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zazzander · 2 years ago

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My Tin-Foil Hat Theories about The Sun and The Star

i.e. I read the TSATS preview and I have the biggest confirmation bias you've ever seen

(feat. all my theories that are definitely WRONG but so far no one has guessed right so I'm just like everyone else, thank you)

So the book starts with an encounter in the Underworld somewhere, because Will and Nico are talking to Gorgyra.

"Nico di Angelo, why don't you tell me a story?" [...] "Tell me about the two of you," she said.

So this is a great opening, because either this is the story they're telling or we're going to get some cool flashbacks later about Nico and Will's past. What is interesting is that, from the canon so far, Will and Nico bonded over Octavian’s death. He is, fundamentally, part of their story.

Then we go into the far less bleak opening scene.

Nico & the Apollo cabin are talking about which character in Star Wars is Nico's favourite / who he'd take on a date. I would have guessed Nico would pick someone who is just like Will - but Nico picks Darth Vader. And, sure, maybe that's just to so show how Cool-And-Edgy Nico di Angelo is.

BUT - it's the opening of the book. What is it has more to it?

Let's think about who Darth Vader is. In the beginning, he was Anakin Skywalker. He was a boy subject to a prophecy that said he was save the galaxy (bring balance to the force), but he was manipulated into joining the dark side. The Emperor (hint-hint, nudge-nudge) kept a tight grip over Anakin. Then there's Order 66 and Anakin slaughtering the younglings. But, in the end, Anakin kills the Emperor and turned back to the light side of the force.

Obviously, our Emperors are already dead. But just think about that plot. A person who was supposed to be a hero, who was manipulated by an Emperor, and eventually tried to massacre a lot of children… Keep that in your head.

Moving on! The voice isn’t a ghost. The dream-giver isn’t dead. That’s why Nico thinks it has to Bob.

Now, Oshiro and Riordan remind us that Jason is very, very dead:

Months earlier, Nico had sensed his friend Jason Grace's death, which had sent him into a tailspin of grief and rage.

So when Nico says this:

Demigods always had vivid-and occasionally prophetic-dreams, but when he slept, the voice became almost unbearable. Help me, please! it called out. I need you, Nico di Angelo. I need you. Well, so did every ghost who visited him. […] But this voice wasn't dead.

We know that it can’t be Jason. Sure, Nico might be wrong about this too – but I feel like that was would be too much of a red-herring. Nico knows what a ghost feels like. If he says it isn’t a ghost, it isn’t a ghost.

The thing is – there is a death that’s, in a way, unaccounted for. In theory, he should have sensed his death as well. But let’s look at the moment:

He might have even said good riddance. But his heart sank as the comet kept gaining altitude. It disappeared into the storm clouds, and the sky exploded in a dome of fire. [Blood of Olympus]

You guessed it (especially if you know anything about this blog, haha).

This is the moment Octavian ‘died’ but Nico did not feel him passing. Of course, that doesn’t tell us anything. It’s a dramatic ending, the book will tell us about Octavian’s funeral soon and that everything will be wrapped up nicely.

After the explosion, Piper and Jason – free-falling and unconscious – were plucked out of the sky by giant eagles and brought to safety, but Leo did not reappear. [Blood of Olympus]

Huh? That’s odd. If Octavian’s body was flung up into the sky, shouldn’t it have fallen down to the earth as well? When they were searching for Leo, shouldn’t have found Octavian? Even if it was just pieces of him? Where is the body?

There is a group funeral. But I’m very much inclined to assume Octavian wasn’t a part of it.

Octavian would be remembered for saving Rome by hurling himself into the sky in a fiery ball of death. But it was Leo Valdez who had made the real sacrifice. [Blood of Olympus]

That’s Nico’s opinion, on the matter of his death. Cleary, Nico doesn’t see Octavian as a hero. So when this happens:

Shrouded demigods, both Greek and Roman, were burned at the campfire, and Chiron asked Nico to oversee the burial rites. Nico agreed immediately. He was grateful for the opportunity to honour the dead. [Blood of Olympus]

Why would Nico honour Octavian and not mention it? Say something like “he wasn’t as excited to see off Octavian, but he did it for the Romans”. So…no funeral?

Clearly Nico believes that Octavian is dead. That’s undisputed. But – like – guys. Where is the body? Nico also thought Leo was dead at this time! If Leo got to escape, is it not also possible that Octavian did as well?

Nico talks about Bob a lot in this preview, which makes sense, of course, and I have no doubts we will be seeing Bob in this book! We might even be rescuing him. But there’s a BIG disconnect is the story: Bob is gentle and considerate – the person sending these vision is not.

They are desperate. They are begging for Nico’s help. But they seem to have decided the best way to do this is by hurting him. Threatening him. I can’t see how Bob would ever do that!

The message comes to Nico through dreams. These aren’t quite prophetic dreams, but instead the kind of dreams that Clovis used to show Nico events and memories. Only this time is a distortion of Nico’s own memories. He sees:

His dead mother

Bianca, dressed as a Hunter of Artemis, at the Lotus Hotel

The bridge at the Battle of Manhattan

Trapped in the jar

His encounter with Cupid

In these dream-memories, the message is repeated: listen. But I want to pick out a few seemingly significant moments. It’s obvious the dream-giver is trying to send Nico a message, but I also get the impression that either they are being intentionally vague or they cannot directly address Nico.

It strikes me that they are reticent to show their true form.

I highly doubt any of the people who show up in the dream are the dream-giver. So we can cross several people off our suspect list. Another assumption/guess of this wild theorising on my part is that the dream-giver is using the people in the dreams to deliver their message. They are speaking through these other characters.

Moment #1

“You have to listen," said Michael Yew, his intense brown eyes brimming with tears. "If you don't, you will share my fate."

I want to pull out this line in particular because it’s almost as if the dream-giver knows the prophecy Nico has been given. Referring to: Or your body and soul no one will ever find. Either a reference to Nico’s death (like Michael’s) or to Octavian’s body and soul being lost.

Sounds like the dream-giver might have prophetic powers…

Moment #2

Then in the dream with the jar, Percy appears. The sight of him comforts Nico, however, that is not the message the dream wants to convey.

Nico reached up to take Percy's hand.

But Percy was now farther away. Even standing with his arms outstretched, Nico couldn't reach the mouth of the jar. […] No, no! His friend was even farther away!

It’s possible the goal of this sequence is to tell Nico that Percy cannot help him. That he shouldn’t help him. That’s a big guess on my part, but if Octavian was the dream-giver, he definitely wouldn’t want Percy Jackson involved on the quest.

This part of the dream ends with a message:

“You have to go," Percy said. "Go where?" he asked, though he dreaded the answer. "We made a mistake," said Percy. "You have to fix it."

The first part makes sense, the dream-giver wants Nico to come help them. Now, what about that “we made a mistake” part. Obviously, this seems to point towards the choice Percy made to not go back for Bob. But here me out, what if Octavian is just being manipulative? What is the ‘mistake’ is that Nico and Percy both chose not to trust Octavian? And that helping Octavian would ‘fix’ it? It’s vague because Octavian knows that Nico will not save him otherwise!

Moment #3

“If this is a god or a demigod or something else," Nico added, “you’re really starting to annoy me.”

Huh. We have a resident annoying demigod…

But this final sequence is so interesting! Like, yes, all the dreams are going over Nico’s past traumas. And that’s super important for the readers to be reminded of what Nico has been through (and Will’s own trauma has been thrown in for good measure!) but this is working double duty.

"Please. Just let me wake up." "You still think this is a dream?" […] Favonius's disembodied laughter floated around him. "Look at you, still thinking this is a dream. You are so cute when you're delusional, Nico di Angelo!"

So, clearly, not a dream. This isn’t just Nico’s PTSD. The dream-giver is very much trying to send him a message.

But also, that line ‘you are so cute when you’re delusional’ – that sounds like someone who’s met Nico before. And they’re teasing him!.

He crossed his arms. "I get it," he said. "I don't need convincing anymore! I'll go to Tartarus!" That's not enough, Nico di Angelo. Look upon me.

The dream-giver speaks through Cupid. They threat him, attack him. But then they change their tact. ‘Cupid’ changes their form.

"Please, Nico. Look at me." The voice had changed. It was warm, like honey, like a late-summer sunset, like the first rush of heat from a campfire. […] Nico turned slowly, and there stood Will Solace, his golden hair lit oh so perfectly in the dreamlike daylight of Salona.

Okay this is the part that where I put on two tin-foil hats. Which you should expect if you’ve read this far. Here me out: Nico once described Octavian as looking like Will (just an unhealthy, paler version). So what if this is doing double duty, again? Nico is likely to listen to Will Solace, his boyfriend, but what if dug out a face close to his own?

“Look at me” / “Look upon me”, is this Octavian saying who he is without actually saying it?

Will shook his head. "It's more than you think. When the time comes, tell me the truth."

So, this line, could go a few different ways. But I think it might actually refer to a future exchange between Will and Nico. It’s not about the dream-giver, but the dream-giver has seen a moment that needs to come to pass in order for them to be helped. More glimpses of the future?

So the dream sequence ends! Wow! It’s intense. But I’m not actually done…

Right after the dream takes place, the Oracle delivers the prophecy. Apparently, Rachel has said this prophecy twelve times. We don’t have a timeline, but that makes it sound like this prophecy has been haunting Nico for a while. This part of the prophecy is the part I’m interested in:

Go forth and find the one who calls out your name, Who suffers and despairs for refusing to remain;

It’s totally possible that this is just a typo on the part of the person who leaked this, because the second line is pretty clunky. However, if we take it at face value, “for refusing to remain”, that… doesn’t sound like Bob.

Bob chose to remain in Tartarus. Maybe he’s changed his mind now, definitely possible. But like… What if Octavian was dragged down into Tartarus, against his will, and he’d be pretty damn unhappy about it!

Anyway – those are my thoughts. The obvious holes in this theory are – well – obvious. How could a demigod survive in Tartarus for over a year? Why would Riordan want to write more Octavian? No idea! I’m not a mind reader! Maybe Oshiro is secretly an Octavian fan!

Anyway, it was mentioned way-back-when that a male character without much exploration would be important in this book. So who knows, maybe it’s Octavian. I for one would think it’d be a very cool plot twist.

Especially if it is a trap!

Especially if we have a call back to the opening and Octavian, like Darth Vader, ends up killing the Big Bad and actually being a hero. Therefore fulfilling that original prophecy that Octavian got from Apollo about being remembered as a saviour.

If you read of all this, thank you! You’re the best!

#even if no one this is actually right #that's totally okay #because gods I love Nico #and Kayla #but especially Nico!!#he deserves the world!!#looking forward to the rest of the book #heroes of olympus #octavian hoo #octavian pjo #tsats #the sun and the star #tsats spoilers #tsats preview #nico di angelo

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raven-at-the-writing-desk · 3 months ago

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Wouldn't you like to see something strange?

HI I know the new Halloween character isn't out yet but I needed an outlet for my excitement (Yes, I am unfortunately a Nightmare Before Christmas girlie) 💀 so please be advised that he may not be in character here, I'm just writing based on vibes! This is technically a twisted!Jack Skellington x Reader fic, but the Reader is basically playing a role similar as Sally from the film.

P.S. I want everyone to know that I busted out my drawing tablet to make this special border for him the same day he was first announced... Yeah...

Boo.

On the nights with full moons, he liked to steal away to the Spiral Hill on the outskirts of town.

The outcrop of land overlooked a vast graveyard and field laden with pumpkins, perfuming the air with the crisp sweetness characteristic of autumn. Beyond it, uncharted territory. When he squinted into the darkness, he could make out the vague shapes of naked trees, their gnarled branches like fingers beckoning him to approach, whispering his name.

He draped his long, lithe legs over the hill, letting them hang in the frigid air. Spindly as he was, the wind easily blew them, knocking his legs around like the straw-stuffed limbs of a scarecrow. He kicked with the breeze, carefree as a child on a playground swing.

The moon stitched his pinstriped suit and tattered cravat with silver thread, touched his pointed crown at its highest points. Even the white ribbons ribbing his jacket and the pattern of bones tugged over his gloves seemed to glow under the celestial light. He liked the view, and the view seemed to like him, too.

Held in his skeletal hand was a single flower. He stroked a silken petal, then slipped another finger under it, plucking the petal free. The wind claimed it, setting it sailing off into the unknown.

He continued. A second, a third. So on and so forth, until the flower was left stripped down and barren, even robbed of its leaves.

He dropped the stem off the hill. The pumpkins below consumed it, and the once lovely flower’s body became one with the patch.

"I figured this is where you were."

He lowered his dark circular lenses. His bright eyes slid to the figure that had approached from behind, on feet so swift they hardly made a sound. They came in with the sweetness of deadly nightshade, the trace of a poisoning committed at midnight. "Not a lethal dose, just enough to knock the doctor out for a few hours," as they always said. "How else would I sneak out to see you?"

Dry, ghostly lips dashed with hatch marks pried into an open smile, both teeth and the gaps between them. Charming, in a crooked sort of way. "My dear. You've come."

You bent down. “If you don't mind, I'd like to join.”

“The spot beside me is always reserved for you.” He patted it, inviting you to take a seat.

"Such a gentleman." You sunk down, folding your hands in your lap. "And so handsome when you're brooding. You're terribly good at that."

He was, he was, especially silhouetted by the moon. The man was practically monochrome, but bathed in silver like this, his pale skin was less sickly and more ethereal. He almost appeared like a cruel angel in the light, descending to expunge evil.

"I'm not brooding," he pouted, "I'm dreaming."

“Dreaming." You reached out and tucked a strand of alabaster hair behind his ear. "Father says it’s a ridiculous, wild thing.”

"Ah, but that's what makes it so much thrilling. Life’s no fun without a good scare.”

His mouth quirked to one side, and his smile became off-kilter--as his ideas often were. "He'll bring us to ruin with his crazy, new-fangled thinking and flights of fancy," your father would complain. But you adored that about the boy. How spontaneous he was, how his curiosity was never-ending. He'd race about like a child, picking items up and sticking his face where it probably shouldn't go.

Full of life in this otherwise lifeless town.

"What's this? What's this?" he'd say. "I must know!"

"He's gone daffy," your father would declare.

"Mmm." You nodded absentmindedly, tracing your fingers along the shell of his ear and down to his arm. "What were you dreaming about today?"

He lifted his head, looking beyond the hill and to the woods. Not a word was exchanged. None had to be.

"The Hinterlands?" you whispered. "But we don't know what's out there. No ghoul or monster has ever ventured out that far."

"Then sounds like I'll be the first! They’ll put me down in the history books as a pioneer." His laughter brightened up the gloomy night. When he quieted, his gaze was solemn—more solemn than you'd ever witnessed him. "... Don't you wonder about what's out there? Stuff that's cold and fluffy and falls from the sky. Things that come in colors we haven't seen."

"Sometimes," you admitted quietly, "but those are just dreams. I don't chase them."

"Maybe you should. We should," he mused, fingers tucked under his chin. "I bet there's all sorts of things we've never even dreamed of, too. And wouldn’t you like to see something strange?”

"I would. I really, really would," you told him in a soothing tone. Trying to reassure him as much as you were yourself. "Let's not doing anything dangerous though. I sense something in the wind—tragedy at hand. I can't shake that feeling that something bad is around the bend if you tread that path."

You gingerly laid your hand over his. Behind tinted lenses, his eyes widened.

"Stay here with me," you begged. "We can be together. Gaze at the stars. Be safe in one another's arms."

“… Sweetness, I would love for nothing more than to have you and to hold you ‘til death do us part.” His voice fluttered like the brush of a falling leaf upon your cheek. He regarded you tenderly, locking his fingers with yours and squeezing. “But you know that’s not the kind of man I am.”

“Yes, you’re every flavor of foolish imaginable,” you replied, pressing your forehead against his, “and I love you for that.”

“As do I.” He brought his icy lips to the back of your hand. A chill spider-walked up your arm, and you shivered.

“Then…”

“That’s why I must depart one day.” He pushed his glasses up. You caught the tragic reflection of your face in his lenses. “Out there… something more awaits us. I’m sure of that. I intend to find it and revive our town, this season that’s gone stale.”

“I won’t stop you if you decide to go,” you murmured. “And I will count the days until you return to me.”

“I knew you’d understand.” His smile—now it was touched with sadness, the knowledge of soon parting ways. “Thank you, dearest.”

He stood slowly, drawing you up with him. Your feet followed, as if pulled along by a puppeteer. How in sync the two of you were, how nicely molded your bodies were to one another’s. Your joy melded under the watchful eye of the moon.

“Shall we share a dance? One for the road,” he crooned. An errant breeze tousled his pallid hair, his tattered coattails—but to you, he was fairest of them all. “Our last dance for a while.”

“Alright, let’s make this one count,” you chuckled, “so I can send you off on your travels with a smile.”

“Excellent 🎵” He slid a hand around your waist, guiding you to lean into him. “Let the merrymaking commence!!”

“Yes…!!”

The midnight waltz began.

He led you, step by step, and you trailed after. Movements easy and effortless, like two intertwining maple leaves, spinning and spiraling. Their partner, the center of their universe.

“It’s as plain anyone can see,” he breathed.

“We’re simply meant to be,” you returned.

They danced as if possessed or an enchantment was cast upon their footwear. The moment too sweet, too succulent, to relinquish so soon. They wanted to savor it, indulge in it—and each other.

For never was there a more perfect pair than the Pumpkin King and his consort.

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