sapphic

happy birthday @amazingphil !!!

dan:

ned represents tyler’s happiness (i’ve also seen some ideas of his imaginary friend from childhood which i think might also make sense) but anyway.

tyler and josh are trying to reconnect with tyler’s sense of happiness, joy, wonder, etc. 

at first, while they are trying, they both have no idea how bad the problem is (how long it’s been since tyler truly and deeply felt those things). that’s why they think they can fill the pool with just the hose. and it does draw ned out. but tyler’s issues are so big that ned runs away (tyler can’t truly feel those things yet). 

then they start working more (the multiple tanks). they work on the issues more, they help each other more, that kinda thing. and ned gets really close to the water. tyler almost feels that intense and wonderful happiness again. but it’s still not enough. 

so they have to work even harder. josh puts even more hard work into supporting tyler, tyler turns to music, all of that. they work so hard they almost overfill the pool with their efforts, making the water very hot, that kinda thing. 

and it works! ned jumps in the pool, tyler actually purely and intensely feels those emotions again. everything’s wonderful, though tyler feels fear and loneliness (the part at night with his staring into the camera). it’s scary feeling those things again when you’ve forgotten what they’re like, afterall. 

when the hard work and progress all goes away, the pool drains, and tyler’s back in his rut, but ned doesn’t leave. he still has that sense and memory of happiness he had tried so hard to gain. ned’s not scared of the hard times anymore. he’s willing to stand with tyler, even at his lowest (plus he’s still got josh’s help, afterall).