lou

This bad boy.

Now, at first, I did think that it looked like a firefly at first, since bioluminescent, glowing insect. However, when I looked at it a bit more, it didn't feel so much like a firefly to me. To me, it looked more like a cicada. And that's where this whole theory comes into play.

Keep in mind that I haven't done too much deep research into this, but I think I have enough information to make a simple point. (Also, thanks to @mothochrome for adding some points I didn't think about!)

So, talking first about the artifact itself. I thought that it was interesting that it looked like a cicada, so I went digging for what possible meanings it may have in fiction and mythology. A few different meanings came up, including death and rebirth, but also transformation and personal change. Considering the state that Buddy/Nox is in right now, and figuring that this thing is what caused him to turn into a key, I figured that the thematics are rather on point. Immortality also came up as a possible symbolic meaning, which I thought was something to note because keys can't really die. (At least, not unless they're shattered, and that's just a personal guess. When Silver was damaged, she simply couldn't reform in her keyple form.)

That was the most I had initially thought about it, but Lou brought up some pretty good points to go along with it! (And if you see this, bud, feel free to correct me if I misquoted you, or add anything that you want to share!) Regarding the themes of transformation and rebirth, he theorized that, if the artifact really was the thing that turned Buddy into a key, then maybe it only did so for a certain reason. That the only reason why it would turn someone into a key is because they needed to learn a lesson. It only calls to people who need to learn a lesson - be it about themselves or about the world - and possibly correlating with the archetypal key that they turn into.

In other words, this thing may be the physical embodiment of an Aesop.

If you know Aesop's Fables, you know that the stories typically end with a moral learned by the starring characters of each story. Like with The Boy Who Cried Wolf or The Tortoise and the Hare. Maybe the lesson that Buddy has to learn is that while the world may not always be on your side, there will be people to fight alongside you whatever your past may be. Even if you see yourself as the villain, you can still be the hero in someone else's eyes.

I've been helping out with a dub project for Cinderella Boy (we're still looking for voices if you want to join!!! here's the link to join the server, and you can comment/dm me if you need more info. whatever works ^^)

One of my jobs has been typing up lists of all the characters per episode/all the characters in general and where they appear. Fun stuff, I love lists. I realized with the most recent episode's release that I'd yet to determine which imp said which lines. When characters are less distinctive I tend to give them a simple name (Spectator Lady 1, Guard 1, etc. etc.) and then I'll specify their lines next to that name. I'd taken the canon imp names and put them on the doc but not said to which imp they referred. This is a problem, as the imps are not the most... individual in their appearances.

I did not want to undermine any work Punko had done to make small features differentiate the characters. Wattle has distinctive horns, as does... I believe their name is Daub, judging by the author's note on Mister Mischief V (I take my cataloguing duties very seriously. too seriously, perhaps)

I was looking for more of these features. I spent about an hour and a half doing so... whoops.

But during said time I was also regularly updating my friend on my progress/befuddlement. Thus occurred this exchange:

(TL;DR: I assumed the imp that hands Buddy the lunch drink in MMII was Lattice, but that one has a slightly bent horn. Different from all the other bent horned characters. Lattice does not have such a horn in later panels, but I didn't want to add on yet another imp voice to be cast because there are so many one-off characters in CB, there's three pages of just names in one of my cast lists. We determined it's a horn modifier, like a binder kinda, you wear it for affirmation and vibes but can't go too long cuz that's not healthy. Therefore, trans icon Lattice. and I drew her trans femme because I love women and we need more in Cinderella Boy)

anyways that's it. that's the story. I love my friends, they're very silly and encouraging of the shenanigans. and if YOU want to be silly with us, you could consider joining the dub :3 I promise we are very nice most of the time and very weird even more often