#pafl convergence

[itspotatocatto]

100 epitaphs analysis rambles

mostly centered around symbolism of sanya's outfit changes but also touching on the baseball bat, the convergence cables, and a few strike 3 line retrospectives. (had to put it under the cut because it accidentally got really long, whoopsies!)

the two main outfits we see sanya in are her short yellow and black outfit with her hair down (which i will be referring to as "gymkid outfit") and her longer black and white outfit with her hair tied up (which i will refer to as "punk outfit").

in sanya's gymkid outfit we see her helplessness and youth, from the first time yura took her out to party [false disposition] to how she lays down seemingly caught in a grieving immobility. in her punk outfit however we see her defiance and her attempts to be "mature", raising the bat to protect KT when they first meet [parties are for losers] to her irreverent laughter while "a candle burns another photograph".

in convergence we see how yura views the cables binding the characters central to his plan of saving KT, sanya is here in her gymkid outfit, as much as he cares for her she's still a helpless kid getting tied up and held back by all that's going on. but in 100 epitaphs we see how sanya views this situation, seemingly accepting the cables and embracing them. she welcomes them, they don't restrict her, they comfort her, enabling her to get stronger, to be better at fighting the world.

also take note of the baseball bat, in convergence she isn't touching it but still tied up with her, out of reach but inescapable. whereas, in 100 epitaphs we see and hear how yura taking the bat in his hand kicks up the music, that audible ignition of firey rebel spirit, and when the cables enwrap her she wraps herself around the bat, holding it tight to her, refusing to let it go, that symbol of anything and everything she might be able to do to change things, to use what little power she has and release the frustration she's built up against the cruelty of the world.

this outfit symbolism is also shown in how sanya was wearing her gymkid outfit while she was on call with yura during the "negotiations" in convergence. she had very little actionable power in that situation, her presence was concealed and then almost immediately forcibly removed as soon as it was revealed. even down to the tiniest detail of yura's contact photo of her being her wearing the punk outfit and how that's the outfit she wears when she confronts dmitry in 100 epitaphs, these little attempts at displaying strength.

these outfit specifics even go back to young!sanya tying her hair up in preparation for the funeral, probably her first real experience of having to be mature. the facial expression change between young!sanya and present!sanya there is also very telling, young!sanya's frown is so sad, so unsure. this is contrasted by what we can see of present!sanya's frown, it's a lot sharper, a lot more sure of itself, somewhere between determined and disgruntled, she's gotten used to trying to be mature but that doesn't make it easier, she's just pushing through it harder.

but of course, yura and sanya's views of her aren't the only ones we see in 100 epitaphs, we also see sergei's perception of her as they stand back to back. here she's in her punk outfit, but it's incomplete, her hair is down, she can't fully commit herself to this, it's not who she is (or maybe she shouldn't commit herself to it and it's not who she should be).

on the topic of sergei it is SO COOL how strike 3's presence is all over 100 epitaphs. from the tepid autumn day to the motif while sanya and sergei are back to back, even how they both start with a phone (olga calling vs yura disconnecting). and they way strike 3 foreshadowed that final scene in 100 epitaphs in a way to make the exact way those lines would turn out ambiguous is damn near masterful.

"everything will pass, the edge will dull, i know what's best for you, and after all a day will come, warm and bright when i, tear down this dismal shelter wall." hearing this we're lead to believe a few key things: that sanya's edge will dull, and that this tearing down of the dismal shelter wall will be a strong and resilient action.

and yet in 100 epitaphs, it is not sanya's rebellious edge that dulls, but sergei's protective one. he realises that trying to protect sanya like this is just pushing her further away from him, he knows what's best but he's given up on trying to make her see that, the shelter wall is torn down not in triumph, but in resignation, collapsing under it's own weight.

"just hide behind this back of mine and save your helpless spite" this is framed like sergei asking sanya to let him protect her and to save that spite she feels for times where it might be of more use than as the weapon of an angry teen. in 100 epitaphs we see how sanya grabs onto sergei's back, to prevent him from punching yura, saving the embodiment of helpless spite.

can you tell i FUCKING LOVE THIS SERIES

[bowl-of-shortness]

Drew another screencap from PAFL (specifically Convergence)

Anyways Olga my beloved

@nopanamaman

Enjoy? Ig?? Idk what I was doing here with this one but I sure did something.

[frokoyami]

more oldie doodles from convergence brainrot

[krakrac]

messed up the eyes and the scan is also not the best but. this was really fun 💥💥 im back to loving watercolor

[vampire-wizard-solidarity]

normalest girl ever

@nopanamaman

[stabbyhara]

Anya and Dima attempting cute couple shit but in the most socially inept and awkward way possible (they’re trying man)

[drawn-corrosion]

*Convergence and Occam's Razor play loudly in the background* why is this what lured me out of art block version without text below:

[hopalynes-art]

Yulya the woman ever

A second piece from my inktober that I really enjoyed working on ! Yulya (Fem!Yura) is genuinely a character I enjoy so much.

She has a hold on me that is horribly strong when she litteraly has only something like 4 doodles

[ppenguinpperson]

normal about him

[severefartoholic]

[hiddenwizard]

me when the image of the future used to be unstable like a poor transmission on replay but seems like we've just discovered a connection cable

[rainythey]

Finally got around to actually finishing some pafl fanart instead of my usual stupid doodles Character by @nopanamaman

[77ngiez-archive]

so guess who got a new hyperfixation over the strike ^_^ closeups + text transcription under cut

sanya: ur stupid

yura: haha i know ^_^

there is something deeply wrong with him ♡

katya: COUGH COUGH COUGH

yura: haha yeahh smoke that funky cig katya

ELSEWHERE

sanya: i feel like yura just did something bas

[frokoyami]

yura if he was locked tf in

[krakrac]

just remembered my technically first pafl fanart i did when convergence first came out and i found a comment fucking hilarious that he looks like this one cat surrounded by knives lmao

i dont like this piece anymore, probably because my art style shifted in a completely different direction but idc yall can enjoy this silly ass yura

[westvocap-ocbracket]

ROUND FIVE! SIDE B

Olya Orlova Vs. Anya Beletskaya