#mco

Mojra Bellamoondo*PL [Pedigree]

🐱 Maine Coon

📸 Dorota Ścieżka [Kotki Rotki*PL]

Basically what the title says. Previously, I hypothesized where Tao’s island could be located in real life, and then I tried to figure how his family and people died off. Today, I’m asking: could Tao have really survived all alone in his island? And how did he manage to do it?

Tao’s story reminds us of two other characters from beloved children movies: Tarzan and Mowgli.

Tarzan grew up in a remote jungle, raised by gorillas. He never saw another human, so as a result he understands animals and can’t speak any human languages (until Jane teaches him how). The dangers he faces are predators like jaguars. He survived because he was raised by gorillas, animals that are very similar to humans.

Mowgli got lost in the jungle when he was very young as well, but he was raised by wolves instead. Although it sounds weird, people claim to have seen such cases in real life (?? I don’t really believe that, but whatever). His greatest enemy is, once again, a dangerous predator (a tiger).

Age

Tao’s case is different. He wasn’t a baby that was lost in the jungle. He was born there, along with the rest of his village. Unlike Tarzan or Mowgli, he’s not feral and he can speak human languages. This means he was quite old before his parents died. But how old? All Tao tells us is that he was “very young” when his father died. Tao is 13 in the story, so “very young” could mean anything.

We do have some clues. Tao can talk. Babies start taking at 1 years old (by copying their parents). He’s pretty fluent as well, so he must have spent some years surrounded by other humans he can listen and talk to (because to learn to speak, you need to actually speak with someone!). He can also read. Typically, a kid learns to read and write at 5 years old. However, some kids have been known to teach themselves how to read at the younger age of 3 (even more likely if they’re neurodivergent, which Tao could be). But to do that, they still need other people around them; they need parents to read to them first.

Up till now, it looks like the youngest Tao could’ve been is 3 years old. But there’s more information to look at.

Another clue is revealed to us when Tao says that right after his father died, he started building those houses in the trees. This means he must’ve been old enough to use tools and construct buildings. From ages 3-5, kids are still too young to actually build real things. They can use child scissors and make arts and crafts, but can’t use real tools. So, Tao must’ve been older than that. I think he must’ve been in the 6-9 age bracket when his father died, because it’s then where he would’ve 1) gained the agility and strength needed to build things at high altitude in the trees and 2) gotten enough practice to use real tools.

Given everything I’ve said, I think his age must’ve been 7 or 8. Because I want to be poetic, I’ll choose 7, since that was how old Zia was when she got kidnapped and brought to Spain. It would be cool if both characters suffered their life altering events at the same age.

So, we’ve decided that Tao was 7 years old when his family died. The question now changes: could a 7 year old survive all alone on an island?

Danger

In a previous post, I claimed that Tao’s island could’ve been situated on or near the island of Española in the Galapagos Archipelago. What climate, flora and fauna would Tao have to deal with and would it be manageable for a kid his age?

Tao already has a shelter to sleep in (a whole village’s infrastructure to himself), adapted to the islands conditions (mixture of a tropical savanna climate and a semi-arid climate, transitioning to a tropical rainforest climate). Given that the climate isn’t too harsh, I doubt Tao had much to worry about, so let’s focus on the animals instead.

Glapagos sea lions can be found on the sandy beaches of the island. Sea lions can be dangerous, but this species is the smallest of the sea lions so it’s already not that bad. They’re generally not dangerous to humans, but can get aggressive if they’re attacked or cornered. Given that Tao grew up on this island, I think he knows better than to bother them and most likely knows to give them their space. In fact, other than the sea lions, there are no dangerous animals on the island at all. Unlike Tarzan and Mowgli, who have to fear jaguars and tigers.

Other animals found on Isla Española are the waved albatrosses (this is where they breed and nest), the blue footed boobies (They court each other), lots of other bird species, lava lizards and marine iguanas, which are all pretty harmless to humans.

Knowing that Tao has no enemies makes it easier to believe he could’ve survived on an island at a very young age.

Food

Our question changes again: Could a 7 year old live by himself on an island where he faces no threats?

If you don’t have to worry about protecting yourself, the next thing you think about is where you’ll be getting food. There are two rudimentary ways: hunting and gathering.

Let’s start with hunting. As I said previously, the Galápagos Islands are home to many bird species. Many are small and harmless. Given that Tao has a crossbow, it’s quite possible that he uses it to hunt small birds. Furthermore, he could also eat the small lizards that scurry around. However, hunting takes a lot of time and energy. Tao was only a kid so he might not have solely relied on a carnivorous diet to survive (although he is a really good hunter, as we’ve seen).

Across the archipelago, you can find edible plants such as the Galapagos tomato, prickly pear cactus, and passion fruit. Tao offers Zia and Esteban some fruit (although I’m not sure what it was exactly) which means he probably does have a very balanced diet.

So now we know that: Tao was old enough to take care of himself, he didn’t have any predators to be wary of and, finally, he had access to food (both meat and plants).

Mental Health

We arrive at our final question: could a 7 year old with no predators, a safe shelter, infrastructure and plenty of access to diverse food survive on an island all by himself?

This was talked about in the show. A human being needs connection to survive. Both Tarzan and Mowgli had that: they were raised by animals that loved them like family. But Tao is all alone, as we said. Sure, he’s capable of being independant, but complete solitude can make a person go insane.

Well, he wasn’t completely alone. He did have Pichu as a friend, but we need to ask ourselves: is that enough?

Parrots are very social animals, and since Tao said he raised Pichu since he was a chick, then that means Pichu sees Tao as his flock/parent (source: I have parrots). Pichu also learned to speak, so he can interact in a more complex way than most pets (like cats or dogs). He can reply to Tao, copy him and even react to situations. He’s pretty smart. He can’t replace human connection, obviously, but I think he’s still a valuable part of Tao’s life and could be the reason he survived by himself. Although, a single parrot probably can’t replace human connection, and certainly not for a child living alone for ≈ 6years. Not only does Tao have food, a friend and shelter, he also has ways to entertain himself. We know that humans (and other intelligent animals) can’t stand boredom. We’ve seen that Tao spends his days studying muan culture as well as building stuff. He says that it was necessary for him to keep busy, to do something, in order to survive and not go crazy.

Conclusion

Modesto’s Maddox [Pedigree]

🐱 Maine Coon

📸 Maike Cernohorsky [Modesto’s Cats]

Appreciation for pichu chilling on Pedro’s head

🐱 Phoenix

📸 Natalia Yakhontova [Doma Yahontoff]

Chicha’s Filbert Flummoxed [Pedigree]

🐱 Maine Coon

📸 Birgit Holme

Immediately after the show ends, Esteban and Zia go off to that weird dimension with the naacals and the cities

Meanwhile, Tao, Mendoza, Isabella and Gaspar get ready to leave for Patala. They say their goodbyes to Pedro and sancho, who stay in Zimbabwe.

Obviously they take the condor, but Tao has never driven it before (no one has. I mean Mendoza did once, in season 1, but he immediately crashed it, so…). It takes some time getting used to (Tao almost crashes into the wall. Again), but they make it in one piece.

When they arrive in Patala, Tao announces his idea of building the new order of the condor in the raja’s palace, who likes the idea (although the last time he let a scientist conduct his research it ended badly, he trusts Tao and his friends cause they saved him and his village from said scientist). Furthermore, Tao plans to make the order like a sort of hub for scientific research and knowledge. He also wants to share the knowledge of Mu with the rest of the world (cause what’s the point in having so much advanced scientific knowledge if you can’t use it?). And of course, he wants the world to appreciate and respect his ancestors just like he does, and make sure the knowledge is used for good.

Mendoza and Isabella are 100% behind his project (even Gaspar helps, not cause he wants to, but Isabella kinda forces him so yeah)

Once Esteban and Zia are finished running around the 7 cities and chatting with the naacals, they go to Patala to join Tao, who’s extremely happy to see them, obviously.

And so, slowly but surely, they begin establishing the order of the condor and blabla.

Tao remembers the old order of the hourglass, and how its basically been defunded by the king. And so, he offers Athanaos and Nostradamus to come continue their studies in Patala. Athanaos immediately accepts cause 1) he likes it there and 2) he gets to be with Esteban (finally, it was long overdue). Nostradamus on the other hand, doesn’t really wanna go cause he’s lived at chambord for so long, it’s hard to just leave everything behind. But once Tao tells him about his plans for a huge observatory, he immediately packs his shit and joins him

So yeah the rest of this is just slice of life moments of everybody chilling in Patala and of course setting up the order of the condor

Unfortunately not everything can be cute and fluffy. Because uhhhhh. Ambrosius is still out there. And he’s got a flying machine with like,,, lasers and stuff? And he’s like immortal now?? Or at least very hard to kill. So yeah we don’t get to relax just yet

Isabella and Mendoza essentially decide they have to figure out where tf Ambrosius is, if he’s planning anything and how to stop him. They’re even more worried cause they know how much Ambrosius wants to have tao at his side, and that now he’ll really stop at nothing cause he’s lowkey immortal (fun fact: the name Ambrosius means immortal).

And soooo they get a ship. Just like they wanted. And of course Gaspar just has to come cause 1) I love their trio and 2) they need all the help they can get

So yeah they periodically go on missions and stuff but they always come back home (to the kids in Patala)

Meanwhile, Pedro and sancho are in Zimbabwe and set up their tavern just like they wanted. Pedro gets married to Nyamita and maybe they’ll have a kid soon, maybe? (Fun fact: I didn’t like their relationship at first but it grew on me and I think they’re cute)

Back in Patala, Mendoza obviously misses his old friends, even though he doesnt say it. I mean, sure he’s really happy and proud of them for starting a new and healthy chapter in their lives, but they are his first and dearest friends. Zia immediately realizes that he’s upset, and the kids offer to periodically fly him to Zimbabwe to see them (and the kids obviously wanna see them too! They’re the kids’ uncles after all!)

And I can just imagine like. One day, they receive a message from Zimbabwe that Pedro and Nyamita are soon having a baby and they all cram into the condor, fly to Zimbabwe to see them 😭

Esteban, Zia and Tao are super excited about having a cousin. Pedro is freaking out cause he never imagined he’d be a dad one day. sure, he wanted to but now it’s actually happening and he doesn’t know if it’s all gonna work out. Esteban, Zia and Tao reassure him that he’ll be great, since he’s already so good with kids. And of course, Mendoza couldn’t be happier for his friend

I included marinche now! Since some people were asking