waffleicious ^_^

Fan throughout season 4 has been… rough. A major theme of the show being identity, especially for season 4 where they have to figure out how to be themselves and what that means for them.

Loving the game was Fan’s code, he was designed to be a super fan, so when the game is gone and society is built, and he is used as the AC for a hospital, it was obvious that he would want to start it back up. Bot says in episode 6 that Fan runs the game with sincerity despite them not approving of starting it back up. He loves the game, he needs it to be involved in his life. Despite the sincerity, he has been struggling. The “am I good person” line comes to mind. Something in him is telling him that what he does is bad, and the brush off of the line makes it feel like he doesn’t know how to talk about it. He is hesitant, the game continues, test tube almost dies, the game continues. He wants this to work. He even says that any of his affinity for the game is gone. But he is still running it! Which isn’t healthy, but I think it goes a lot with the identity theme, and if the writers are going that route, how his code still impacts him.

Marshmallow is a major pushback to the game, and has been for a long time. Fan’s foil. Removed from the game, living her own life, and being impacted by Fan’s decisions multiple times.

“If you want to see me as the bad guy, so be it”again I want to bring up the am I a good person line, post strike Fan is definitely difference he’s got more of an attitude, hes short with contestants, he’s said that he “punches down” when he’s not in the right headspace. I think he’s speaking personally here, he isn’t unaware of people’s feelings this was one of his “hard conversations” he was surprised that nobody thought to leave the island. It’s a thing that has to happen. He is aware of how he treats people due to the conversation with Bot. He doesn’t want to be controlling.

“Sorry I lived”this is the line seen as manipulation, and I understand the interpretation. Especially paired with what was said before. This is a punch down, and it’s not trying to be seen as a good thing. But also…

“I’m not sorry you lived fan, but I think you are”Marshmallow doesn’t take this bs, Fan’s face after she says this, he is shaking, he is avoiding eye contact. Marshmallow is correct. “Why are all my dreams so angsty” assuming he dreamt of mephone in coma as well, does he think he deserves this?

BUT I am also not saying that the mephone parallels are not here!!! Again the dreams with mephone, him using recordings of mephone to create a sense of validation. Even just being the host of inanimate insanity with a near death experience. Characters see this too ofc, the line with OJ about unchecked power, it’s a thought in people’s mind that he will be like mephone.

so what? I think that Fan turning into mephone is a really interesting concept, but do I think it’s gonna be that simple if it happens? No. Fan is getting “worse” but he isn’t far gone, he has the right intentions, and becoming more like mephone would be not accidental but also not what he wants. If there is a conversation talking about Fan’s behavior to his face, I can only wonder how that goes. He doesn’t want to be bad, but he is showing behavioral signs in terms of attitude that I don’t think he is in the right headspace to process who he sounds like.

this is also the bg that was going to be in microphone’s shot