On the one hand, this page is beautiful and haunting, but on the other hand, it does kinda leave me longing for the early days of this comic when double updates were still feasible. I recognize that those days are long behind us now with how much bigger this comic has gotten, but still, this ominous shot has got me on the edge of my seat, I gotta know what happens next! xD
Oh, well. It’s only another two days anyway, I can wait.
Vash plunges to his prison like a stone through the ocean,
Falling and falling towards the darkness of his tomb.
Below him the shadows of people writhe
To escape the tenebrous gloom.
… I wonder if Red showed this page to Blue beforehand to see if it inspired enough thalassophobia-based dread.
Oh my. For such a simple illustration there’s a lot to take in. Vash falling deeper into the depths, not able or not even trying to fight back against his fall. The pleasant light-blue surface and swirls giving way to dark-blue depths and black, unknown bottom. The legion or hands bellow, there to drag him further down? His lost citizens still clinging to their god?
Y’know what this all reminds me of? The leap of faith scene from Into the Spider-Verse only everything’s reversed. The implied direction of travel, the uplifting nature turned oppressive, people(?) not watching their hero triumph but seemingly going to aid his fall. That scene in the movie lifted us up after a depressing moment, this brings us down after Vash’s victory.
It may just be me, but I can’t see any other comments on this page. Where IS everyone? Are you all still alive? Am I the only one left living in this fandom?
Is THIS how Kendal felt when he came into the world?
And…..
I’m going to say it again!
It’s the people of Vash!
We saw that Kendal was able to actually hear them under the (new) mountain, but I would never have guessed that he actually had a strong enough connection to them for anything else to come of it…
He’s not Vash, after all.
Then again, it could be something else and we’re all just wildly guessing.
Oooooo prettyyyyyyyyy
The art and atmosphere of this one are really well done, I can practically hear the sounds of plunging underwater and the muted silence that follows (did that make any sense?)
@storyline
Yes, those are the soils of Vash. There’s one part in the beginning when Kendal says that it was a necessary rite for Vash to release his people’s souls for them to move onto the afterlife and that he can hear their souls screaming. I imagine that’s what this is, which is honestly just so terrifying.
I’m reminded of people being dragged through the gate of Truth in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.
I thought that this would be Kendal going into another dream, but now I’m not sure. We haven’t seen the eyes yet, so this could be either Kendal or Vash.
i dont think those are the people of vash like i’ve seen in some of these comments, because if you go look at page 1.1.2, which i believe to be the best page for getting a look at the vash people, they are all human-ish. at the very least they all had 2 feet and 5 fingers, and if you look at the shapeless, massless blob of people, a lot of them don’t have 5 fingers. in addition, of the few heads that we can see, none of them have any extra features (like antlers or horns) i dont know what this could be, but i don’t think its the people of vash.
Definitely not me completely missing the point of this very foreboding page that could have a lot of different meanings and instead screaming about how pretty this art is
Ok. Ive been looking at the cover art for Chapter 19 and I think the gold goop represents the influence of Life, so anywhere Alinua has healed has the stuff maybe dont quote me on this.
Aaaaaah why did I have to scroll down and check the comments I was SO much better off not noticing that sea of shadowy hands in the middle of the page…
Beautiful.
So, about chapter art, the gold filling their cracks could be referring to the Japanese art of fixing broken vases with golden glue. This chapter might have a theme of fixing the broken.
I mean, the whole comic is like that but I think this chapter will take it further beyond.
What y’all think?
Everyone saying the arms and dark figures are the dead of Vash. I propose a counter argument:
Up: starlight, the heavily implied power behind Kendal’s animation.
Down: the void, the heavily implied missing element responsible for life. Also typified by hunger as demonstrated by VD, the void peeps in the caves and living persons in opposition to homunculi.
How do you think Kendal”s feeling about his current situation? Specifically the ‘falling through an endless sea towards a ball of hands’ thing, but if you would like to include his reaction to still being around, feel free.)
Alternatively:
Have you ever had a dream that shares elements with Kendal’s current situation? No need to elaborate if you don’t want to. (For example–yes I have, it was recurring, and it absolutely terrified me, and that’s all I’m saying )
Sorry about the lack of posts lately, things happen. Also, if you saw my comment and got the reference I made, please comment for a bonus point.
I’ve got a lot of thoughts bouncing in my head after seeing the next chapter cover:
It doesn’t make sense why everyone’s petrified. Nobody has any real connection to Stone apart from Tess and Erin (and maybe Kendal? Starmetal is still metal) and even that doesn’t explain why everyone’s stone, or why VD’s brand is gold. Plus the gold isn’t jagged, like Lightning magic or its Great Rune.
Adding on to the previous point, even if its the Paladin’s Dragon’s magic or soul magic, we’ve seen their colours. What comes to mind with the gold is ambrosia – the ‘blood’ of the Greek gods and the source of their immortality. Talking about gods, the gang’s eyes are fully one colour – like the Aurora gods. However, they don’t have any glow. The Metal-caste’s eyes are the closest to what we have here.
Kendal’s stone is cracked. It looks like Alinua’s healing him – but she seems to have a simpler version of her… life rune on her other arm. Falst has a new – scar? – too, Kendal’s punch catch wasn’t that far up.
The calm and collected Camp ‘ooooh check out the restless souls, so creepy but cool’ and the wildly stressed by cliffhangers Camp ‘RED ALERT WAKE THE FUCK UP THIS IS NO TIME FOR NAPS!!!!!!’
I don’t think Kendal wanted to wake up, mostly because he probably wanted to trade out with Vash in one way or another.
also, this page is very creepy, or at the very least foreboding
@Skye this isn’t quite an answer to a question you asked, but this scene has been giving me flashbacks to a *certain* scene in the webcomic Stand Still, Stay Silent…
Matthew: while that could be true for kendal and falst(the gold marks seem to be where they have recently accuired injuries), it doesn’t really seem to be the case for erin, tess, and dainix, since the gold marks for them are the void dragon mark, lightning scar, and scar over eye, respectively, and none of those of any connection with life as far as i can tell.
@Skye: that quote is immediately what I thought of when I read the page yesterday
I thought the gold on the statues was more like a filling where the statues had broken apart, and they’re representing the characters’ physical and emotional scars. This would explain how the Void Dragon symbol on Erin is also covered in gold. I was thinking since the gold swirls on Alinua look like her healing magic, it’s representing her emotional scars of having to heal Kendal over and over again because he doesn’t not care about his own well being and throws himself into danger. Although we don’t have much context or background information on Tess, Dainix, or Falst’s scars (although Falst’s might have been from where he has broken his arm from what has happened here in Zurrith.), they would still have probably had a big emotional impact on their characters.
Are those the souls of Vash?
PRETTY
Are those the people of Vash?
For mobile readers.
Alt-text: falling in the black, slippin’ through the cracks
Image source: fall
UHOH…….. KENDAL HEY BUDDY IMMA NEED YOU TO WAKE UP
WRATH /// FIRST: IN THE WAKE OF POSEIDON
Are they… the dead citizens of Vash!?
Are they… are those the dead citizens of Vash!?
Ten bucks says those are the lost souls of Vash
Are… are those the citizens of Vash?!
On the one hand, this page is beautiful and haunting, but on the other hand, it does kinda leave me longing for the early days of this comic when double updates were still feasible. I recognize that those days are long behind us now with how much bigger this comic has gotten, but still, this ominous shot has got me on the edge of my seat, I gotta know what happens next! xD
Oh, well. It’s only another two days anyway, I can wait.
Are those the people of Vash?
Oh damn, everyone already asked that same question… whoops
Oh my god, I love how five of the first 9 people to comment said the exact same thing(including me). Also, thanks Zer0 W0lf!
Vash plunges to his prison like a stone through the ocean,
Falling and falling towards the darkness of his tomb.
Below him the shadows of people writhe
To escape the tenebrous gloom.
*Full Metal Alchemist theme music intensifies*
… I wonder if Red showed this page to Blue beforehand to see if it inspired enough thalassophobia-based dread.
Oh my. For such a simple illustration there’s a lot to take in. Vash falling deeper into the depths, not able or not even trying to fight back against his fall. The pleasant light-blue surface and swirls giving way to dark-blue depths and black, unknown bottom. The legion or hands bellow, there to drag him further down? His lost citizens still clinging to their god?
Y’know what this all reminds me of? The leap of faith scene from Into the Spider-Verse only everything’s reversed. The implied direction of travel, the uplifting nature turned oppressive, people(?) not watching their hero triumph but seemingly going to aid his fall. That scene in the movie lifted us up after a depressing moment, this brings us down after Vash’s victory.
oh look that’s a lot of people
It may just be me, but I can’t see any other comments on this page. Where IS everyone? Are you all still alive? Am I the only one left living in this fandom?
Is THIS how Kendal felt when he came into the world?
oooooohhhhhhhhhhhh fuck
kendal is sleep-katabasising into the underworld of vash
can’t wait for a little character development/catharsis or maybe an elaborate nightmare sequence
And…..
I’m going to say it again!
It’s the people of Vash!
We saw that Kendal was able to actually hear them under the (new) mountain, but I would never have guessed that he actually had a strong enough connection to them for anything else to come of it…
He’s not Vash, after all.
Then again, it could be something else and we’re all just wildly guessing.
ARMS!!!!!!!
So I’ve been playing Omori recently and uh
(No spoilers past the prologue please, I haven’t been playing that much)
Oooooo prettyyyyyyyyy
The art and atmosphere of this one are really well done, I can practically hear the sounds of plunging underwater and the muted silence that follows (did that make any sense?)
Holy crap, Red quoting SKILLET lyrics!?!?!?!
[alt text]
Oh good, mosh pit time.
theories:
1. All of the evil lady’s souls she’s collected
2. All of Vash’s people
This is really prettty
But if those are the souls of Vash, does that mean Kendal is dying?
I mean, probably not
Right?
I mean are we even sure that is Vash? Could be Kendal dreaming. I’m betting Vash tho.
A limerick is not appropriate for this page either, so, let’s try something different:
Sinking
Through light,
Through blue,
To night.
Rushing
Swirl of sound.
Muted silence
As noise is drowned.
Sound fades.
Light fades.
All is darkness.
All is death.
Wow, I did not expect this to go there. Shoutout to LilacSpiral for the inspirational phrase for this poem.
@storyline
Yes, those are the soils of Vash. There’s one part in the beginning when Kendal says that it was a necessary rite for Vash to release his people’s souls for them to move onto the afterlife and that he can hear their souls screaming. I imagine that’s what this is, which is honestly just so terrifying.
I get mild hollow knight vibes here…
This is the end,,
Hold your breath and count to ten…
Oops… Kendal, you were supposed to handle the shadowy squatters in your heart at the BEGINNING of your journey…
Um. Hey, what the f*ck?
I’m reminded of people being dragged through the gate of Truth in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.
I thought that this would be Kendal going into another dream, but now I’m not sure. We haven’t seen the eyes yet, so this could be either Kendal or Vash.
Kendal wake up I don’t like this
Are yall seeing people in this that I’m not? All I see is some magic sparkles, a blue to black gradient, and Kendal.
Nvm I found the hands
Really hard to see.
Everyone on mobile: brightness up
i dont think those are the people of vash like i’ve seen in some of these comments, because if you go look at page 1.1.2, which i believe to be the best page for getting a look at the vash people, they are all human-ish. at the very least they all had 2 feet and 5 fingers, and if you look at the shapeless, massless blob of people, a lot of them don’t have 5 fingers. in addition, of the few heads that we can see, none of them have any extra features (like antlers or horns) i dont know what this could be, but i don’t think its the people of vash.
In the Hero’s journey the Hero must descend to the underworld some information/item or quest, This underworld looks very Cthulhu-eque
Definitely not me completely missing the point of this very foreboding page that could have a lot of different meanings and instead screaming about how pretty this art is
InB4 the people of Vash have fused into some kind of terrifying hive mind.
TL;DR: Lovecraftian much?
maybe it’s other souls that the collector has collected
Ok. Ive been looking at the cover art for Chapter 19 and I think the gold goop represents the influence of Life, so anywhere Alinua has healed has the stuff maybe dont quote me on this.
KEN BUDDY I NEED YOU TO WAKE UP NOW
Swim down for H U G S
Wow, Red referencing Skillet lyrics (the alt text), did not see that coming.
Aaaaaah why did I have to scroll down and check the comments I was SO much better off not noticing that sea of shadowy hands in the middle of the page…
Good gods this page is gorgeous
Kendal, please, don’t die on us
Oh that is definitely the souls of Vash. KENDAL, DUDE, WAKE UP RIGHT NOW.
@alolanvulpix i think thats a great inference. mabye kendall is seeing those souls because he is still seeing through vashes eyes since he is asleep.
Beautiful page. I can’t wait to re-read this beginning to end once it’s complete.
…wait. Brightness up. Hands. Aaaaaaaack!! Alinua, help!
Okay, is there ever going to print editions of this? If so, i would like to sign up for preorder please.
Beautiful.
So, about chapter art, the gold filling their cracks could be referring to the Japanese art of fixing broken vases with golden glue. This chapter might have a theme of fixing the broken.
I mean, the whole comic is like that but I think this chapter will take it further beyond.
What y’all think?
“What’s up Danger?”
Oof
Huh, wasn’t expecting Skillet lyrics as the alt text. Nice
now would be a good time to wake up
Wat u know bout Rollin down In the deep…
Everyone saying the arms and dark figures are the dead of Vash. I propose a counter argument:
Up: starlight, the heavily implied power behind Kendal’s animation.
Down: the void, the heavily implied missing element responsible for life. Also typified by hunger as demonstrated by VD, the void peeps in the caves and living persons in opposition to homunculi.
So. Not done with the blue glowy effects yet, are you? At least you don’t have to put 2 blue glowy effects on top of each other
Gorgeous page, but to quote either directly or in paraphrase a certain DnD animator:
Hands. Why did it have to be hands?
(Sorry, couldn’t resist. If you get the reference let me know in your QotD reply.)
QotD:
How do you think Kendal”s feeling about his current situation? Specifically the ‘falling through an endless sea towards a ball of hands’ thing, but if you would like to include his reaction to still being around, feel free.)
Alternatively:
Have you ever had a dream that shares elements with Kendal’s current situation? No need to elaborate if you don’t want to. (For example–yes I have, it was recurring, and it absolutely terrified me, and that’s all I’m saying )
Sorry about the lack of posts lately, things happen. Also, if you saw my comment and got the reference I made, please comment for a bonus point.
First post!
I’ve got a lot of thoughts bouncing in my head after seeing the next chapter cover:
It doesn’t make sense why everyone’s petrified. Nobody has any real connection to Stone apart from Tess and Erin (and maybe Kendal? Starmetal is still metal) and even that doesn’t explain why everyone’s stone, or why VD’s brand is gold. Plus the gold isn’t jagged, like Lightning magic or its Great Rune.
Adding on to the previous point, even if its the Paladin’s Dragon’s magic or soul magic, we’ve seen their colours. What comes to mind with the gold is ambrosia – the ‘blood’ of the Greek gods and the source of their immortality. Talking about gods, the gang’s eyes are fully one colour – like the Aurora gods. However, they don’t have any glow. The Metal-caste’s eyes are the closest to what we have here.
Kendal’s stone is cracked. It looks like Alinua’s healing him – but she seems to have a simpler version of her… life rune on her other arm. Falst has a new – scar? – too, Kendal’s punch catch wasn’t that far up.
Just some thoughts.
There are two kinds of aurora fans.
The calm and collected Camp ‘ooooh check out the restless souls, so creepy but cool’ and the wildly stressed by cliffhangers Camp ‘RED ALERT WAKE THE FUCK UP THIS IS NO TIME FOR NAPS!!!!!!’
@Skye, Dingo!
I don’t think Kendal wanted to wake up, mostly because he probably wanted to trade out with Vash in one way or another.
also, this page is very creepy, or at the very least foreboding
@bottled.bluebells I agree, except I am both XD
@Skye this isn’t quite an answer to a question you asked, but this scene has been giving me flashbacks to a *certain* scene in the webcomic Stand Still, Stay Silent…
? water!
this comic is absolutely gorgeous
Matthew: while that could be true for kendal and falst(the gold marks seem to be where they have recently accuired injuries), it doesn’t really seem to be the case for erin, tess, and dainix, since the gold marks for them are the void dragon mark, lightning scar, and scar over eye, respectively, and none of those of any connection with life as far as i can tell.
@Skye: that quote is immediately what I thought of when I read the page yesterday
I thought the gold on the statues was more like a filling where the statues had broken apart, and they’re representing the characters’ physical and emotional scars. This would explain how the Void Dragon symbol on Erin is also covered in gold. I was thinking since the gold swirls on Alinua look like her healing magic, it’s representing her emotional scars of having to heal Kendal over and over again because he doesn’t not care about his own well being and throws himself into danger. Although we don’t have much context or background information on Tess, Dainix, or Falst’s scars (although Falst’s might have been from where he has broken his arm from what has happened here in Zurrith.), they would still have probably had a big emotional impact on their characters.
MAGIC WATTTEEEEERRRR
Congratulations to this page, which gets the award for the largest crowd of people Red has ever drawn!
“I’ve been having these weird thoughts lately. Like is any of this for real, or not?” *Utada Hikaru starts playing*
this art is *chef’s kiss* I stared at for so long that I forgot the meaning of the page.
Oh gosh! Nope nope nope! Sorrowful souls of the lost ones from Vash, nope nope nope