#source: 'dude trust me'

[felikatze]

What the hell is a Child of Fire and is Nagyunn an arsonist

preamble: hi i’m thinking abt this webcomic again and how little we know abt what’s actually going on with the masked bandits outside of that one guy possibly being lauzun’s dad or something. so when i reread i paid extra attention to figure out stuff but i’ve gotten nowhere. I write meta posts bcuz my thoughts haunt me and i want them gone to think about other stuff. other people think abt this for me thank you

So. Here ya go.

This post includes three sections, best summarized as:

1. What? 2. Who? 3. Why?

1. The hell’s a Child of Fire anyway?

We never get an explanation of this, but there’s some deductions we can make.

a) a Child of Fire is pretty hard to kill We see this when the masked bandits talk about killing Najin. They planned an ambush with a lot of people, and I’ve seen theorizing that they may have made Nagyunn kill Najin because only Nagyunn could.

There’s some property of a Child of Fire that just makes em apparently unkillable without special circumstances. Which leaves us with the question of, why could Nagyunn kill Najin if he’s a normal guy?

From Episode 32, said by the leader of the masked bandits.

b) a Child of Fire is presumably from Woodion This mainly ties back to Woodion being “the town of flame” and Najin being referred to as “Woodion’s flame” so this seems appropiate.

From Episode 2

From Episode 4

During the first meeting with Marsha, she also calls “Najin” “Najin van Woodion” with van being uhh dutch? for “of” so he’s “Najin of Woodion.” Names like that are typically associated with nobility. Either Najin’s family actually had some importance before biting the dust, or Najin and Nagyunn don’t have unique surnames and he’s “that guy Najin from Woodion.” Does anyone in this series have a surname actually?? Does anyone??

From Episode 19

c) Possible ties to magic? Other theorizing is that “Child of Fire” is meant very literally, what with the two counts of fire attached to our main guy. There’s also how magic works in The Ember Knight, as explained by the magician with magic being stronger if the elements just kinda like you. A Child of Fire may be a kid that fire just loves, but this point is the most theoretical.

From Episode 35

All around, we don’t know shit.

2. Who’s a Child of Fire anyway?

The obvious no brainer answer would be Najin, but it’s not that clear cut, imo.

There’s evidence for Najin being the one, namely the fact that the masked bandits are veeeeery convinced that he is, to the point they’re willing to believe Najin survived sword-through-the-heart on account of being the unkillable Child of Fire (see: the first screenshot).

Another thing is the first big count of fire in the story (chronologically): the fire supposedly set by Nagyunn that killed Luzian’s dad.

From Episode 2

Odd thing abt this is a formulation here:

[screencap of flashback during Luzian’s tryouts]

From Episode 13

The phrasing that Nagyunn didn’t feel guilt for killing the guy but rather not being able to save him, coupled with the reasoning for the fire being that “he doesn’t know”, makes who set the fire kind of suspicious.

From Episode 22

A very real possibility here is that Nagyunn took the fall for Najin if we once again interpret “Child of Fire” as being literal, on account of Nagyunn’s “I’ll always protect you!” thing

From Episode 2

but then AGAIN, Nagyunn very very much blames himself for the fire.

Also From Episode 2

Our second option would be that Nagyunn is the Child of Fire, which I think is also very possible.

First count of fire-setting could be Najin’s fault, but it could also still be an accident on Nagyunn’s part. Furthermore, the second fire of the series strikes me as notably odd.

Why the hell did Nagyunn burn his own house down? There’s a pragmatic reason, being that he needed a believable cause of death that would both obscure the actual cause of death via stabbing and also make the corpse unavailable for identity verification.

However, we don’t see Nagyunn actually set the fire. And the fire starts with a paper on the wall, without Nagyunn even being in the panel. That’s weird, right? There’s no explanation for how that happens, yeah?

From Episode 4

It’s possible we’re just not shown how Nagyunn set the fire because it would slow down the scene or something, but who else would it be? The masked bandits just up and left, they had no reason to set a fire.

If we believe Najin to be the Child of Fire, then his death could’ve caused it, just like, magically or something. If we believe Nagyunn to be the Child of Fire, then it may be like, a physical manifestation of his emotions.

It’s just weird, man.

Another point for Nagyunn is like, not really lore related but more symbolism related.

From Episode 12

Here, Nagyunn, who before was symbolically “the ash that remained” assumes the position of the fire, “the embers you couldn’t extinguish.” This also ties into the title of the comic, obviously, and this is the moment we really see Nagyunn as “The Ember Knight.” (Though rejecting being ash is additionally a metaphor for rejecting being Nagyunn. Layers.)

Like lore wise this means nothing but this is a narrative and foreshadowing can be anything. Nagyunn symbolically assumes the position of ember, that will one day grow into a raging fire. Ya see?

Maybe the masked bandits thinking Najin is the Child of Fire just comes from Najin’s strength and they’re mistaken, because they knew “one of those two” had to be it. Maybe Najin’s a red herring?

Man, maybe both of them are Children of Fire and it’s a genetic thing. Who knowwwws.

We don‘t actually know how killable Nagyunn is since he‘s never physically in mortal peril. I mean „stabbed-through-the-heart“ mortal peril. He is frequently surrounded by people with the intent and strength to kill him, though.

Moving on to a different thing, this bit from the narrator.

[screencap of the “one in a million” rock metaphor]

From Episode 9

Both Najin and Nagyunn are described as “one in a million” by the narrator. The narrator in this instance is pointedly not a limited one, as it describes Nagyunn in third person. Obviously, some random comment from the narrator doesn’t mean much, but I feel it’s worth pointing out how both of them are “special.”

And now arises the question of why the masked bandits wanted the Child of Fire dead so badly.

3. Why kill the Child of Fire anyway?

Since the masked bandits are so mysterious to the point not even some of their members know what the hell’s going on, they could be, well, not the good guys, but well-intentioned. There’s the geo-political aspect of them teaming up with the skeleton guy from the east who wanted to protect his king, and the brewing war between east and west, and the Knights are on the side of the west obviously but. The masked bandits may be trying to prevent war? I think?

So it remains within the realm of possibility that they wanted to kill the Child of Fire because the Child of Fire is inherently dangerous somehow.

Whether the presence of the Child of Fire would assure war-time victory for the west or whether the Child of Fire is dangerous to the world as a whole, I don’t. I don’t know. Both is possible.

If we believe the Child of Fire to be a danger, then it wouldn’t be out of line to describe them as “a lump of impurities”, would it.

That’s all my thoughts on the whole Child of Fire thing. Think what you will, all bets are off to what it really would be.

#Feli speaks #the ember knight #long post #it took a WHILE to get those screenshots so you better appreciate them #good thing i knew offhand which scenes had the deets i wanted #but also screenshotting on desktop is horrid on webtoon but the app blocks screenshots #so i had to use the mobile site which is why the screenshots r so dang big #cuz i'm too lazy to resize them. okay thanks #now i can finall think about the video game essays i want to write #THIS TOOK ONE AND A HALF HOURS?? SERIOUSLY?? sorry i just looked at a clock i started at like 13-something #and it's 14-something now #this si why my meta posts usually dont have sources damn #source: 'dude trust me' #also urging all my followers to read this comic it's good #visually speaking nagyunn has a strong tie to fire with his red orange color palette #but the color is vry washed out almost cold which is cool #pun not intended i think it's good character design

[cuntbrow]

this is how looney tunes sex truthers will win

#source: dude trust me #michael sheen #david tennant #does this count as shennant? hm. probably not but eh let's christen it #shennant #good omens #people #ysa.txt

[novodontia]

#The camel was responsible for 99% of the kills this season #source: dude trust me #secret life #trafficblr #life series #I have no idea how to draw camels help #goodtimeswithscar #my art :D

[chanrizard]

#the atrocious lighting was all a ploy to save us from fainting at the sight of the Marms & the Biddies #source: dude trust me #bystay #staysource #createskz #linosource #lee know #changbin #usersun #userlau #usertsu #melontrack #meltracks #usersemily #dreamytag #le mie creature #my heart is minho shaped

[jamlabs]

No emotion autism 🤝 explosive unmasked anger autism

Cool bug :]

#guilty gear #sol badguy #ramlethal valentine #they both have so much autism god bless. #source dude trust me #soltober 2023 #j doodles

[cozymochi]

omg if you tap the screen at a frame perfect interval you can get a secret easter egg left by the dev team

#cozy crap #twisted wonderland #twstposting #source: dude. trust me. 🫵 #twst silver #sebek zigvolt #/j obviously

[hrokkall]

Worthy Sacrifice

#Inscryption #Deer #Leshy #Magnificus #P03 #Grimora #Inscryption Leshy #Cw: #Blood #Animal death #Eyes #Okay cool that's probably all the tags this needs #I know this barely looks like inscryp fanart just source(s) dude trust me #Or you can pretend it's an original work if that's cooler to you. It's not because I'm a one-trick-pony but hey #Whatever works #Hrokkall Art

[amazing--ace]

Alternative bar scene that dreamworks doesn't want you to know about

#source: dude trust me #puss in boots #puss in boots the last wish

[alissssssaka]

#this is how hughie finds out about butcher's condition #source: dude trust me #the boys #the boys tv #billy butcher #hughie campbell #butcher x hughie #hughie x butcher #butchie

[pepperpixel]

“Those thoughts of past lovers, they'll always haunt me

I wish I could believe you'd never wrong me

Then will you remember me in the same way,

as I remember you?”

BABY WE BUILT THIS HOUSE, ON MEMORIES!!!! ITS MORE BETTY AND MAGIC MAN ART TIME!!!! AKA PepperPixel is completely obsessed w the dynamic of two people dealing w very similar trauma finding understanding and solidarity in one another!!!!! GHGHG JUST. I LOVE IT. I LOVE THEM. SO MUCH.

#adventure time #betty grof #magic man #at magic man #normal man #king man #doodles #sorry about the enthusiasm that songs just RLLY FITTING FOR THEM #UGH!!!!!! AHHH!!! #like…. GHGH I CANT EVEN BE ARTICULATE ABOUT THIS ATM IM SORRY #my source for loving these 2 together: dude trust me ghghg- #no aCTUALLY THERE IS A FUCKING BASIS FOR IT BUT. still. I understand.. why it’s not most ppls focus ghgh #I get it I like petrigrof too! I just think… there’s untapped potential in these two….. I see it…. #I also like Simon Betty and magic man in a polycule too!! I just… I want magic man to be included I think he’s interesting….. #and the relationship / dynamic he can have w Betty and Simon is interesting as well!!!!

[asterronomical]

Former employees of Joey Drew Studios are Imprisoned and make the world’s worst most hellish dnd campaign more at 8 

#batdr spoilers #because this is canon (source: dude trust me) #bendy and the dark revival #bendy and the ink machine #alice angel #twisted alice angel #malice #susie campbell #sammy lawrence #henry stein #arrrt #horror #? #not pictured r Norman and Bertrum just lying there bc i dont think they can roll

[betweenlands]

Impulse thinks he might've started seeing things early this time.

It happens at least once a season at this rate, so it's not really a surprise on that side of things. And it's not as bad as the boogeyman clock-ticking he's heard twice now, so, he'll take it, just... it hasn't even been a full session yet?

He'd like to say it started when he ended up tag-teaming with Gem and Scott, but the truth is, that's not quite it. It started when he got his task and ended up in the cherry grove up there, and that little part of him he knows is basically a ghost detector went this task isn't so bad -- maybe people will actually trust me this time! There's never been a bad guy who built with cherrywood, right?

Really weird thing for a ghost detector sense to say. But then Gem and Scott caught up, and they sort of just fell into a natural alliance, and yeah -- Impulse looks at their location-in-progress and thinks we're gonna be the good guys this season, and for a split second feels this headache.

Then it's gone.

It happens again when Skizz visits, which is probably part of a task, but all Impulse knows is... he walks up to Skizz while he's saying "I've been that guy, that all I do is tell the truth, and I'm a loyal sword -- I think I might be the guy that just wants to lie to everybody and just be a jerk!"

Knee-jerk response: "Nah. Don't love that idea. Hate it."

Internal ghost-detector response: I mean, who says those things are mutually exclusive?

Impulse has to stop himself from whipping around fully at the voice, which sounds almost like Scott, except Scott isn't behind them right now -- just Jimmy, and past that the cherrywood trees. He thinks for a second there might be a flash of red among all those pink blossoms. He shrugs it off as Grian skulking around, even though he knows Grian doesn't have pink hair.

A few minutes later, he knows it definitely wasn't Scott, because the guy shows up to immediately point out a zombie villager appearing on the mountain -- there's a librarian, right there, aggroed more or less directly on him. They scramble to get it in a boat and cover its head. Some part of him suggests they should bury it underground, just in case. They only need one more.

Next sighting is a bit more difficult to ignore, mainly because Impulse knows when he's being made fun of, and when a goat smacks him while he's trying to wrangle it into a boat, he catches sight of someone with long blonde hair cackling like a maniac about it from the other side of the border wall, and before he can do anything more than think huh, how'd False get past the border? they're gone.

False is not in this season. He tries his best to put that behind him and inform his teammates of the real issue, which is:

"YOU SAID THAT GOATS WERE NOT A PROBLEM," Impulse yells, trying to pretend the panic is about the loss of a half heart. "I JUST GOT GOATED." He can see the campfire Gem and Scott set up over their shoulders. Someone wearing red is sitting at one of the seats. Impulse resolutely ignores the fact that he hasn't seen Grian at all so far.

That's it for the ghosts for a while, enough to lull him into a false sense of security. Maybe it is just Grian sneaking around. (Maybe the guy in a red poncho he sees in the distance in the badlands Scar has based just outside of is just Grian reliving his glory days.)

"By the way, this is Traitor Scar's!" Scar says brightly.

You think his partner's Grian again? a voice says wryly. It's not either of their voices. It's not the voice of anyone Impulse even knows, for that matter. It sounds like it came from over by the badlands.

"Trader Scar's," Impulse repeats, realizing he's misheard what Scar actually said.

Eh, the voice says. Like recognizes like.

#secret life #secret life smp #impulsesv #i have gone certifiably off the shits in case anyone was wondering #yall 3l impulse and d1 legundo have STUFF in common #source dude TRUST me #trafficseries #slsmp #secret life spoilers // #i think normally i wouldn't maintag this but i wrote this FOR the besties that see the cinematic parallels so #deceit smp #deceit #yt #txt #orig #solar scrawls #solar scraps

[goshenightie]

#my artwork #fanart #honkai star rail #hsr #stellaron hunters #kafka #sam #silver wolf #blade #theyre family #source: dude trust me

[saturnisfallingdown]

trying to get people to read 17776 is so hard like. no I dont like football but like its about football right. okay so like heres this link to an sbnation article about football. please trust me

#ITS REALLY GOOD sources: dude trust me #17776

[thoughts-ofthe-damned]

HC that David had a crush on Tank for a HOT minute in their teen Years.

No I will NOT be taking criticisms.

#source: trust me dude #redacted audio #redacted asmr #redactedverse #redacted tank #redacted darlin #redacted david

[susiephone]

one thing i'm loving about this season of abbott is how janine's being a bit snarkier towards barbara and is more willing to stand up to her. part of learning from somebody is accepting that they're imperfect and you can't always please them, and learning when, although you love and respect them and they're full of great advice, in this specific instance they're kind of full of shit

#plus in s1 and s2 barb and melissa could be a little.... unnecessarily harsh #so it's satisfying to see janine snark back now and then #i REALLY hope eventually they have an episode where janine is like #'ok yes you usually have a point but sometimes you still have to EXPLAIN YOUR POINT' #bc sometimes barb's source is 'dude trust me' #which makes sense for her character! but sometimes you do have to explain yourself #abbott elementary #janine teagues #barbara howard