#knives deflects al guilt and responsibility and vahs makes a grab for it i guess

[yuhi-san]

I was thinking about some of that, too. In the birthday video, we see knives be more sullen and distant. Though it could also be because much of the situation revolves around food, something knives has no interest in compared to a far more eager vash. he’s a lot more excited when talking about western and cowboys, which he likes. He’s also still sweet, even as he teases rem.

In the mange, before tesla, both knives and vash were curious about meeting humans. But it’s usually knives who starts talking about it and react strongly in the conversation with Conrad. Vash on the other hand seems more subdued, I guess. Yes he’s curious about humans, yes he would like to meet more people. but he gives much more the impression that he would also be perfectly fine if it was just him, knives and rem while knives seams to almost yearn to finally connect to huamans and hope so much it would be fine!

In stampede, much of what we see from child knives we see in vash’s memory during july. His memories are actively being meddled with by knives, which we as the audience know. We see it in the way everything is jumbled and things don’t always make sense. But we also see scenes that seem perfectly right except… like, there is the one with vash and knives under the three where knives says he will protect Vash.

And vash realizes, no, that wasn’t knives who said this but rem.

So im thinking. What if in stampede, it was still knives who was more curious and hopeful and excited to meet other humans? But then they find tesla and his innocent, happy dream of a peaceful coexistence with humans got shattered. I firmly believe that this shattered manga knives beyond repair, there was never a coming back for him. Vash on the other hand went through the same trauma but between almost killing rem and the great fall, he put all his determination in making sure that plants and humans WILL one day have this coexistence full of love and peace.

So what if it still was knives who so dearly wanted to be accepted by humans and sees this desire and the hope for it in vash now? Vash who gets hurt by humans, yes (in big part thanks to knives) but undeniably has humans loving him like little knives hoped for? There is ship three and all the other humans vash meets that just adore him.

Projecting his dream that got shattered so cruelly onto vash might be just a coping mechanism for knives. A way to tell himself, I always knew humans were bad! Vash was the one to naively think it could be any different and look what happens to him!

Im not even really sure knives is doing that 100% unconsciously. I don’t think he has suppressed the memory, just that he is very stubbornly in denial about it. And for all that I think knives actually means it when he says he wants to protect vash (twisted and cruel horrible as he is with it) I do also think he is deep down jealous of vash. for finding this connection, for still being able to see the good and to hope. In many ways vash pays the price for knives inability to overcome the trauma from tesla

Midnight thought but now I’ve got my mind on how Tristamp has the overarching themes of identity, self-actualisation, adolescence but also a distorted sense of reality, past (Memory sweep finale) and present (Vash really telling himself Nai can still be saved, where Knives also wants to tell himself Vash needs help) , for the brothers especially.

So I look back to the last words the brothers shared, and hone on Vash’s “Who are you?” when he finally sees Nai for the person he’s become.

Yes I could talk about how the question is thematically directed to both of them throughout the entire season but there’s also an implication, I feel, there’s something, not quite right about, how Knives is presented.

Vash is an obvious “Who are you?” to the audience I think. Kinda all over the place. Masking to people half the time. Changing who he is to suit the people he’s with/ situation. Making promises he can’t really keep and then getting a lil too stuck on his own perceived failure. He only really becomes Vash the Stampede right before he blows up July.

But with Knives, he seems pretty sure of himself. Pretty sure of his goals and the work he’s got to do. Pretty linear in all his approaches. So his “Who are you?”, as a question from the audience, feels, off.

With the distorted reality idea, I wonder if, in a lot of his memory appearances as a kid we’re being introduced to someone that, never really existed. Maybe I’m reaching, but he’s entirely reconstructing Vash’s memories in the finale, and that’s, most of his appearances as a child.

He doesn’t seem very different as a kid in that he’s a lot more calculated, he’s colder, and Vash is the one that seems more interested in humanity’s acceptance. (While I personally don’t really mind that change tbh, I am aware it fundamentally alters the character). Considering he’s purposefully omitting the good and hopeful memories of Rem as their childhood, this presentation of him is so oddly convenient, helping him avoid the confrontation of a Nai, that was once well. Happy. Happy with humans. Happy with Rem.

We also see it in how he so easily takes the form of his kid self in Vash’s memories. Odd.

So I feel that “Who are you?” question has the potential to be one that kinda breaks the fourth wall. Compared to the other iterations, Knives does feel like a stranger. I like the idea that everything to do with him is a fake lie he’s orchestrated. And the creepy idea his control has extended to us as well.

It’s 2am. I may have better words tomorrow but this is essentially my long winded way of saying I can’t trust any Knives backstory given, knowing the extent of his possible control. And that sunshine crybaby Nai may still be a thing, it was just omitted by him. I could also be extending my arms across the continent with this reach…