#riddle analysis

So the name of the song, “Red Heart Rage” is a bit fun in and of itself. The phrasing is very close to ‘red hot rage’ which would largely be what one would expect as it has the characteristic link between heat and rage. But the name of Riddle’s song is instead “Red Heart Rage,” which draws the emphasis both to Riddle’s last name, Roseheart, and to the Alice in Wonderland link while still emphasizing the rage aspect, which is a big part of Riddle’s character and overblot.

I'll make sure to cram it all into those empty heads,

So open your mouth wider when you speak.

Recite properly the entire rule to the very end,

Repeat after me, swallow it down, and drink it all in.

Now this is an interesting start to Riddle’s song because it very closely aligns with the Riddle we meet at the very start of the game. He’s uncompromising, and unfairly demanding. He is downright brutal in regard to his rules, which is what is being talked about in these lyrics. However, it is well worth noting that this largely appears to mirror what we know about his mother, Mrs. Rosehearts, as well. Riddle most likely subconsciously modeled his leadership behaviors off of his mother due to viewing her as a powerful individual who was always in control. And, in this way, this is what most set the stage for his overblot since, much like how many other overblot characters became something they detested, desperately did not want to be, or even something feared becoming during their overblots, Riddle came to mirror something he feared most in his life. His mother.

Even if it shatters, I won't stop pounding this gavel,

And yet those fools will never cease,

They keep on dreaming.

Dreaming of a way to escape.

And here we get a display of Riddle’s temper. It is potent and can easily lead him to deeply hurt those around him. Even if a gavel, which should be very sturdy, shatters in his hands he still refuses to stop pounding away and forcing rules down others throats. We also get to see that he largely thinks others are fools for vainly dreaming of escape. He is the limitless ruler here, the housewarden. His rules are law. Interestingly though, the lyrics involving dreaming of a way to escape quite likely also discuss his feelings regarding the tyrant he has lived under his whole life. Namely, his mother. 

Mrs. Rosehearts is inescapable for him. She is his mother and a tyrant in her own right that completely controls him and has largely crushed Riddle under her heel for his entire life. And, bluntly put, even if he doesn’t show it, he’s terrified and has lost all hope of ever truly escaping her. In this way, Riddle’s views regarding the cause of his overblot are similarly apathetic to those shown in Jamil and Leona’s overblot songs.

FREEDOM IS OBEDIENCE

TREPIDATION IS REPOSE

FREEDOM IS OBEDIENCE

KNEEL! KNEEL! KNEEL!

So this is a fun spot to stick to this chorus because we go from the verse talking about how fools dream of being to escape, which can be interpreted as Riddle recognizing that the Heartslabyul vainly yearn for freedom in the same way he did before he gave up on such hopes, to Riddle ‘s overblotted views. 

Here, the only way to be free of the cruel punishments he doles out to those who break the rules is to be obedient. Trepidation, or a feeling of fear or agitation of what is to come should you break said rules, is repose because it keeps you in line. And so long as you are in line, you aren’t getting punished. And to Riddle, that is as close to freedom as he can imagine due to his upbringing. So he demands that people kneel, because it has the best outcome. In many ways, despite being so aggressive, the implications of the chorus are incredibly sad. Because this means that in Riddle’s mind, fear is the closest thing he has to peace and he views both it and obedience as his only chance of surviving life. This also shows exactly how much power Mrs. Rosehearts wields over her son. She’s an ever-present shadow that he is terrified of disobeying even when she isn’t around. It’s no surprise that he overblotted with these malformed views, but can he really be blamed for such views after the abuse he has suffered?

Interestingly, this chorus can also be interpreted as Riddle giving the Heartslabyul students advice on how to survive being under him based on his own experience from surviving living with his mother. Of course, that interpretation also implies that some subconscious part of Riddle realizes how horrible he’s being, which is in and of itself very intriguing.

Bring forth your head, now kneel before me.

Being so weak so as to be trod upon itself is your sin.

Just like when painting everything all in red,

Now, carve these rules into your body and mind,

So you never forget them ever again.

We’re trotting into the territory of lyrics that bring execution and queen of hearts symbolism into the song here. We have what occurs when you kneel. You lower your head, but that automatically puts you at risk for losing your head because you’ve exposed your neck. Riddle continues though, asserting that being weak is a sin in and of itself. Now, this can be linked to when Riddle mocked Prefect/Yuu for being magicless, but this could have another meaning as well. It could be that Riddle is stating that being so weak as to think you can get away with breaking the rules only to get caught red-handed is a sin in and of itself. This sort of mirrors the karmic way Azul is implied to view people not upholding their end of a contracted deal with him. It is also important to note here that Riddle has been very much implied to think very highly of all that he has achieved in terms of magical power and prowess despite his young age.  And that is fair, he has achieved a lot. What’s funny though, is that his peers (with special respect to the 2nd years in particular) have also achieved some very impressive things and they are the same age as him. It’s possible that part of Riddle’s grasping for control that led to the situation we see in the Heartslabyul book is because he is recognizing that he isn’t as uniquely special and powerful as he thought. There are others that have achieved impressive feats that are the same age as him.

Either way, Riddle demands that the listener carve the rules into their body and mind so they won’t forget them again. This could suggest that, via punishment, the rules will be carved into a person so that they never make the same mistake. And, bluntly put, that’s probably how Riddle views it. After all he, Trey, and Trey’s family are suggested to have never forgotten when Mrs. Rosehearts discovered young Riddle breaking her arbitrary rules.

FREEDOM IS OBEDIENCE

TREPIDATION IS REPOSE

In a twisted sort of way, enforcing his rules and demanding people learn them may be Riddle’s own way of protecting the people he feels are under his rule and thus under his protection. If they mess up and break the rules, there will be punishment, but if they know the rules and fear that punishment, then no punishment will ever need to come because they will be less likely to break said rules. His actions however, lead him to becoming as bad as his mother when it comes to rules as shown when he overblots.

If it still isn't clear, I'll make you understand,

So don’t twiddle your fingers.

Now this part is really interesting, because it implies that even Riddle at his most insane/overblotted still recognizes that people sometimes need explanation. He offers to make them understand so they better pay attention and not just stand around doing nothing. Rather than coming across as benevolent or caring though, this comes across as a threat due to the punishments Riddle so freely doles out as soon as he loses his temper. And Riddle losing his temper is so often linked to rules being broken.

Foolish disobedience will receive the judgement it deserves,

I’ll make everything seep into your mind without fail.

And here we have Riddle’s way of making people understand even if they don’t understand. Disobey foolishly, and he’ll teach you again. As many times as it takes. You’ll receive the judgement he feels you deserve. The only thing is that the punishment for breaking the rules is almost always extreme because that is what Riddle knows from his childhood. And so, we have the birth of a new tyrant.

Once childish curiosity has eroded away,

No matter what sort of comforting words are spoken,

It won’t ever reach.

This section seems to be more about Riddle than anyone else. He largely ended up breaking his mother’s excessive rules due to curiosity that he now deems childish. The lyrics assert here that no comforting words could ever reach beyond the trauma inflicted by what he experienced when those rules were broken though. Riddle himself became deeply injured and nothing anyone has said could reach him. Which leads up to the chorus again.

FREEDOM IS OBEDIENCE

TREPIDATION IS REPOSE

FREEDOM IS OBEDIENCE

KNEEL! KNEEL! KNEEL!

Bring forth your head, now kneel before me.

Being so weak so as to be trod upon itself is your sin.

Off with their heads, every last one of them.

Not knowing how correct I am is your sin.

Stay obedient, as if in fear.

Now, recite all the rules you've memorized,

These absolute rules.

FREEDOM IS OBEDIENCE

TREPIDATION IS REPOSE

This is largely a repetition of past words save for one important section: “Off with their heads, every last one of them. Not knowing how correct I am is your sin. Stay obedient, as if in fear. Now, recite all the rules you've memorized, These absolute rules.” So we have Riddle enforcing his rules on everyone and informing them that their sin is not recognizing that he is correct. Now, this is somewhat conceited of him in a way that goes with pretty much every overblot character. They, and Riddle along with the rest of them, all assume that they are correct and everyone else is wrong. Which, bluntly put, is incorrect. Just like with so many other things in life, there is no cookie-cutter situation where a person is going to always be right and everyone else wrong. But this lyric is nice in that it shows how clear-cut Riddle’s overblot is. In many ways, Riddle’s backstory  and how it led to him overblotting is the easiest to understand among the overblot characters and the fact his song reflects his songs lyrics is quite nice.