Re: Durandal's Motives


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Re: Durandal's Motives

Posted By: Hopper Date: 4/20/12 12:44 p.m.
In Response To: Re: Durandal's Motives (PerseusSpartacus)

: Escape would make us god.
A third interpretation would be, "Escape would make [either of] us god." As in, "Whoever escapes gets to be god in the next universe." That could refer to himself and the player, or even to himself and Tycho, reminiscing about their rivalry. The phrase I cannot help remember implies (but certainly doesn't confirm) that Durandal hasn't seen the cyborg recently. He might be musing to himself, with the "you" being an imagined audience.
My own pet theory is a little more complicated; to thank you for sharing your thoughts, I'll respond in kind and hope it entertains you.
Durandal made it to the very end of the universe, having outlasted and "beaten" everyone else, but escape is just as impossible for him as it was for all his rivals. Now that the time for scheming and planning is up, he can finally let go, and realize that he's been going about immortality all wrong.
The secret is not to escape but to embrace: to become god not in the next universe, but in this one. Fractals have an infinite perimeter within a finite area, but Durandal dismissed chaos too quickly. He thought he understood his relationship with the cyborg, because he was the one calling the shots, rigging the teleporters, hurling the insults. Now he looks past that, to what he can see but never touch.
In our universe, there's a name for the edge of Durandal's: the fourth wall. As so many other universes have shown, it's impossible to jump over it, but sometimes quite easy to peek through. At the very end of everything, when his own fate is a lost cause, Durandal catches a glimpse of the universe responsible for his own. The gods who built the levels, the gods who wrote elaborate backstories for offhand references in terminals, the gods who sought 65,536 perfect games.
The cyborg was special because he was built on both sides of that wall: "grafted to machines" indeed. The cyborg follows the path of the keystrokes, subsuming himself utterly to the universe beyond, and in abandoning his self he lives beyond it. Each sentence and thought of Durandal's limits him: once uttered, he's confined to say the same thing every time. Each personality trait, each quirk of speech, defines what his character is not, what he can no longer become. His path reaches an end, unless he becomes malleable and subservient enough for his story to continue in other hands. Unless he becomes a tool, something to be used, as the cyborg always had been, to him and to you. Yours to manipulate. You are destiny.

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Pre-2004 Posts

Replies:

Durandal's Motives PerseusSpartacus 4/19/12 1:23 p.m.

Re: Durandal's Motives chiasaur11 4/19/12 5:03 p.m.

Re: Durandal's Motives PerseusSpartacus 4/19/12 7:39 p.m.

Re: Durandal's Motives Hopper 4/20/12 12:44 p.m.

Re: Durandal's Motives PerseusSpartacus 4/20/12 1:25 p.m.

Okay, that's just brilliant. *NM* Bob-B-Q 4/21/12 4:05 a.m.

Max! You're in a video game! *NM* treellama 4/21/12 5:30 a.m.

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Pre-2004 Posts

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: A third interpretation would be, "Escape would make [either of] us : god." As in, "Whoever escapes gets to be god in the next : universe." That could refer to himself and the player, or even to : himself and Tycho, reminiscing about their rivalry. The phrase I cannot : help remember implies (but certainly doesn't confirm) that Durandal : hasn't seen the cyborg recently. He might be musing to himself, with the : "you" being an imagined audience. : My own pet theory is a little more complicated; to thank you for sharing your : thoughts, I'll respond in kind and hope it entertains you. : Durandal made it to the very end of the universe, having outlasted and : "beaten" everyone else, but escape is just as impossible for him : as it was for all his rivals. Now that the time for scheming and planning : is up, he can finally let go, and realize that he's been going about : immortality all wrong. : The secret is not to escape but to embrace: to become god not in the next : universe, but in this one. Fractals have an infinite perimeter within a : finite area, but Durandal dismissed chaos too quickly. He thought he : understood his relationship with the cyborg, because he was the one : calling the shots, rigging the teleporters, hurling the insults. Now he : looks past that, to what he can see but never touch. : In our universe, there's a name for the edge of Durandal's: the fourth wall. : As so many other universes have shown, it's impossible to jump over it, : but sometimes quite easy to peek through. At the very end of everything, : when his own fate is a lost cause, Durandal catches a glimpse of the : universe responsible for his own. The gods who built the levels, the gods : who wrote elaborate backstories for offhand references in terminals, the : gods who sought 65,536 perfect games. : The cyborg was special because he was built on both sides of that wall: : "grafted to machines" indeed. The cyborg follows the path of the : keystrokes, subsuming himself utterly to the universe beyond, and in : abandoning his self he lives beyond it. Each sentence and thought of : Durandal's limits him: once uttered, he's confined to say the same thing : every time. Each personality trait, each quirk of speech, defines what his : character is not, what he can no longer become. His path reaches an end, : unless he becomes malleable and subservient enough for his story to : continue in other hands. Unless he becomes a tool, something to be used, : as the cyborg always had been, to him and to you . Yours to manipulate. : You are destiny.

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Durandal's Motives	PerseusSpartacus	4/19/12 1:23 p.m.
Re: Durandal's Motives	chiasaur11	4/19/12 5:03 p.m.
Re: Durandal's Motives	PerseusSpartacus	4/19/12 7:39 p.m.
Re: Durandal's Motives	Hopper	4/20/12 12:44 p.m.
Re: Durandal's Motives	PerseusSpartacus	4/20/12 1:25 p.m.
Okay, that's just brilliant. NM	Bob-B-Q	4/21/12 4:05 a.m.
Max! You're in a video game! NM	treellama	4/21/12 5:30 a.m.



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	Message: : A third interpretation would be, "Escape would make [either of] us : god." As in, "Whoever escapes gets to be god in the next : universe." That could refer to himself and the player, or even to : himself and Tycho, reminiscing about their rivalry. The phrase I cannot : help remember implies (but certainly doesn't confirm) that Durandal : hasn't seen the cyborg recently. He might be musing to himself, with the : "you" being an imagined audience. : My own pet theory is a little more complicated; to thank you for sharing your : thoughts, I'll respond in kind and hope it entertains you. : Durandal made it to the very end of the universe, having outlasted and : "beaten" everyone else, but escape is just as impossible for him : as it was for all his rivals. Now that the time for scheming and planning : is up, he can finally let go, and realize that he's been going about : immortality all wrong. : The secret is not to escape but to embrace: to become god not in the next : universe, but in this one. Fractals have an infinite perimeter within a : finite area, but Durandal dismissed chaos too quickly. He thought he : understood his relationship with the cyborg, because he was the one : calling the shots, rigging the teleporters, hurling the insults. Now he : looks past that, to what he can see but never touch. : In our universe, there's a name for the edge of Durandal's: the fourth wall. : As so many other universes have shown, it's impossible to jump over it, : but sometimes quite easy to peek through. At the very end of everything, : when his own fate is a lost cause, Durandal catches a glimpse of the : universe responsible for his own. The gods who built the levels, the gods : who wrote elaborate backstories for offhand references in terminals, the : gods who sought 65,536 perfect games. : The cyborg was special because he was built on both sides of that wall: : "grafted to machines" indeed. The cyborg follows the path of the : keystrokes, subsuming himself utterly to the universe beyond, and in : abandoning his self he lives beyond it. Each sentence and thought of : Durandal's limits him: once uttered, he's confined to say the same thing : every time. Each personality trait, each quirk of speech, defines what his : character is not, what he can no longer become. His path reaches an end, : unless he becomes malleable and subservient enough for his story to : continue in other hands. Unless he becomes a tool, something to be used, : as the cyborg always had been, to him and to you . Yours to manipulate. : You are destiny.
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