Utena truly said what if Eurydice knew from the start that Orpheus would look back. She knows that this is how the story must end. Orpheus remains optimistically oblivious as he trudges forward. Eurydice waits for him to look back. Look back already, as other so-called "heroes" would. He does not look back. He climbs the crags and steps of the Underworld even as Hades accosts him, leads him down and down and down back to the depths. She wants him to look back, look back and end this spiraling journey of cliffs and chasms. That is how the story ends, after all. Is he purposefully denying fate, or does he truly not know what is to come? All stories have a certain end. He does not look back. She begins to ask him to look back, to beg in woven myth to let it be done already. She throws herself off a cliff, Look back, look back, watch me fall and know that it is done. He casts his head aside as he grasps her arm in his hand. He does not look back. He reaches the precipice, where the story must end even as all else has failed. He is shown a future (a fantasy) without sorrow, without her. He does not look back. Forward, forward. He thinks himself a hero. "Look back," a blade pierces his chest, "look back at your killer. Let this story end, as it should, as it will, for you are no prince." He does not look back. Forward, forward, as rock gives way to dirt. He collapses at the maw of Hades, dewkissed grass at his fingertips. He does not look back. Eurydice steps into sunlight.
AN: Holy shit this blew up
Iād greatly appreciate it if anyone seeing this checked out the addendum as well for a more rounded perspective/a short glimpse at my full opinions on the matter that arenāt filtered through Orpheus and Eurydice. Also, to anyone seeing this who hasnāt watched Utena yet (Iāve seen yāall in the tags), welcome!
