J. Rodz

Follo is still alive! I knew he’s not going to kick the bucket just yet! Though the wound on his stomach area is pretty serious…

We also got Follo’s backstory! He’s from the North Ward! The area said to be closest to the Sphere (I just imagined a delightful AU where Rudo ended up in North Ward instead of Akuta). The city looks clean, though it’s probably because of the snow. For the most part, Follo has a pretty normal upbringing. The part that got me curious is that he was studying. Universities exist in Gachiakuta? If yes, what major Follo is interested in?

We are introduced to Follo’s childhood friends. Unfortunately, we didn’t get their names. My first thought about Follo’s Boy Childhood Friend is that he’s Shounen coded. The design, the motivation, even the bravery to the point of recklessness. Heck, he even got his girl childhood friend crushing on him. Follo’s Friend pretty much check all the boxes for a Shounen Male Protagonist.

Follo felt admiration for his friend. In his mind, his friend is much cooler than him. Yet this is also where his complex start.

I don’t think Follo has romantic feelings for his girl childhood anymore (if he ever did), but he feels hurt anyways over the fact that she never spend time with him unless their mutual friend is present. Friends can grow apart. It happens. But his friend preferring the other person over him further convince Follo that he is the lesser one.

Then the town got breached by Trash Beast.

Follo’s friend decided to fight it despite not being a Giver.

Sadly, we all know where this is heading.

It’s safe to assume that Follo joined the Cleaners after this incident. The hammer, once belonged to his childhood friend, now in his possession. I wonder if the reason why Follo has yet to awaken his Jinki is because he subconsciously still consider said hammer to be his friend’s rather than his. A mental block, if you will. It makes sense. His friend did owned the object for years.

If he really had it for that long, I wonder why it hadn’t turned into a Jinki yet? Is it an innate quality that makes someone a Giver? Is it tied to a turning point in someone’s life?

Zanka becomes a Giver after he climbed his way out from rock bottom. Remlin becomes the new Spellcaster after the death of her predecessor. Delmon presumably joined the Cleaners after his home got attacked by Raiders. Eishia didn’t become a Giver immediately, but her Jinki is the same cord that electrocuted her back then. Rudo awakened his power after the trauma of losing Regto and got thrown from the Sphere consecutively.

If Follo becomes a Giver after dying, shouldn’t there be a lot more Givers in the setting? The Ground is pretty much a Deathworld, with the polluted air, Trash Beasts roaming around, Sphere dumping their garbage.

I think the key to unlock Follo’s Jinki is grief. He is obviously still grieving for his friend. I don’t know what stage he’s at right now, but it won’t surprise me if Follo becomes a Giver after he comes to terms with his friend’s passing.

If Follo ended up with a giant hammer after this, the guy deserve it.

Also it’s cute that Follo has worn caps since he’s just a Baby. Do you think he collects them?