As you can see I've Reblogged Many Posts, Because I'm get so Tilted at the Tumblrs...
Here are some common tags I frequently use to organise my blog, if you would like directions around:
#original myddle post - All of my posts that I originally made, and aren't reblogs (Honestly wish this was just an option to sort by on Tumblr, like, sometimes I wanna see what people have made, and not what they like that other people have made, y'know?)
#myddle reblog - Pretty self-explanatory, but I do often make silly quips and things, so perhaps still worth perusing if you are interested?
#myddle art - "Recovering Artist" is only half a joke; I'm getting back into drawing after falling on and off of it due to irl bullshit i don't wanna get into so any of my art I post will be here. I can't promise it's all that good, but it's got heart or something so that's good. It's probably gonna be mostly #noelle holiday art by volume
#deltarune - my current and greatest hyperfixation, and the thing I post about most often. My favourite character is #noelle holiday
Specialised Deltarune Tags:
#deltarune theory - Wouldn't you know it, I speculate about Deltarune a lot. Go here if you just want those theories and my additions to other people's theories
#thinking about deltarune - A bunch of bigger analyses of mostly characters in Deltarune that I kept accidentally titling the same way so I made a tag out of it
#DEVILRUNE THEORY - All posts relating to my big, overarching Deltarune theory, in which the game will feature a third path distinct from the Normal and Weird Routes that will feature the True and Only Ending of the game. This one's my baby; if you look at anything Deltarune on here, please look at this
(Read DEVILRUNE THEORY from the beginning!)
#murder drones - Not actively posting about it these days, but I have a lot of old posts about Murder Drones on here and I still like the show a lot. It's not perfect, but the worldbuilding has so much potential it's great
#adventure time & #fionna and cake - Sure, I think I have some old AT posts kicking around in the back somewhere. I was very much not a fan of the F&C Season 1 Finale (Here's my write-up on why), but I still think the show is pretty cool
#outer wilds - you should play outer wilds
Also of Note: My Ao3 Page!
Currently chipping away at a big Noelle-centric Deltarune fic, but I have some one-offs and unfinished Murder Drones stuff (I do plan to finish it at some point) there too. They're pretty good, I think; I get a lot of nice comments so they can't be that bad
Anyway, have fun
(I definitely don't have enough of an online presence to warrant this)
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
β Live Streamingβ Interactive Chatβ Private Showsβ HD Qualityβ Free Actions
Free to watch β’ No registration required β’ HD streaming
like the thing about "this can't just be a me and you thing" is that kris is definitely upset about it but all of their distress is 100% going to be directed inwards at themself. like if they have even one single thought about how they feel like susie or noelle are leaving them behind or how they feel hurt by them growing closer it will immediately turn into the strongest wave of self-directed hatred possible. they literally think they're evil for being alive. they believe they are intruding on all of their friends' lives and making them worse just by being around them. they're not gonna be wishing noelle was dead or something they will be wishing they could isolate themself so hard that they never existed so they could undo all the harm they think they've caused their friends
what if noelle is in the party in chapter 6 and we can start making her stronger in chapter 6 instead of chapter 2. belated snowgrave. i don't know what this would build up to it was just a what if thought. after all of deltarune comes out someone misses snowgrave in chapter 2 does the sword route in chapter 3 and then tries using iceshock in chapter 6.
I've brought this up as part of a larger discussion, but yeah, getting party Noelle in Chapter 6 is going to be a complete clusterfuck with all the different combinations of weirdness you could enter and leave with.
Like, currently your completed Chapter 5 save can have:
Completely clean Normal Route save
Partially completed Weird Route in Chapter 2 (With potentially multiple permutations based on equipped ring and whether you stole Noelle's Watch)
Aborted Weird Route in Chapter 4
"Aborted" Weird Route in Chapter 5 (A.K.A. The Twisted Route)
For brevity, let's abbreviate these as NR, A2, A4 & A5, respectively. Now, if you can perform some kind of Weird Route in Chapter 6 - we'll call this W6 - then you could leave Chapter 6 with at least 7 or 8 different combinations of Weirdness.
NR/NR
NR/W6 (The path of your hypothetical player you mentioned)
A2/NR
A2/W6
A4/NR
A4/W6
A5/NR*
A5/W6*
*I say 7 or 8 because Noelle could end up taking the choice out of our hands if something like the Twisted Route happens
That's a lot of variants, and remember: Berdly is dead in half of them!
(I kind of wander away from the point you were making and talk about Chapter 6 in general after this part)
Also, in the item response dialog Noelle has been accumulating (That I've seen, I could've missed something), Noelle only responds directly to Kris, and seems to talk about Susie in the abstract, so Kris and Noelle might get isolated together again, providing ample opportunity for Proceeding and Getting strongering. Is this gonna be the Chapter 2 nostalgia chapter? This game is cannibalising itself at a frightening rate
Now, there are ways Toby could nip this in the bud while still having Noelle in the party. Maybe something will happen that makes Ralsei explain how dangerous IceShock is and make Noelle not want to use it.
But that only cuts out half of the variants! Chapter 6 is still gonna have to deal with Noelle in four different stages of dissociation (NR, A2, A4, A5), whether or not we can make it worse!
Plus, being told that one of your spells - arguably an innate part of a monster's being - is uniquely dangerous and should never be used, has gotta feel pretty alienating, right?
Everything is pointing to party Noelle not going well in Chapter 6 as I'm predicting, and addressing her issues in at least 75% of the routes will require confronting Kris over what we've done.
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
β Live Streamingβ Interactive Chatβ Private Showsβ HD Qualityβ Free Actions
Free to watch β’ No registration required β’ HD streaming
In Fate's Crosshairs: What Susie Isn't Talking About In Chapter 5
Perhaps My Most Confident Theory Yet
A couple people have been pointing out that Susie has been acting... weird, in this chapter. Trying to accept ribbons, ignoring (most of) Flowery's "princess" comments, neglecting her bond with Kris in favour of Noelle... Any one of these on their own could be excused as... sideways? character development? But all together, they have people throwing up eyebrows, some even going as far as to question Toby's writing.
While I have more faith in Toby than that, I'll admit... these accusations are hard to deny. I haven't seen an explanation that convinces me, but it's clear there needs to be one. What could possibly have caused such a drastic shift in Susie's behaviour?
Fortunately, I have an idea on what it might be. And it involves something else that's strange: What Susie Isn't Talking About.
(Deltarune Chapter 5 Spoilers, Really Long Post, Substantiated Opinions)
The Unspoken Inevitable
It is actually CRAZY. How little the Prophecy came up in this chapter. Like, I think it was only alluded to by Ralsei two or three times, and I'm not sure the WORD. PROPHECY. Was even SAID in the whole chapter. Like, correct me if I'm wrong, but the fact I'd have to check frankly says enough.
She tried to hide it, but we know Susie was haunted by what she saw of the Final Tragedy. It should be sticking in her mind, impacting her thought process, weighing on every decision. Instead, the thing on Susie's mind...
...is Noelle. Her love. ...Riiiiiight???
The Final Tragedy
Before Chapter 5, I made a prediction on what I think the Final Tragedy might be, and while I doubt I got it word for word, I think I'm on the right track. If you don't care to read that post, here's the prediction:
THE GIRL'S LOVE MUST MEET ITS GRAVE.
If Susie is "THE GIRL", which... you know, probably, then whoever her "LOVE" is is in narrative danger. Previously, I proposed that Susie is worried it could be Noelle or Kris, but honestly, I was being conservative! Susie just learned about polyamory the night before, it could be Noelle and Kris! Hell, why stop there? For all Susie knows, her "LOVE" could constitute any number of people she cares about! Kris, Noelle, Ralsei, Lancer, Toriel, Tenna? What counts!? Could you define "LOVE" real quick!? 'CAUSE THE PROPHECY SURE DIDN'T!!
So what's Susie gonna do? We know what she's like at this point, she's not gonna let anybody die because of her. So, she hatches a plan...
Susie's Idea (Derogatory)
Now, if you're following my logic so far, it might sound like I'm proposing that Susie is focusing all her "LOVE" on Noelle to pin the death flag on just her, which... no. Not quite.
As I was struggling to put all this together, I remembered an odd thing Susie said to Noelle at the lake. Something that I think is the lynchpin that explains all of her strange behaviour.
...That's weirdly... broad, right? She submitted a blank cheque. FOR A LOVE CONFESSION. That's kinda weird. And I KNOW she can do better than that; did you SEE her rizz at the hammer game!? Girl has an incredible talent for making people feel SO LOVED.
No, Susie had a reason to say that. To declare her and Noelle's feelings for each other as equal. Equivalent.
...Interchangeable.
Do you get it yet? Susie is trying to game the Prophecy, to swap her and Noelle's roles so she'll be the one that dies instead of Noelle.
And she's doing it with Noelle specifically because Noelle is her only "LOVE" that can fill the same roles as her; Kris and Ralsei are already in the other hero roles, and, you know, aren't girls (obviously Ralsei is trans, but Susie doesn't know that), so "THE GIRL" has to be Noelle.
And that means making Noelle a hero. Susie's previous apprehension in telling Noelle about the Dark World is completely gone, and while she missed her chance to tell her at the lake, she's got Castle Town going all out to give Noelle a warm welcome and induct her into the Delta Warriors.
All so Noelle can be "THE GIRL, WITH HOPE CROSSED ON HER HEART.", and Susie can be the "LOVE" that "MUST MEET ITS GRAVE".
Susie's gearing up to sacrifice herself. Because of course she is.
Evidence (20%TP)
With this in mind, a lot of things Susie says, that didn't seem very like Susie to say, take on new, disturbing double-meanings.
As much as she can... however little that ends up being.
Her relationship with Noelle... or her plan to save her? Can someone like Susie fill the same role as someone like Noelle?
As far as I can tell, Susie never fully breaks out the L-word for Noelle. She wants to love her... but she's scared. Scared of putting Noelle in the crosshairs of fate.
Blue likely meant "love" in the normal and cool and gay way (The flowers don't seem to be clued in on the deeper goings on besides Flowery), but all Susie's hearing is how she can best shape herself to take a bullet.
With this framing, what appeared to be uncharacteristic levels of yearning are revealed to be the coded words of a very scared girl. A girl that's scared to mess up, scared to lose someone she loves... and scared to die.
The best days she can have... however few that is.
Susie's sprite does this a LOT in this chapter, even in happy moments like the lake where it otherwise doesn't make much sense. She isn't saying it, but she's really struggling. And she's struggling alone, because she knows if she tells Ralsei or Kris or Noelle what she's planning, they'll probably try to stop her. And she can't allow that. Nobody else is dying because of her.
Bound In Ribbons
Now, one part of Susie's behavioural shift that is notably not explained by this theory's base premise is her trying to wear ribbons.
Ribbons have been a common armour since the start of the game, and are filled with metaphorical significance. They're signifiers of femininity, and how each party member reacts to them tells us more about their relationship to femininity.
Ralsei is shy but joyful, Kris can't object or approve, Noelle gets nostalgic... and Susie refuses them. She doesn't like 'em. That ain't her. And she hasn't been reprimanded for this, by her friends or the narrative. Her gender-non-conformity is representative of her will to defy fate and resist tyranny.
So for her to suddenly 180 on all that and not only accept, but insist on wearing ribbons, through audible discomfort... it's a red flag. And her reasons for doing it... aren't all that convincing.
Like, come on, Susie. Noelle isn't into you for your femininity, and you know that!
And her immediate reaction to wearing one demonstrates my point aptly: she was forcing herself to ask to wear the Ribbon, and resorted to a technicality when it turned out she couldn't stomach it.
But why? Why is it suddenly so important to her that she's wearing a ribbon?
Considering all of her other behaviour shifts are explained by it, I think it's a reasonable assumption to propose that something in the Final Tragedy also inspired this. Perhaps the accompanying image featured a collapsed figure wearing a ribbon, or something like that. Something that ties wearing ribbons to being the "LOVE".
A Small Aside
Sharp-brained readers might remember that Ralsei said that Susie is "supposed to wear ribbons". While he might have just meant this in the sense that Susie shouldn't be refusing to wear things she's given by "Kris", it's also possible he meant that Susie specifically is supposed to wear ribbons, which would tie (heh) wearing ribbons to "THE GIRL" role in the Prophecy, instead of the "LOVE".
Now, while I personally lean towards the former explanation, it is possible that I have the roles backwards, and that it's "THE GIRL" that dies rather than her "LOVE". This would require the Final Tragedy panel to also imply that Noelle is the true "GIRL", and while that's a lot more convoluted and might muck up a few of the "evidence" points, it... works. I guess.
Ultimately, though, it doesn't really matter which way around the roles are. The point is that Noelle is in the role that dies, and Susie is trying to swap them so she dies instead.
Beat to the Punch (That Looks Like Blood)
Now, there's a small issue with Susie's little plan, here:
I'm pretty sure Kris is already doing the same fucking thing, because OF COURSE THEY ARE.
As I've pointed out previously, as vigilant as Kris has been in being a good vessel and not expressing themselves, they've had no such restraint when it comes to Susie, and I don't think that's just because of how cool Susie is. No, I think that Kris intends to be "THE GIRL'S LOVE" to save Noelle, and has been actively pursuing Susie to achieve this.
And it's at least somewhat working. Susie doesn't use the same words as she does about Noelle, because she's trying to push her framing, but the way she talks to and about Kris makes it obvious how much they mean to her. Their talk on the way home is just one example.
But Kris's plan has hit a snag, in the form of Susie suddenly being all over Noelle. And they want to be supportive, but...
They can't. Because it's supposed to be them.
Because they promised.
This might be the true purpose of Kris & Carol's conspiracy: to save Noelle from the Final Tragedy by making Kris Susie's "LOVE", and keeping Noelle and Susie apart to keep their "LOVE" from flourishing.
Although, speaking of Carol, if she found out what Susie is planning, I could honestly see her being tempted to switch gears and make Susie "THE GIRL'S LOVE" instead. I mean, then Kris gets to live, too! And Carol likes Kris! Kris is family! Carol loves her family! Now, the only person that has to die is the town delinquent who nobody will miss.
(Wouldn't be the first time Carol's nearly jeopardised the plan with stupid, sentimental decisions. Like seriously, why was the code in that guitar!?)
But even without Carol getting greedy, the conspiracy is now in trouble, because the central piece - Susie - is going off-script. A battle of wills is spilling out over Noelle's fate, threatening to squander all of their efforts.
And you wanna know the worst part of all this?
I Don't Think It Was Ever Going To Work
I don't think Susie or the conspiracy will succeed. I don't think the Prophecy can be negotiated with in this way, and I don't think Noelle's death can be stopped... not anymore. If there is a path where Noelle survives (and I think there is)... we've already passed it.
And that's because none of these bozos have realised why Noelle is going to die, and why her death is what saves the worlds.
...
But that... is an explanation for later, because this post is already way too long. Seriously, I had to start combining screenshots because I hit the image limit, that's never happened before
For now, I invite you to reinspect Chapter 5 with this theory - which I'm dubbing Fate's Crosshairs Theory - in mind. And please, let me know if you spot any glaring holes in my thesis or smoking guns that I missed in the Evidence section.
Join me next time, when I talk about how I think the Normal Route will end and tie all of this back into my DEVILRUNE THEORY.
That's right! This was a DEVILRUNE THEORY post all along! It was all a ploy to support my headcanons! MUAHAHAHAHA!!
(Read DEVILRUNE THEORY from the beginning!)
(Previous/Next)
(Screenshots sourced from so many Youtube videos I've lost track, sorry)
REAL GOOD EVIDENCE THAT I FORGOT WOWIE LOOK AT THIS GUYS
(Deltarune Chapter 5 Spoilers)
She's only here, making this huge romantic gesture, because... what?
The big sticking point in Susie's Chapter 5 characterisation is how suddenly she's become so... romantically minded, when before, even though she definitely kinda liked Noelle before, it wasn't really on her radar in that way. She just like hanging out with her, similarly to Kris.
And here, she almost admitted why that's changed: the only reason she's being this romantic, this fast, is to fit the Final Tragedy's LOVE role and take Noelle's place. Noelle goes through so much... she doesn't deserve to suffer that fate.
And moments later, we get this:
Noelle confesses, and Susie starts to realise just how down bad this girl is for her.
But she isn't taken aback or in disbelief, like you might expect...
...she hastily tries to make up ground. And this leads right into the equivalency line that got me onto this whole rabbit hole.
Susie is desperately trying to match Noelle's affection for her... it's part of why she's stuck thinking about her so much through the chapter...
Her smile, her laugh, her heartbeat... and the thought of it being stopped.
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
β Live Streamingβ Interactive Chatβ Private Showsβ HD Qualityβ Free Actions
Free to watch β’ No registration required β’ HD streaming
I've been thinking about the post-chapter 5 discourse around Susie's relationship with the dark world - where the (more or less) obvious theme prediction is that centering her life around escapism so much will be very unhealthy for her - and I have an alternative theory on this idea now.
My theory is that actually, toby fox is trying to frame this situation as a GOOD thing.
It's very easy to look at her literally living in the dark world and be afraid that it's a trap or is going to backfire, but today this situation reminded me of real-life situations that are analogous to hers: online fandoms*.
*(this theory might also work for other types of communities but stick with me)
There are so many stories of people who talk about their fandom being their lifeline, about making friends, having something giving their life meaning and happiness, improving them as people, and sometimes literally saving their life. As soon as Susie entered the dark world, she was given the chance to make friends and have something to really make her happy for once, and she has been improving as a person (and a lot of it was simply just giving her a proper chance)! Her literally living there seems like an analogy to how these people cling to their fandoms as their lifeline, pouring every spare moment they have into it, and it gets them to a BETTER place as a result, despite the fears of going too far; it seems quite often, that this simply doesn't end up being the case.
There's also further similarities between these dark worlds and online spaces. There are so many people out there in the world that we never get to see, never would get to talk to or even fathom that they exist, other than a vague feeling of the world being a big place with a lot of people in it. But when we enter an online community, those people suddenly come to life for us. We all get a name and an avatar, giving us form, and share an experience together that we enjoy, our dark worlds. Often some of those communities we close for good, but sometimes we keep some of the friends we made while still in them...our recruits? :) And then we find new fandoms and start the whole thing over again, just like Kris opening new dark worlds that hold new adventures and new friends. Toby hard-pushing the idea that the Darkners are real people and not just "objects" really makes a lot of sense in this context too. To some people, the internet is just a screen, but we know we are talking to real people, even if it looks a little different.
Susie living in the school dark world is giving her a home where she had none, friends when she struggled with making any, and a chance to be the better person a part of her already wanted to be, even when no one else in her "real" life saw her as anything worthwhile. Sure, she still has another life she has to maintain, and dark world food doesn't actually keep you full, but she has OTHER needs that ARE being met. And I'm sure many of us can relate.
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
β Live Streamingβ Interactive Chatβ Private Showsβ HD Qualityβ Free Actions
Free to watch β’ No registration required β’ HD streaming
Honestly, I can't see them moving somewhere and not taking Kris with them, established polycule or otherwise.
For one, it doesn't even occur to Susie. She just shoves Kris in the boot of the car (to no complaint) on moving day without even thinking about it. They make it about halfway before Susie offhandedly mentions it and Noelle immediately stops the car to release them and let them ride in an actual seat.
Noelle declares she'll take Kris back to Hometown after they've unpacked, but she ends up "forgetting" about it, and Kris just ends up living in the guest bedroom at their new place. Nobody acknowledges this arrangement for several months, until the room is needed for an actual guest, and the unspoken lie implodes. After some number of tearful confessions, the trio buy a larger bed for the main bedroom, and all is well.
tfw you're trying to take your mind off The Horrors by studying surviving images of the Prophecy but you discover additional, unrelated Horrors (that dead person at the end kinda looks like you)
