moscato

Although numbers generally play a large role in the progression of AFTG, such as the importance of dates or Neil's countdown to his kidnapping in Baltimore, there are a few standout instances, rich with symbolism, that tend to go unnoticed.

4: The number four is deemed unlucky in japan, so much so that it’s often skipped when creating hospital rooms due to the intense negative stigma, this is because the number quite literally translates to death; a fact that definitely wouldn’t go unnoticed by Riko. The idea that Neil was quite literally branded with death and his life only officially beginning as Neil Josten once the 4 was removed after Baltimore therefore signifying his freedom. This number being removed by the thing supposed to kill him no-less is a twisted form of irony, leaving scarring to forever remind him of this near-death experience and the final run-in with his father, A man being the literal personification of Death in Neil’s eyes.

13: thirteen is presented as Andrew lucky number, with Betsy being Andrew 13th therapist, finally leaving the Spear household at 13 as well as moving in with Aaron being his 13th and final household. Andrew and Neil’s jersey numbers add up to 13 also, suggesting the idea of the two are inherently parallels of one another, destined to meet. This plays on 13 inherently being an unlucky number, creating a contrast to defy expectations; as per the norm with Andrews character of whom revolves around defying boundaries and breaking stereotypes.

This is a dramatic and unnecessary comparison, one that I'm not entirely certain Nora did purposefully (though I remain hopeful), but nevertheless we have come to a conclusion.

An initial first look would instantly have me foaming at the mouth to mention that Edgar Allen Poe and Neil Josten (read - Nathaniel Wesninski) have the same birthday, alluding to the idea that Nathaniel had been and would always be intrinsically tied to Edgar Allen University, Riko, and the Ravens until Nathaniel is officially buried in baltimore and Neil is born legally in the FBI database and assuming a new birthday that is entirely his own, therefor cutting ties once and for all with Edgar Allen University and the trauma that it holds, in relation to both Riko and his Father. This is semi ironic as while Nathaniel died in baltimore and rose again as Neil ( “leave Nathaniel buried in baltimore” Andrew said,) Edgar Allen Poe also died in the same city under ‘mysterious circumstances,’ of which is where I like to think that Nora got her location inspiration, (both that and Baltimore having one of the highest rates of corrupt law enforcement, but that's neither here nor there.) These links only continue as Poe watched his mother die before living and being educated in numerous places around the US, England, and France, of which similarly seems to mirror Neil’s own childhood.

Edgar Allen Poe wrote his infamous ‘The Raven’ while in West Virginia, likely being the reason that Edgar Allen university is located there in All For The Game and the decision for the exy team to be titled The Ravens as a result, a particular point of interest as the contents of the ‘The Raven’ represent the madness someone descends into once their love is lost; this mimics the relationship between Riko and Kevin, with the formers sanity spiralling from his control once Kevin is lost, (with it also notable to point out that Riko and Kevin were originally written to be lovers, furthering this mirroring to the poem.) The symbolism for the Ravens represent a ‘bird of ill omen’ and seem to foreshadow the downfall of Poe's character as he was surrounded by them, as well as Rikos’ by being in the nest, with Poe also stating that the character is “distorted by his obsessive attachment.” Both Jean and Kevin escaping these ravens and having a promising ending reinforces this intention by Nora.

The idea of these Ravens that Poe writes about seem to also mirror Neil’s relationship to the nest, with the ravens in the poem coming to “Bellow for Revenge” on a “Drear-Nighted December.” A startling similarity to Riko forcing Neil to go to the nest over Christmas. The Nest being entirely painted black seems to also reference Poe’s poem in which the speaker enters the door into “darkness there and nothing more,” such as Neil would have done upon entering the Nest at the beginning of December, once again referenced almost directly as Jean tells Neil to look at the sky one final time as he wouldn’t see it again throughout Christmas.

This choice of a raven, in all, is chosen by Poe and seemingly Nora to symbolically represent the personification of death and the Narrator's impending fate, in this case being Neil’s knowledge that he will die by the hands of his father.

Edgar Allen Poe also coined the terms Evermore and Nevermore, with Evermore meaning that loss will always be apart of life, fitting as the characters in All For The Game all seem to go the Castle Evermore upon losing somebody and therefor unable to grieve, such as Jean losing his Family (post TSC read: his sister), Kevin loosing his mother, and even Riko losing his birth family, with only Kevin and Jean able to overcome that grief once leaving the Castle Evermore. Nevermore, however, means that one can never hold onto what they have, with the Narrator of Poe’s poem chanting the word once succumbing to madness from the loss of his partner, implicating the idea in All For The Game that no matter the circumstances, Riko never would have managed to keep Kevin in the long run, always ensuing the same fate.

Short answer, Both. The idea of Andrew single-handedly, and successfully, standing up against an entire crime syndicate is a swoon worthy thought, but is simply just that, a thought. The reality that andrew doesn't and can't do as such is a much more refreshing take, one brought about by a young adult having been crushed by those around him from birth onwards, intense and borderline crippling mental health issues creating an idea that he will keep those close to him, by force if necessary.

This creates a three-dimensional character that you both want to hug and strangle in equal measures, a man so utterly traumatised from his body not belonging to himself quite literally forcing the erasure of his emotions one by one in order to survive, in contrast to an adult that will and does hurt those around himself in a calculated and malicious technique to keep them under his control and thumb. This begs another question in the relation to excusing his behaviours on the basis for mental health, though that's another story.

Does Andrew truly believe that he can protect these people and come out unscathed or does he just have no self preservation, a death wish displayed through fighting a battle he knows he can’t win? Though technically speaking, the man doesn’t have any will to live for himself, at least initially, instead creating bonds to tie him to others and force him to keep doing something. However in this case Andrew truly believes that he can protect both Neil, Kevin, and Aaron to the completion of their deals, the seriousness of which he takes these deals is proof of this enough; this idea that he genuinely believes such a thought a thought is somehow more worrying than potential suicidal tendancies, how does someone believ that they can single-handedly take on the yakusa without even a partial influence of grandiose delusions. It must play a role in his decisions, in part at least.