#canto VII

[apeshit]

[melonisopod]

Listening to the leaked audio from Mili and I just know we're gonna be jamming out to Don's song for months on end. That melody is already stuck in my head I adore the 'toybox maestro' and ballroom dance themes and how it switches up to something a little more dramatic after the second count.

We're gonna reach the Unreachable Star with this one!

[caerbannogmochi]

Limbus Company: Canto 7 Theorycrafting

FIRSTLY: I will be assuming you (the reader) have completed Murder on the Warp Express (MotWE), as well as Time Killing Time (TKT), and are at least vaguely capable of remembering the events of each. This post will discuss spoilers for these intervellos.

Still here? Good. Note that I will refer to the version of Don that we meet at the end of MotWE as "Cervantes"; Even though Project Moon is fairly likely to have a separate character named Cervantes show up at some point, I feel that clarity in the present should take priority (so any time travelers, please try your best to divorce that character from the ideas mentioned in this discussion).

Now, even though this is not the first time there have been two intervello events between Cantos, I believe there is a critical difference between Christmas in District 20/Yield my flesh to claim their bones and TKT/MotWE. With the former two, the first focused on Heathcliff and Don (the former of whom was central to Canto 6) with the second focused on T-corp and how it shaped its associated sinners (Yi-Sang and Heathcliff). However, TKT spends more of its time focused on Rodion, with Don being used almost as a side character (who, granted, gives the main investigative trio supplies for their investigation, which does provide some characterization). MotWE continues this focus on Rodion and how she's doing, even as it establishes Bloodfiend lore, introduces us to Cervantes, and gives Don Quixote fans several smoking guns to be fired at some point.

It is for this reason that I believe this canto will use Rodion as a foil for Don Quixote, in order to characterize both.

Even though this is fundamentally Don Quixote's Canto, Project moon has been putting too much focus on Rodion's personal struggle for the latter to be thrown out into the cold. Besides: using a formerly self-righteous sinner whose literary counterpart grew to regret it as contrast for a currently self-righteous sinner who is downright delusional? Why, it's like adding espresso powder to a chocolate cake. I will even go so far as to theorize that it won't be Don who distorts during this Canto, but Rodion.

Cervantes will almost certainly be forced to reveal herself to the sinners at some point during this Canto, but how this internal reveal will interact with Rodion's mental state is obviously unknown at this time -- but I do believe they will be connected. Don Quixote and Rodion are very likely to fight if this theory is true, and it will likely be a bloody one, although the why and when are also unknown at current. I do suspect that Ryoshu ('artist' as she is) will be the one to comfort Cervantes when this happens, at least in part due to Hong Lu being preoccupied with the impossible task of trying to keep Rodion from distorting. Sinclair's reaction at this point will be indicative of exactly what direction Project Moon wants to take his character (psychic powers, hiding in the closet, or both).

Another thing I'm going to take note of is the contrast between Hubert and Cassetti: although both are placed in positions of power, Hubert starts TKT in a state of apathy (which is eventually dimmed as he travels with Dante before he is revealed to have power) and Cassetti starts MotWE as an overconfident bastard (whose last words are spent begging Cervantes for his life, immediately before she killed him). I seriously doubt that Project Moon threw these two in willy nilly, especially since Hong Lu mentioned Hubert during the intro to MotWE. Rather, I believe that this theme of power and how it is used will continue into Canto 7 proper, although what exactly Project Moon will do with it, once again, remains unknown. All I have are two examples of leaders: one of whom seeks good for others, burned out, and chose to hide his position of power from us; and the other who flaunted his power, reveled in its abuse, and had it taken away.

[carmenprojectmoon]

ok so the canto 7 title will be "The Dream Ending" right

this is a subtle refrence to the fact that I will crush don quixote's delusions

but also, intentional or not, it can infact be read as "The dream: Ending"

maybe I'm reading into it too much but don quixote's delusions of grandure may actually be coming to a close

[visionsofhastur]

Canto VII Walpurgisnacht predictions:

First Walpurgisnacht will be LoR

It might not be the first one, but one walp will be focused on Queen of Hatred

Don Quixote King of Greed ID

Heathcliff or Ishmael Queen of Hatred ID

Rodya or Heathcliff Knight of Despair WAW EGO

[i-have-a-lot-of-ocs]

With how we've not been in L corp branches for the two recent Cantos (V did have us visit but we didn't find the Golden Bough until we had The Whale Shenanigans™ so I'm not counting that), do we think Canto VII will have our journey be in one?

[poligraf]

« Plutus » by Gustave Doré « Cursed wolf thy fury inward on thyself prey and consume thee. »

[mossy-green-aka-ferrythem]

Damn, I gotta say, it's interesting how much Don Quixote's behavior has... changed...

Somethings gonna fucking go down in Canto 7. I just know it.

[viragfold]

Canto VII

[apeshit]

literal guy spotted

[azoosepted]

dont cry, don quixote

[femmeslash]

now that heathcliff has distorted i hope don and hong lu also distort

but specifically in this way where heathcliff sees a pattern after don, and goes to hong lu at the beginning of the canto like "right, mate, i dunno, better safe than sorry. if you start hearing some bird inside your noggin—"

"i must concur with ser heathcliff! should thee hear the voice of a fair lady inside thy brain urging you to 'give in', she is naught but a deceptive wretch whose path can only lead to DISTORRRRRTION!"

"will you shut up? ...the lass is right. just don't listen to any strange voice, if you do happen to hear one."

hong lu is like "okayyy ^_^" and then distorts anyway. and once it's over heath and don are like WHY DID YOU DO THAT... WE WARNED YOU... and hong lu is literally just like

"hmmm.... it was an interesting experience!" and won't explain further (← thought it would be fun)

[gizmocreates]

okay guys here’s the hill I’m dying on for canto VII (murder on the warp train express spoilers)

Vampy Don isn’t “evil”, she isn’t even necessarily malevolent in the way we’d understand it— my personal theory! is that she’s the elder of District P and her leaving to chase her impossible dream is what either directly or indirectly led to the ‘family’ becoming unstable.

distortion detective tells us traditional bloodfiends have a strict hierarchy— many bloodfiends were culled to ensure the population as a whole would survive, bloodfiends don’t kill those they feed on and instead give them protection in exchange for feedings, etc etc. Vampy Don, being a second kindred, would definitely be one of these older, traditional bloodfiends, while our souped buddy was a sixth generation— there’s no telling whether he’s even from the same bloodline, or if he’s one of the newer, distortion-born bloodfiends. I’m leaning towards the former, since he did seem obsessed with the power structure, he just forgot his place in it.

anyways. Back to vampy don not being traditionally malevolent. I really. Really don’t think she is. I think they’re planning to psych us out with this early reveal so that both we and the Sinners are suspicious of her- and then she won’t even be an enemy in Canto VII. Hell, you know what would be the funniest thing possible? Vergilius style, she becomes an ally unit for one or a couple of stages. I’d laugh so hard if that happened after so many people immediately jumped on the “WELL WE’RE FIGHTING EVIL DON IN CANTO VII” train

I do think vampy don doesn’t *want* to be a bloodfiend though. It’s kind of strange that her skill 3 for her meat lantern ID is gloom, right? Almost like there’s a core part of her that detests the act of consuming flesh… erm!!

[softlysilverfountainsfall]

"But no true Man nor Elf yet free / would ever speak that blasphemy"

Beren and Finrod are willing to blow their cover right in front of Sauron himself rather than repeat these words:

"Death to light, to law, to love! / Cursed be moon and stars above! / May darkness everlasting old / that waits outside in surges cold / drown Manwë, Varda, and the sun! / May all in hatred be begun / and all in evil ended be / in the moaning of the endless Sea!"

So...how do the elves perform this part of the Lay of Lethian? Because these lines are from the Lay, and the elves must sing and perform the Lay fairly often since it's one of their most beloved stories.

I find it difficult to believe that they would willingly and frequently repeat the blasphemous and seditious words that Finrod and Been were willing to lose their lives not to repeat just for a song (however important that song might be). If nothing else, it would be very disrespectful to the heroes they are trying to immortalize who did in fact die in large part because they blew their cover by not repeating those words.

So, my theory is that the words quoted above from the Lay of Leithian are sung and performed but are not actually the words that Sauron and the orcs used. In other words, I believe that the verse in the Lay is a toned-down or altered version (it is a little overdramatic, after all) of the actual oath to darkness because "no true Man nor Elf yet free / would ever speak that blasphemy"

[balis77]

Canto VII/Season 5 Abnormality Speculation

Ok, so each abnormality that is either part of a sinner's dungeon or their season pass egos (In the case of Heathcliff) usually has some connection/symbolism for them ala each of the ego used during Realizations in Library having some symbolism towards the emotions/memories displayed within. Since we have a pretty damn big list of mirror dungeon abnormalities and they seem to primarily draw on those for new bosses as opposed to making new ones, I'ma speculate on some options for things we'll face in Don's personal dungeon.

Pagoda Veneration

This one is pretty self explanatory. It's focused around wishes and the granting/destruction of them, which fits Don's character to a tee to the point she already has an EGO for it.

Rose Hunter

So, this abnormality is effectively a rogue hunter that seeks to bring Snow White's Apple (Or Ebony Apple, possibly both) back to fulfill the role they had in the original tale. Effectively, cutting their dreams short to drag them back to their original fate, which could possibly be the problem Don faces in her Canto or faced in her own past. It would effectively represent reality trying to drag her back down.

Sleepyhead

This one mainly correlates to Don's fascination and association with toys, along with it giving a lust gift which matches the Sin of Don's base ego. It also has a blood motif in that you need to offer it blood to get its head to raise back up to give you the gift, which also matches with Don's base ego translating to "Blood of Sancho".

Tomorrow's Expression

Tomorrow's Expression is an Aberration of Today's Shy Look, which in Library stood-in for Angela's having to mask her true desires to reach out to the others in order to fulfill the Seed of Light plan. Tomorrow's Expression is effectively Shy Look's opposite, being something that asks how it should express itself as opposed to something that wanted to find a way to express its own emotions. This can correlate to the possible origins of Don and her worldview, and the original story of Don Quixote and how people tried to cruelly snap Don out of his delusions.

[melonisopod]

You think Dante’s safeword is “shuckaroonies”? I feel like it’d be enough of a mood killer to instantly tap out whatever kinky clock sex was going on between them and Vergilius.