Lady Ginchio

THIS WILL COVER THE LATEST UPDATE FROM MOTM FOR CHAPTER 1! IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE UPDATE, PLEASE DO SO TO AVOID SPOILERS!

OH BOY! That ending, the revalations, the implications! aggghh there's so much to cover! So, let's take this step by step.

The update starts with Cuphead and Bendy backtracking to the former's body after escaping the searchers and butchers. Head still in pieces of course, which greatly unnerves Bendy. Even before we see his face we can tell the body is greatly affecting him. The way he grips his tail and how it turns all wiggly at the end displays how disturbing it is for him. While he claimed that he deserved it, actually seeing the body again may be chipping away that line of thinking. But he doesn't have to long to continue contemplating the body before him. Because two figures come crashing in.

Time for the brotherly reunion we've been waiting for. The Bendystraw duo have very different reactions to seeing in their brothers safe and sound. Cuphead is overjoyed to see both of them are A-OK. Well, as OK as you can be after running from Searchers all day. Bendy, however, looks tense at seeing them. I imagine it may be a result of seeing Mugman again. After all, the last time he saw him he... wasn't in sound mind.

Mugman is relieved to see his brother is, well not alive per say. But still around. Cuphead for his part continues to show he doesn't hold grudges against others easily. While he does say "no thanks to you", it's clearly in a playful manner from his expression along with praising his sharpshooting not even a second later. Just goes to show how deep their bond is.

We also get an explanation for why Cuphead's soul wasn't by his body after his head was blown off.

The magic of the Cupbros is no joke. The blast from Mugman's gun sent Cuphead soaring for miles! And that was his soul! The magic in the blast managed to hit his soul! The Bbros are lucky that they've only been grazed by or hit in minor places by these guys. A well placed shot would have definitely killed them. Speaking of the Bbros, how's their reunion going?

Well, brother like brother. Now there is some irony here with Bendy's reaction to Boris' panic. He had a similar reaction his first time seeing Cuphead. Back then, Cuphead was the one trying to get Bendy to be quiet. Now it's Bendy's turn.

The switch up from Bendy is very quick. From afraid and concerned to irritated in just two panels. It's clear the concern is strictly for his brother and their safety. He still hasn't developed the concern that Cuphead has for him. All he has for him is irritation. Boris for his part, goes from fearful and concerned to shocked. He had no idea Bendy was in as much danger as he was after they separated. I imagine he was horrified for a moment that his brother was in trouble and he wasn't there for him. Then his brother turns to their attackers for guidance. The ones who got them in this mess. He's quick to call him out on this. Which in turn sparks another revelation.

We are once again shown how one sided the deal Bendy and Cuphead made. Cuphead suggested it, but Bendy's the one with all the power. He's the one who calls the shots. And Bendy RELISHES it. He has the most sinister grin we've seen since he first made the contract and gained this advantage. It hasn't fully gone to his head, YET. But it could very well happen in the future where he pushes the limit of how much he can order Cuphead around. And he's the only one with positive feelings about this arrangement. Boris is shocked about what his brother has achieved. And Cuphead is both terrified and nervous. Not just from Bendy showing off how much sway he has over him now. But he did so in front of Mugman. Showing his brother he just sold their souls. AGAIN. And Mugs isn't too happy about it.

Now, Cuphead does have a point here. With the Searchers at large, there was a big chance Cuphead's soul would have been claimed by them. Not to mention the Butchers also searching for a soul of their own. If he didn't give Bendy the power to defend them by signing his soul, he was a goner.

Now something I noticed is Cuphead brings up the Ink Machine again. That it changes everything. Neither brother has the Blot, so it won't help them with that. But if it really has all of Yen Sid's magic like the Prologue states, then it could break their original contract with the Devil. Additionally, something Cuphead doesn't mention, but the contract should end when Bendy takes them to the Ink Machine. Keyword is should.

Now plenty of others have already pointed this out, but it's still a great callback. The language and tone has slightly changed due to how Mugman has matured. It's no longer "your fault" but instead "you got us into this mess". Not "fix it" but "get us out". It's no where near as harsh as it was in the past. The circumstances of who the contract is with is also very different. Instead of the all powerful Devil it's just a "normal" demon who has no real idea how soul contracts work. Presumedly. So they are nowhere near as screwed as they were the first time and Mugsy is more accepting of that. All that's left to do now is revive Cuphead. Simple.

Ok, not so simple. It appears in all their previous fights against the contractors the brothers never had their heads broken. They've probably broken their bones, burned to a crisp, drowned perhaps, and no doubt shot in the heart. But their heads have never shattered. And their heads are key to the Calix Animi (the ability to revive among other gifts) working properly. Nort has stated that Cuphead can still move the body (it got cut for time), so he's not completely helpless. He just can't see or hear to walk or aim properly. Which is a problem, since there are still Searchers roaming around.

At this point, everyone is at the limit. Mugman is still exhausted from using up all of his soul. Cuphead has his body but as stated prior, it isn't in any shape for fighting. Boris tossed his only weapon at the Searcher attacking Mugman. Bendy's the only one who has a chance by using Cuphead's magic and that was with only protecting him and Cuphead's soul. Here, he would have to defend everyone present. Not exactly an easy task. Something Bendy is clearly aware of.

Something I noticed in these panels. Bendy almost has another attack. In the first panel we can see the ink starting to drip down his face. There's also some outlines of drops on his arm. Any more pressure and he might've destabilized right then and there. However a certain map activates and intervenes before it goes too far. In the second panel, where the map flies out to his face, we can see the ink has slowed down to a single drip. By the third panel, he's fully stable as the magic flows around him.

Speaking of the map, it's now fully confirmed to everyone present it's magic. Boris, the most skeptical out of everyone, notices the map glowing. Then they all see it fly out in front of Bendy. Not only that, it causes Bendy's eyes to glow the same golden color. If they weren't convinced before, they sure are now.

We get a brief look at the map's proper form. Most of the locations seem burned out except for two. Toon Town and Sunshine Forest (thanks Nort for the titles and Fly for drawing such as amazing map). These locations will be revealed as we go along the journey. But something impressive is shown with the magic.

The magic doesn't simply point to where they need to go on the map. It makes Bendy see the way forward. As the words are written across the woods "FOLLOW THE PATH". There's even a golden trail of mist winding through the trees for him to follow. This is such an interesting take on a magic map. One that doesn't necessarily show you on paper where you need to go. Instead affecting your vision to see the path in the world itself. You literally can't miss it this way.

There's also something interesting with this. We saw these words before. When Cuphead was leading Bendy away from Charlie. Those same words cropped up back there. When I first read it, I thought it was Bendy thinking that to himself. Looking back now, I think it was the map. The words aren't the monochrome colors typically done for the thoughts of the characters in a scene. They're GOLDEN. The same color of the map and it's magic. I think it TOLD Bendy to follow Cuphead. To save himself by going with him. It was silently communicating with him. Not all the time it seems like, but just enough to try and guide him when he really needs it.

Our protagonists follow the path before them to escape the Searcher. The Demon searcher lurking nearby, watching them flee. Along with another mysterious figure. Who quickly makes their goal clear.

To kill the bbros. And unlike the cupbros, they will not hesitate to complete the mission. The poor Searcher never had a chance. There is so much to the mysterious figure and who they could potentially be. I've been seeing a bunch of theories from everyone in the community as to who this is and their role. One of the most common ideas is that they will eventually join the questers as a sixth member. This is due to a later panel where they contact Mickey about the bounty on the bbros.

The color for the text is purple. A similar purple to the gloves on the toon just out of frame in the Thanksgiving and Christmas updates. Adding to this is the character would balance out the color dynamic the questers have going for them as seen in the character cards. We have the primary colors for Cuphead (red), Mugman (blue), and Bendy (yellow). While Boris and Shelly have secondary colors associated with them (green and orange respectively). And then Pebble has his own thing going for him (blue-gray). This mysterious stranger would add the last secondary color to the team. This is pure speculation of course, and I plan to dive deeper into them in a later post. (The only reason I'm not is because there's ALOT of images I want to use for visual aids and I'm near the limit already. Curse you Tumblr for image limit!)

They contact Mickey while he, Felix, Oswald, and Sheba are trying to figure out where the Cupbros and Bbros could be going. It also gives us some insight as to how long the Cupbros have been hiding since their Collector days. According to Felix, their last known physical location was around 2 decades ago. When they were still acting as bounty hunters. This means they've been in hiding this entire time. On the outskirts of the city, another part of Inkwell Isles, or somewhere else entirely. Fortunate for them, as it means our friends at Wish Upon can't find a good place to start looking for them. But the Cupbros aren't the only ones they can use to try and find our protagonists.

This is something Mickey mentioned when Bendy first introduced himself to him. The name rings a bell. But he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Until now. Because Bendy was associated with someone Mickey knows. Someone who rose up the ranks of entertainment until the people decided to have him lead them. Someone who is possibly connected to the Butchers roaming and hunting the Bbros.

DANDY. Star of Medicine. The head of Gardenview himself. Bendy's former costar in entertainment. As of right now, we have no idea who Dandy is, how he's leading Gardenview, or what his history with Bendy was like. But we can get some inferences from some of the final panels of Chapter 1.

The crew sees Dandy's face on the side of the cargo car at the train station they were lead to. And Bendy is none too pleased to see it. He looks exasperated, annoyed, maybe even a little angry. Whatever happened between them, it's clear it ended on a sour note. For Bendy at least. These two headed in very opposite directions after their days in the limelight together after all. One ascended up to the top of the world and put in charge. The other fading to near obscurity with a deadly illness and on the run with a magical map to guide him. Their reunion in chapter 2 will be a very interesting on.

Something else of note is the reactions of everyone else to Dandy. Both those present and those not. Bothe of the Cupbros just look befuddled by the graffiti on the car. Boris however? He looks shocked. This is something I'm very curious about. See, we know for a fact Bendy knows Dandy. But it's entirely possible Boris knows him too. Not as well, but well enough. As Bendy's brother, he would no doubt want to keep up with his exploits from time to time. That would also include anyone Bendy performed with. So he may have met Dandy at least once in the past. As to his opinion on him, we'll likely find out when he and Bendy see him again.

Now concerning the graffiti. It's clear they don't particularly like Dandy and whatever he "promised" them. One even goes so far as to call him a "monster". Whatever happened must have been bad. Now, I want to shoutout @yockytherocky for pointing this out in their post. They pointed out that the Barley Butcher has a plate with the word "liar" painted on it. Much like the graffiti we see on the car here. This could lend further evidence to the idea that Dandy is associated with the Butchers and Searchers we've seen in the forest. After all, what's more monstrous than messing with the dead? Additionally, Bendy has been shown to have a history with the Butchers in some way. Whether it's a positive or a negative one is also up in the air at this junction. But with the idea that Dandy is responsible for the Butchers' current conditions, I wouldn't be surprised if he picked them to either mess with or as a "favor" to Bendy. Either way, it's still a grim fate for them. Along with whoever left these messages behind.

There were a number of questions that were answered in this update. And plenty more were raised. Regardless, we'll have to see what happens when our ragtag group of misfits make it to Gardenview in Chapter 2.

This is something I've been thinking about with the Bbros. We know they are adoptive brothers (Bendy even has Boris' last name that he refuses to use). However, we don't yet know WHEN they became brothers. Were they children ,teens, or adults? How was Bendy adopted? I'd like to get everyone's thoughts.

WARNING! THIS WILL COVER THE LATEST UPDATE OF MOTM! IF YOU HAVEN'T READ IT YET, PLEASE GO DO SO TO AVOID SPOILERS!

The latest update was a roller coaster. And there is so much to go over. For starters, the butchers and searchers.

The designs Fly has given them are SO CREEPY. I thought the original designs from the Bendy franchise were scary but my GOD. Fly took it to another level. Having ink dripping from Barley's injury and eyes? Adding a bunch of eyes into Edgar's top mouth along with ACTUAL SPIDER MANDIBLES? Horror incarnate. And it adds so much to the terror of the scene.

It's a situation that's dangerous for both Cuphead and Bendy. One is a floating soul with no protection from getting snatched. The other has a leg injury that'll make it near impossible to run away without eventually getting caught. Bendy puts it best,

And then, Cuphead realizes something. His body. If he can get to his body, he'll have a better chance at surviving. This is something established by Mugman in the previous update. "As long as my head's in one piece, they can't reach my soul". If Cuphead can revive himself, his soul will be safe and he can save both of them.

It doesn't appear to be exclusive to the Cupbros either. Cuphead directly calls their culture the Calix Animi (Cuphead game reference, yay!). This means their ancestors were granted similar protections by the Celestials to guard their souls. Most likely for the war against the Blot. Hopefully in the future, we'll learn more on this.

So, Cuphead needs to get to his body to revive himself. But he can't exactly go alone. The moment he breaks away from Bendy, they all might focus on him to take his soul for themselves. Or, they could ignore him entirely to rip Bendy apart. And that is something I don't think Cuphead wants to happen. He's made it very clear he doesn't want to kill Bendy. Plus, once the Butchers showed up, he was quick to try and guide him away and even instinctively protected him. Bendy, however, still doesn't believe he has good intentions.

Now, Cuphead does have a point in that Bendy and Boris separated from each other. Doing so would put one in more danger than the other from Mugman's rampage. However, we also don't know who's idea it was to split up in the first place. It could have been Bendy trying to figure out a way they could both get away by having the faster one fake having the map. It may have been Boris trying to protect Bendy by getting Mugman to focus on him instead of his injured brother. At this point, we don't know! But regardless of whose idea it was, Bendy still defends this decision as something that had to be done. And then he let's it slip.

Bendy has been very cagey about the map, for good reason. He knows for a fact multiple people have been after this map. To the point he has a bounty on him simply for having it. Of course he would be reluctant to inform anyone of the true nature of the map if they didn't already know it. It could lead to even more trouble for him and Boris down the line. But this is a high stress situation. And he can't watch his words as carefully as he normally does. So the truth slips out. And Cuphead has a very... interesting reaction.

There's surprise, desperation, and realization. That what he has been after could save EVERYONE. Including him. Because the machine doesn't just purify ichor. It can make anything. After all, it has ALL of Yen Sid's magic. It's even stated in the prologue that the machine could provide the toons anything they wanted. Even a way to destroy a soul contract. A way to free him, and his brother.

Speaking of Mugman, Cuphead's reaction is vastly different from his reaction to the truth of the map. He doesn't have this sort of desperate realization and hope that Cuphead did. He's more shocked and horrified by what the bbros are after. He outright tells Boris "You have no idea the danger you got yourself into..." and then tries to convince him to give up the morals he has. Because he knows the kind of people that will be after this map. And that the bbros have no chance to save themselves unless they are willing to attack when given the chance. Whereas Cuphead seems to have a shred of faith that Bendy and Boris can get to the machine. That there is a chance they can make it and save everyone. But while Cuphead has some faith in the bbros, Bendy doesn't share the same faith concerning him.

Despite the bonding moment they had, Bendy still sees him as a killer. Someone who attacked him for a map he knew nothing about simply because he was hired to. Someone who downright threatened him by slamming him into a wall and later at gunpoint to get what he wanted. Someone who SHOT him. So why should he trust him? As far as Bendy knows, Cuphead WILL attack or leave him to die the moment he gets the opportunity to. The only way he will agree to getting Cuphead to his body is if he has a grantee that won't happen. And Cuphead realizes this. So, he does the only thing he can think of.

He wants to make a deal.

I want to take a moment to soak in the irony of this situation right now. In every other situation where there is a mortal soul and a demon, the mortal is the one on edge. The one not fully trusting the demon offering a way out. The demon wanting them to accept what they have to offer. Until eventually the mortal is backed into a corner. If they don't take the deal, something bad will happen to them. So they have no choice but to accept the deal and condemn themselves. Here, it's the other way around. The demon is the one who refuses to trust that the mortal has good intentions for him. The mortal desperately trying to convince him to trust him. Until there is no choice left but to make a deal to save themselves. To condemn themselves to be bound to one another until the terms are met. It is an absolute role reversal and I LOVE IT!

So, what does Cuphead want?

Cuphead wants Bendy to not only get him to his body, but also take him and Mugman to the ink machine. In exchange, he will protect Bendy from danger. A generous trade, all things considering.

And we get this lovely little call back from Cuphead.

Bendy does agree, but adds on one additional condition.

The gold outlining certain sentences shows what Cuphead will be bound to with the deal. Not only will Cuphead have to protect Bendy from harm, but he cannot harm either of the bbros. Ever again. This deal ensures that Cuphead cannot betray him once he's returned to his body. It's a rather unbalanced deal, and Cuphead knows it.

He's the one who suggested the deal, but still, he hesitates. Because he knows what this means. What he's about to condemn himself and his brother to. Again. Another deal with a demon. A risk, one that could end poorly. But one he has to take if it means seeing Mugman again. As well as potentially freeing them from their deal with the Devil. Neither he nor Bendy really want to make this deal. But, there's only one thing for it.

The deal is sealed. And we get to see first hand what a demon deal looks like. Gold wispy magic, mirroring what happened when Bendy used the magic earlier, surrounds their hands. It seems to be innate to Bendy. Tied to him in some way. But accompanying these wisps are chains. A display of the heavy weight of this deal. As well as who is chained by it.

The chains wrap around Cuphead, illuminating even his shackles on his neck and wrist. A burden on his soul. It shows clearly on his face. It was his idea, but his face shows only regret about what has been done. A stark contrast to Bendy.

Bendy's face is filled with shock and awe at the power rushing from the deal he's made. I don't think he's ever done something like this in his life. I'm sure he's made more than a few verbal agreement here and there. Maybe a deal or two. But never a soul contract. A deal that binds a person to you. One they can NEVER break. But you just might be able to.

The next few panels look fantastic. But there is still something... unsettling about them. Cuphead's pupils are missing in the first panel. As if the contract killed him for a moment. They return just fine in the next panel. But the expression he shoots towards Bendy. It's a mix of unease and regret. I'd even say a bit of fear. Of what he just did. Binding himself to a demon. Again. Something he just can't seem to get away from.

As for Bendy, the smile he gives is confident. Dare I say manic. It shows no hesitation to use his new found power. Any fear he had is gone. He holding the cards now and he's not afraid to play this hand. Another thing to note is his eyes. When he first used the power Cuphead "let" him "borrow", his eyes simply had a golden glow to them. Now, they have reticles much like the ones the Cupbros get in their eyes. Perhaps because this time, it's an official exchange as opposed to a temporary one.

One last thing I noticed, the wisps of magic seem to mirror the chains on Cuphead's body. As if it's mocking him. As I said before, the deal is rather one sided favored towards Bendy. He just has to get Cuphead to his body and the Cupbros to the machine. There is nothing in the deal about what state they have to be in when they arrive. Cuphead however? He HAS to protect Bendy from anything that tries to hurt him and can NEVER hurt him or Boris ever again. And the magic binding them reflects this. The chains weigh heavy on Cuphead, while the mist on Bendy just lightly moves around him. A showcase of the freedom Bendy has over Cuphead.

Now then. Over to Mugman and Boris.

Yeah. He's struggling. But it's due to his magic sapping his strength. He's established that his ammo is his soul, and he's currently out. He can still use his finger blasts, but they take their toll once your on empty. The magic can't draw on the strength of your soul to attack. So it gets it from somewhere else. Your body. Each shot further exhausts Mugman without his soul to empower them. Just shooting one on empty was enough for him to start breathing like he ran a marathon. And he can't stop. If he does, the Searcher wins and gets his soul. But the more he shoots

The more the exhaustion sets in.

Until he has nothing left.

If he were alone, he'd be a goner. But he's not.

Boris. When the searcher started to attack, Mugman insisted Boris make a run for it while he fought it. Between the two of them Boris is in more danger. A bit of an inverse of the other two. And Boris does listen to him. At first.

But his conscience gets the better of him. He KNOWS Mugman isn't a bad person. Not only did he save his brother, he just saved him and is fighting to give him a chance to escape. He may not like to fight, but neither does he like leaving someone to die. Add the guilt of killing his brother and it leads to him doubling back to save Mugman's life. He even tells him as much.

He wants to make up for it. To help Mugman like how he helped Bendy. And Mugman knows how he can "settle the score".

Help him revive his brother. I'm not sure where this will go. But one things for sure. Next update? Things will be very hectic and interesting.