#especially with all the subsequent stuff with orpheus

[frankensteined]

i really feel like there are several other options before this one, bud

[scary-senpai]

@the-nysh ooh, good question!

how do we know it’s salt? would not put it past Saitama to get curious enough to taste, unfortunately 😆

There’s always multiple aspects that go into these artistic decisions—sometimes it’s symbolism, sometimes it’s logistics, sometimes it’s aesthetics—usually a combination. For example, think back to everybody on earth—it’s implied they’re dead, but we only know that Tareo has passed because Saitama references “the kid’s final wish.” Maybe some of the adults are hanging in there, we don’t know. That’s not as important to the theme as Tareo (and subsequently Garou’s) Fate. So we need some kind of visual that confirms for the audience, “Garou paid the ultimate price for his actions.” Literal or figurative death is traditionally part of the “Hero’s Journey” storytelling structure (as if at this point you needed any reminders of what Garou actually is—)

And, oh man? That fist bump in the last chapter cover, with a teeny, tiny piece of Garou falling apart? Incredible visual. Wouldn’t have hit the same if Garou had spontaneously combusted. Also, Garou’s mutation resulted in an exoskeleton, so maybe that has something to do with it? Also, if he’d spontaneously combusted, we wouldn’t have that moment of tension/uncertainty as Garou yells at Saitama “concentrate! we don’t have much time”—because everything would have been over in a literal flash.

In my personal experience (especially recently, woof), I’ve learned that you can’t really anchor a story with symbolism and metaphor—those are usually seasonings that get added later, mostly for the benefit of your audience, giving rise to a varied interpretation that may change depending on the angle (thereby adding to the richness of the narrative), so I’m hesitant to say any symbol could ever mean any one thing—or not mean any one thing. Art is like one big emotional Rorschach test, and symbolism, to a large extent, is something developed by the audience and not the author as part of the creative ecosystem.

Anyway… it’s funny you mention Lot’s wife, because I was actually thinking about this vis-a-vis OPM and Old Testament references because in Gnosticism and Esoterica, Old Testament God (sometimes called Yahweh) is a jealous and vengeful God. He might even be a false god (in the sense that he created a flawed, imperfect and cruel world)—and there’s another being above him that actually is perfect and all-powerful. He’s also jealous and he doesn’t want humans to know they can break their limiter ascend to god-like power, or there might be other deities to worship like God’s wife.

We see a lot of references to Hinduism / Buddhism, but also some Old Testament stuff (Phoenixman says “let there be light!” in Hebrew, Sai does a Moses and parts the ocean, centipede has 666 legs, etc) so the imagery is there.

…but I wasn’t actually thinking about this as I watched Garou transform, though.

Because. I was, um. Too busy belting out Simon and Garfunkel (“I AM A ROCK, I AM AN IIIIIIISLAND! I have no need of friendship, friendship causes pain! It’s laughter and it’s loving I disdain”)

:: coughs :: Anyway.

The “Person Looks Back and Turns to Salt/Stone” appears in the Bible, it also appears in Orpheus and Eurydice, as well as other myths and legends.

In any case, the trope is a little different because

It’s usually the hero leading their beloved from the underworld after aforementioned beloved has died a tragic-but-natural death

It’s usually the hero that causes their beloved to turn to stone, by looking back when they were advised not to

It is often a comment on temptation—or how you can’t undo Death (although here’s a beautiful analysis on how it’s love—and not jealousy or fear—that causes Orpheus to look back)

So it looks a little different at first blush.

I certainly think there’s something to be said about Garou’s exterior hardening all the way and falling apart—he’s so entrenched in false narratives and maladaptive behavior that it’s almost like he has to get broken apart to actually better (which I’ve read as a cautionary tale)—a big part of strength is actually flexibility (it is why skyscrapers are designed to shake in the wind or during earthquakes)—which Garou is very good at, but only when he’s fighting. He’s very rigid when it comes to thinking, dividing the world (and himself) into groups.

As I think through it, you could see it as a Monkey’s Paw wish. Garou’s gone through the whole story trying to act like he’s made of stone, even though he’s very obviously not—all he’s done is remove himself from situations that demanded feelings. Now his heart actually has turned to stone (or salt, which is bitter—what’s left after tears have dried). Anyway, a lot of good that did him.

Here’s hoping he has better luck in his next timeline.

What do you think Garou turning into a salt statue means?

Apparently it happens to be a biblical reference of the divine punishment in Genesis 19:26: "But Lot's wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt." For disobeying God's command to run and not look back on the destruction of a sinful city by God's Judgment. But she turned back (on God's words/warning) anyway, and paid the price. :O What meaning to interpret from that story, on whether she's to be seen as sinful or sympathetic, is probably beyond the scope of opm, but as for Garou...

He chose to directly defy god's agenda, after 'awakening' from god's influence, when he stood his ground with the intent to fix what had been destroyed, and invoked the words to help pass on that power to another (Saitama) to complete the miracle. All of which is forbidden(tm) territory beyond the realm of what opm's evil god allows/limits humanity to do, so god began to confiscate him in punishment. Homeless Emperor faced spontaneous combustion in primal fear before (Psykos still seems to be ok), but instead of verbally leaking taboo info or being deemed useless/unworthy as an avatar like that, Garou bravely turned on god, stood firm in the face of death without running, and deliberately defied him for the sake of saving the world instead. Knowing what had to be done for the greater good to survive (over himself), and sacrificed his life for it. :') So perhaps the biblical salt reference is appropriate (but for any other references to research, that would be up @scary-senpai's alley!)