both the King and Loop to the island north of Vaugarde, plus Siffrin's whole deal with obsessing over the stars. The island had a theme: stars. I kept in mind that the name "Loop" was never quite introduced like it was a real name, it's just what they decided to go by for convenience sake. And what stuck out to me, what began my theory, is that if you eat the fish head several times, Siffrin will briefly remember once having a childhood friend who enjoyed fish head, before he forgets who he was even remembering. This is never relevant again, but I! didn't know that! And wasn't used to Siffrin's weird memory moments yet!
So my belief was that when the island "disappeared," everyone who inhabited it were taken by the Universe to turn into and join the stars above. Once upon a time, Loop grew up with Siffrin under a different name, and they loved fish head. The two were inseparable best friends. But when the island vanished, Loop was forgotten with it, and Siffrin was the only one of the two companions who remained. Loop's no longer human and now they're simply alone with the Universe, but they watch Siffrin travel over the years from above. They watch, and watch, and watch, until Siffrin gets himself trapped in time within Dormont, and the sight pains/scares Loop. They can't just stand by on that, so they're sent down because their former friend needs help. Loop does not say a word of who they once were. They do not look the same, for what they once looked like has been forgotten by the world. They call themself "Loop," for saying their actual name would give Siffrin a migraine. They watch Siffrin laugh with a whole new set of friends and without ever remembering Loop, and Loop is painfully bitter. Siffrin asks if Loop is jealous, and they remember remember remember, but Siffrin never will. (In hindsight: I completely fail to process what Loop's dialogue is actually saying here ♡). Loop and Siffrin sit atop a tree, and Loop knows Siffrin far more than Siffrin has ever known Loop, because Loop can no longer identify with the person they once were (I was frowning so hard during this scene trying to make Loop's dialogue work with my perception of them. "What is your deal... were you in a time loop too? Was that why watching Siffrin wind up in one himself got you sent down so quickly? Are you bitter but not so angry that you'd let them suffer the same fate you did??? What is your backstory?")
Then Siffrin goes back to the Favor Tree and collects a coin identical to his own. I completely fail to remember that this is Vaugardian currency and not a coin from the Island, but the description of the coin is starting to confuse me a little. Siffrin remembers a name. He knows. Loop knows he knows. But it still hurts, everything Loop lost that Siffrin continued on from still hurts, even if it was no one's fault. They can't be happy about this. And then--
I would say I was more overwhelmed than surprised exactly, for as I stared at my screen in horror, I thought "you know, I really should have realized this, this one's on me"
But anyway, that's all to say "a childhood friends doodle would probably be fun even if it doesn't make any sense"
blakekathryn
kaledo-art
annaxmalina
dededos
