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Theories on the Ending Cryptic Video

Started by koko_99_2001, July 21, 2010, 05:50:22 AM

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koko_99_2001

Ok, so I don't know about everyone else, but my mouth dropped open during the ending video. I thought it was awesome...and so many questions! What are your theories??
<3 Happily married to FataliOmega since July 11, 2009 <3

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Catherine DaCosta

crayauchtin

The Fates have started using illegal substances!!! They're hallucinating the entire adventure!!! :o :o :o :o
"If your translation is correct, that was 'May a sleepy hippopotamus lie down on your house keys,' but you're not sure. Unfortunately, your fluency in griffin-speak is too low."

We're roleplaying in the King's Quest world: come join in the fun!

Tolin

#2
Alexander relives the events of KQIII... now in stunning 3D!

More seriously, it's mostly expository.  Alexander and Rosella are central to ending
whatever happened a thousand years back.  I don't know how much we can infer
beyond what it makes fairly obvious.  Rosella's light and innocence, and the darkness
residing in Alexander's heart through his own childhood under Manannan - both are
opposites of the other, and likely play a part moving forward.

I honestly think Alex's past will haunt him... not physically, necessarily, but it will be
part of the struggle he'll have to face.
Nathan Benner, TSL Q.A. Tester

tessspoon

Quote from: Tolin on July 21, 2010, 02:08:32 PM
I honestly think Alex's past will haunt him... not physically, necessarily, but it will be
part of the struggle he'll have to face.
Agree... some of the released dialogue points that way.

Fierce Deity

The Fates created a prophecy that is entwined with the Silver Cloaks and the Black Cloaks. Rosella is going through a "light/silver" realm and Alexander is going through a "dark/black" realm. They apparently have some sort of test to accomplish. I just hope Alexander going through the "dark realm" won't tempt him to become a dark wizard like Manannan.  :(

What I want to know is, why was Alexander possessed? Shadrack went up to Rosella and just whacked her with a face-full of evilness, but Alexander was possessed before he passed out.
Freudian Slip - "When you say one thing, but mean your mother."

B'rrr

Quote from: Fierce Deity on July 21, 2010, 11:01:37 PM
What I want to know is, why was Alexander possessed? Shadrack went up to Rosella and just whacked her with a face-full of evilness, but Alexander was possessed before he passed out.

I asked a likewise question here.

it never really got answered  ;)
~Mary Jane supporter~
~Legend~

liggy002

Quote from: B'rrr on July 22, 2010, 12:31:51 AM
Quote from: Fierce Deity on July 21, 2010, 11:01:37 PM
What I want to know is, why was Alexander possessed? Shadrack went up to Rosella and just whacked her with a face-full of evilness, but Alexander was possessed before he passed out.

I asked a likewise question here.

it never really got answered  ;)

Of course not, because the reason is probably central to the storyline.

Allronix

#7
It's probably cross of reading the King's Quest Companion and an overly-heavy dose of the AGD King's Quest working its dubious magic on my fanficcer's brain...but I've got theories.  

As for why Alex was nailed first and why Shadrak didn't even have to touch him? The Black Cloak is VERY fond of Xanatos Gambits, and long-term schemes. Just check Alhazred and Mordak! Or Dahlia, if you want to go diving through the supplementary material for KQ1. If we're going with the idea that the Society is a nemesis for Graham and family and has been for a while, then the answer is simple.

While Mannanan has always been fond of young boys, enslaving them, and killing them off at the cusp of manhood (any further speculation on my part goes into Brain Bleach territory)...Alex wasn't an ordinary case. The Black Cloak had taken him specifically as an attack on Graham. Furthermore, Mannanan had his hooks on Alex for at least sixteen years. There are all kinds of escape clause curses, time bomb spells, dark rituals, and general bad juju they could have worked on him. So what if he had somehow managed the impossible and escaped Mannanan - they still could have him back under their control or dead at any time they wanted.

Rosella? If you want to work some of the usual twin tropes, they had a hook in her via Alex, but probably a weaker version. Shadrack had to go in for something quick and direct to activate it.

The content of the twins' dreams seems to reflect their lives and adventures.  To use a DCU analogy, Alex would end up with a green ring of willpower, while Rosella is a blue ring of hope.  Alexander literally went to hell and back, and it was treated very seriously while Ooga Booga Land wouldn't be out of place in a Tim Burton comedy. Tamir, despite Lolotte's hostile takeover, was a fairly welcoming and friendly place. The same could not be said for Llewdor. Did both of them risk their necks to save unfamiliar lands? You bet. Did they both endure some severe ordeals to do it? Sure. However, their approach is different.

Rosella acts, but she also inspires others to act. She did it twice with Edgar, first inspiring him to slip her the key to her cell and the second time making him break Malicia's brainwashing long enough to stop her. She gave Dr. Cadaver a spine - literally. She was also the one who inspired her own brother into finding her and himself by offering herself to the dragon. I'd expect Graham to spend a lot of time in her dream trying to convince people to help in some form.

Alex is better at direct action, at surviving. He's not as good at finding allies. No slouch, certainly...but it's not his element.   He's better at trickery, as evidenced by his fake suicide in front of Shamir and his use of Bump-on-a-Log and Stick in the Mud's rivalry to get the swamp ooze. He also transmutes the dark magic of the spell books into good uses. Expect Graham's trip here to be full of unfriendly elements requiring an underhanded move or two.

As for the odd prophesy? Again, could be the AGD talking, but there was something in the King's Quest Companion stating that their universe isn't as stable as it seems. There's some kind of magic that created it when the sorcerers withdrew from the universe into the multiverse in order to save themselves. If the Black Cloak is undermining the very magic that keeps the KQ universe alive and separated from other realms, or there's a weakness in the magic the Black Cloak is exploiting, things could go very badly very quickly.



Old Adventure Gamers never die - they've always saved first.

Fierce Deity

Quote from: B'rrr on July 22, 2010, 12:31:51 AM
Quote from: Fierce Deity on July 21, 2010, 11:01:37 PM
What I want to know is, why was Alexander possessed? Shadrack went up to Rosella and just whacked her with a face-full of evilness, but Alexander was possessed before he passed out.

I asked a likewise question here.

it never really got answered  ;)

Thanks, I have a slightly better outlook on the event now. Alexander being "resistant" to the dark magic is very plausible. It still doesn't answer anything, but it's believable nonetheless.
Freudian Slip - "When you say one thing, but mean your mother."

GwydionAE

I really like your theories, Allronix!  I agree with your thinking that Mannanan could easily have worked his "bad juju" on Alexander, especially considering KQ villians' other long term schemes and their BCS connections.  And you brought up some interesting points about Alex and Rosella's dreams and the differences between their experiences.

I also agree with Tolin and tessspoon about Alexander having to face his past.  I'd almost go so far as to say I'd be disappointed if he didn't as some of the discussions on the forums and such have got me thinking about how staying with Mannanan effected him quite a bit lately.

I'm curious about the black haired guy.  He is wearing a silver cloak, so perhaps he's the one following Graham around?
Finally a place where no one will ask me what my screenname means or how to pronounce it!

Allronix

Hey, I've been a fanfic writer for over 20 years. Crackpot theories and finding nasty implications are my business. I still think I'm the only one who ever came up with a Space Quest angst fic, though.  Speaking of that, Silver Lining prompted me to go and find my abandoned SQ/KQ crossover...

If I was going for a critical hit on Graham? Remember, Alexander was his greatest failure. He brought back the three treasures. He got Valanice out of imprisonment. He liberated his family and Serenia from Mordak's threat...but he couldn't save Alexander. There could be some lingering fear on Graham's part and some subconscious anger on Alex's part in regards to that.
Old Adventure Gamers never die - they've always saved first.

crayauchtin

Allronix -- I had come up with something similar (as far as the curse being planted long ago while Alex was enslaved) thinking about this yesterday after I went out clubbing -- yes, I was at a club thinking about King's Quest. :-\ Oh well!

Anyways, I'd love to see some of your fanfics! In the Asylum section of the forum there's a perfect sub-forum for it! Pleeeeeease? :P
"If your translation is correct, that was 'May a sleepy hippopotamus lie down on your house keys,' but you're not sure. Unfortunately, your fluency in griffin-speak is too low."

We're roleplaying in the King's Quest world: come join in the fun!

Allronix

#12
Check the fanfic section. http://www.postudios.com/blog/forum/index.php?topic=8990.0 I dug up one of my oldies and posted it there.
Old Adventure Gamers never die - they've always saved first.

Fierce Deity

Quote from: Allronix on July 22, 2010, 09:48:44 AM
If I was going for a critical hit on Graham? Remember, Alexander was his greatest failure. He brought back the three treasures. He got Valanice out of imprisonment. He liberated his family and Serenia from Mordak's threat...but he couldn't save Alexander. There could be some lingering fear on Graham's part and some subconscious anger on Alex's part in regards to that.

I wouldn't go as far as to say Alex's kidnapping was Graham's greatest failure. If you look at the big scheme of things, he couldn't stop Mordack from stealing his castle and family in the first place, but he was able to redeem himself by saving them. Even in TSL, he couldn't stop Shadrack from attacking his children, but he will (hopefully) save them. The one exception, or Alexander's kidnapping, couldn't be helped. For some reason, the Magic Mirror clouded up and King Graham couldn't find where Alex was. Not really a failure, as much as misfortune. If it weren't for the Magic Mirror, Graham wouldn't have been King cause he would only have two treasures. He couldn't save Valanice, cause he wouldn't know she was in Kolyma. The Magic Mirror even helped Rosella find Tamir, and Alexander find Cassima. I wouldn't call losing Alex "a failure" just because the Mirror wasn't "active" at the time of his kidnapping. In fact, the Mirror didn't work until Alex came back to Daventry on his own. That's convenience for you.
Freudian Slip - "When you say one thing, but mean your mother."

Allronix

I'd argue that. Yes, Mordak capturing the castle and family was pretty bad, but they were rescued quickly. There was something Graham could do. He went out and did it, and it was awesome, the owl notwithstanding.

Being arguably the Biggest D*mn Hero on that planet and being unable to spare your son sixteen years of slavery and torture at the hands of your enemies? Then, being so demoralized by the dragon's repeated ravages of Daventry that you can only watch as your last shred of hope offers herself as a sacrifice to it?

Mordak's little stunt was nothing in comparison.
Old Adventure Gamers never die - they've always saved first.

Fierce Deity

Quote from: Allronix on July 23, 2010, 03:21:44 AM
I'd argue that. Yes, Mordak capturing the castle and family was pretty bad, but they were rescued quickly. There was something Graham could do. He went out and did it, and it was awesome, the owl notwithstanding.

Being arguably the Biggest D*mn Hero on that planet and being unable to spare your son sixteen years of slavery and torture at the hands of your enemies? Then, being so demoralized by the dragon's repeated ravages of Daventry that you can only watch as your last shred of hope offers herself as a sacrifice to it?

Mordak's little stunt was nothing in comparison.

I'd agree with that. But labeling it as a "failure" is demoralizing in itself. It was pure misfortune. What did Graham do to have those atrocities happen to him? Nothing. What could he have done to spare his kingdom and family from said atrocities? Nothing. Not failure, just wrong place, wrong time. Not to mention, having an entire organization of dark wizards hellbent on wiping out your very existence is a bit of a downer too.
Freudian Slip - "When you say one thing, but mean your mother."

crayauchtin

I think, as Baggins pointed out, he had the magic shield. Why couldn't he and his armies use that to stop the dragon? Probably because he was already so demoralized by failing to find his son.

....unless, and I only JUST thought of this theory for whatever reason, all three of the treasures stopped working when Alexander was kidnapped. Oh. My. God! That just solved a plot hole in the fanfic/Companion I'm starting to write. I'm a freaking genius!
(Well, to be fair, I'm probably going to go with "A little bit of both" :P)
"If your translation is correct, that was 'May a sleepy hippopotamus lie down on your house keys,' but you're not sure. Unfortunately, your fluency in griffin-speak is too low."

We're roleplaying in the King's Quest world: come join in the fun!

KatieHal

The exact mechanics of how that shield worked were never explained, either. Maybe it only worked for the guy holding it. Or against swords/armies.

Now I'm enjoying the image of tiny tiny print on the inside of the shield at the bottom that reads "May not work against dragons." :D

Katie Hallahan
~Designer, PR Director~

"Change is the constant, the signal for rebirth, the egg of the phoenix." Christina Baldwin

I have a blog!

wilco64256

And someone reading said print in a total panic as the shield starts melting.
Weldon Hathaway

Fierce Deity

Quote from: crayauchtin on July 23, 2010, 10:58:18 AM
I think, as Baggins pointed out, he had the magic shield. Why couldn't he and his armies use that to stop the dragon? Probably because he was already so demoralized by failing to find his son.

....unless, and I only JUST thought of this theory for whatever reason, all three of the treasures stopped working when Alexander was kidnapped. Oh. My. God! That just solved a plot hole in the fanfic/Companion I'm starting to write. I'm a freaking genius!
(Well, to be fair, I'm probably going to go with "A little bit of both" :P)

That's an interesting assessment. Not only would Daventry suffer from war, but the Magic Chest would stop producing coins, so they would suffer from a depression (although having an infinite of supply of currency would result in an inflation).
Freudian Slip - "When you say one thing, but mean your mother."