#a tomby overview

[phalangemedes]

lmao no it's great, and it's pretty On Point for Tomb shit anyway, one bisexual man's climate mid-life crisis was what kicked it off and it's what sci fi is at it's core, a scrying mirror into possibly dystopias.

I'd argue about the lack of scarcity, at least from what we've seen of the Ninth. Gideon is on gruel and snow leek slop (oh baby girl the salad scene lmao I love her so much, you shove them leafs in. additionally Cam sliddingg over extra food, so even she clocked something was up), which I imagine if you were one of the ageing cloister nuns it would be enough to keep you going (like the old wives tale of "potatoes and butter have all the vitamins you need to survive"), but she's young and not fully grown and being given the same nutrition as the osteoporosis academy. It's hard to gauge if this is an 'indentured' issue, a poverty issue or an ecclesiastical issue though. Or indeed just a control issue from Priam and Pelle. Or is this a penitence thing? Or honestly, is this a 'Harrow, a teenager, is BARELY keeping the shithole together via skelebones and late night cries'?

As for shelter I'd agree in so much as "they live in a pumped in atmosphere, there is a necessity to keep the 'roof' working or they will die" but as far as the barest scraping of human rights go, the Ninth fails on that again. Same issues as above though, are they just nunning, are they cunts and nunning... Traditionalism VS Desperation. I would LOVE to peek into some of the other houses, cause the Fourth seem so disposable even in passing from the teens. And the Seventh.. welllll, that's a whole disability rights thing I shan't dip a toe into here. (Kissing the Eight on the mouth for being the only ones upfront about their messed up little side quest religion)

As for the rest of the Houses I would also say that I think they LACK a lot of the inherent issues because it's a class system, but a.. more feudal view on it? The Houses are cared for by, what is essentially, space church. There's free trade and a basic level of care if you are part of John's intergalactic space cult and those who don't choose to pledge fealty, much in the way of minorities or anyone who came up against any of the various religious crusades, are left to perish (if not exterminated)

(Also the Mithraeum being an ancient plush cathedral of comfort compared to even the good Houses...)

So maybe not DIRECTLY capitalist but something that is intrinsic to the controlling features of it and that rumbling threat of "your worth is in what you do" not that you simply "are". 'Oh you want to have healthcare and security? You have to worship this man covered in biscuit crumbs who would carpet bomb you sooner than remember your name.'

Onto the Sixth.. I agree with alotta that, but I don't know how much is 'wow reality SUCKS anything would be better' lmao. But I think some of the allegories of the Sixth tend to lean towards the aggressive pigeonholing of academia? That of requirements to succeed in any field you’ve shown aptitude in. (I think it's telling that the physicality of cavalierdom wasn't changed in any way until Pal became Master Warden, and only then, because Cam was special to him)

I LOVE that we know nothing about the core of Paul that even PAUL doesn't. I don't even know if _I_ fully agree because we have so little of them, it's speculation stacked on speculation. But there was so much desperation on New Rho, everything seems sodden in grief and I can't believe, even as the best choice, it wasn't skewed by it and agonising.

Would lovelovelove a conversation with them and Pyrrha or Dulci, from the view of a slightly more reliable narrator (BOLD OPTIMISM, I KNOW). Because Nona was a sweet angel for body language but I'm interested in what they say, not necessarily how they say it.

Samee, always willing to as well my dude! I have a severe case of can't-shut-the-fuck-up-itis.

And same, a pleasure! We seem to come at it from different edges of the same circle which gives a gooey expanse to dig into on the middle

I have such a big beef with the way that the TLT fandom talks about Cam and Pal being codependent. I have not seen any word of god quotes that talk about them that way, but it seems to be this widely accepted truth that just doesn't click with my reading of the characters.

Certainly by NtN Pal has a dependent relationship with Cam, as they are sharing a body. There are even some parallels to codependency with how their use of necromancy in Cam's body causes her harm.

What I just don't get about the codependent label is that I don't see Cam and Pal enabling one or the other in destructive behavior. Certainly they partake in risky behavior that Pyrrah criticizes them for, but it seems to be a mutual decision. Cam is just as reckless as Pal is, and possibly moreso.

(And also Pyrrah is a huge projecting hypocrite. Love her tho I may, it's true.)

Pal's quotes about how grand lysis wasn't their inevitable end, but was the best and kindest option left to them complements the discussions we overhear in their recordings. Pal's pursuit of Cam's consent and her enthusiasm in giving it just doesn't match the codependent relationship that fans keep referencing.