AmbitiouRavenclaw

Lightcycles are the primary mode of transportation on the Grid. Since their conception in the early 1980s, they’ve undergone many revisions and modifications. This data file seeks to provide a reference material for all lightcycles currently known to exist.

The first lightcycles to exist were part of a gaming program written and designed by Kevin Flynn. On the Grid designed for them, light cycles are incredibly fast when moving, and leave behind a solid jetwall in their wake. They move in straight lines and only turn in 90° angles. With their brakes disabled, this creates a hazard whereby one light cycle could be forced to crash into the jetwall of another, causing the victim to derez along with their light cycle. This is the primary method of Lightcycle combat. Outside the Light Cycle Grid however, the Light Cycles move just like a regular Real World motorcycle, and have not been seen using jetwalls. They also feature a communication system that allows drivers on respective teams to coordinate maneuvers with teammates against opponents on the Game Grid, or organize an escape should they so choose.

When Kevin Flynn copied over the lightcycle subroutines to his private system, he made several modifications, enhancements, and optimizations, resulting in a completely new class of lightcycle, known as the Gen 2. However, programs native to Flynn’s private system refer to this as Gen 1.

While the white ENCOM 786 is undoubtedly the most widely known model, certain programs have been known to use a black model known as the ENCOM 0.82. Some also claim that Kevin Flynn’s personal ENCOM 786 model is persistant, unable to collapse into a baton. It is widely regarded as the fastest lightcycle in existence, and is arguably the fastest vehicle on the Grid. With the upgrade, the nintey degree turning restriction was removed, and an option to shut off the solid jetwall at any time was added.

The Gen 2 was succeded by the Gen 3. This is the first lightcycle model to abandon a completely closed canopy, allowing for disk attacks to take place. It was in wide use circa 1989, until it too was phased out by its succesor.

The Gen 4 lightcycle returned to a partial canopy, although still mostly open, still allowing for disk attacks. Some variations of this model exist, notably a custom model written by designation: Zed, shown below.

This model features an overdrive, enabling it to reach impressive speeds.

Another notable variant that belongs in this generation of lightcycle is somewhat of an oddity: The VL1 Light Roadster.

While this vehicle undoubtedly fits in the Light Car category of vehicle, it posseses a unique feature that enables it to split into two two-man lightcycles. It is unknown whether it can generate a jetwall.

One final lightcycle variant of Gen 4 is the Light Crawler.

The Light Crawler was designed especially for use on rough or snowy terrain. It features a large tread that runs the entire length of the lightcycle.

The current lightcycle model on Kevin Flynn’s closed system is the Gen 5. It features a flexible back plate, that provides greater protection while giving the rider the most mobility possible. One notable variant is known to exist: Clu’s personal Light Cycle.

Clu’s lightcycle features a spoiler and horizontal headlights. In addition to these seemingly minor design modifications, it is believed to be faster than a standard model.

While the lightcycle subroutine progressed in this fashion on Kevin Flynn’s private system, it developed differently on the ENCOM systems.

The Super Light Cycle is the lightcycle upgrade provided to programs on the ENCOM systems. In 2003, it was used by only a few, specialized programs, due to the increased speed requiring greater reflexes to control. It is unknown if it sees wider use today.

A compilation of all the ARCANE X TRON style studies I did so far! There is definitely a “look” I’ve kind of settled on, but I’m still debating on if I like the final product or not. The pieces vary from screenshot edits to full pieces I did while taking the backgrounds from screenshots from the show as well as illustrating necessary details for the context of the scene itself.

If you have seen Tron: Legacy and Arcane:

1. Kiss me

2. Please tell me that you all see the strange yet beautiful parallelism between the whole movie and Arcane.

The most important and my favorite: CLU and Viktor.

CLU was “born” with the only purpose of creating the “perfect system”. He erased all the “imperfections” from The Grid, and in exchange, he left all these soldiers who once were programs before going through “repurpose”.

Viktor eventually considered humanity as a big imperfection. He saw it as the cause of all our disputes and inequalities. So he erased humanity and left instead a bunch of empty “mannequins” that he used to attack the people that was against him.

Both of them pursued perfection, but once they were too far, they had to be stopped by an older version of them:

For CLU, it was Kevin Flynn (CLU and Flynn are “the same person”, as Flynn said at some point).

For Viktor, it was himself. The older version of him that used Jayce to stop himself.

I think it annoys me because he tries to make something deeper. And it's not. I hate the shallow-ass way he does "diversity." You need more to your character than their minority traits. We learn nothing about Exo. Her traits are: Black, woman, courier, protagonist (and I got to flirt with a woman one time before it was permanently erased). It's like Exo didn't even exist before booting up the game.

Does she like her job? Is she saving up to go elsewhere? What were her goals before becoming a time goddess? Does she buy into the doomsday glitch rumors that everyone else seems to know? What did she think of Core before getting arrested -- maybe lukewarm, or uninformed, or trusting? Maybe she already harbored disdain for them since outlawing lightcycles; as a courier I imagine that was quite a blow. Does she have no connections prior to the game? You telling me she's never heard of Automata or Reset? It would have brought SO much more depth with just that simple change: "Oh yeah, I've heard of [your group here], they're [incorrect boilerplate opinion here that gets more nuanced over the course of the game]" or whatever. She meets everyone for the first time enough times that there could have been some, I dunno, character development there beyond "yeah I've done this before." Mike Bithell tells me she trusts these programs but he definitely doesn't show me. Surely she's heard of the games at least---maybe experiencing them first hand could have been enlightening. "I thought it was volunteer, they say it's volunteer..." Make her a person, make her someone who exists outside of the viewer/player/reader's eye.

And that's not even touching the boring as hell dialogue. God. Every single sentence is doing exactly one job and it's exactly what it says on the tin. No foreshadowing, no beautifully blended exposition, no worldbuilding except if you explicitly ask for it, nothing. At least we get every single beat for beat goodbye sequence though!! Ugh. If there was any subtext it was solely in Bithell's head and we aren't given access to it.

And I don't believe these things can be blamed on low budget. Games like Night in the Woods, Tacoma, Gone Home, etc do a masterful amount of worldbuilding and characterization with a fraction of the writing.

I suppose it's easier to list the things I did like about the game:

Ooooo... interesting question.

So, I'm not sure about Symbolism between characters, but I'd be happy to listen to your thoughts on the matter!

As for the "Perfect System"...

C.L.U was designed to create a perfect system based on the Ideology Flynn had of one when he was created. However, this idea seems to have never been fully fleshed out (Flynn admitting that even if I am remembering correctly). Human ideals can change just as swiftly as the wind itself, adapt, modify... Flynn especially. He's a dreamer, he chases ideas and gets himself into equally as many messes, and the prospect of the Grid was a playground for him.

For Flynn, the perfect system was a place to escape reality... a place of infinite digital Opportunity and Dreaming to reshape reality itself. A dreamer's paradise where anything and everything could happen at his fingertips at any given moment. Just like it was when he went into the Encom System. He chases a feeling... an Idea... a memory. And he needed someone to just... organize that a bit.

For C.L.U though... Different story.

C.L.U isn't human. C.L.U doesn't chase dreams and ideals and these big lofty whimsical human fancies. HE receives the "Perfect system" command differently than what Flynn saw.

To C.L.U, he latches onto one aspect of the grand plan. Parts that can be understood from a code perspective. At first... his "Perfect System" revolves around Flynn. Stabilize his many projects, make sure the Grid runs smoothly, keep Programs running in line... exc. Bring some clarity and linear organization to the randomized whims of his maker. But... that still isn't perfect. Flynn is constantly trying to chase Perfection in a way he can't Process...

Then... the ISOs happen.

Dangerous, unstable variables. Imperfect coding, wild and ununified looks, no true reason for being on the Grid, no written function other than to just EXIST. They are imperfect. They are unstable. That means they are a threat to the perfect waffle-square organization that C.L.U had tried to form. They waste resources, they slot themselves into places previously perfectly on schedule by dedicated programs. Suddenly... that paper ladder perfection is shattered.

But Flynn sees nothing wrong. Flynn is FACINATED by them.

He can't understand. They are barely better than a glitch... an infection leeching away the previous perfection he had been building. Flynn sees nothing wrong with them.

I.E... Flynn is wrong.

His coding is perfect. He is to create the perfect system. He is to "Change the world".

That... is when the second idea of perfection sets in.

Reshape. Humanity.

Flynn is imperfect. He tries to reason, fix the imperfections. Doesn't work. Ok... then it must be deleted. Humanity is flawed... imperfect. Flynn wanted a perfect system to reshape the world.

He would reshape the world to the idea of Programmed perfection. A world with no variables, no wasted resources and "Programs" that had no function. Everything would be perfectly set in their places. Everything controlled and managed to fit a singular working blueprint of how it would function to the most optimal way. No dreaming, that wastes energy and disorganizes. No switching functions, only what you were programed to do. Perfect optimal running of a world to get it to FUNCTION to the highest performance.

Like a computer. Not a society. Mechanical function. NOT ideal or personal function.

But even then... it isn't enough. Programs are too... human. Programs fight back. They are flawed by the code written into them by human hands.

So he rewrites them. Organizes them to fit their perfect functions in the System. Those who don't fit into that criteria are taken out of the equation. Only what exists to make the Grid run smoothly and to its best efficiency is kept.

But still... that Imperfection lingers.

So... He turns his eyes to "Reshaping Humanity". If he could delete the variables, reprogram those who had brought them into functioning in the first place... there would be ORDER.

C.L.U's perfect system was just that... a System. Organized. A Grid or System running to the best of its given function... existing. Nothing more. Unchanging.

That's my take on the matter of C.L.U's perfection. Not sure if this answers what you were wanting to know, but that's my two bits!

Heres my two cents (more like a lot of cents because this text is huge) but anyway. The symbolism i talões about it on my previous posts in The link below.

Okay so lets start talking about Why clu is marxist.

Here I need you to understand that programming here is a symbol to work, it's the program directive, function or work. One may say Work in marx is not equivalent to job, yes correct, but here the therm Work would be imagistic representation that semantically remembers the idea Work from marx (and its most common use, proletarian work).

Okay so the programs that are strays dont have an identity they are not social beings. Exactly what marx means when he tells “to Work is to Exist”. Okay so apparently Clu takes this idea a bit more radical, you need to contribute to society you need to have a directive a Work, you cannot just do nothing, or have no directive, because if do not have one you will appropriate and use the work of others to survive. This is exactly what marx criticizes from the Bourgeois, they do not Work they only parasite society. They keep society from being free.

And freedom here is the central concept of our theory, for marx freedom and Work are inthertwined as I explained in my text. The more work you have access to “give your meaning” the freer you are, and also the richer you are. In communism you would have free access to Work, to create things and to give meaning to thighs created by others.

To clu, Isos are the parasite, as dyson said “like a disease that keeps spreading”. They do not produce anything they only appropriate the work made by programs (the cities the energy etc). Also Flynn prioritised them over the basic programs, clu says “Flynns precious ISOS”, so we have here class struggle, ISOs are the bourgeois. In Tron evolution there's a line where clu says “We are programs and that is how we shall be know from that on, today we are basics no more”, so when clu takes over the grid he takes down the previous government (that favors ISOS) creates a government of basics and that favours them and also abolishes the social classes. Well that's pretty much Marx.

So NOW society is free to Work (or what Marx calls praxis), 

Another interesting thing when we see clu speech in Legacy he says:

“Not to mention ridded of the false deity who saw to enslave us” this relates to Marx quote “Religion is the opium of the people. It is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of our soulless conditions.” because to marx religion is just a tool for the Burgeois to justify their power and religion enslave and alienate the programs from being free (working according to marx).

As I explained previously Gnostics oppose to materialistic (marxism is materialistic), there’s why the movie message is pretty opposed to clu. As I also explained previously, clu (Samael) is not inherently evil hes just ignorant. When clu tries to create a perfect sistem he does with good intentions, the same way marxists had good intentions when they made soviet socialism. But because clu is ignorant and is deceived by the false nature of substance and is also kept from the real eligthment of the ideal world, he falls from his dreams and becomes a tyrant (what he was trying to prevent). The same can be said to socialists.

There are also symbolic references to Stalinism in clu government, beyond the color red. They have a cult to the leader and vast control of the daily life and economy, as well as strong moralism.

Thats it guys bye!!

If you dont know about marxism please read here:

If you dont know about gnosis please read here:

I’m assuming it is in uprising and the fandom just ran with it because in the movies it’s blatantly false.

Greetings. The Master Control Program has chosen you to serve your system on the Game Grid. Those of you who continue to profess a belief in the Users will receive the standard substandard training which will result in your eventual elimination. Those of you who renounce this superstitious and hysterical belief will be eligible to join the warrior elite of the MCP. You will each receive an identity disc.

Everything you do or learn will be imprinted on this disc. If you lose your disc, or fail to follow commands, you will be subject to immediate de-resolution. That will be all.

Once again how Flynn was there for the speech “huh they’re giving this thing to a very specific few and no one seems happy about it” and then went “I liked the frisbees I’m going to put them in my world :)” is so wild to me. I know it was probably actually Disney higher ups who just…. Didn’t think about the implications of making it mandatory for all.

Classic-

In the classic grid it was assigned spesifically by the MCP to the video warriors, gladiators, combatants etc (whatever you want to call them).  Essentially it makes  eradication easier. If you were in the game grid you were one of three things:

1.) Religious

2.) rebellious/just want to do your function

3.) “useless”

Keep in mind the MCP was different from Clu, he wasn’t reprogramming he was assimilating. Took control of all your functions, made it so you wouldn’t want to complete them or talk to your user. You are apart of him now. Apart of one. If he found you useful. If not your in the games to eventually die there. The disks just make it easier to pick up what useful information a program may have while  simultaneously getting rid of the body.

You don’t loose your memory when you loose the disk. It’s a memory backup! Basically it’s a hardwired flash drive in your back!! If you loose it they just kill you (this is to prevent rebellious programs from destroying theirs or refusing it).

Legacy-

Ok well then is it different In the other grid? Slightly. Flynn didn’t intend it as a oppressive tool but it canonically serves similar functions later on, we here the later part of Sarks speech as a safety speel in the armory before Sam is sent to the games. “Take it off and well fucking kill you”. This is under clu. Under Flynn I’m imagining it was mainly memory back up and so he could have quick access to code/be able to code from inside.

I think Legacy disc are intented to be a more direct reference to the Samsara Wheel. Considering that Tron is a gnostic saga.

The Samsara Wheel is a mirror of the Human Nature and the key path nescessary to achieve Nirvana (Gnosis). To look to the wheel is to look to ourselves. A programs Disc is their Identity, when you look inside the disc you are looking to the programs nature (as is concieved in philosophy).

The Samsara Wheel is key to understanding how to reach gnosis the same way Flynn Disc is nescessary for the programs to achieve the real world (which is the ideal perfect world). In tron 1982 is also similar but the similarities are more subtle.

In 1982 its basically the same the Disc is the mirror wich you achieve the higher idealistc existence (the users).

The line made by Dummond:

"All that is visible must grow beyond itself and extend in the realm of the invisible" Seems a line took directvly from a gnostic book, i was shocked whe I heard it lol. But its describes the nescessary journey from the Keroma (material visible world) to the Pleroma (Ideal World). But the disc also has a connection to Sudarshana Chakra, which is the weapon in form of a weel from the Hindu god Vishnu. Here Vishnu weel its supposed to cut trought chaos evil and illusion and bring eligthment, clarity and order.

The same way programs dics are what they use to fight against the evil clu or MCP (which is the demiurg) and also what they use to reach the users and the real world which both are instances of clarity. The programs use the disc to "cut" trought the beings that trap them in the world of illusions.

If you did not understand anything that I am talking about please read my previous post on the matter where I explain in Detail why tron Is a gnostic saga.

See the post here: https://www.tumblr.com/tronbrlzed13/778575047097991168/flynns-brand-of-user-ism-is-a-bit-of-a-fringe?source=share

Some videos to help you out:

I cant stand people asking “what is tron? Is it a criptocoin?”

Anyway heres a drawing of yori and a small tribute to Cindy Morgan, ages an amazing actress and her passing was a great loss for the franchise.

PS: I WANT A TRIBUTE IN ARES

People usually draw her with Braid hair i think that short hair suits her better and alguns with the grid overall.

Hope you like, Bye!

YORI LIVESS!!

here's my piece "Yori Nouveau" for the @cindymorganzine. I am still so honored to be a part of it, thank you for having me! <3

#Arcane season 2

Some keyshots I did during the production at fortiche.