#maraoriginal

5.2 The Power of the Dessendre Gods

In this section, I want to take a closer look at how the power of the Dessendre gods manifests in relation to other figures in the game:

The Canvas Family

The Axons

Simon

Humans

Overall, the power of the Painter gods within the canvas is limited: their strength fades over time, and their bodies become increasingly “distorted.” They lose their face and form (The Curator also lacks a voice, but he is a special case, since the actual Renoir-god was imprisoned beneath the Monolith). Eventually, even their mental state deteriorates – as we saw with Aline, the Paintress.

Compared to the other figures within the canvas, however, they are still overwhelmingly powerful. They are also the only ones who cannot be killed: if defeated, they are expelled from the canvas and return to their own world.

→ Aline’s Canvas Family

Clea considered the members of this canvas family useless and weak. From her perspective, she might be right. She resents her mother for retreating into a world of denial rather than confronting the problems of their real world. And she resents her father for following her there, leaving her to carry the entire weight of the Dessendre world on her shoulders.

Within the canvas, Aline gave the replicas of her family special traits and abilities. Above all, she granted them immortality – likely in an effort to never lose them again.

The Canvas Renoir

In appearance, he is identical to the real Renoir, but Aline designed his personality differently: unlike her real husband, with whom she often argued, the canvas version is utterly devoted to her and does everything for her. What both versions of Renoir share is a willingness to sacrifice themselves for their families.

His superior strength compared to humans becomes clear early in the game, when he annihilates most of Expedition 33 the moment they arrive on the coast. We see it again at the end of Chapter 1, when he arrogantly confronts Gustave like a motionless statue – only to kill him with two effortless strikes.

The group’s next two battles against the canvas Renoir are successful, but they are both among the game’s major boss fights.

The Canvas Clea

We never get to see the version of Clea Aline originally created, nor whether she possessed any special powers – because the only version we meet is the one that Clea herself painted over. This Clea has been turned into a puppet without free will, imprisoned on a floating island where she is forced to produce Nevrons without rest.

Only at the end of the intense battle against her does she seem to regain some awareness – and takes her own life.

The Canvas Verso

This version is the closest to the real Verso. At least it seems that way, whenever the game offers us comparisons. We can never know for sure – we never had a chance to meet the "real Verso." But Renoir’s comment in the final part of the game – “One of Aline's finest works” – seems to support this assumption.

He retains his free will – because Aline created him that way. (Perhaps it also has something to do with the fact that the entire story takes place inside the canvas of the deceased Verso?)

Whether his passion for music developed on its own or was given to him by Aline – in this world, he had the opportunity to live it out. We learn that he studied at a conservatory and wanted to become a pianist.

Unlike Renoir, he increasingly suffers from his immortality and eventually turns away from the rest of his family: he moves out, quarrels with his father, and ultimately fights both him and his mother.

His strength in battle is also remarkable – as seen at the end of Chapter 1, when he confidently confronts his father. Both of them know they are equally powerful. Later in the game, his unique Gradient Attack “Angel’s Eyes” becomes crucial: when he is killed, it revives him at the start of the next round – a mirror of his immortality.

The Canvas Alicia

We only ever see her in shadow. She always appears in black and white, and her surroundings seem to lose all color as well. Her face is severely disfigured – just like the real Alicia’s after the house fire. Her mother could have changed that – but apparently chose not to. She blames Alicia for Verso’s death and punishes her with scars, an ugly mask, colorlessness, and the loss of her voice.

She appears only in dreams or at the edges of scenes. The group can only meet her directly when they climb her Axon tower, The Reacher.

In the duel against Maelle, she proves to be an exceptionally strong opponent.

On the deaths of the canvas family:

To kill a member of the canvas family, a Painter god must be present. When the canvas Renoir dies, Maelle and the Curator lay their hands on him together to trigger the Gommage. Alicia requires only Maelle’s hand – by then, Maelle has already become aware of her power.

Why was the canvas Clea able to kill herself? It seems illogical – but she was different: overpainted by Clea. That might be the reason.

 “Damn it!”

Lune flew through the forest as fast as she only could when she was under stress.

“You of all people!” She stopped, looked at him, tears of anger streaming down her face.

Verso approached her. “Lune... I know I failed. I lied, but...”

Her voice broke. “Stop with your ‘but’ as if there was no other option!”

She grabbed him by the collar, pushed him against one of the rough trees, and kissed him. Energetically, angrily, but with burning desire. She felt his heart beating as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. And yes – it was exactly what she wanted. And what she didn't want to allow.

She pushed him away. An angry look, an uncertain one from him.

"How could this happen? How could I fall for YOU... of all people... No, this is definitely not love. A stupid crush, hunger, desire, but love – definitely not!"

He just stood there, looking guilty. “Lune... I thought...” He swallowed. He looked toward the camp. “We can go back...”

“Don't you dare!” She grabbed his wrist.

He looked at her questioningly. With those damn beautiful eyes. Why did he look so good that everything inside her contracted; her stomach burned, her pulse pounded in her ears? “I hate you for wanting this.”

They ended up on the forest floor, breathless and tangled in desire. She clung to his coat and rolled on top of him. “If we’re doing this, you’re the one who gets to lie in the dirt. Let the ants crawl between your legs.”

That smile. The one she couldn’t resist. The one that made her smile too, even now.

Later, they lay next to each other, exhausted. Heartbeats slowing. Breathing calming.

Verso turned onto his side, let a fingertip trail gently across her cheek. “So, how’s the forest floor treating you?”

She caught his hand and kissed it. It smelled like forest soil. And like Verso. So strong, it made her close her eyes - her heart racing again.

The song she’d written - the one filled with pain, somewhere between hate and love - echoed in her head. Bittersweet and raw.

“I’m cold. And I need music.”

With another one of those infuriatingly charming smiles, he helped her up and wrapped his coat around her shoulders. She took a deep breath, dizzy from his scent.

On the lakeshore, she lit a fire, summoned her guitar, and sang. He joined her, sang the harmony.