The Way & Time [Theory from Years Later]
Posted: Wed Aug 24, 2011 7:33 pm
So, I'm having a friend play through The Way, and we've been discussing some of the hidden themes in the game. While I myself haven't played through the game in a good four or five years, I absolutely LOVED it. Still, my memory on the timeline and events of the game are pretty fuzzy. So I wanted to bring some of those theories to the forums. I understand, as much theorizing went down all those years ago, and likely since then, I'm probably reiterating weaker versions of past (possibly disproven) theories, but given that there doesn't seem to be an incredible amount of life flowing from these boards anymore, I'm going to give these a shot with anyone willing to read, anyway. Keep in mind the amount of time that has gone by since I played the game, and the fact that I was never truly a part of the theorizing that went on on these boards.
One of my favorite aspects of the game was that so much information could be derived from seemingly random sources (i.e. books or NPCs). In particular, there is a room that I BELIEVE was in the Opera House in Episode 6. In the room, there is a random guy that asks Rhue if people liked the show, and goes into a monologue about his perceptions of The Rolling Mists. So, this guy is unique in being the only NPC that (claims) to have seen them. He describes them, as I recall, as turning red like blood just before they crash down, and compares their effect to the erosion of shorelines. Interestingly, this guy also makes cryptic note of the windows in the room, explaining that he used to stare out them for long periods of time. At first, he enjoyed the feeling that they gave him. However, like a drug, they eventually brought him pain, and he recommends that Rhue not look out of them for too long.
So what was out the window? My theory, which leads into the theory that I posted this thread for, is that the windows represent the past. At first memories are a nice thing to hold onto and look back on. However, those too preoccupied with the past will eventually be brought pain by longing for them. Even as Rhue looks out the window, all he can see is a child smiling, or something like that. The happiness of childhood is certainly the epitome of 'memories'.
The relevance is that, the guy that looked to his past for so long is the same one that has seen The Rolling Mists.
I believe that it is already an established idea that Rhue is travelling backwards along The Way. In a world where nearly everyone is wandering in the same direction, Rhue is wandering in such a direction that stationary communities become larger and larger. The first settlement Rhue comes across is relatively small, while Estrana is quite large. If The Rolling Mists are to be taken literally, or at least considered to be a possibility by the residents of The Way themselves, then the larger, more structured communities must have been around longer, and therefore are closer to The Rolling Mists.
My theory is that The Way is a manifestation or metaphorical representation of time and memory. To travel backwards, as Rhue is doing, is to be living in the past. Needless to say, this sums up his desperate pursuit of Serena fairly well. Not coincidentally, this pursuit leads him to "The End of The Way", which if my own memory serves, is effectively the beginning of his past, and therefore as far as he can travel in his current state of mind.
Similarly, every re-occuring character (which, as they are re-occuring, would logically also be travelling backwards along The Way) seem to have ties to the past that prevent them from moving forward. Traziun's situation with his mother and ties to being his father's failed Perfect Blade. Even down to Kloe and Gaius. There are a few oddities here, like Strata, but it works out pretty well.
In fact, one of the only characters that does not seem to be living in the past is Lexus, who quite literally never travels backwards on The Way to begin with. In addition, the short time Rhue seems to want to begin a new life and live in the present with Lexus, he is not travelling backwards along The Way. As soon as Lexus dies, Rhue begins furiously pursuing his past once more. The destruction of Estrana could even be seen as the collapse of that happy memory of the time spent with her and the necessity to either look to the future, or be further wrapped in the past.
To tie the Opera House guy back in, his sighting of The Rolling Mists and his longing for the past is surely not a coincidence. Those that pursue the past for too long will indefinitely be crushed by their own unattainable desires. The Rolling Mists act both as the loss of old memories that one can no longer return to (erosion of a shoreline, like the slow erosion of memory), and the breaking point of the 'living in the past' mentality. Surely if you are living in a memory that you can barely remember yourself, you will be swallowed up by the metaphorical all-consuming crimson tide.
Again, it's been so many years since I played through this game, but The Way was the first and only game I ever fell in love with. I realize the years have probably blurred some of the details of The Way for me, but I'd appreciate anyone's input. Thanks for reading.
One of my favorite aspects of the game was that so much information could be derived from seemingly random sources (i.e. books or NPCs). In particular, there is a room that I BELIEVE was in the Opera House in Episode 6. In the room, there is a random guy that asks Rhue if people liked the show, and goes into a monologue about his perceptions of The Rolling Mists. So, this guy is unique in being the only NPC that (claims) to have seen them. He describes them, as I recall, as turning red like blood just before they crash down, and compares their effect to the erosion of shorelines. Interestingly, this guy also makes cryptic note of the windows in the room, explaining that he used to stare out them for long periods of time. At first, he enjoyed the feeling that they gave him. However, like a drug, they eventually brought him pain, and he recommends that Rhue not look out of them for too long.
So what was out the window? My theory, which leads into the theory that I posted this thread for, is that the windows represent the past. At first memories are a nice thing to hold onto and look back on. However, those too preoccupied with the past will eventually be brought pain by longing for them. Even as Rhue looks out the window, all he can see is a child smiling, or something like that. The happiness of childhood is certainly the epitome of 'memories'.
The relevance is that, the guy that looked to his past for so long is the same one that has seen The Rolling Mists.
I believe that it is already an established idea that Rhue is travelling backwards along The Way. In a world where nearly everyone is wandering in the same direction, Rhue is wandering in such a direction that stationary communities become larger and larger. The first settlement Rhue comes across is relatively small, while Estrana is quite large. If The Rolling Mists are to be taken literally, or at least considered to be a possibility by the residents of The Way themselves, then the larger, more structured communities must have been around longer, and therefore are closer to The Rolling Mists.
My theory is that The Way is a manifestation or metaphorical representation of time and memory. To travel backwards, as Rhue is doing, is to be living in the past. Needless to say, this sums up his desperate pursuit of Serena fairly well. Not coincidentally, this pursuit leads him to "The End of The Way", which if my own memory serves, is effectively the beginning of his past, and therefore as far as he can travel in his current state of mind.
Similarly, every re-occuring character (which, as they are re-occuring, would logically also be travelling backwards along The Way) seem to have ties to the past that prevent them from moving forward. Traziun's situation with his mother and ties to being his father's failed Perfect Blade. Even down to Kloe and Gaius. There are a few oddities here, like Strata, but it works out pretty well.
In fact, one of the only characters that does not seem to be living in the past is Lexus, who quite literally never travels backwards on The Way to begin with. In addition, the short time Rhue seems to want to begin a new life and live in the present with Lexus, he is not travelling backwards along The Way. As soon as Lexus dies, Rhue begins furiously pursuing his past once more. The destruction of Estrana could even be seen as the collapse of that happy memory of the time spent with her and the necessity to either look to the future, or be further wrapped in the past.
To tie the Opera House guy back in, his sighting of The Rolling Mists and his longing for the past is surely not a coincidence. Those that pursue the past for too long will indefinitely be crushed by their own unattainable desires. The Rolling Mists act both as the loss of old memories that one can no longer return to (erosion of a shoreline, like the slow erosion of memory), and the breaking point of the 'living in the past' mentality. Surely if you are living in a memory that you can barely remember yourself, you will be swallowed up by the metaphorical all-consuming crimson tide.
Again, it's been so many years since I played through this game, but The Way was the first and only game I ever fell in love with. I realize the years have probably blurred some of the details of The Way for me, but I'd appreciate anyone's input. Thanks for reading.