#zero itgr

💬 - Any fan theories you've had or currently have?

🎤 - Any hot takes?

Hello anon! Thank you for sending in an ask. I'm going to answer 🔪🎤 first as they will be shorter answers and then dive into the fan theory part that will have a read-more break because it'll be pretty long (with screenshots).

There are a few character in ITGR that I don't like, but one of my least favorites, if not my least favorite, is Chase. Who, I do notice, is quite the fan favorite, possibly second to Brook. SORRY for the slander if you like Chase by the way uhmm I definitely understand the appeal of his character, in season one, he's a self-righteous idealistic man who takes it in his own hands to do anything he can to improve the state of the world regardless of whether people see it as morally correct. Hell, I like Light Yagami (not Shiro mentioning something from another fandom on his ITGR blog? Breaking his own rules, eh?) even, so of course I can see the appeal of a character like this, but after season three starts, that whole image collapses. He loses his plot involvement and direction as a character, in the end no longer caring enough about the world to take the steps he did before to improve it. While this is a fair development of a character like him, in ITGR, it just renders him near useless. After the arc where they attempt to uncover Scarlet's backstory, he turns into an accessory purely as a motive (taking care of him) for Scarlet, and to an extent holding her back. Going from whip-smart detective with unrealistic ideals to A Guy. A nerd who kinda bums around as the ITGR discord would describe it. It's all a realistic turn of events but nonetheless that doesn't make him a likeable character to me. Not saying that a good character has to necessarily be plot relevant and etc. at all it's just my personal preference that they are.

Sorry. Going to yap a bit more about Chase regarding the hot take I'll be talking about. I personally do NOT think Chase should return and that Zero is Chase, and I don't think he should be from a storytelling perspective. Many have talked about how much they'd like Chase's return and have been hoping for Zero to be Chase, not taking into account how Chase, if he returns, because there is just no way for him to be plot relevant at all as of season four's current plot. All he'd do is be an accessory to Scarlet and hold the plot back. It also feels disrespectful for him to be brought back after that very heartfelt send-off in season three, just taking away all its merit and significance. If Zero turns out to be Chase—I think that takes away the whole merit of his character. His largest appeal to, at least me, is the unsteadiness of his sense of identity, careening between the feelings of a dead man and his own role as an archreaper. I don't know about you, but I think it'd feel very invasive to feel the emotions of someone else that you wouldn't have otherwise, and then being forced to put those emotions (and memories) into conflict with the current identity you have (for Zero, as the most powerful archreaper, directly in opposition to Scarlet). Grave has set up such potential with Zero already, and a reveal that he was actually Chase all this time would be so disappointing IMO.

Fan theory time. Discussing archreaper Three and Five's identities... this is a theory shared by the ITGR discord as I'm actually not great at making theories aha.

- @itgr :D

Hello! Thank you for sending in an ask felix!!!!

My favorite reaper is our girl Scarlet, though a bit of a boring answer since she is the main character. Fun fact, I actually didn't like her during season three. I think the main reason is that she loses direction at that time in the series, and her main motivation is just protecting/being with Chase. After Chase exits the scene, she regains her sense of direction and has a clear goal outside of him that I think made her character much more enjoyable for me to read about in season four. I'm looking forward to her development and the resolution of certain aspects of her character that are unresolved (see: her avoidance of mourning Chase and thinking about him at all, which, pointedly, is NOT moving on).

I think it's pretty obvious, but my favorite ship (that I unironically ship) is Zarlet (or known by other names... Emoedge, tic-tac-toe, lung cancer liver failure). I'm not going to delve too far into them, because I'll end up yapping for hours, but their main appeal to me is how tragic they are. Scarlet just went through the whiplash of having that 172 dream (which is my least favorite chapter ever), relaying her experiences with Chase to Key, finding out that there is absolutely no way to bring back Chase (through Nyra and the miracles), and then she gets smacked in the face with a man who has Chase's face? But was just made to toy with her? And then there's Zero, who from Chase's memories (that is currently assumed to be implanted into him, most likely through the memories/help of Barghest spectating Charlet from Scarlet's eyes), also has all the unwanted feelings for a woman that isn't even his. It feels invading yet he yearns so badly and yet there is no chance in the position he is. They're so unlikely to end up happy, and I want them to be together, but at the same time they shouldn't be.