#Celestial Symbolism

[anthurak]

Something that I found particularly interesting in the Just Look My Way music video is just how strongly the visuals associate Blitzo with the MOON, which is certainly a pretty new development for the show's presentation of him, alongside Stolas's association with the Stars.

And the funny thing is...

...this isn't the first time the show has strongly associated a pair of characters with the Moon and the Stars.

Obviously we'll have to wait until the next few episodes to see how this plays out, but right now I am feeling VERY confident that, more than simply the 'wholesome sibling dynamic' that much of the fandom has pigeonholed them into, Loona's and Octavia's friendship may well be representing a full-on platonic FOIL to all the messiness their respective fathers have going on.

I mean imagine if the B-plot of The Full Moon shows Loona and Octavia cementing a close relationship, which is then juxtaposed with Blitzo's and Stolas's relationship falling apart?

[obsessedwithao3]

My opinion on the celestial symbolism for the life series winners(I made 2 versions)(I might make one with the tarot card symbolism too)

Grian:the sun(Grian is Irish for sun)

Scott:the stars

Pearl:the moon

Martyn:comet.Comets have been associated with doom and death from the olden days.Comets are also kind of the messengers of the gods which I think goes very well with Martyn since closest thing we have to gods in the life series are the watchers and not only was he the only one with a direct association with them but he also conveyed their message.Death and don't trust anybody

Scar:Uranus.Uranus is different from all the other planets. He's The only one named after a greek deity instead of a Roman one.Scar is also different from all the other winners.He is the only one who didn't die at the end of the series he was the winner of.

Cleo:Pluto.Pluto is a dwarf planet who was once considered a planet,taken out of the planetary group and now is being debated.pluto also represents transformation and the life games transformed from normal mc to VR mc.They transformed from bloody to lighthearted

I also have an alternative version

Grian:the moon.Thw moon shines from other ppls light.It has a dark and a light side Wich could either mean the much popular watcher theory OR the fact that he almost always starts the series normal and then goes crazy

Scott: Jupiter.Jupiter is the Roman name for Zeus someone known for being unloyal but respected

Pearl:the stars.The stars accompany the moon

[pebblegalaxy]

Unlocking the Mysteries of Mrigashira Nakshatra: Symbolism, Traits, and Impact on Destiny #BlogchatterA2Z

Unlocking the Mysteries of Mrigashira Nakshatra: Symbolism, Traits, and Impact on Destiny #BlogchatterA2Z #MrigashiraNakshatra #VedicAstrology #CelestialExploration #AstrologicalInsights #SpiritualJourney #HinduMythology #CosmicHarmony #SelfDiscovery

Exploring the Depths of Mrigashira Nakshatra: Symbolism, Characteristics, and Influence In the vast tapestry of Vedic astrology, each Nakshatra holds profound significance, offering unique insights into one’s personality, destiny, and life path. Among these celestial markers, Mrigashira Nakshatra stands as a beacon of exploration, embodying a rich tapestry of symbolism, characteristics, and…

[666candies]

Portal of Perception, oil on canvas.

— Freydoon Rassouli (Iranian, b.1943)

[justarestlessspirit]

A cover design I've made for college a while back.

[mjrtaurus]

So something that caught my attention with the Dragon symbolism stuff with the world nobles vs how it’a used in the RA led me down a rabbit hole that I found interesting enough to share.

So the whole thing stems from two instances of dragon claws being depicted in One Piece.

So! First we have the Celestial Dragon Claw, four clawed, used as branding to mark word noble “property”. Then we have the Dragon Claw Fist, three clawed, a fighting style that we can assume was developed by the RA using the Finger Pistol of the Six Powers as a base.

The difference here is the number of claws, which is what lead me down the rabbit hole in the first place.

The consensus is that the claw number of a depicted dragon is actually a class indicator. Bear in mind that these observations stem from Chinese folklore and its place in Imperial Chinese law, so it might not hold water. And as always do correct me if I’m off in any of these points.

The number of claws and the colorations of dragons in Imperial China was an extremely important thing, and misrepresentations of these could quite literally get you and others executed for acts of treason.

Five clawed yellow or gold (or red during the Ming Dynasty) dragons are a symbol of imperial power for the emperor alone to use. It was illegal for nobles and civilians to wear anything depicting a five-clawed yellow or gold dragon in Imperial China. It was considered- as stated above- an act of treason, and offenders (and their families) could be imprisoned or executed for the crime.

Four clawed dragons are a symbol of nobility. Lesser in the hierarchy than the imperial dragon, but still a mark of high status. It was illegal for civilians to wear depictions of four-clawed dragons. Again, a treasonous act punishable by death or imprisonment under Imperial law.

Civilians could depict dragons with three claws. This was allowed.

So, we can make an assumption here that through these observations, the RA use the three clawed dragon as symbolic of the class warfare that is happening in the One Piece world. But there is another thing!!!

There are these things called Dragon Dance Competitions, where a nine-segmented dragon puppet is manipulated by a team of dancers and musicians to have the dragon chase a pearl- a symbol of wisdom- across the allocated space. These are very interesting to watch, and I highly recommend giving one a watch, since there are plenty of them to see on YouTube. Do take care if you are photosensitive or sound sensitive, as they are bright and loud.

A tradition for these competitions and others (such as lion dances and dragon boat races) is called an “eye dotting ceremony”, which happens at the beginning of the competition. An authorized party comes by to paint the pupils on a dragon to symbolically awaken or- relevant to this post- empower it.

The Celestial Dragon’s Claw is a symbol nobility, and likely has high amounts of regulation on how it can and cannot be used, with infractions on those regulations met with imprisonment at best, and cipher pol or a buster call at worst. It would be highly guarded, and was used to brand people to mark them as property, as we know.

The dragon depicted in the introduction to the Dragon Claw Fist that Sabo utilizes? Three claws, no pupils. It is an unempowered civilian dragon- a weakling by dragon standards- and it is beating the shit out of a World Government official.

Class warfare symbolism. Revolutionary symbolism.

[raayllum]

but yeah rayllum strolling into the starscraper like "yeah we want this super secret powerful weapon so we can kill an imprisoned elf. yeah he's totally evil we promise. we have his prison in your bag. also can you give us your equally rare gem stones to free these three other elves + human who looks like a dark mage, who we promise are totally not evil. we also have their prisons in our bag. yeah the same bag. you're 100% gonna give us the stuff, right?" is funnier to me than it should be

[rosieandthemoon]

by Simon Quaglio in 1818

[petorahs]

persona 3 is as ocean themed as it is moon themed.

[sparklycharmy]

Neuvillette, Zhongli, and Yin-Yang.

zhongli is fairly complex and looks to be an equal blend of both (with more reverence to yang should his connections to the heavens prevail over earthly connections/symbolisms). earth in general symbolizes yin (with regard to solely the heavens vs earth context in chinese philosophy), however, his undeniable associations with the sun and his celestial origins introduce very potent yang elements in equal measure.

Zhongli

Yin characteristics:

1. stability and reliability: as an earth-associated figure, zhongli embodies stability, always presenting a dependable, supportive, and firm presence.

2. connection to the material: earth represents the tangible, material world, reflecting zhongli’s role as the god responsible for the creation of mora and economic stability in the earthly realm.

3. his geo element: he regularly controls an element associated with the earthly realm: yin!

4. philosophical and reflective: he often displays deep philosophical thought, engaging in teachings and reflections about order and the general world. he’s calm and gently supportive to those he looks after and is usually never the aggressor.

5. his other form is part qilin: the qilin represents yin! or at least leans more toward it.

Yang characteristics:

1. celestial authority: as a figure who came from the heavens (not earth) and is still a leading god (no longer an archon, but i say leader because 1) xiao wouldn't still have to go to him for permission to do certain things and 2) zhongli says he still as a duty to care for humanity), zhongli embodies celestial authority and control, which are hallmarks of yang energy.

2. guiding light: just like the sun, he serves as a guiding light for liyue, directing its people towards prosperity and self-sufficiency. his role as a celestial being involves watching over and actively protecting liyue. his prominent, guiding influence continues to preside over liyue, even in his absence (yang).

3. dynamic influence: his lines and lore in cn refer a lot more to the heavens, one example being the phrase "heavens move, earth follows", aligning with yang qualities of authority over the earth and guiding its element(s).

4. intimidating presence: even when disguised as a human, others are too intimidated to talk to him. despite that, his strong reputation has most of the people he interacts with regard him with reverence.

5. he represents the eastern dragon (and directly refers to himself as a dragon, even after retiring and no longer interacting with humans as a god): the eastern dragon is an embodiment of yang. they're gentle in nature yes, but embody yang according to sources (especially heavenly dragons).

6. power: zhongli is notoriously known for being a ruthless warrior of formidable strength and a daunting reputation. he is extremely assertive when it comes to contracts and impartially enforcing them (which he prioritizes over all else when involved).

- as a minor detail, adeptal energy is also more ethereal in nature than elemental (so yang affiliated), and zhongli is noted to be their ancestor on top of not being from the earthly realm.

In conclusion, he is a perfect blend of both, with a slight lean to yang.

Neuvillette:

neuvillette is similar to zhongli but remains oh so different. unlike zhongli, neuvillette’s element(s) are solely associated with yin; he does not hold heavenly (yang) ties in the same way zhongli does.

Yang characteristics

1. leadership: as a sovereign, his leadership and authority over fontaine demonstrate yang characteristics of control and assertiveness. his unwavering commitment to his role as chief justice, ensuring justice and order, is a yang trait.

2. opposition to the heavenly principles: his proactive stance against the usurpation of authority by the heavenly principles shows a decisive, yang-like purpose and he intends to go through with that purpose with action...we don’t know when, but soon.

3. he’s supposed to represent a western dragon. these dragons are more aggressive and arrogant in comparison to their eastern counterparts.

4. commanding presence: despite reaching out for amiable interactions, he holds a somewhat intimidating presence at first impressions.

Yin Characteristics

1. judicial purpose: as chief justice, neuvillette embodies the yin quality of receptivity by focusing on balance and fairness in the system.

2. care for the melusines: his protective and nurturing attitude towards the melusines aligns with the yin aspects of care and empathy. his soft nature is referred to several times.

3. contemplative nature: neuvillette holds an introspective approach to just about everything. his duties and his thoughtfulness are rooted in trying to understand humanity to better understand himself (a major yin trait, his foundational purpose is associated with introspection). this reasoning is highly reflective, aligning with yin.

4. preference for subtle simplicities and sensitivity: his taste. his sensitive nature is noted by sigewienne and himself.

5. emotional depth: the care he shows for fontainians and his role connect to his emotional depth and feelings for others, core yin qualities. emotional depth is shown to be an overarching part of his character again and again; his emotions have a direct influence over the entirety of fontaine and its weather for example.

6. his element. water represents depth, fluidity, intuition, and the capacity to flow and adapt, all of which align with yin characteristics. in most sources, water is solely referred to as a yin element.

- as a minor detail, his sq has yin written all over it! literally everything about it is sourced back to neuvillette’s own internal conflict/introspection (wriothesley helps in pointing this out, too). it is one of the only major quests/sqs that do not have us fighting a big bad, the main resolution ultimately lies in assuaging neuvillette’s internal conflict that paints his perspective of the world around him.

- the primordial sea, which he rules over and is of him, is referred to as “amniotic fluid” (the fluid that only exists to support a fetus) which undeniably connects to womb symbolism (supporting this is the fact the sea is the source of all terrestrial life on the planet!).

in conclusion, neuvillette embodies a nuanced mix of both yin and yang qualities, while leaning slightly more to yin.

PS: i almost forgot about his voiceline detailing the intimate connection himself and his vishaps have with the moon, a yin figure!

PPS: just a funny detail: he detests the sun.

[citrus-soda]

cravings

[anthurak]

Crackpot Rambling about MoonWolf and StarOwl

Did anyone else notice something in this shot from Seeing Stars?

Specifically this simplistic drawing, which we can only assume was drawn by Loona, showing a wolf, a moon and a star?

The wolf and the moon are easy to guess the meaning of, but it’s the presence of the star that I find particularly interesting, especially with how it’s just as prominent in the picture as the moon. I ask you; which character in the show has a prominent association, both visual and symbolic, with stars…

…who just so happens to play a major role in this episode alongside Loona?

Now before anyone gets out the tinfoil, no I am not theorizing that Loona and Octavia actually met years ago as kids and have some kind of ‘forgotten childhood friend’ thing going on.

Rather, this scene right here is one of several cases I’ve noticed of the show hinting at a major connection between these two. Not in a ‘long lost relative’ or again a ‘forgotten childhood friend’ sense, but in a more general sense that a friendship between Loona and Octavia is important.

First there’s the simple fact that Loona and Octavia are each associated with closely connected celestial bodies in the night sky: Loona is the Moon and Octavia the Stars. Loona obviously has her name, werewolf-like appearance, the prominent crescent moon on her shorts, and even her whitish-grey fur can be considered similar in color to the moon. Octavia meanwhile has her connection to her father and family as demons closely associated with the stars, her clothing has a lot of prominent star patterns and even her name is likely a reference to a minor planet in our solar system (598 Octavia).

And this episode in particular really reinforces this connection.

We’ve got the aforementioned childhood drawing from Loona scene in the flashback.

We’ve got the prominent ‘Star Owl’ poster that Octavia clearly adores, and later it’s clear that Loona also takes quite a liking to it.

Then there is some interesting layered symbolism of the episode’s theme of ‘looking for the stars’: Octavia spends the whole episode looking for ‘the stars’, in this case the meteor shower, while I.M.P. and Stolas are trying to find Octavia, who herself is closely associated with the stars. Plus there’s the whole irony of the Grimoire confusing celestial ‘stars’ with acting ‘stars’, the TV studio being named ‘Star Seekers’ and the reintroduction of Blitzo’s own desire for ‘stardom’, ie; fame, recognition and validation. Where this gets interesting is that it’s really only LOONA who manages to find the ‘stars’ she was looking for, ie; while the imps and Stolas were getting caught up in various shenanigans, it’s Loona who actually manages to track down Octavia.

At an observatory, no less.

And finally there’s the big scene between Loona and Octavia at the end of the episode. The one that ends with the smog parting to reveal the moon and the stars together in the night sky.

Which Loona and Octavia in turn share an embrace underneath. Heck, the composition of the shot even has Loona’s head in place of the moon.

Going back even further before this episode, let’s talk about Stolas’s Grimoire and how it factors into all this.

It’s easy to think of the book as just belonging to Stolas, but we can also assume that he is training Octavia to be his successor and will one day pass the book down to her. We know that Stolas has been teaching Octavia magic, and has even claimed that she is a prodigy. While neither Stolas nor Octavia seem to care about this detail all the much, I think we can pretty safely assume that the Grimoire is Octavia’s birthright.

Now let’s talk about how the Grimoire has been used by the fine folks as I.M.P. And more specifically, by Loona. Because it’s become pretty clear by now that it is Loona specifically who knows how to actually USE the Grimoire. At the very least, she knows how to use it far better than Blitzo, Moxxie or Millie, who have never been shown actually using the book. And from this we have to assume that Loona must have taught herself HOW to use this ancient, extremely powerful demon artifact with little-to-no outside help. It’s certainly hard to imagine Stolas giving her lessons or pointers.

That alone would be pretty damn impressive, but let’s also square this detail with something we learned in Seeing Stars: Octavia, Stolas’s daughter and student whom he called a ‘prodigy’ in magic, doesn’t yet know HOW to use the Grimoire. While Loona DOES. When Octavia accidentally portals herself to LA, she is botching a spell that Loona has clearly mastered. Stolas even mentions at the end of the episode that he hasn’t taught Octavia spells like portal-magic. Yet, again, Loona has been shown repeatedly using the Grimoire to make portals with ease.

While it’s yet to be commented on in the show, I think it’s pretty safe for us to assume that Loona is a serious prodigy when it comes to magic. Maybe even a bigger prodigy than even Octavia. Notably, when Loona and Octavia go to find their dads, Octavia doesn’t even try to make a portal again. Instead she simply passes the Grimoire to Loona, implicitly admitting that Loona knows how to use it better than she does.

When you really start thinking about it, the implications here are pretty wild in terms of where the story could end up going with all of this. We’ve got Loona and Octavia embodying complimentary celestial bodies in the night sky, with both being magical prodigies.

And on top of that, Loona and Octavia meet because of the Grimoire (Octavia stealing it), and at the end of the episode Octavia notably returns the Grimoire to Loona before they hug. It really makes it feel like the Grimoire is something that symbolically connects these two. Heck, the Grimoire even SHOWS the moon AND stars together on its cover!

Like FORGET just being some ‘adopted step-sister daughters’ of Blitzo and Stolas. This kind of symbolism makes Loona and Octavia feel like the potential heroines of their own, totally separate story. Particularly, it feels like a major contrast to the dynamic between Blitzo and Stolas, who symbolically have almost nothing in common and feel like a meeting and relationship that happened by pure chance.

I mean, I know the show probably isn’t going to do any kind of romance between these two, but all this symbolism seriously makes it feel like Loona and Octavia have some soulmate shit going on. Like Loona is some diamond-in-the-rough ‘chosen one’ and Octavia is her destined partner.

Now of course, I have absolutely no idea if this is ACTUALLY where Vivzie and the rest of her team are going. Thus far, Loona and particularly Octavia have been pretty firmly relegated to ‘supporting character’ position, with their dads taking much more prominent roles as effective ‘main character’ and ‘main love interest’, respectively.

That being said, that could be subject to change. Especially considering how Loona and Octavia could make for an especially strong platonic foil to Blitzo and Stolas. Both as individuals, and as a friendship.

Do I think Loona and Octavia might supplant their dads as the ‘main characters’ of the show? Doubtful.

But depending on how much the show decides to delve into the political scheming and machinations of the Goetia family, like how Stella putting a hit on Stolas feels like just as much a power play as it does an act of petty spite, I’ve got a good hunch that Loona and Octavia will have a major role to play…

[dhyanshiva]

Holy fuck WHEN can I watch past the episode wtf @ life. Because oh my god this !!

nuengdiao, loneliness, and fear of the dark

the first time we meet nuengdiao, it's the night of his 18th birthday. he is alone. he is lonely. he looks out at the city below, shrouded in darkness, and contemplates whether or not he is ready to take on the responsibilities being the heir of the kiattrakulmethee family entails. throughout the series, the darkness of night comes to symbolize particular fears of nuengdiao's - loneliness, self-doubt, and uncertainty. palm, in line with the myth about male lovers being offspring of the sun, brings light to nuengdiao's dark world. and with palm by his side, the darkness no longer seems so scary.

in episode 2, nueng asks palm if swimming in the sea at night is scary. after all, he says, "it's dark. you don't know what will attack you." palm, however, does not find darkness scary. he says that "if we are alert and ready to fight, there's nothing to be scared of." just as palm is not afraid of plunging into the water at night, he is not afraid of diving into nueng's dark, dangerous world in order to protect him.

episode 6 introduces an extension of nueng's fear of the dark - his difficulty falling asleep. given his many traumatic experiences, he's probably afraid of nightmares - what awaits him when he shuts his eyes and the darkness of sleep swallows him. on the bus ride from bangkok, nueng initially rejects palm's offer to lean his head on his shoulder but ultimately curls into him for comfort after tossing and turning for a while.

on their first night on the island, nueng confesses that he usually can't sleep unless he listens to classical music - something he can't do now that they're without their phones. palm promises to find a way to help nueng sleep, thinking he'll help him find music to listen to. (notice that the light comes from the lamp on palm's side of the bed - i.e., he is the light bringer).

but ultimately, all nueng needs to sleep is palm's reassuring touch on his shoulder. he needs palm to bridge the distance between them (see: their very awkward positions in the screenshot above from episode 6), and give nueng the warmth and solidity of his presence.

when palm and nueng get together at the end of episode 7, the light comes from the lamp on nueng's side of the bed - palm has transferred his light and warmth to nueng.

the sun bracelet palm gives to nueng is an explicit callback to the myth nueng read in episode 8 about male-male soulmates being offspring of the sun. it also literalizes the idea of palm bringing light, warmth, and safety to nueng. warm, golden tones bathe the entire scene, emphasizing the idea that once they found each other, nueng and palm became "the complete sun". (notice that the light is still on nueng's side - it (and palm) is his to cherish, but also his to give up).

when nueng leaves palm at the end of episode 9, palm is thrown into shadow. he has given his light to nueng, and now nueng is gone.

meanwhile, nueng is back to staring out the window, into the dark and menacing night (like in episode 1). back to being alone. back to being lonely. palm isn't there to offer his shoulder for nueng to rest his head against this time. there's only the cold, hard glass of the window.

he won't be able to sleep at all until palm comes after him.

when palm finds nueng, his face is dark and in shadow. but once he reunites and reconciles with nueng, he's found his light again.

and with palm back in his arms, nueng will be able to sleep again. notice the lamp on the bedside table - it's palm's apartment, but the light is still on nueng's side of the bed. palm is the source of the light, but it always shines on nueng.

they're back to sunshine and smiles. because nueng's wearing his sun bracelet again, and palm will never leave him. right?

until he does, and nueng is plunged back into darkness. for the third time in the series, he's looking out the window at night. alone. lonely. and most importantly, scared. because there is no comfort in the dark, no answers to where palm is, and no shelter from his demanding future.

palm is back in the dark too. nueng still has the sun bracelet, and thus, his light.

palm gets his light back once nueng comes to find him. (note that the lamp is back on his side of the bed). once nueng is back in his arms, just like nueng found light again once palm found him in episode 10.

the series ends with nueng inviting palm to swim in the sea at night - the very thing he thought would be scary at the beginning of the series. but now, he has palm. they have each other. nueng was never afraid of the dark, not really. he was afraid of being alone, and the uncertainty of his future. walking into the waves hand-in-hand with palm, nueng isn't scared, and he's no longer uncertain about his future. he knows himself, what he's capable of. and he knows no matter what, he has palm. the darkness is no longer scary to nueng, because his light will always by his side.

[666candies]

"Evening" by Artem Demura

[the-magnificent-otaku-draws]

Zuko is the sun, Sokka is the moon, Jet is a comet, Haru is the stars, and Suki is the galaxy. If that makes sense

[illustratus]