#exo_obsession

[burn bright]

Today EXO dropped the first teaser for their 6th full length album - OBSESSION. The teaser mentions there are “6 exotic beings”, “similar in form with <EXO>”, that are “radiating red energy”. My overall theory is that Red Force created 6 copies of EXO, either to infiltrate EXO and hunt them or to wreak havoc on Earth and cause humans to be afraid of EXO.

The teaser says EXO has been tracked for long now. Presumably this is since the Pathcode teasers, when EXO caused a bunch of supernatural phenomenon while they were looking for each other (Tao stops time, Baekhyun makes all the lights go out, Suho causes water to return during a long drought etc.)

In Lucky One, we see EXO locked up and being experimented on. They try to escape and think they have successfully, but they are actually being watched the whole time. One fan theory says Lucky One is tied to Love Me Right because Yixing’s face can be seen in a window in both MVs. With the new OBSESSION teaser, I think that the “6 exotic beings” were created by Red Force during the time of Lucky One. They needed EXO’s blood and to monitor them so they could create look-alike copies.

I think that starting in Tempo, we see EXO’s copies (EXØ). In the Tempo MV, we see some of the members flash in and out, like holograms, making it seem as if not all of the members are really there. It’s possible that both EXO and EXØ are present in the MV - some scenes EXO and some scenes EXØ.

In Love Shot MV, we see Xiumin and Baekhyun pointing their guns at each other. Some thought this was a sign Xiumin was a spy. But with the OBSESSION teaser, maybe one of them is really a copy and the other found out.

Ever since the album versions were announced as EXO and X-EXO, the X-EXO reminded me of X-men, a Marvel superhero group.

“Most of the X-Men are mutants, a subspecies of humans who are born with superhuman abilities activated by the "X-Gene". The X-Men fight for peace and equality between normal humans and mutants in a world where anti-mutant bigotry is fierce and widespread.” (Wikipedia).

With the new OBSESSION teaser, I still think the concept is somehow related to X-men. However, the flaw in this in relation to my theory is X-men are on the good side, whereas with EXØ created by the Red Force is most likely evil.

Anyways, these are just my thoughts after the first teaser. We still have 24 days until the album release so, there’s plenty of time for this theory to be destroyed.

UPDATE #1:

I saw a fan theory on Twitter that we’ve been with Baekhyun’s clone this whole time. And that got me thinking. 

It’s possible we’ve been with Baekhyun’s clone but I don’t think his clone is evil.

In Baekhyun’s Pathcode teaser, he is running away from something but he get trapped by a gate and turns around with a terrified look on his face. I think that is when real Baekhyun is captured. He is the first to be experimented on and he is replaced by clone Baekhyun.

In Monster, we see Baekhyun setting EXO free. I think this might be clone Baekhyun setting real EXO free. Maybe clone Baekhyun isn’t as evil as the Red Force wants him to be, which would help my theory about the connection to X-men.

I still think in Tempo we are with EXO’s clones, but clone Baekhyun returns with a piece of the cube at the end to foil the Red Force’s plans. But in Love Shot, clone Xiumin realizes clone Baekhyun is a traitor and shoots him.

Overall, I don’t think clone EXO will actually be evil. I think they were created to be, but I think something will happen that shows they have some good in them.

Also: EXO has talked about there being alternate universes. So I think (Just realized one of the Power teasers literally has #alternate_universe in the description) Power happens in an alternate universe. In the Power teaser, everyone except Baekhyun has been captured by RF-05, which is the opposite of what has happened on Earth. In the Power comics, I think Baekhyun from this alternate universe is realizing something has been wrong from the beginning on Earth.

UPDATE #2

I went back through EXO’s Instagram to find the Tempo teaser and the album description is

“Speed loving bikers enter the fragment of frozen time as they log into the red cube. Solving the hidden puzzle is the only route for an escape. However, the bikers are unable to resist the temptation and re-enter the cube.”

In the Tempo MV, it seems that D.O. and Xiumin solve the puzzle. However, at the end of the MV, Baekhyun is holding onto a piece of it. Stemming out of this are two possible theories:

Clone Baekhyun is evil, lured EXO into the red cube, and took a piece of the puzzle to prevent them from escaping, partially suggested by this IG post

Holding on to my clone Baekhyun isn’t evil theory, clone Baekhyun keeps a piece of the puzzle so that real EXO can escape, setting the scene for OBSESSION.

EXO dropped their long awaited OBSESSION MV today! I woke up early to watch it but still didn’t manage to get this post out before I had to leave for work so it’s now 10pm PST and I’m just now posting this.

First Impressions

Love the song, love the dance, don’t super love the MV

The track is such an earworm. “I want you, I want you want you” has been running through my head all day. My favorite parts are Suho and Chanyeol’s exchange at 0:36 and Chanyeol’s rap at 1:11. I love hearing the rappers sing, which happens pretty often in the rest of the album as well. The line distribution is fairly even and I feel like Sehun really shines, which is long overdue.

I really love the choreography as well. The movements are so sharp and controlled; the boys always dance so well. The beginning of the dance makes a big impact, where Chanyeol rises from his knees and they all slowly rise up. I also really like the group dance with Kai in the center at 3:12.

I’m not in love with the videography. I think it’s still really good, especially the close up shots, but it’s just wasn’t what I was expecting based on the teaser. I was expecting more action and less “member in a box”, though I do admit that it’s difficult to film a person and his non-existent-in-real-life clone in the same frame.

Theory

EXO and X-EXO are one being. The Red Force exists within EXO and they are fighting themselves.

(I feel like this theory is apparent to a lot of people in the MV but I just want to cover why I found it to be true.)

When the track list for OBSESSION first came out, someone mentioned that the song title “Jekyll” made them think X-EXO and EXO might be the same being, and EXO is fighting the Red Force within themselves, based on the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. 

Many aspects of the OBSESSION MV make this seem like the case.

What first made me think this theory is true is X-Kai’s appearance around 1:37. His skin is extremely pale and white, giving him a phantom-y look, and making it seem to me as if he doesn’t actually exist.

The most prominent clue starts at 1:50, when Sehun shoots an arrow at X-Sehun. However, at 1:52, we see that the arrow has pierced Sehun instead. 

Throughout the MV, we see Chen playing chess with X-Chen. However, at 2:25, Chen appears at the chess table alone.

Suho’s floating body (0:36) reminds me of movies such as Dr. Strange, where someone has an out-of-body experience and is looking at themselves from the outside.

The lyrics also make it seems as if EXO and X-EXO are one being. Based on the lyrics I think that X-EXO manifests themselves in EXO at night, which is why perhaps the initial teaser says “new beings” were discovered. It reminds me of EXO’s werewolf concept back with wolf, because werewolves manifest themselves at night (on a full moon depending on the myth). It also relates to Jekyll and Hyde:

Jekyll's transformed personality, Hyde, was evil, self-indulgent, and uncaring to anyone but himself. Initially, Jekyll controlled the transformations with the serum, but one night in August, he became Hyde involuntarily in his sleep.

Wikipedia

0:20 “As the night makes me blink, you snuck in again” - Baekhyun

0:31 “Oh you’re the bad dream kill. You keep possessing me” - Kai

0:55 “A vicious cycle of nightmares, I’ll end it now.” - Kai

1:19 “When I fall asleep with one eye open, you permeate without a sound, the phantom” - Chanyeol

2:02 “When I open my eyes like yet I’m still asleep” - Sehun

3:09 “It’s me looking at myself in the mirror” - Chen

When the MV teaser video came out, I translated Sehun’s ending ment as “Disappear from me”. It seems that EXO wants X-EXO to leave, and vise versa. 

In the ending scene of the MV, we see fire slowly engulfing a planet, a symbol that the Red Force is winning.

Connection to Marvel - Extremis Serum

This comeback concept especially gave me a lot of Marvel vibes. As I mentioned in a previous post, X-EXO reminds me of X-Men. 

In the MV, glowing red streaks appear on EXO and X-EXO skin (2:08, 2:50, 3:04, 3:05). A similar situation appeared in the Iron Man series. In Marvel, Extremis is a serum that alters one’s DNA.  

If the user's body chooses to accept it, the user will gain regenerative healing abilities, making them able to heal all wounds, including previously-amputated limbs or even psychological damage. When regenerating body parts, the wounds take on the appearance of burning embers while growing back the lost body part, in a matter of minutes, and cooling into regular flesh, blood, and bone. Extremis also enhances physical performance, granting superhuman strength, reflexes, and overall higher resilience. 

Marvel Fandom

In Marvel, the Extremis serum was used by evil forces to create a group of superhuman soldiers.

Other Interesting Notes

In the MV, it seems like to me that X-Suho is trying to drown Suho, which is interesting because Suho’s power is water and if he can control it well, he shouldn’t be able to be drowned, an indication that perhaps X-Suho is stronger.

EXO Timeline

Based on the Marvel tie-ins, the only plausible theory I have right now is when EXO was kidnapped and experimented on by the Red Force in Lucky One, the Red Force tried to inject evil into them. Perhaps it only worked on 6 members.

My best guy friend isn’t into Kpop but I obviously love it and I wanted him to understand EXO’s concept so I could talk about the comeback with him. So I sent him this list of content so he could get an overview of EXO’s concept as quickly as possibly. And I wanted to share this list with you! For new EXO-L’s or if you want to introduce EXO to others!  Do watch/read in the order listed.

EXO MAMA MV: Beginning - 1:20

Baekhyun’s PATHCODE Teaser: All

EXO Lucky One MV: Beginning - 0:30 + 3:20 - end

EXO MAMA 2016 VCR: 1:35 - end

EXO Power RF-05 Teaser: All

EXO Power Comics: All

EXO OBSESSION Image Teaser