#i had so much fun as well <3< /div>
Explore tagged Tumblr posts
Text
The Name Chapter: Temptation Explained
This analysis is going to include the lyrics of the songs, as well as the choreographies and the Sugar Rush Ride music video!
Feel free to share your insights and/or theories, or to point it out if you see any inaccuracies :)
TW: slight mentions of themes such as violence, death, drugs and sensuality. I decided to include them to not leave out core aspects, but I didn't go in depth for any of them to keep this as friendly as possible.
Before we dive in, just a reminder that I've already analysed The Name Chapter concept trailer and the new logo in my storyline summary here, while you can find my analysis of the tracklist posters here. I recommend reading both before this, if you haven't yet! Especially because I'm going to reference themes that I've already explained there, such as the game and seasons motifs, and their true names.
β INTRO: what the album is about
Let's start with the groupβs official website that provides a description of the album:
"The Name Chapter: TEMPTATION depicts youth on the brink of adulthood. After experiencing conflict and chaos, the boys feel a desire to postpone their growth and linger in the freedom of Neverland. Their journey forward despite this desire is a representation of todayβs generation as they continue to grow through the challenges of the world."
As we know, this Chapter is strongly inspired by Peter Pan, who has become a cultural icon symbolizing youthful innocence and escapism.Β Just like he leads children to abandon real life for Neverland, a place where they will never have to grow up, the Cat does with TXT, who find their escape at Magic Island.
(continues under the cut)
In the tale in it also hinted that Peter Pan used to "thin the Lost Boys" out when they got too old or when there was too many of them, meaning he may exile or kill them (cr. peter pan wiki). Some theories suggest that the Lost Boys who grow up become pirates who, with Captain Hook, try to fight Peter.
Especially with this album though, there are also numerous similarities with the story of Doctor Faustus, a play by Christopher Marlow which was later taken up by J.W. Goethe, in which this scholar is so greedy for knowledge that he is not satisfied with academic knowledge, venturing into the field of black magic. He makes a pact with the devil Mephistopheles, who makes him the false promise of enabling him to obtain greater knowledge, when in reality he'll only take his soul. Throughout the opera, Faustus is continually debating with two angels, one good and one evil, symbolizing the two sides of human nature.
Likewise, throughout their discography, TXT are always represented vacillating between their good side, "the angel", and their bad side, "the demon". See Angel or Devil of course, Eternally, but also the duologies New Rules-No Rules and Puma-What if I'd been that Puma (in Korean Balance Game).
It also perfectly connects with TXT's villain, the Cat: in The Star Seekers, he temps Yeonjun to make a pact with him, promising more power to defeat the Dragon Clan (see the animation The Doom's Night), when in reality he will bring their dark sides (which we see in Eternally) to prevail, so that he can control them at will taking advantage of the power that TXT already have. Its aim is to prevent them from reaching "tomorrow", their future, and therefore their goal: to remember the promise they made as children with the Star and renew it, so that the latter lights up again and restores hope for people's dreams. After all, their name, Tomorrow By Together, means a group that "comes together under one dream in hopes of building a better tomorrow".
"Tomorrow", defined as "the one in which nobody believes" is also Soobin's true name, the one who has visions about the future of the group. Certainly, the prospect of leaving behind the visions that make him suffer so much is nothing but a relief, but it also means giving up his crucial role in achieving their goal, and above all himself.
In real life these metaphors can be transposed as our inner demons that induce us to bask in the temptations the world offers, distracting us from suffering but also from achieving our goals, and finally leading to losing ourselves.
β THE SONGS
Temptation is a concept album, meaning that listening to the songs in the order they are put is crucial to understand the story it tells. That's why the first song we are going to talk about is...
β Devil by the Window
youtube
It's Korean title "μμ μ μ°½κ°μμ λ§λ μ
λ§μ λͺ©μ리λ λ¬μ½€νλ€" translates into "The voice of the devil I met by the window at midnight was sweet".
The song depicts the devil, aka the Cat, tempting TXT with the false promise of taking them to a place where they can enjoy their youth forever, exactly as we saw him do in The Name Chapter concept trailer.
This is the Lullaby stage of the Temptation. Let's analyze the lyrics of the song integrating it with the choreography to see how it happens!
πΆ Lie, lie, lie, lie down / Go rest your eyes / Just fall asleep, sweet dreams / You can't get off the ride πΆ
These verses give the feeling of the devil luring the group by humming them a lullaby, however immediately revealing his purpose: prevent them to return to reality. The emphasis placed on "lie" is interesting: the word plays with its double meaning of "laying down" and "lying", and whose repetition gives us the idea of ββthe incitement and impatience of the devil. In the choreography, Hueningkai plays the devil outside the window (represented by Soobin and Beomgyu's shoulders) waiting to enter their room once they are alone and under the covers, just like Peter Pan used to do.
πΆ A wolf in sheep clothes / His disguise / In the ni-ni-ni-night / You'll be hiding inside πΆ
Now it's Soobin's turn to play the devil: in the choreography he metaphorically takes off the mask that hides his true intentions. The alliteration of "ni-ni-ni-night" gives us the idea of ββthe lullaby again, but also of the footsteps of the devil advancing in the room: in the choreography Soobin approaches and seduces Hueningkai.
The line "You'll be hiding inside" can refer to the devil hiding in the shadows of the room, but could also be a metaphor for inner temptations, anxieties and worries, which usually haunt us when we go to sleep, after a whole day trying to avoid them.
πΆ Oh, what ya doing? / You got some time today? / Oh, what a nuisance / Come, come, come out to play πΆ
The role of the devil passes onto Taehyun, who rhetorically asks Yeonjun if he has time for him, complaining about his possible negative answer, and rather inciting him to use the time by playing with him.
πΆ High, so high, the crimson sky / It's way too sweet to turn down / I scream and shout, but no one's 'round / There's no way to escape it πΆ
With the pre-chorus the mood of the song starts to change. TXT are tempted by the red sky, so by twilight, which we know is the moment in which it is possible to travel between the real world and the magical one.
The devil shows them a taste of what they will find if they follow him, and this is all too fascinating and sweet to be rejected. At the same time, however, the group (everyone's good sides) protests and tries to escape, in vain. In the choreography, Taehyun walks among the others to "exit", but they prevented it, turning him to "enter" again.
πΆ I met the devil by the window / Traded my life / Temptation touched my tongue / Spread the wings of desire / He's whispering / "Give up, don't you put up a fight" / Said the devil by the window / "Dream on, dream on, good night" πΆ
The chorus references the pact Yeonjun makes with the Cat, trading his life unwittingly as the Lost Boys do once they follow Peter Pan to Neverland. TXT themselves have explained that the move they perform during the line "traded my life" represents the devil who catches them when they try to escape from danger. The devil dissuades them not to fight him, supported by the temptations that are irresistible and greedy: after a taste they are won't stop wanting and asking for more.
πΆ Waste, waste away / In the gutter with me / No, I can't tell what is fake / In my reality / I see the waves, see the waves / Wash over me / Oh, stay, you can stay / When you're tempted to leave πΆ
Being in the gutter means being in a state of degraded condition, that's exactly the situation the group finds itself once they fall for the lie of the devil, but they don't really understand it because their reality is altered and they can't tear truth apart from falsehood. In real life these effects can refer to when you are under the influence of hallucinogenic substances, but "have your mind in the gutter" in slang also means constantly thinking about sex related things, in addition to the fact that frequently pleasure is compared to waves that wash over the body.
At this point, in the choreography we see everyone in the chokehold of temptation, Yeonjun literally (after all, we know that in the story he is the weakest one in the face of temptation), while Beomgyu reaches out towards the viewers (as we will soon see, also in Sugar Rush Ride), which can be interpreted both as an attempt to lure them in as well, but also as a request for help to get him out, since he is the one who's most aware of all of the dangers they face.
πΆ High, high, high / I feel my body drifting into the sky / I won't come down, come down, come down, I'll fly / Weightless without a worry into the night / He said, "Dream on, dream on, dream on" πΆ
The mood of the song changes completely now: these lines allude to when pleasure, whatever temptation it is caused by, hits. Therefore, TXT are surrendering to temptations. If before they were lying in their beds, now they start flying to be taken to Neverland, with the illusion of leaving their worries behind on the ground. This time the devil doesn't wish them good night: in his plans the group is destined to continue dreaming again, again and again, in a loop that never sees the arrival of the night, and so the end.
This not being able to stop reminded me of a legend in Irish and Welsh folklore concerning fairies (after all, Peter Pan is accompanied by Tinkerbell, a fairy), according to which one must stay away and respect the fairy mushroom rings in the woods or they risk being dragged inside by the fairies, to dance with them without being able to stop until you drop from exhaustion. This legend seems to be referenced in another TXT song: No Rules from The Chaos Chapter, whose lyrics are also strongly connected to those of Devil by The Window. Some examples:
"Close your eyes again/ And continue your dream"
"Is it A.M. or P.M. right now? / I'm confused because all of the broken patterns / Don't know what's right, I don't get it / Woo, my world is panic"
"The vi-i-ibe that I dreamed of every day / A dri-i-ive that can't be stopped / One more time, yeah / I just wanna dance / Dance until we can't no more"
The third chorus then changes into: "I don't wanna feel this vi-i-ibe / I want to stop this real vi-i-ibe / I'm getting tired / I don't wanna dance / Dance anymore"
Now, going back to the Devil by the Window's choreography, it's also important to note that most of the steps refer to being controlled like a puppet, just like the Cat does in the concept trailer:
The sigh that ends the song seems to recall waking up startled, only this awakening won't happen in their room...
β Sugar Rush Ride
youtube
Now itβs time for the Daydream stage of the Temptation. The group awakens in Neverland and we can notice that they have been brought there by the train, a vehicle that appears frequently in the storyline, not only in Magic Island and Run Away, but also in Frost, in the Can't You See Me comeback show and in the scenes included in Act:Lovesick
An important detail is that the train has two engravings: "promise" and the number 304. The first refers to the promise that TXT made as children, but also to Yeonjun's real name. The second refers to their debut, which happened on March 4, and it's also the date associated with the Star Festival (which can be seen in Soobin's vision in Eternally) during which TXT met for the first time as children and made the promise.
The boys look around disoriented, but it doesn't take long before they adapt to the new environment: Yeonjun is obviously the first, who drags Taehyun with him, and the two start running along the beach.
πΆ The thoughts soon stopped breathing / When you get back / My determination comes instantly undone / For you πΆ
Thoughts and worries are suffocated by the relief and light-heartedness that Neverland and the "sugar rush" bring, as well as the determination to not fall into temptation.
The group becomes one with nature, their clothes are soiled with dirt and they have vines on them, to be exact, grapevines, symbol of fertility, transition and well-being, as well as being related to the Greek god Dionysus (which we will talk about again later on).
The fact that the victory of temptations is placed in an idyllic landscape is no coincidence: the figure of Peter Pan is connected to that of the ancient Greek deity Pan, whose flute Peter learns to play, thus acquiring his name. Pan is the god of forests and lives in Arcadia, an idealized land where men and nature live in perfect harmony. Does this name ring a bell? π One of the two versions of the album The Dream Chapter: Magic has it, the album which includes TXT's first escape to Magic Island.
Pan is also linked to fertility and has strong sexual connotations, he is agile and perpetually cheerful, but also feared: his name derives from "panic" because, if annoyed, he causes havoc and terror. His image was then taken up by Christianity as an iconography of Satan, after all Pan has attributes such as goat foot, tail and horns. It's all coming together, right? Peter Pan, Pan, the Devil and the Cat are all superimposable figures.
πΆ Come a little closer / You whisper / Swallow / The sugar rush / Feast up in the night sky / Sweet desire / Taking me into the dream / The liar on the bedside πΆ
These lyrics, in addition to being very sensual, refer to Devil by the Window: the devil, "the liar on the bedside", takes them to the dreamy dimension that is Neverland where he incites them to take advantage of the "sugar rush". "Feast up" recalls the dissolute and wanton parties and rituals in honor of Dionysus (called Bacchus in Roman mythology), the archaic Greek deity of vegetation, later identified as the god of ecstasy, wine, inebriation and liberation of the senses. Dionysus also embodies the primal instincts of human beings, which can violently resurface if repressed and not properly elaborated.
It is no coincidence that this move is included in the choreography, which is very reminiscent of the representations of the banquets in ancient Greece and ancient Rome. TXT themselves have called it "the grape move", in which they metaphorically approach a bunch to their mouth. In the latest behind-the-scenes photos shared on Weverse, we can see that Yeonjun is holding grapes.
But the places depicted in the music video also refer to the iconic ones of Peter Pan: The Hangman's Tree, his and the Lost Boys hideout, and the Mermaid Lagoon:
πΆ I can feel it I canβt resist it / That sweet devilish smile / You open my locked door so easily / Oh my, I see the stars / The devil said
Gimme, gimme more / Come here, more / Letβs play, more* / Sugar rush-ush, sugar rush-ush, ah / Gimme, gimme more πΆ
The boys can't resist the sweet temptations that easily pervade them and make them metaphorically and literally see the stars. In the chorus we can hear the devil whistling: in many countries of the world, whistling is superstitiously associated with him. The "sugar rush" that boys experience is fast and addicting, and therefore pushes them to want more. The way it is sung, using the rhetorical figure of the climax, reflects this perfectly.
*In the official video the verse βκ°μ΄ λμ λβ was simply translated as βlet's play moreβ, but it has deeper connotations: it can also be translated as βlet me give you a piggyback rideβ because these lines come from μΆν₯κ° (Chunhyangga), the most famous and one of the only five surviving traditional pansori (a folk genre of Korean musical storytelling) from the Joseon Dynasty era (1392β1910). They symbolize the whisper of the devil. During the press conference on the album release, Hueningkai shared: βWe made a lot of new attempts this time, fusing different elements in an unfamiliar way. We used some parts of Chunhyangga in our lyrics and featured the movements of Korean traditional dance in our choreography.β And Taehyun added: βWe believe our Korean fans will find this combination fresh, and our international followers will get the chance to explore Koreaβs traditional culture and story.β (cr. Genius lyrics annotations)
In the choreography, apart from it clearly reflecting the corresponding lyrics, TXT take turns playing the devil who tempts the group, manipulating them like a puppet and preventing their escape, like in Devil by The Window:
πΆ Youβre so addictive / My veins full of sweets / The forbidden lines slowly / Fade away / This daze-like anemia / But I prefer it that way / Every cell under my skin / Becomes more sensitive πΆ
I think these lyrics are pretty self-explanatory: this is how the "sugar rush" works once it enters the body. They seem to especially hint to the symptoms experienced when under the influence of drugs.
During their time at Neverland, each member of the group experiences their temptations and "sugar rush" in a different way, as shown in the video. Let's see how exactly π
HueningKai finds a gecko, and when he touches it, it changes color to purple. The gecko is the animal associated with him in his debut Questioning Film, while in Magic Island Kai is associated with a dragonfly, and in the debut Comeback Show, he turned the goldfish purple. Yellow and violet fishes can be seen in 0x1=Lovesong as well.
Now, which other semi-animal being in TXT's storyline is purple? The Dragon.
We know that Kai is the one who builds the labyrinth to contain their "secret", aka their dark sides or "monsters" or inner demons, but he is also associated with the role of videogame programmer, for example in the "Boy" version of the album The Chaos Chapter: Freeze: Kai is the one who made/will make the game that TXT are playing to escape real life, and it was therefore him who created the final boss, the Dragon!
Later in the video, Kai is the first to be shown covered in glitter, the fairy dust that allows the Lost Boys to fly to Neverland, while he experiences his "sugar rush".
Yeonjun on the other hand, both in the debut Questioning Film and in the music video of Sugar Rush Ride, is associated with two elements:
1) the caterpillar, symbol of transformation, metamorphosis, and growth. Caterpillars do not just become butterflies, but they go through many changes to get there: same thing goes for Yeonjun. (cr. animalhype.com)
2) pink flowers that in Sugar Rush Ride are fern flowers, which have magical connotations in Baltic mythology. According to the myth, they bloom for a very short time on the eve of the summer solstice. In Polish folk legends a person who manages to find the flower will be filled with exceptional supernatural wisdom, but the seekers had to be exceptionally careful, and used protective rites. For example, people were getting completely naked and girding their body with garlands made of an herb called mugwort... anything familiar? In the video, Yeonjun removes his shirt while running and has vines around his waist.
'Looking for a fern flower' was also often a pretext for young people to hide together in the woods and spend romantic time alone. In the Estonian, Lithuanian and Latvian tradition, in addition to the idea that the finder of the fern flower will become rich or happy, it is sometimes perceived as a symbol of fertility. (cr. Wikipedia and lamusdworski.wordpress.com)
Yeonjun, attracted by the flowers, approaches and crushes them in his hand, and their nectar causes him the "sugar rush". These scenes have a strong suggestive charge, hinting to someone indulging in their sexual desires.
The flower's nectar dripping down his hand made me think of the "gods nectar", Ambrosia, the god's food in Greek mythology. The word comes from the Greek a- (negation) and Ξ²ΟΞΏΟΟΟ (mortal) and can be translated as "food that only immortals can consume" but also "food that makes immortal": TXT donβt want to grow up, they want to stay young forever, and therefore immortal. Plus, we know that TXT keep dying during the game they are playing, especially Yeonjun, so one of the temptations could also be obtaining immortality.
Next, we have Soobin, who is associated with:
1) the mantis, symbol of courage and persistence. The people of Ancient Greece and Egypt saw the praying mantis as a guide for those who needed direction, either in life or death. In Buddhism, the praying mantis represents patience and perseverance (cr. birdsandblooms.com)
2) a white flower, which looks like a Narcissin Anemone, delicate white flower similar to daffodils/Narcissus flowers. In his Questioning Film Soobin has Anemones!
3) water, the medium through which he experiences temptation, literally sinking into it. When they're on the beach in the beginning, he plays with the waves, and later he finds a puddle and looks at himself in it, like Narcissus did to admire his beauty. In Greek mythology, Narcissus was punished by the gods for his disdain for anyone who fell in love with him, making him fall with his own image reflected in water, in which he died by drowning while trying to reach for his reflection. Furthermore, Narcissus is also considered a symbol of autoeroticism. Soobin pushes himself further and further to achieve his "sugar rush", not realizing the danger he is in.
Taehyun is instead associated with the element of air, where we see him levitate. Precisely, his animal symbol are birds: in the Questioning Film we see a parrot, while in Sugar Rush Ride an eagle and feathers, that surround him when he experiences his "sugar rush" in front of the tree. The latter has a different appearance in this setting: in addition to recalling that of the Nightmare concept, it refers to Yggdrasil, the sacred tree in Norse cosmology linked to the real name of Taehyun. We have already seen Yggdrasil several times in music videos: in Magic Island, in The Doom's Night, in Blue Hour and in Frost.
Beomgyu has the butterfly as a symbol, which we already know stands for the announcement of winter's, and therefore adulthood's, arrival in We Lost the Summer and Frost. In this album the butterfly was used to announce the arrival of the devil, as in the tale Tinkerbell preceded the arrival of Peter Pan.
In Sugar Rush Ride the butterflies enchant and lure Beomgyu into temptation, but they don't have it easy: he fights back and tries to escape, taking refuge in a cave. Unlike the others, he opposes so much resistance because we know that he is the only one who is fully aware of the dangers they are facing, and he's the one who experiences the "tinnitus", ringing in his ears triggered by his subconscious that tries to keep him awake and alert. However, sooner or later, Beomgyu also succumbs.
πΆ You're bad, you liar / What did you do to me, sugar? / It's me who's bad / I know this bad desire, sugar πΆ
βGet awayβ Hueningkai yells. The Daydream turns into the Nightmare when the boys realize that the devil is a liar: the promised eternal bliss given by the sugar rush is actually only temporary and leads to addiction and to the arise of their dark sides.
We will deepen this with the analysis of Farwell Neverland, but, at the end of the music video, the group decides to leave Neverland. Kai turns to the viewer as he did in the Concept Trailer of The Dream Chapter: Magic, where he asked if "should we run away" to Magic Island, while here he seems to ask us if we should abandon it.
β Happy Fools
πΆ Thereβs a lot of things to do / But no plans to do them / They say the futureβs always more important than the present / No matter what they say / I don't know, give it up / Already hopped on it, so Iβll properly enjoy this crooked ride
They say I'm stupid / Even if itβs a little delayed, Iβm not afraid / It's happy every day / Iβm trapped tightly in a sweet moment / Leave the worries to the me of tomorrow / This moment wonβt come again, yeah πΆ
The lyrics of this song are pretty self-explanatory. As TXT themselves explained, they wrote it with the intention of expressing the desire to enjoy life and the present moment, without being pressed by things to do. However, this also means ending up procrastinating if a balance is not found between not taking life with frenzy and indulging in sweet-doing-nothing. That's why they become Happy Fools: enjoying their time at Neverland/Magic Island they ignore their responsibilities, leaving them to their "tomorrow" selves, and delaying their growth.
πΆ I don't want to leave / This path of pleasure / I'm like a butterfly (Butterfly) / A honeybee that only works / Even that sky where the sunβs setting / Won't know whether itβs pretty (Get it, get it) πΆ
The pre-chorus was written by Beomgyu, who revealed in his interview with Marie Claire Korea that:
(cr. @/translatingTXT on twitter)
πΆ Don't wanna do my thing / I won't regret it / I'll be the laziest Superman / So follow me / The pleasant taste of laziness / Is very sweet / A dream-like guilty pleasure is right in front of me πΆ
In this song, TXT's temptation is laziness, which they carry like a contradictory superhero who invites listeners to act like him. TXT themselves are the tempters, like in the Sugar Rush Ride choreography, as they themselves explained during the Comeback Showcase with the press.
β Tinnitus (Wanna be a rock)
πΆ Baby, I just wanted to be / Wanted to be hot stuff (You know?) / Party every day, like the weekend / Raise the volume, as if I am fish that met the water (Higher)
At the end of the day, feed is a disaster / Last night was overflowing with filters (Ah) / Momentarily let out a sigh / I know that I can't be a rockstar πΆ
Yeonjun and Taehyun participated in writing the lyrics to this track. They wanted to express the feeling of dreaming of becoming a big, famous, acclaimed rock star but thinking you don't have what it takes or the talent for it; as well as the disappointment when discovering that the entertainment world it's not all shimmering gold as it seems.
πΆ Even if I cover my ears, the daze gets louder / The empty sound is deafening / As if submerged in a fishbowl, the bruises and tinnitus fills it up / In the empty noise, feel so lonely πΆ
In the pre-chorus they refer to the βtinnitusβ aka βwhen you experience ringing or other noises in one or both of your ears. The noise you hear when you have tinnitus isnβt caused by an external sound, and other people usually canβt hear it.β
In spirituality, Tinnitus can indicate that you are being influenced by someone who is negative in nature, the presence of a harmful energetic being in your space, causing a triggering of false belief systems and chaotic energy.
So, tinnitus it's used by TXTβs subconscious to alert them of the danger and lies behind the Cat, Neverland, and their temptations. They try not to listen, to deny the truth, but it doesnβt work and it keeps on dazing them. And they feel lonely because, as we said, the person that hears the ringing is the only one that can hear it, and TXT donβt share the experience with the others.
In Sugar Rush Ride Beomgyu is the only one experiencing it, but in TXTβs videos we have already witnessed this phenomenon: in Magic Island (minute 6:45, 7:40, 8:55) it happed to Soobin and Yeonjun and it resembled the ringing of a bell: it was a warning of the Cat approaching.
The line "As if submerged in a fishbowl" reminded me of the fish imagery they have been using especially in 0x1=Lovesong:
πΆ Rockstar minus the star / Just a rock, okay? / I had a dream / Without knowing anything / A noisy dawn / But a void at the end / Tinnitus filling my ears / It's deafening as if I am locked inside
I don't have that kind of talent / Deep story / I admit it, I'm not a "born to be" / Even when I see myself, I know I am nothing special / My twinkling dream / It's been long since it faded away / Waiting for every second / I want to become a rock πΆ
TXT feel hopeless in front of the hardships they have to face. It's easy to get discouraged by difficulties, especially when you fear that you won't succeed. Insecurities makes you think you're not made for something and/or that there are way better and more talented people out there, and you're nothing special in comparison, even if it's not true, because everyone has their precious contribution to give to the world.
These feelings perfectly connect to the storyline: their "twinkling dream" can refer to dreams they had as children that were lost once they separated, forgot their promise, and the Star turned off. While, the line βI had a dream / Without knowing anythingβ can reference how childhood dreams can seem unfeasible and illusory when you grow up and you know more of the world, but it can also be traced back to the dreams/premonitions TXT have been having but not understanding.
Being that TXT reach Neverland/Magic Island via dreams, when they wake up with tinnitus the dawn becomes "noisy", which leaves room for inner emptiness given by the loss of the carefree time spent there.
πΆ Wanna live a new life / But I'm a bit lazy / What is my existence? / Give me an answer / I think being a rock / I think it would good / Just rolling around / My own rock 'n' roll πΆ
One of the reasons behind their insecurities are the temptations that have led them away from the right path and from their goals, especially the laziness we talked about with Happy Fools. TXT feel lost and come to think they'd rather be an inanimate object that has no feelings or responsibilities to worry about, and console themselves with the ironic thought that it could become their way of doing rock 'n' roll.
β Farwell, Neverland
Ultimately, the temptations and Neverland only brought suffering to the group, and so they decide to abandon them once and for all.
πΆ Every day isβwarm,βeveryβday is theβsame season / Boys don'tβgrow up / A kiss from the sun that never sleeps / No one can see the stars / A paradise, full of lies / I wanted to turn a blind eye πΆ
The "paradise full of lies" reminded me of another TXT song: Valley of Lies. Not surprisingly, the animation for the video closely resembles the location in Bali where they filmed Sugar Rush Ride:
πΆ My last refuge / I hoped for endless flying / It's the end, it's true
Everything that was beautiful / I know it's not true / Trying to spit out that cruel lie / To the paradise of irresponsible dreams / I'll say my last goodbye / My Peter Pan πΆ
In Neverland/Magic Island it's always summer and day, also because when sunset comes, before night falls, TXT are forced to leave it. Staying there TXT believe they can never grow up, and that's a beautiful lie promised by a lying devil: they can't delay or prevent adulthood, no matter how hard they try. Time is up for them at Neverland, they acknowledge and accept it.
πΆ Neverland, my love, goodbye now / And I'm free falling / Stars, sleep with comfort / 'Til I be calling πΆ
Yeonjun's says that "stars" can "sleep" comfortably until TXT are going to be "calling" them: this is of course a reference to the Star, that is still asleep and is going to wake up only when TXT sing the promise song.
πΆ No matter where I go / This is no home / Even if I'm afraid, I'm going down / Goodbye, Neverland, my love πΆ
If Peter Pan flew them to Neverland, which they realize can't be their home, now they're falling down to the real world.
These last two verses also reminded me of Icarus that flew too close to the sun, causing his wings to melt and him to fall down, free falling. After all, Icarus was the son of Daedalus, the one who built the labyrinth in which the two were then imprisoned by the king who had commissioned it. To escape, father and son built wings.
We know that Hueningkai is the one who builds the labyrinth, plus he is the member to which the wings are associated, therefore he is Daedalus (he has mechanical wings in Nap of a Star), but, who is Icarus?
In Sugar Rush Ride, we saw that Taehyun is the one associated with air, his temptation and "sugar rush" at Neverland consists in flying, we know that his animal symbol are birds, plus there's actually a TXT music video where we see TXT fall down from the sky and Taehyun has mechanical wings: 0x1=Lovesong Japanese Version!
So, later in The Name Chapter, after TXT will enter Kai's labyrinth to confront their dark sides (as seen in the Concept Trailer), they will abandon it, and Taehyun/Icarus, may not save himself. This seems to be confirmed also by the fact that, while the other members are in different locations wearing casual clothes and despairing about the stars (which are their dreams) falling from the sky, Taehyun wears an uniform in an abandoned school, and at the end of the music video he disappears, leaving it behind.
Taehyun himself said that this song already anticipates what we will see in The Name Chapter 2... does it include his death?
(Just a reminder that TXT die several times in the storyline but always come back to life, because 1) the events take place in Magic Island/Neverland, their fantasy and/or 2) their characters experiencing these things are inside the game txt are continuously playing in real life until they win and so conclude it.)
And that is all for now!
Thank you so much for reading!! Stay tuned for my The Name Chapter 2 predictions post and feel free to share your thoughts if you want <3
masterlist
#tomorrow x together#txt#tomorrow by together#the star seekers#the name chapter#the name chapter: temptation#sugar rush ride#tnc: temptation#txt lore#β txt lore#i've been working on this for a month lol can i say that i'm proud of it?#i had so much fun as well <3#simply fashinated by the imagery and by how everything is connected and not a sigle detail left to chance#once again i am#kissing all txt's creative directors and artists that made these on the forehead like yeonjun did to soobin in blue hour era as we speak#long post
118 notes
Β·
View notes
Text
the best of Astarion | HAPPY BIRTHDAY KAP β‘
bonus:
#ipost#Astarion#baldur's gate 3#baldurs gate 3#bg3edit#baldursgateedit#gamingnetwork#vgedit#videogameedit#gamingedit#usernik#miyku#usermarina#dailygaming#gameplaydaily#bgedit#bg3#baldur's gate#Astarion Ancunin#Neil Newbon#Making this was actually so so much fun#although I had to combine the last couple of gifs cause obviously it's too many gifs on its own#counting 32 gifs is probably the biggest gifset I ever made but fuck it was the most fun as well#he's such a sassy bitch I love him#HAPPY BIRTHDAY KAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
3K notes
Β·
View notes
Text
one can see oneβs self with the world!
fan art @peaceandlove26
everything could be different
#i know i said christmas but inspiration struck and i just had to draw her as its been far too long since the last time#its always a great feeling when someone draws something for you and i always have this instinct of...well now its my turn#it makes me want to draw - its so much more fun than drawing for myself#thank you againnnnnnn fay :3
407 notes
Β·
View notes
Text
it's so nice to see my boy again, and to put him back into (more of the same) situations
#baldur's gate 3#bg3#tiefling#bg3 oc#baldur's gate#dnd#warlock#asher#userpharawee#I haven't really had time to play much yet so he's only just off the nautiloid and gathering the lads (gender neutral)#but man I've missed this game and I'm so excited to dive back in!!#I was thinking about making my little dnd monk Nian or a whole new oc instead#but I really had a lot of fun playing warlock in early access#eldritch blasting my way through faerun. failing skill checks#might as well keep doing that#(and then make a new monk for a second playthrough naturally)
3K notes
Β·
View notes
Text
theyβve been cookedβ¦. (PHIGHTING!)
Yea Twitter really liked these ones lmao, anyways the first one was for a trend and the second one is just a silly follow up to it LMAO
#I actually had a lot of fun with these#Iβm trying out a bit more of a βcleanβ style (specifically for chibis and such) and I honestly really really like it#Itβs much easier to do stuff like gradients plus itβs pretty simple and nice!#Iβm also working on a bunch of mermaid au chibis as well so those should be out soon!#I am kind of tied in with comms though so it may be a bit before I get to them#but hopefully they shouldnβt take too long :3!#Anyways enjoy the SFOTH eggrolls and icedagger soup#You can purchase them for 2944838482939 bux at catshots CafΓ© :3c#art#artists on tumblr#phighting fanart#phighting!#digital art#roblox phighting#phighting roblox#phighting#phighting art#roblox#PHIGHTING#phighting icedagger#icedagger#icedagger phighting#darkheart phighting#venomshank#illumina#phighting darkheart#illumina phighting#darkheart#ghostwalker phighting#ghostwalker
879 notes
Β·
View notes
Text
Oh, help me God,Β this hellboy got me coming back for more
reblogs super appreciated !!! close-ups under the cut !
#south park#south park fanart#stan marsh#shroomer's art !#shroomer's archives: south park#artists on tumblr#my ramblings + thought process starts here (warning. its a lot) vvvvvvvvvvvvvv#"heyyyyy shadowww. its mee. da devil.#the amount of eyestrain i went through while rendering this#gradient maps!!! are so fun!!! (they are not i hate them so much)#lots to improve on still. but that's for next time!#the process of making this was so arduous.... but i learned a lot i feel#(and also if i had spent any more time working on this i would have actually lost it)#BUT YIPPEEEEE HAPPY BIRTHDAY STAN MARSH THE LOSER BOY I CANT BELIEVE I FINISHED THIS ON TIME#2 days in advance too by the time the queue uploads it#anyways.... stupid loser boy stan marsh..... i found out his birthday was coming up soon#and i had this idea sitting in my head for like.... 2 weeks i think#popped up when i was listening to lexie liu's album the happy star and the song diablo came up#and i thought wait.... doesnt stan get possessed by satan at some point#and so here we are!!#I ACTUALLY RECENTLY WATCHED THE EPISODE TOO AND THE THEME OF THE SONG FIT THE THEME OF THE EPISODE CRAZY WELL AS WELL#sometimes my genius is almost frightening#anyways this emotionally sensitive animal lover boy has really grown on me over the course of the series <3#i still havent.... finished cartman's sheet.....#the self designated deadline i gave myself of 2 weeks is coming up soon and erm. guh.#dies#this took so much effort and brainpower that needed to be allocated to my assignments.......#but its ok!!! im gonna sell this as a print!!! so its kind of!! productive!!#guh i hope this one performs well sob theres this nagging feeling i have that its not gonna do well at all#try painting some funky lighting + greyscale painting she said. it'll be fun she said.
218 notes
Β·
View notes
Text
TOP 10 JANE AUSTEN ADAPTATIONS (according to my followers)
1. Pride and Prejudice (2005) with 20.67% of votes
#filmedit#papedit#austenedit#moviegifs#fyeahmovies#dailyflicks#cinematv#pride and prejudice#**#*gif#*pride and prejudice#*jatop10#i had so much fun making this poll and these sets#and i hope you enjoyed them as well <3
2K notes
Β·
View notes
Text
You're the sunflower/I think your love would be too much
#WOO FINALLY DONE#considered doing a second part with hanahaki riku buuuut. i got a car journey in an hour or so and im impatient#so doing it later means not at all#but anyway!!! had fun w him#still tryna figure out how to draw sora ill prob redraw this when i figure it out#rearranged the heart station more toward the redesigned one but then didnt rlly follow thru cus i wanted both riku and kairi on it LMAO#also i think i drew them too small for this to come across but my thought process was βsora with lots of freckles = sunflower center bitβ#and obvi the station of awakening as well#was gonna be kh2 sora but hnnng his design is. so much#ambitious#i think βyour love would be too muchβ works for every version of soriku though so its okay#soriku#kingdom hearts#soriku endgame actually#kh sora#kingdom hearts sora#sora kingdom hearts#riku kingdom hearts#bev draws#beverly says stuff#this happened cus 2 nights ago i satr up in bed and said THIS SONG IS SO SORIKU CODED#and then i wanted to make the sunflowers behind him look like stained glass#but i didnt know how & figured putting a station there would give a similar effect#regardless! sora looks kinda goofy in the face but im p happy w this !#using references are for cowards (NOT ACTUALLY. USE REFERENCES DO NOT FOLLOW MY EXAMPLE)#kh#kh1#kh1 sora#kh1 riku#also tried out some different brushes for colouring this and i like them :3
265 notes
Β·
View notes
Text
GUESS WHO MADE A COVER ART FOR A BREAKCORE TRACK DEDICATED TO VINCENT ON SOUNDCLOUD AWOOOOOOOOOOO
THERE IT GOOEEES
#I AM SO HAPPY Y'ALL HAVE NO IDEA#PLS LISTEN TO IT IT SOUNDS SO COOL#like since i turned into a breakcore listener I started to build a desire to make my own#but during the period I used to make some random tracks for fun on MMJ it had a VERY limited amount of breakcore or dnb samples#and tbh doing tracks on FL Studio is infinitely better although I'm a big NOOB with that#but bro???? I literally made this one on FL and I'm so proud of the result#accompanied by the desire to make my own breakcore track. I had the desire to make some Silent Hill themed track as well#n even more specific. one track for ma babygirl vinny WAAAAA#I've found a Silent Hill breakcore once n it's forever on ma playlist. now i brought anotha one 2 the world#n one dedicated for one of my fav charas i feel SO FULFILLED GAWDAYUM#THIS IS A DIRECT LOVE LETTER TO HIM OK#THAT'S HOW MUCH I LOVE HIM. I MADE A TRACK FOR MY MAN#silent hill#silent hill 3#vincent smith#fanart#silent hill fanart#sh3#video games#silent hill series#artwork#original music#music#soundcloud#silent hill art#digital art#art#artists on tumblr#my art#drawing
233 notes
Β·
View notes
Text
now, here we go, it's the end of the show / hear them, they're calling your name
#cause in the end it's you and your friends....#zos draws#super mario bros#super paper mario#mario mario#super dimentio#yikes this poor blog didn't see much action this year </3#well i really had fun drawing this at least so maybe that's a sign that the burnout is finally backing off#new year new me let's see if i can cycle back into horrifyingly fast art output autism [probably not but i like to be optimistic]
448 notes
Β·
View notes
Text
A Clara portrait because I love her so so much :) dialogue from the last episode of season 3
image without dialogue below:
she :)
#victoriocity#clara entwhistle#victoriocity season 3#victoriocity podcast#new design for her!!!!!!! i like it so muchhhh its so much fun to draw#i kept blue as her signature color bc that just feels right to me but i updated her outfit to reference some late victorian walking suits#i feel like that suits her. she's fairly practical and active#her hair was the biggest change!! before i had it all up in a plain sort of updo (bc i was not that confident drawing the texture)#but i've taken a look at some modern hairstyles as well as black hairstyles from the late victorian era and kind of combined them#in a way i thought looked cool!!#the two curls on each side down the neck was from an old photograph from around that time period and the curled bangs are more modern#i think it suits her :)#art#my art#weaverofink#OH and also. this interaction specifically from this episode was so good. i absolutely squealed in delight#podcasts
98 notes
Β·
View notes
Note
can i ask for larry and kabu.... is it allowed......... if not i can ask for something else lol
Day 2 - Warm feelings
#My art#Requestober#Pokemon#Larry#Kabu#Firebland#There's so many ship names but that one's probably my favourite hehe - right to the heart of them!#Silverstreakshipping#Yes of course* you can βͺ#*That's what the trade rule is there for! Hehe β«#Obviously I had to read their fic - for research purposes of course <3 Hehehe βͺ#They are cute! This is known haha#Had to have Larry with his signature Komala hug - I forgot while drawing but I'm gonna pretend it was on purpose lol#Give me a man in a suit and I'll give him a holdable waist that's just the rules around here#Although Kabu's not going for his waist is he hehehe#So - why Is Kabu's design Like That lol#Like don't get me wrong he's very cute at his base! But his clothes are so busy lol#So much so that for a bit I thought his fire-sleeves were hiragana pft - looks like γγ from certain angles haha#So I opted to hide as much of him behind Larry as possible - didn't do all That much but it's something lol#But then it went too far! I wanted Larry's arm to be lower but the posing didn't work out so now you can't see his face properly! D:#He had a smirk in my sketch! Ah! Well you can still see it in his eyes but wahh cute smile#I also like how his smile line is generally portrayed on the one side lol - a true smirk line! Silly#I really don't draw crow's feet often enough they're so pretty#I had fun finagling Kabu's foot to the outside of Larry's as well - fully boxing him in in return? Staggered feet between? You decide :3
69 notes
Β·
View notes
Text
"And soda; runs off into the street..." "...and soda... is totally okay!"
#jrwi fanart#jrwi show#jrwi suckening#cw blood#something something cracking open a boy w the cold ones#IF THERE ARE ANY MISTAKES I MISSED I SWWWEAR TO JEBEDIAH. IF I STARE AT THIS ANYMORE IM GONNA DIE IT NEEDS TO BE DONE#ALSO RRRAAAHAHHHGHGH CAN I JUST TAKEA SECOND TO SCREEAAMM ABT HOW MUCH I LOVE SODA AND EMIZEL.. LIKE THERYE SO CUTE....#THEY ARE HOMIES THAT KISS EACHOTHR GOODNIGHT. THEY CARE SO MUCH FOR EACHOTHER. SODA LOVES SODA AND SODA LOVES YOU#do u guys remember how willing he was to share blood w his vampire bestie. like cmon. remember when emizel memorized sodas Soda Schedule.#LIKE CMON.... they just have eachothers backs so much. ouhhh my god... ANYWAY SO THE ART HUH. I FEEL LIKE I SCRAMBLED W IT FOR A WHILE#DRAWIN IS HARD..... i think i did well in the end tho.. i like the lil heart beat effects. and i hope i made soda look Suffieciently Scared#i ALSO had fun w the teeth. i however did not have fun w the walls. if i had more drugs i mightve done every brick in more detail#but i didnt WANNA!!!! this will suffice.I HOPE IT FLOWS WELL&THAT ITS CLEAR... IVE STARED AT IT SO LONG IT IS NOW VISUAL SOUP. HELP!!!#i want my comics to have more Pauses and Space and Thought and Momence. i feel like normally they go so fast. but THIS time#i think i did good.... huuoouhhhh.... comics are HARD art is HARD but i am HARDER. or something. OH YEAH I HAVE MORE ART THINGS#soda was RLY HARD FOR ME TO DRAW FOR A MINUTE..but i like where his design is now. i wanted his hair to be curly swirly.like soda fizz#i THINK thats all my thoughts for now. if u have thoughts u should spill them in the tags i looooove reading tttaaggsss#have a goodnight i gotta go to work soon. maybe. unless the casinos power goes out AGAIN. OR SEOMTHING... UUGHHH MY SCHEDULE IS IN SHAMBLES#I THOUGHT I WAS WORKIN 3 DAYS INA ROW SO I RENTED A WHOLE DAMN HOTEL BC THE JOB PLACE IS FAR AWAY.. I HAD TO CANCEL THE WHOLE RESERVATOn#annd im MMMMAD ABOUT IT!!! like ill get over it ofc BUT IM PEEVED!!!! IM INCONVIENIENCED AND GENTLY AGGRIVATED. BUT OVERALL FINE.#hope yalls weekend goes well. sleep well. if u get the chance to.
184 notes
Β·
View notes
Text
Turns out Sunlit Trail isn't quite done just yet, so after all that they just send you to a dead end π
#rain world#comic#rw chasing wind#sunlit Trail#Hunter#Art#Chasing wind spoilers#I can't imagine anyone filters that tag but just in case sksksks#ANYWAYS turns out mod is way better than I expected and it's super well made.#So far made the trip as hunter (first time) then riv and now working on arti.#For arti I realized that howling rifts led to sub and sub led to dar shore so I was like sweet! A shortcut!#Now imagine for a sec trying to get through a parkcore + miros bird gauntlet with a corpse and a worm within 5 cycles#before the scav ran out of karma and you were stuck inside forever. Yeah#Besides that tho I've been messing around and been very tenderly modding the game.#Turns out you can have a bit of fun with most sprites without too much effort by simply cloning the MSC mod in your files#Then changing the copy's mod info so it doesn't clash and simply swapping images out for whatever you want#As long as you have the sprite name you can do this. You can also change region names and decals and music all sorts of stuff.#In short I've been brewing a custom mod for a friend to make her suffer as much as possible <3#Thanks to a buddy on the rw server for showing me that trick btw lol. The best cesspool I've ever participated in#Oh before I forget- the symbol on CW's head is completely made up. They just looked so... Bald.#Tbh I wasn't expecting their personality to be so... bright? Most interpretations make them kinda solemn and gloomy#But nah this CW is what NSH should've been 100%. I like them. Not gonna spoil too much but their situation is somehow so... chill.#Still bad tho!#Other fun news! There's a scammer going around on discord that's basically like ''bad news I reported you for fraud''#And they're getting a lot of people. My buddy that owned my home server got hit and we lost everything. It's all OK tho nobody was hurt#I keep trying to ask them questions on my alts but they're ignoring me... I kinda wanna bait them into doing the scam with me#to see how far I get before they catch on π#Wasting a scammer's time is never a waste of time#Ah I had more to say but I reached my tag max. Till next time- hopefully my animation project will be done by then!
137 notes
Β·
View notes
Text
"[high pitched and tinny] Letβs dive in. Letβs dive in. Itβs time to dive in. Get ready to [audio distorts and slows] dive. Diiive. Diiiiieβ¦" (The Road to PALISADE 20: City Planning Department)
so that's what i've been working on for the past 2 weeks! i wanted to draw something for this intro ever since i first listened to it (as a companion piece to my other gur drawing, though it of course ended up being way bigger in scale), but it only really gripped me about halfway through PALISADE ep 18. the next morning after that i listened to this narration on repeat for about 45 minutes and then made a big sketch on 4 sheets of paper at my desk at work.
anyways, i haven't listened to the new episode yet but i think i'm probably ready for whatever they're gonna throw at us with the next sortie. i'm gonna believe, against it all, in millennium break. for gur
(i recommend listening along while scrolling! + transcript btw. if anything is hard to read)
#road to palisade#road to palisade spoilers#palisade#fatt#friends at the table#gur sevraq#<- yuore everything btw.#long post#and good god. it sure as fuck is#rosa art#the full file for this? that i had to split up? its 30000 pixel tall. thats 218cm#im so proud of this & it was a ton of fun. ooohhh my free floating panels i love them#i posted about my progress (theres some earlier sketches n lineart too) on cohost to be like well.#maybe i wont talk so fucking much on the actual post but noooo i cant shut up#love that for me.shoutout if you read all this#if you find a typo please. dont even mention it#a fun thing about this is that i almost know the intro by heart now. theres like 3 lines i get stuck on but mostly. its all there#ill link the cohost if i reblog this again. personally i think its interesting stuff but i love to hear myself talk abt shit i make soooo#anyways i have art class tomorrow & should sleep soon : ) but im happy im finally able to show this off. it rules sooo much
493 notes
Β·
View notes
Text
-ΛΛ .Β·:Β·. β± ππππππ ππππ ππ
πππππππππ ππ² @pavus β day one: π§ππ¦π.
β ππππππππ πππππππππ . πππππππ ππ ππππ . ππππππ ππππππ.
ππππ ππ ππππππ. πππππ ππ πππππ ππ πππππ.
β πππππππ (mutuals can opt in/out via ππ‘π’π¬ π©π¨π¬π <3):
@loriane-elmuerto, @carrionsflower, @auricfog, @girliefailure, @sunsofdawn
@risingsh0t, @griffin-wood, @lilywatt, @full---ofstarlight, @grapecaseschoices
@tommyarashikage, @shadowsofrose, @shadowglens, @weisshaupts, @queennymeria
@deadrlngers, @d-esmond, @courtana, @gothimp, @wlwaerith
@unholymilf, @aezyrraeshh, @socially-awkward-skeleton, @shellibisshe, @florbelles
@celticwoman, @neonshrike, @cloudofbutterflies92, @adelaidedrubman, @carlosoliveiraa
@pinkfey, @spookyrares, @yharnams, @aceghosts, @confidentandgood
@theelderhazelnut, @leviiackrman, @ellierenae, @anoras, @lavampira
@dialdrunk, @full---ofstarlight, @imogenkol
#oc: irulanne ingellvar#oc: vethari de riva#oc: cassia thorne#leg.ocs#leg.edits#*myedits#*ocedit#veilguard30#dragon age oc#datv oc#dav oc#datv#dav#dragon age rook#userimogen#oo moots w/tracking tags i cant recall if ive asked before (i think i did?) but please feel free to lmk if youd like me to tag ur tracking!#ITS STILL THE FIRST HERE THANK HEAVENS I MADE IT IN TIME (ish<3) spent all day on this ahhhhh!!!!!!!!!#the other rooks are veeery wips rn so i will do one of these for them soon HEHE <3#i think i have like..... four more kdfjfkn IM SO SOO STOKED TO YELL ABOUT THEM SOON RAHHH#and happiest first day of dragon game month besties and moots <3 WERE IN THE TWENTIES feeling very normal about it!!!!#for sure will be doing a few of the writing prompts for the next few days before i do another edit brain FRIED egg <33 eek it was worth it!#the happiest with how this turned out and the blurbs of info the coloring from cavalierfou on deviant worked SO well with this!!#divider is by saradika it fits THE LOVELIEST with this as well EEEEK.#hopefully the names are easy to be seen <3#ANYWAY i am so soo stoked to yell about my dragon game dearies and the rooks and see what everyone creates for this!!!!!!#THANK YOU THANK YOUU MO FOR CREATING THIS EVENT youre a treasure its day 1 and i had soo much fun with this!! tyty again!#besties and moots also also if you read all of this im baking you cookies!!
85 notes
Β·
View notes