Ideally, this would be where I host the entire text. Unfortunately, the original document is something like 160 pages of text, and I can't really be assed to convert that all to HTML.
Of course, I could've just linked the living document, but on the off-chance it sees traffic... yeah that shit's gonna slow to a crawl.
For those reasons (among others), what you see is what you get. I will likely not upload revised versions of this unless someone specifically requests that I alter credit, change a name, etc.
WHAT TO EXPECT
- BASICS | The lowest level analysis the document has. Covers things like the many meanings behind Darkness and Light, the physical structure of DELTARUNE relative to real life, the Angel, and Kris and the Knight's parallel roles. I conclude that DELTARUNE is a story about stories, and how they are treated during and after their consumption. I strongly believe every aspect of DELTARUNE orbits around these ideas. If I had to put money on being right about anything, it's the stuff I write here.
- PROPHECY | Using context clues to figure out what Susie, Ralsei, and Kris learned about the Prophecy's ending, why this interpretation is more thematically coherent than other popular interpretations, and what lessons can be learnt from the game's ending.
- This section ends with an analysis of the Weird Route and how it differs from UNDERTALE's Genocide Route.
- DEVIL | Where Gaster becomes relevant. After first examining every single Shadow Crystal sidequest in detail, I spend the runtime of this section arguing that Gaster is intentionally a foil of the Player, the Devil to their Angel. The gist of my argument is that the "SHADOW CRYSTAL ROUTE" (as I call it) has deep thematic and practical similarities to the Weird Route. Like Flowey, Gaster is an audience surrogate that has gone off the deep end, what the Player has the potential to become.
- There's a brief interlude where I discuss DEVICE_FRIEND, but I don't have any revolutionary takes about them. Sorry
- Miscellaneous Clarifications | Exactly what it says on the tin. May or may not be updated if a criticism is strong or loud enough, but don't count on it.
- Aren't you forgetting something? | Epic fakeout ending that leads into the Knight section. God I'm so cool. Follows the same principles and narrative guidelines I lay out earlier in the document.
- CAROL HOLIDAY: A profile | Thorough examination of Carol's role in the story and why it isn't what most people say it is (i.e. either the Knight's compatriot or just straight up the Roaring Knight). Asks questions like "why is Christmas a recurring aesthetic?" and "what does Carol actually believe in?", plus decently sized Asgore discussion. Starts off as normal media analysis before I spend like ten pages clearing misconceptions about her actions. I talk about the phone,
- DECEMBER HOLIDAY: A profile | My attempt at a believable portrait of what Dess was like when she was around, and what people thought of her. Followed by analysis of her absence, her influence across the Dark Worlds, her relevance to Kris, and the lyrics to "Raise Up Your Bat", which I treat more like a poem. Focuses both on how Dess being the Knight serves the story and on her motive.
- An ode to never forgetting | The conclusion to the above, where I tie Dess's lyrics to the vocal excerpt of "Don't Forget".
- Last was the girl | The surprisingly deep similarities between Susie's growth and Dess's downfall. How Susie embodies the most hopeful outlook on the Prophecy.
- The end? | My final conclusion, which is just me trying to figure out what Toby's final conclusion is meant to be.
- """Inspirations""" | Further reading / people who influenced me. Evidence that I am a hack.