STINKY PIRATE

A couple of years ago, I watched Haibane Renmei for the first time, and only recently my desire to rewatch it reignited by the theory about the Communicator. Little is known about him; his essence is mysterious, his main purpose is to guide the Haibane on their path. But who is he really? A possible and simple option is that he's some kind of trusted confidant, chosen by others, but it's unlikely to be that simple. Before rewatching the anime, I was struck by the thought, "what if the Communicator was also a sin-bound Haibane?" At first, it seemed like just a fleeting thought, but then I rewatched the series and was captivated by the details. Perhaps the most obvious one for me is episode 11, where the Communicator explains to Rakka what will happen to the sin-bound Haibane if their Day of Flight doesn't come. The camera angle chosen for this moment, focusing on him, as if hinting at his own fate. Then I was captivated by the detail about the wing medicine, the recipe he knew. Perhaps he knew this recipe because he had already met those who were bound by sin, or perhaps it was from personal experience, since he himself had once needed it, maybe both actually. Also, he doesn't have a halo, but he does have wings, or at least where they used to be, under a dark cover. This could be highly symbolic.